Cuff Me

“I’ll be right there,” I promised him and hung up the phone, throwing it onto the passenger seat.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” came Noah’s voice from the backseat.

I turned to him, trying to clear the anxiety from my expression.

“Nothing, honey. Let’s get you to daycare,” I answered him with a false bright smile and overly cheerful tone.

He gave me a skeptical look and looked like he was going to question me further but I distracted him by mentioning the new students that would be welcomed into his class today.

His attention was immediately diverted and he started chatting about how he would be really nice to the new girl. He was a very social little person and loved meeting new people.

I couldn’t bring Noah with me into the drama that centered around my brother so I hurried from the parking lot to the daycare in a half run with him in my arms. He thought the mad dash was fun and giggled in a way that would have brought a smile to my face any other day.

Not today. My mind was a mess of worry for Joe.

A few minutes later, I was driving like a bat out of hell to get to Joes’ high school. Horns blew and curses followed me as I cut off other drivers. I even almost ran over a pedestrian, only just hitting the brakes. The old woman threw me the bird then took her cool time crossing the road, sending me a spiteful look almost the entire way.

I tried to be more careful after that but still reached the school in record time. Even though I was trying to suppress them, thoughts of all the worse possible consequences of today’s events on Joe’s life played in my mind.

I couldn’t imagine my sweet little brother doing drugs but then I hardly recognized the person he was these days.

“Dammit Joe, why didn’t you call me?”

My angry whisper bounced off the walls of the otherwise empty car. The two of us had been so close. When had we drifted so far apart that he wouldn’t feel safe in confiding in me?

I felt like I had failed him.

When I reached the school, I double parked but was unconcerned about that fact. The police were already at the school. There were two police cruisers, one with lights flashing.

I ran out of my car, leaving everything behind.

I found my parents a few minutes later, being interviewed by the cops.

They updated me on what was going on. Joe had skipped class early that morning and no one had seen him since. A small bag containing a suspicious substance had been located in his locker shortly after. The school was obliged to report this to the police and so they did.

I listened to all of this in shock and disbelief.

What the hell was my brother into?

I could only hope that he hadn’t just thrown his life down the drain.

“Where are you, little brother?” I whispered to myself.

Chapter Fifteen: Wyatt

The seat next to me in biology lab was empty.

I felt Hailey’s absence as if a piece of me was quite literally missing.

At first I thought she might just be late but we were already thirty minutes into the class and she was still a no show.

I pulled my phone out of my bag and sent her quick text covertly.

Hey, where are you?

Even though I didn’t expect her to answer - at least not right away – I placed the phone face down next to my text book.

Yesterday had been great between Hailey and I. A turning point in the dynamic between us I thought.