Free A Matter of Destiny by Bonnie Drury Page B

the anger in his voice and responded with her own. "He came over to talk to Luke. He's concerned about him."
     
    Why couldn't David meet her halfway? They were supposed to be working through these difficult times together.
     
    "I don't know why you resent Joe. He's been a real friend, and I need one, in case you haven't noticed." She could've bit her tongue for being so sharp with him, but was at the end of her patience.
     
    David hesitated, his eyes bewildered, then he came over and hugged her. "I'm sorry. It just surprised me, that's all. As long as he's just a friend." Stepping back, he asked, "What's this about Luke?"
     
    Sharon was relieved David didn't say anymore about Joe. Not many men would have bothered to try and help like he had. "Your brother's been getting into trouble at school. Joe...Mr. Reardon thinks he's not adjusting to your father's death and is drawing attention to himself that way. Sports was helping, but he's still not getting along with others as well as he...used to before..."
     
    "Where is he now?"
     
    "He said he was going to Billy's when Joe told him he was coming here."
     
    As they were deciding what to do, Luke came in. He glanced sheepishly from mother to brother. "Hi." Looking around, he asked, "Is he gone?"
     
    Sharon nodded. "Luke, I want to talk to you."
     
    David apparently understood she wanted to speak to Luke alone. He said he had some more homework to do, then stopped by the kitchen before going upstairs.
     
    Luke fidgeted, his hands in his pockets, and Sharon asked him to sit down. She thought about what she was going to say before she began. "I'm sorry, Luke."
     
    When he looked surprised, she went on. "I haven't been aware of everything you've been going through, and I should have been. I love you, son, and I promise to do a better job of being here for you."
     
    Luke was still silent, his head down. Sharon moved over next to him, and his face crumbled. "Why did Dad have to die?"
     
    Sharon pulled him close, not even pretending to know the answer. "I don't know, sweetheart, I don't know." She realized this was probably the first time he had expressed his grief. If Joe hadn't intervened, Luke might have kept it inside until he exploded into destructive action.
     
    She held her sobbing son until the trembling had subsided. I need help, she called out silently, hoping someone would hear.
     
     
     
    Joe sat staring at the stack of papers in front of him as he drummed a pencil on the desk. He'd come back to school to work, but wasn't getting anything done.
     
    He was tired, tired of trying to hide his feelings and feeling guilty for having them in the first place. Playing a human was exhausting.
     
    Susan Browne, the school secretary, pushed into the room. She wore a red dress that was meant to capture the eye. The perfect solution for a relaxing evening, a woman who did nothing for his libido.
     
    "Susan, I was just going to call you. Would you like to go to dinner?" He didn't bother to question what she was doing at school so late.
     
     
     
    The following week, Sharon realized she hadn't seen Joe in the cafeteria lately, and in fact, hadn't run into him at all. Was he deliberately avoiding her, or was he extra busy as the semester drew to a close? She decided to leave well enough alone for the time being, but had thought he'd keep in touch with her about Luke.
     
    It was as if he wanted to keep her at a distance. Not that she blamed him. All his offer of friendship had done from the beginning was cause trouble for him. She'd try to honor his apparent wish to be less involved with her problems, but she missed him. A lot.
     
    Sharon knew Christmas was rapidly approaching, but had put off thinking about it as long as possible. It was going to be awful without Tom.
     
    Sometimes, she still imagined he was simply away on one of his trips.
     
    Christmas had been the family's favorite holiday. She'd have to go through the motions for the boys' sakes, hoping they'd