“Good morning Joshua, how did you sleep?” Dan asked
cheerfully as Josh descended the stairs behind Louisa; his hand clutched in
hers.
“Fine”
Josh grumbled. Dan was taunting him, he knew it. Louisa smirked at her brother.
“I
think I’ll join you two for breakfast” Dan decided, he’d decided that a few
hours prior but what did it matter? Louisa beamed.
“Cool”
Josh rolled his eyes at them; great… just great. They settled themselves
at the kitchen table which was still set for breakfast. Josh and Louisa sat
down on one side, Dan on the other. Well Louisa tugged Josh in the seat next to
hers and he lowered himself reluctantly. They got themselves breakfast and not
long after started eating in silence. Josh kept his head lowered, avoiding eye
contact he didn’t want to see these people he wanted to get away from them.
“I’m
giving you this week off” Dan informed him suddenly when they were half way
through.
“Why?”
Josh asked looking up from his breakfast; truly confused.
“So
you can pack”
“Oh”
Josh breathed softly, disappointed that this would really happen; he would
really move in with her.
“Oh?”
Dan repeated.
“Thank
you” Josh sighed.
“Good
eat up then you can go… with permission” Dan smirked, reminding Josh of what
he’d done two days ago and what Dan’s warning was about disappearing like that.
Josh swallowed hard, then nodded.
“Okay”
***
Four
nights later found Josh on the floor of his living room, packing away the last
few things. He heard the sound of the front door opening and could hear it was
Justin. It was weird how he heard it was his brother by just the way he opened
the door and shuffled in. The way his feet moved on the carpet and how he
shrugged out of his jacket.
“Hey”
Josh called from behind the couch where he was sitting. Justin jumped.
“Don’t
do that!” Justin exclaimed.
“What?”
Josh asked innocently.
“You
scared me, jerk” Justin countered.
“Guilty
conscience?” Josh asked jokingly.
“Where
are you anyway?!” Justin finally asked looking around the room.
“Here”
Josh replied sticking out his hand from behind the couch so Justin could locate
him. Moments later Justin appeared in front of him. He frowned as he saw the
boxes and the items gathered around Josh on the floor.
“What
are you doing?” Josh briefly looked up as Justin stood in front of him.
“Mom
and dad won’t come back for at least a few months you don’t have to clean for
their visit” he joked. Josh smiled but not fully.
“I
know they don’t but I think you should start already; you’ll never make it in
time if you don’t”
“Ha-ha”
Justin replied dryly.
“My
apartment is clean, jerk” Justin replied before looking at the items scattered
around Josh once more.
“But
seriously what are you doing?”
“Whoa
Justin what happened to you!” Josh suddenly exclaimed worriedly, as he got up,
finally seeing the fading yellow spot below Justin’s eye and the cut on his
face.
“I
got beat up” Justin replied as if it were no big deal.
“What?
Why? When?”
“Saturday”
“God,
are you okay?” Josh asked, hugging his younger brother.
Josh
still felt responsible for Justin although he kept telling him he was already
twenty, to Josh Justin would always be his little brother no matter how old he
got. He would always be his younger brother no matter how tall he got. Josh
kept calling him little although he’d passed Josh in height about 2 inches ago.
It didn’t matter though because although Justin was taller Josh would always
see him as his little brother, he would always want to protect him. Justin
would always be younger than him and Josh liked that; it would be the only
thing that would never change and he easily slipped into the worried dad role.
“I’m
fine Josh” he sighed.
“I
went to the cops to report it but there wasn’t much they could do ‘cause I
didn’t see their faces”
“Their?
There was more than one?”
“Yeah
it were three of them”
“Justin,
why didn’t you call me?” Josh asked astonished, not understanding why he didn’t
know about this and realizing that Saturday was four days ago.
“I
tried but I couldn’t reach you. You weren’t home when I dropped by and you
didn’t answer your phone”
“Oh”
Josh breathed; it was true, he realized Justin had no way of contacting him.
He’d spend almost the whole time at Louisa’s house. Only the first day he’d
packed his stuff here and the rest of the time he was at Louisa’s house,
getting his stuff in place or more like storing it away.
“Where
were you?”
“With
Louisa” Josh sighed.
