Free Julia's Journey (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 2) by T.I. Lowe Page B

    Chapter
Nine

 
 
 
    Greyson
    Last week was…rough. I didn’t make it but ten miles out of
Boston before I had to pull the RV over and puke my guts out. The food was just
too much and too rich. I feel like such a weakling. It sucks.
    To Julia’s credit, she said nothing—just retrieved me a
bottle of water and cautiously watched me until we pulled into our site and got
everything hooked up. Then she let
loose. I was already mad at myself and Julia sent me over the edge when she had
enough nerve to accuse me of being bulimic. I might have punched the wall. No,
honestly, I did punch the wall—albeit it feebly.
    “No,” I had yelled. “I want to keep the food. My body just
won’t let me.” I tried calming down and explaining that I had been on a
restrictive diet for so long that my body couldn’t handle it. But she kept on
wanting to know just what sort of mess I had gotten myself in while I
disappeared. I had no desire to explain any of it.
    I think I punched the bathroom door at that point. She kept
on my heels in the small space and wouldn’t let up, so I laid into her. “You’re
one to being pointing fingers. You’re an anorexic bombshell. A
ticking time bomb !” I yelled
weakly. I had hardly any fight left in me from being so weak.
    “Wow. Way to make a girl feel special,” Julia said as she
began to sniffle, which made me feel even lousier. I can’t handle a crying
Julia. It hurts too much.
    I calmed down and pulled her towards me and held her close.
“I’m nothing if not honest with you, Julia. I’ve always been straight up with
you. No need in sugar coating it.” I held her for a few minutes before I
whispered, “You’re anorexic and we both know it.”
    She had gripped the back of my shirt tighter. “Please don’t
try taking me to a facility.”
    “How can you expect to get any better, if you don’t get any
help?” I smoothed her hair down, trying to calm us both. I was dead on my feet,
but it was a conversation I couldn’t walk away from. “If someone is sick with
cancer, wouldn’t you encourage them to get help medically?”
    “This is different,” she tried to defend.
    “I don’t see it that way. I’m worried we can’t figure this
out on our own.” I squeezed her tighter to emphasize the point.
    “Since when did this become a ‘we’ problem?” she mumbled
into my chest.
    “It’s always been a ‘we’ problem,” I commented.
    I eventually released her and headed for bed. Julia spoke up
before I was able to get the door shut. “Please tell me where you’ve been.”
When I didn’t answer her, she continued, “You realize you are a ‘we’ problem
too.”
    “Please, not tonight,” I said and continued to bed.

 
    Today we are back on the road. We’ve been heading down the
interstate for about three hours when I ask Julia to look up the next rest stop
on the GPS. I need to break the news to her and I’ve got to get it over with
sooner rather than later. I keep glancing over at her as she taps away on the
screen. She’s studying the screen in concentration when I see her face fall.
    “Greyson, I thought we were going to Pennsylvania next.”
    Without meeting her eyes, I say, “ I’m going to Pennsylvania.” She’s realized the GPS is programmed
for NYC.
    “Why?” Julia’s voice sounds defeated. Man, I can’t bear to
look at her. I can only stare straight ahead at the road.
    “I think it’s time we get you back to New York.” I drive us
on in silence for a few beats. “Besides, Thorton ,
you’ve been stuck with me for over a month now. Haven’t you reached your limit
of me yet?” I try teasing the tension away and it falls flat.
    “Please, Greyson. I’m not ready to go back just yet. Sawyer
has made a mess of things and I’m not prepared to face it.”
    “Oh, so that’s the real reason you’ve been doing this.” My
voice gets all hoarse and I sound like a loser. I can’t help it. That’s pretty
disappointing.
    “No, no,” she