Reed's Reckoning

Shock hits me. Luke never talks about his past. He had a horrible home life and both his parents were drunks. We met in grade school and my parents knew right away that something wasn’t right. They tried several times to talk to his parents but nothing changed. They completely neglected him, unless they were beating him. By high school, his grades were low and he was fighting. It was then my parents moved him into our house and threatened to turn his mom and dad into child services. They filled out the appropriate paperwork to become Luke’s guardians. This was a wake-up call to Luke’s mom, who entered rehab the next week. His dad bailed. He sent divorce papers a year later. We thought this would send his mother back to the bottom of a bottle, but she surprised us.

Luke moved back home, but always had a room at my house. When my parents died, it hit him hard, but he was strong for me. We knew I had to move into Katy’s house, so Luke asked if he could come too. Katy gladly opened her home to him. He alternated staying with his mom and us. We met Sophie our freshman year and our trio was inseparable; it wasn’t even a question that we would all go to college together.

No one has ever understood the bond Luke and I share. But he really is like a brother to me. He credits my parents with helping him get on the right path and not throw away his life. He also believes it is their interference that helped his mother get sober. They never fully rebuilt a relationship, but he is thankful she didn’t drink herself to death.

“Enough of all this heavy shit. It’s been far too long since all of us had a Saturday night together. Let’s see if Katy will watch Davis for a while and go out.” Sophie breaks in.

“She’s out with friends.”

“How in the world did your grandma’s social life get more interesting than ours?”

I grin and shrug.

“How about I promise to keep your wine glasses filled all night and watch a chick flick?”

Sophie and I look at Luke like he’s lost his mind. Usually we have to threaten or beg him to let us pick out the movie.

“What? It’s been a while since I spent the night with two of my favorite girls?”

“I know what you’re doing Luke and you don’t need to feel guilty. I’m sure Sarah would be more fun than us.”

“Nah, I’m the reason your big date got canceled so the least I can do is suffer through.” He winks at me and gets up.

Grabbing our wine, Sophie and I follow him to the living room and pick out a comedy. I’m not going to make him suffer too badly.

“Shhh, baby, be quiet. We don’t want to wake anyone up.” I give Davis his cereal and juice and pour myself a generous cup of coffee. My phone rings on the counter and I lunge for it. Who is calling this early?

“Hello?” I whisper.

“Ari?”

“Reed? Is everything okay?”

“I can hardly hear you.”

I step to the back porch where I can still watch Davis eating. “Hey, sorry about that. Sophie and Luke are still asleep and I didn’t want to wake them. What are you doing up so early?”

“Sophie and Luke spent the night?” he sounds confused.

“Yeah, Luke came straight here after leaving your place. He brought over some wine and told us about your conversation. He was on a huge guilt trip. We ended up watching movies and they slept over.”

“You weren’t too hard on him were you?”

“No, I know why he did it. How’d you feel about it?”

“Needless to say, I’m pissed and hurt. I’ll tell you all about it when we see each other.”

“Reed, I really wanted to call and see how you were doing. I know how close you and Jack are and it must have been a huge betrayal. I was worried about you.”

“I would have loved to have heard your voice, but I knew you had your own things going on. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Okay.”

“Listen, Ari, I’m on my way to Orlando. My mom called a little while ago and my sister’s been in a bad accident. She’s really shaken up and I need to be there.”

“Oh my God! What happened?”

“It was a car accident after midnight last night. Someone else was driving. Cara was in the back and she was coherent enough to give the EMTs mom’s number.”

“I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do from here?”

“Not that I can think of. I left a message for my physical therapist and my coach. I’ll know more by tonight.”

“Be careful.”

“I’m sorry I won’t be around to take you and Davis to the beach today.”

“Don’t worry about us.”

“I left you a key under the mat. Why don’t you ask your friends and y’all can go over and enjoy the place? If Davis needs a nap, use any room you want.”