Until May (Until Her/Him)

Seeing Noah standing outside on the porch, I open the door, and as soon as he clears the doorway, his arms wrap around me. “Man, what the fuck?”

“I don’t know” is the only response I have, and he pats my back, letting me go.

“Have you heard anything? Do they have a suspect?”

“Not yet.” I walk him down the hall to the kitchen and start making a pot of coffee knowing there is no way I’ll be able to sleep anyways.

“I’ve got some guys I know checking things out, just in case there’s someone talking.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that.”

“I talked to Mom last night. She said you called her already.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want her freaked out, just in case our names got leaked,” I tell him, and he lifts his chin.

“How’s May holding up?”

“She’s a mess, didn’t even go to sleep until after four. I haven’t slept.” I scrub my hands down my face, then look in the direction of the hall when the doorbell goes off again. With a sigh, I head for the door and frown when I recognize Bridgett. I swing it open, and she looks up at me, then falls against my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist.

“Hey.” I pat her back. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” She shakes her head, wiping her face and letting me go. “I just…” She looks past me and swallows, and I turn, finding Noah standing at the end of the hall with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ll go. I just…” She shakes her head again. “I just wanted to make sure you and May were okay after I saw the news.”

She turns to walk off, and I grab the back of the hoodie she has on, stopping her. “Come inside and have a cup of coffee. I should have called to warn you, but it was late by the time we got home.”

“It’s okay. I get it,” she says softly, and fuck if I don’t feel guilty, because I can see she’s upset.

“May will be up soon. Just come on in and hang for a bit,” I urge.

“No, it’s okay. I’ll—”

“Please,” I cut her off, and her shoulders slump.

“Okay, sure.” She steps into the house, and I close the door, watching her fiddle with the sleeves of her sweatshirt as we head down the hall. Seeing her so unsure is strange to me, and it makes me wonder if this is something new, or if she’s always been this way and I just never noticed. I probably didn’t notice, since I wasn’t around much.

“Hi, Noah,” she greets my best friend quietly, and he lifts his chin as he watches her take a seat on a stool.

“Hey, guys.” May comes out of the bedroom dressed in a long sweater over a pair of leggings, with her hair pushed back away from her face with a headband. As she stops to give both the dogs some attention, I grab four coffee mugs down from above the sink. “How’s everyone today?” she asks, coming to the kitchen island to give Noah a hug, then does the same with my sister.

“I think we should be asking you that,” Noah says, and her nose scrunches as she walks around the counter to me.

“Hey, doll.” I drop a kiss to her lips, then hold up my arm as her eyes scan mine.

“You didn’t sleep?”

“I didn’t.” I shake my head, and she frowns at me. “Do you want some coffee?”

“Yeah, I’m just going to grab my phone. I want to call the hospital and check on William.”

“Is that who was shot?” Bridgett asks, and May nods at her. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too, but from what we were able to find out last night, he should be okay.”

“Do they know who did it?”

“No.” I feel her shiver as her arm around my waist tightens.

“Hopefully they’ll find them soon,” Bridgett whispers.

“I hope so.” She looks to the door when the bell rings a third time.

“We’re popular this morning.”

“I wonder if it’s Toya coming over to yell at me some more.” She steps out of my embrace and starts down the hall. I follow after her and see what looks like two men on the porch. When she opens the door, I recognize Detective Green, who has been working our case, and grab May’s hand.

“Good morning, Ms. Mayson.” He dips his chin. “Mr. Bender. Do you mind if we come in for a few minutes?”

“Yes, please come in.” May steps back into me so they have room to walk into the house, and both men stop just next to the office. “Did you find them?”

“We have a suspect in custody. He turned himself in late last night and has confessed to everything.”