Isaac

Continuation- Six Months Earlier

Should I run to him or turn and walk away? It was hard to decide when everything inside me seemed to be torn in opposite directions. My heart lurched, wanting to close the distance between us, but the weight of the past held me back like lead in my veins.

Josh hadn’t just left me—he’d left Harper, too. She always saw him as an older brother. Josh always seemed a step ahead, as if he was leading the way and never looking back. And maybe that’s what hurt the most—he didn’t look back.

Sarah stepped forward and grabbed Josh’s arm before we had a chance to move. “Josh, don’t stand by the door. You’re letting the wind in,” she said.

Josh gave her a small, sheepish smile, muttering, “I’m sorry, Mom,” as he gently closed the door behind him.

Will tugged at my sleeve again, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Why’s Uncle Josh so weird?”

A dry laugh escaped me from the pressure that had been building inside. Leave it to Will to break the awkwardness with a question only a kid could get away with.

Will knew Josh mostly through stories and pictures—what little I, Harper, and Josh’s parents had shared. There were a few video chats, too, but never in person. Sarah had taken care of Will when I couldn’t, and she’d kept Josh’s memory alive for him in ways I hadn’t been able to.

“Do you want to say hello?”

“Yep, yep,” Will said, nodding enthusiastically. At least one of us was looking forward to this reunion.

I grabbed Will’s hand and led him over to Josh. Josh smiled when we reached him, his eyes catching the light, that familiar blue I hadn’t seen in so long. It hit me harder than I wanted to admit. Seeing him like this—so gentle, so familiar—it made it harder to hate him. Harder to stay mad. But I wasn’t ready to forgive either.

I tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. It had grown longer than I liked, but I hadn’t had the energy to deal with it. “Hi,” I said, my voice quiet, almost shy. It felt strange, being this close to him again. Too many memories rushed back, unbidden.

Josh stalled; his gaze dropped to Will, and he crouched down to his level. “Hey, champ! You’re getting so big. What are you now, thirteen? A teenager already?”

Will giggled, shaking his head. “Don’t be silly, Uncle Josh. I’m six. Almost seven.”

Josh chuckled, ruffling Will’s hair. “Oh, my bad. Six going on seventeen, right?”

Will’s laughter bubbled up but quickly shifted, his smile faltering.

“Come here,” Josh said, opening his arms. Will practically launched himself into the hug. He wrapped his arms tight around Josh’s neck.

And that’s when the sniffles started. Will’s little body trembled as the tears came, his face buried in Josh’s shoulder. Josh held him close, petting his hair gently, soothing him the best he could.

Josh glanced up, and I caught the tears burning in the corners of his eyes. I didn’t want to feel sympathy for him. I didn’t want to let him in. But the hurt was there—the same one I’d been carrying.

I turned away, afraid that if I didn’t, I’d fall apart, too. I took a long breath, the kind that doesn’t really steady you but buys a few seconds. I crouched down next to them, resting my hand on Will’s back, trying to soothe him too. This was the first time he’d let himself break since we told him Harper was gone.

I could feel Josh watching me, and when I finally looked up again, he reached for me and pulled me into a hug. I hadn’t realized how much I needed it until I was wrapped in that warmth. Everything I’d been holding back felt like it might burst. I pressed my eyes shut, clinging to the only solid thing in the middle of all this.

***

“How’s he doing?” Josh asked as he took a seat beside me.

I had made a makeshift bed out of the chairs, using my jacket and some blankets I had brought along. Will had cried himself to sleep, his little body exhausted from everything. He was curled up next to me, breathing evenly. Karla had left with her husband and the kids, heading to their hotel for the night. She was tired, understandably—she’d only arrived late last night, and tomorrow was the burial.

Looking down at Will, I said, “He’s gonna be okay. He needs to rest.”

Josh cleared his throat. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?” He sounded almost nervous, as if afraid of overstepping.

I nodded, moving a little in my seat to give him room. Josh leaned in, close enough that I could feel his warmth beside me. I didn’t look at him. I kept my hand resting on the back of the chair, fingers brushing my cheek. The last thing I wanted was to meet his eyes—to see whatever mix of guilt or worry was written all over his face.

Josh fidgeted, clearly trying to get my attention. I pressed my lips together, feeling annoyed. I turned to him, giving him a cold, maybe bored look. His hands rubbed together nervously, eyes darting away before he finally spoke.

“Have you checked your phone?” he asked. “I’ve been calling and sending texts… and when I didn’t get a response, I got worried. I didn’t know if…”

“I haven’t had time,” I cut in. “And why should I answer? Congrats, Josh. You officially retired from the military on the same day my sister died. The same sister who was your friend. So, please, don’t make this about you.”

Josh exhaled slowly. “I know,” he said. “I know that’s not something I should bring up right now. But… I heard you lost your job at the clothing store. You’ve been staying with Mom for the past couple of weeks…”

He glanced at me, unsure how I’d react to what he was about to say.

