Free Far From Home by Megan Nugen Isbell Page B

his ear and then led him into the kitchen.  I wanted to follow them, but something told me to stay back, like he needed my mom at that moment and not me.  I stared into the kitchen for a second and I could see Jesse sitting at the counter, his back towards me while my mom sat beside him.  A felt a twinge of jealously that my mom was with him and I was not.  I tried to shake it off though and turned my attention back to Jack and my grandma in the living room. 
    Jack stood up and led me to a spot next to him on the couch.  I was still getting to know him, but he seemed to really care about my mom and I was glad he was here.
    “I hope you don’t mind that your mother called me, Riley,” he began.
    “No, not at all,” I said softly.
    “I have a friend who works at Wesley and I called him to check on things with Jesse’s uncle.”
    “How is Glenn?” I asked anxiously. “The police told us he was fine, but didn’t say much else.”
    “He’s got a broken arm and some ribs, but he’ll be alright.”
    “Do you know what happened?”
    “No, I don’t, but we can head up to Wichita so Jesse can see his uncle.”  I just nodded and then looked at my grandmother.  She stared back with worried eyes.  She eased herself out of the recliner and sat down on the couch next to me.  She put her arm around my shoulder and I leaned into her as tears fell down my cheeks.
    “How is Jesse?” she asked softly as she turned to me and dabbed at the tears with a tissue.
    “I don’t know, Grandma,” I said honestly because that was the truth.  I had no clue how Jesse was. 
    As if on cue, my mother reentered the room and came over to where I sat.
    “I spoke with Jesse and he wants to wait till morning to head up to Wichita.  He just wants to go to bed right now.”
    “We can’t wait till the morning,” I protested. “He needs to go see Glenn right now.”
    “This is not your call to make, Riley.” My mother’s voice was quiet and I could see she was gesturing towards the kitchen with her eyes, basically telling me to be quiet. “This is up to Jesse and this is what he wants.”
    I knew she was right.  I didn’t know what Jesse was feeling right now.  I needed to let go and follow his lead, even if I didn’t understand his logic.  
    “What’s he doing now?” I asked quietly.
    “He’s upstairs getting ready for bed,” my mom answered and I immediately got up to go to him. 
    I saw the light was on in the bathroom and the door was open a crack.  I walked slowly, not sure what I would say to him when I saw him again. Carefully looking through the crack, my heart ached at what I saw in the reflection.  Jesse’s hands were resting on the sink and his head was down.  All I could see was the top of his dark hair in the mirror, but it was what I heard that broke my heart the most.  Small whimpers escaped into the air and I could see his back muscles convulsing with each sob.  I knew he was trying to hold it in, but I didn’t want him to hold it in.  That’s what I was here for.
    I tried erasing the image I’d just seen of Jesse, so weak and sad, from my mind.   I need to be strong for him , I kept telling myself.  It was proving harder than I expected though, when he’d always been the strong one. 
    I lifted my arm nervously and knocked lightly on the bathroom door with the knuckle of my pointer finger.  The door moved a little and I saw Jesse’s posture straighten and he quickly wiped his face with the hand towel next to the sink.
    “Come in,” he said, his voice low and dry.
    I pushed the door open the rest of the way and walked over to him cautiously.  Taking his hand, I brought it to my lips, kissing the back of it tenderly.
    “Can I get you anything?” I asked.  I’d thought about asking him how he was doing, but I realized it was a stupid question. 
    He just shook his head and then I saw his lower lip begin to tremble. He swallowed hard, but then he shook his head and he tried