I waste no time throwing my arms around him. I bury my head in his chest as the sobs wash over me. I didn’t believe in this day anymore.

I wipe my snotty face across his now rumpled shirt and push away to get another look at him. Lucas surveys his ruined shirt with a wince, and I shrug my apology.

“How are you here right now? I don’t understand.”

He peers over my shoulder with a smile. “It turns out Audrey and Cain are quite the team. Mom and Dad never stood a chance. Those two are a force.”

I look over my shoulder and treasure the sight. Audrey is teary-eyed and smiling, and Cain’s arm is draped over her shoulder. Cain beams with affection and understanding.

“How in the world?” I ask with a shake of my head.

Cain releases Audrey and steps closer. He places a kiss on the top of my head, then turns to Lucas. They shake hands and slap backs.

“Good to see you again, man.” Cain grins.

“It’s damn good to be seen,” Lucas says as he looks back and forth between Cain and me.

Cain brushes my cheek with his thumb. “Tink, Audrey and I are taking a walk to the fig orchard to give you two some time to catch up, yeah?”

I nod, but remain silent. This moment is surreal, and saying thank you seems grossly inadequate. He taps my nose with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, and I know he feels the words of gratitude I don’t say.

“Come on, Audrey,” Cain says, crooking his finger. “The fig fields await. Piss me off and I may unleash a flock of wild birds on your pretty little head.”

Audrey rolls her eyes and shoves him. “Oh yeah? Piss me off and my foot will become intimately acquainted with your testicles.”

 “Try not to kill each other, okay?” I call out.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, Cece,” Audrey calls out. “Baby steps, okay?”

As their bickering voices trail off into the distance, I turn to face Lucas. My mind is a jumble of questions, the first one being: ‘is this real?’

“Brother” by NEEDTOBREATHE

The Past: About One Month Ago

THE METAL DOOR slams shut behind us, and the sound of the lock clicking into place echoes through the dank hallway. I’m not sure what the fuck I’m doing here or if it’s even the right move, but I’m trusting Audrey on this one.

Gray. Everything in the place is gray—floors, walls, tables. Except, of course, where the paint on the cinder block walls is chipped to show equally depressing puke green. How the hell is anyone supposed to get better in this place? I’m depressed, and I’ve only been here two minutes.

Audrey walks across the large meeting room, snaking her way through the tables and chairs until we reach the far corner. That’s where he sits, alone and oblivious to our approach. He’s hunched over, scribbling furiously, and mumbling to himself. Disheveled hair, complete chaos, and the biggest obstacle between the woman I love and me. At first glance, I have to say, what I thought was a speed bump is looking more like the Great Wall of China.

“Lucas,” Audrey calls out, her voice filled with artificial cheer. “I have someone I’d like you to meet. His name is Cain, and he’s a friend of mine.”

Lucas lifts his head for a couple of beats, hardly enough time acknowledge our presence, and gets right back to it. I can’t decipher what he’s mumbling under his breath, but the paper in front of him is filled with thousands of numbers in varying equations and patterns. If that piece of paper is a peek into his mind, no matter my frustration with the situation, I feel for the guy.

Audrey tries several more times to get his attention as we sit across from him at the table, but he’s disinterested … distracted. She huffs to herself and wrings her fingers. Like me, she’s got a lot banking on this visit. She and I stuck our neck out there for this one, so it’s do-or-die time.

And I make a move.

I slide the business card across the table and place it in the middle of his paper. And I wait.

Leonard Benson III

Attorney At Law

424-546-9908

He stops scribbling and stares at the letters in front of him. He lifts his head and zeroes in on me for the first time today. Looking into his bewildered eyes is sobering. He led a normal life with a family, school, a girlfriend, and then one day, poisonous thoughts invaded his mind. It’s a frightening thought.

“What is this?” he spits at me. “And who are you?”

Audrey leans forward to speak, but I lay a hand on her arm and keep eye contact with Lucas.

“My name is Cain, and that card is the name of the lawyer who’s going to get you out of this place. With your cooperation, of course.”

I cross my arms and wait. I know I have his attention now. His eyes flit to the side every so often, but his gaze always comes back to me. He’s sizing me up.

“Who sent you?” he whispers, his voice laced with suspicion. He pushes back from the table, and Audrey catches his hand.

“No one sent him, Lucas. Cain is here to help. He’s a friend of mine.” Lucas shakes his head and glares at her, obviously unhappy with the intrusion. “He’s a friend of Celia’s.”

“Really? If he’s a friend of Celia’s, where is she? Why isn’t she here?” He rises to his feet and gathers his markers.

I pull out my phone and thumb through photos as a last ditch effort. When I find what I’m looking for, I shove the phone in his direction, and his eyes fall upon the screen.

“See, Lucas, she’s telling the truth. Celia and I are friends, and she’s not here today because I want to help her as much as I want to help you. Celia tends to get in her own way sometimes.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” he mutters with a humorless chuckle.

Lucas stares at the picture of Celia and me, her perched on my back, arms wrapped around my neck, laughing. He takes the phone from my hands, and an involuntary smile tugs at his lips. Before I realize what he’s doing, he raises a finger and flips through the photos.

Fuck.

I reach over the table and take the phone away from him. I lock the phone and the screen goes black, but not before I see a pic of Celia and me lip-locked. He lowers himself back into the chair, appearing strangely calm and focused. He watches me, either looking for an answer, or maybe figuring out the question.

“You love her,” he says softly.

His expression is blank, neither angry nor content. I can’t get a good read on the guy.

“Yes.” Right or wrong, I’m gonna level with the him. Honesty all the way. I just pray it works.

“Does she love you?”

That’s an interesting question. Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy answer for him. Before I can think of anything to say, Audrey takes the lead.

“Yes, Lucas, she does. She tries to hide her feelings, but there’s no denying she loves Cain.” Her words are soft and slow, as if that will lessen the blow.

Lucas’s eyes dart between us. “Why is she hiding her feelings?”

This time, his question silences us both. These are complicated questions, and there are no simple answers. I can’t seem to find the right words deliver the message without turning the knife. Then I see the moment it happens—when the realization washes over him.

“It’s because of me,” he says in a strangled whisper, and I cringe at the pain and regret flowing off him. He lowers his head and scrapes his hands down his face and through his hair. He looks up at me with apologetic eyes. “I never wanted this for her, you know. I never meant to take her life away.”