“Oh”
“You
sure you are okay?” Josh asked to make sure, unconsciously changing the
subject.
“Yes
dad” Justin smiled a little. Josh joined him.
“Good”
“What
are you doing?” Justin asked suddenly, going back to his original question
before Josh had spotted the mark on his face.
“Packing”
Josh sighed.
“I
can see that but what for?”
“I…
um I’m moving in with Louisa” Justin expression was one of the typical shocked
looks of cartoon characters.
“What?”
his mouth dropped wide open and his eyes almost popped out of his head.
“I’m
moving in with Louisa” he repeated knowing it was hard to understand.
“What?”
Justin repeated again.
“Justin”
Josh sighed.
“No
what? You moving in with her?”
“Yes”
“Why?”
“Justin”
“No
I know why I mean four months ago you were ready to break up with her”
“I
know” Josh nodded, looking down at the objects in front of him.
“Then
what changed? How did this happen?”
“Well
she asked and I said yes” Josh answered lamely; what else could he tell him?
“I
guessed that” Justin countered almost glaring.
“I’m
sorry, I just I don’t know it just happened I guess”
“Do
you really think this is a good idea?”
“Yeah”
Josh said after swallowing hard. Justin eyed him and finally accepted his
answer; something bothered Justin, something was wrong but Josh said it was
okay; he believed his brother.
“Okay”
Josh looked at him curiously; okay?
“It’s
not my decision if you think this is what you have to do then do it” Justin
explained seeing the look in his brother’s eye. Josh smiled but only a little,
having mixed feelings about Justin letting this go. He wanted Justin to press
the issue and on the other hand he wanted Justin to leave it alone. Wasn’t
there a mid-way?
“So
what are you going to do with your apartment?” Justin asked, interrupting his
thoughts, always being the practical one. Josh looked around the room, he
wouldn’t take the furniture with him; Louisa had enough.
“I
don’t know” Josh replied honestly, he hadn’t really thought about it. Well he
kind of had he’d pushed it away mainly.
“Would
you um… mind if I lived here?” Justin asked carefully.
“Uh…
I guess not” Josh responded; he really didn’t want to get rid of his apartment
it had been hard to find and he liked living here but it would be a waste of
his money if he kept the apartment paying for it while no one made use of it.
Justin living there would make him feel better.
“No
more roommates” Justin beamed happily. Josh smiled.
“Just
don’t trash the place” he warned playfully.
“I
won’t! I’ve never!” Justin told him defensively but there was definitely a
playful gleam in his eyes.
“Good
then it’s yours” Josh told him, a little bit of regret in his eyes. He was happy
Justin was going to live here, he just wished he wouldn’t have to leave.
***
As
Josh drove to his new home the bad feeling in his stomach came back, thinking
about Justin and his bruise and cut, thinking about the day it had happened.
Could this be a coincidence? Or was Dan behind this? He’d said he wouldn’t hurt
him and people got beat up before; it wasn’t like Dan was the only one who
could have done it. However when he met Dan in the hallway and he asked, “How
is your brother?” Josh’s bad feeling came back in full force. Dan had been
asking the same question for the last several days; they were subtle but it was
different this time.
“Why
do you want to know?” Josh asked doubtfully, truly afraid he would confirm his
suspicions. Dan smirked, shrugged and walked away.
“Asshole!
What did you do?” Josh demanded to know.
“Not
much”
“Did
you hurt him?” Josh asked, emphasis on ‘you’. Dan didn’t answer but the look in
his eyes gave Josh his answer anyway.
“Asshole!
Why would you do this?” Josh cursed again, seething with anger. Dan still
stared amused.
“You
said you wouldn’t hurt him! You said it was only a warning!” Josh accused; he
knew it was about last week when he’d run off, too much of a coincidence for it
not to be about that.
“Oh
it was, Josh” Dan said, the amusement was gone suddenly and the glare send
shivers down his spine.
“W…what
do you mean?”
“I
think you’re smart enough to figure this one out on your own Josh” Dan told him
before he walked away.
Josh
stared at his retreating back; oh he figured it out. Dan told him he wouldn’t
hurt his brother and he did; it told Josh that he could not trust Dan. It told
him he had to work harder to protect his brother and worst of all; it told him
that they were serious in hurting Justin if he screwed up.
Dead
serious.