“I want you to come live with me,” he continued. “There’s plenty of room. Will can have his own space. You don’t have to keep bouncing between places. I’ll take care of everything.”

I stared at him, not sure if this was a joke, if he was serious, or if he thought he could fix something that couldn’t be fixed.

“Are you freaking kidding me? What even made you think I need your help?”

“Isaac, you need to think about what’s best for Will. You’ll have stability if you’re in a permanent place. You don’t have to do all of this alone.”

I scoffed, crossing my arms. “And what do you get out of this? Huh? What happens when people find out you’ve got a gay guy living with you? Have you ever thought about how your girlfriend would react to that?”

Josh’s expression darkened, irritation flashing in his eyes. “I don’t have a girlfriend, Isaac.”

Silence stretched between us. Then, Josh rubbed the back of his neck, as if to gather his thoughts. “When has that ever been a problem? You know I’ve never cared about any of that.”

“We were kids, Josh,” I shot back. “You don’t get it. You don’t know what it was like for Harper and me. How hard it was to ask for help back then. We had no choice. We had nowhere to go. And even now, your parents keep helping me.”

“I’m not trying to undermine you,” Josh said, holding my gaze. “I just want to give you some space to breathe. Somewhere stable where you don’t have to worry about where you’ll be next week. Will would have his own space. He’d have a blast. You remember how fun it was when we were all together—you and…”

His voice trailed off as he was about to mention Harper. It was like he’d just remembered why we were here. He looked at the floor, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, you’re right,” he muttered. “This is wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here asking this. I just…”

He didn’t finish. I tried to read his face, but maybe it was better this way. I needed to figure things out on my own. I wasn’t the same kid he used to know. Harper wasn’t here anymore, and things couldn’t return to how they were. It wasn’t his place to step in and try to make everything better.

Will stirred beside me, shifting as he rubbed his eyes and slowly woke up. “Are we going to live with Uncle Josh now?” he asked, his voice still groggy.

I stiffened, completely caught off guard. The word no formed on my lips, but it wouldn’t come out. I was ready to tell him no—that we’d figure things out, find a new apartment—but then I caught the look on his face.

Will’s eyes were wide, full of hope. The kind of hope I hadn’t seen in weeks. It was like he saw a light at the end of this endless tunnel. For a moment, I felt my resistance waver.

How could I say no when it was written all over his face—this need? Not just for a place to stay, but for something solid. Something normal. Something I hadn’t been able to give him since… since Harper’s condition took a turn for the worse, and she had to stay in the hospital.

The idea of moving in with Josh, accepting his help… My thoughts scrambled, searching for an answer that wouldn’t undo him, that wouldn’t make me feel like I was losing control all over again. But I had nothing. I still didn’t trust Josh. I couldn’t forget the way he’d left.

Just as I was about to say something, Will’s face lit up as if the decision had already been made.

“I like the idea!” Will said, him looking brighter, as if the weight of the last few weeks had lifted just a little. His small hands came together, fingers interlaced like he was pleading. “Please, Isi.”

I felt my eyebrows contract in confusion, my mouth opening to protest, but the words died on my tongue. Wait, what was this? I thought, trying to wrap my head around this unexpected turn. I wanted to correct him and explain that we wouldn’t be living with Josh and that we’d find a new place. But then Josh spoke first.

“Yes.” Josh smiled gently at Will. “We’ll live together.”

Will sprang up from his makeshift bed. “Thank you, Uncle Josh!” He hugged Josh, not knowing that this wasn’t supposed to be the plan.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the frustration build inside me. That sly bastard. He’d played his cards well, making the offer sound like the best thing for Will.

Josh glanced at me, a smug expression creeping onto his face. His eyes said it all: I win.

Will was still clinging to Josh, fisting the fabric of his suit. A rough voice greeted people as it came closer. I shifted slightly, glancing back, and spotted Damon. He wasn’t as tall or muscular as Josh, but he had a devilish face, always with a smirk lurking beneath the surface. His short chestnut hair was neatly cut, and his piercing eyes locked onto mine as he made his way over.

I got to my feet quickly, brushing off my pants. “We need to talk, Josh. I don’t think—” I started, but then my eyes drifted to Will. His face lit up like nothing had happened in the last few weeks. It softened me for a moment. Maybe he needed this—someone brighter than me.

Before I could finish my thought, Damon reached us. He didn’t hesitate and embraced me, his arm resting low across my back, holding me with a possessive touch.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Damon stepped back, giving me a once-over. Then his eyes shifted to Josh, and I felt the energy change instantly. “Oh… is that Josh?”

Damon ruffled Will’s hair, but his eyes stayed locked on Josh. “Good to see you.” The words came out, but they weren’t exactly friendly.

Josh rose to meet Damon’s gaze. Neither spoke, but it felt like they were sizing each other up. Will, oblivious, tugged on Josh’s hand. “Uncle Josh, can we go play outside?”

I glanced between the two of them, unsure of what was about to happen but knowing this wasn’t over.