I move further into the room, stopping in front of him before deciding maybe he would prefer for me to sit down so we’re on equal footing. I claim Frank’s recliner off to the side. “How are you doing?”
His brows furrow, but he doesn’t look up. “Fine.”
“How was the drive?”
“Long.”
“Are you hungry?”
He shakes his head once, and I let that be that. He obviously doesn’t want to talk right now, and who can blame him? It must be strange being back home after all this time. Instead, I take stock of him, a habit I’ve developed after being a doctor for so long.
And I can’t help but notice that his hands are shaking.
A constant tremor around the mug. My mind goes to withdrawal, but I ignore that thought. Surely it’s been long enough now. Maybe he’s scared. Anxious. Overwhelmed.
That’s not my expertise, so I don’t mention it.
“Addie’s excited you’re home,” I say instead.
He looks up at that, a ghost of a smile appearing on his lips, his eyes brightening somewhat. “Yeah?”
“Uh-huh. She’s already planning on having you over for dinner, so prepare yourself. The cooking around our house isn’t all that great these days.”
He opens his mouth, like he might want to ask. I don’t know how much Frank told him about Jess, but I’m assuming very little. Another thing that’s changed since we last saw him.
Thankfully, he doesn’t.
I stay another few minutes, filling the silence with small talk that he doesn’t respond to, and then I excuse myself to find Joyce in the kitchen, standing at the counter with her own untouched cup of coffee, looking about the same as her son in the other room.
“He’s always been quiet,” she says, taking the words right out of my mouth. “But not like that.”
“He got out this morning,” I say, leaning against the counter beside her, pulling her into a side hug. “Give him a few days.”
She nods, but I know she’s apprehensive.
So am I. But I don’t show it.
“We’re going to set him up at the motel at the edge of town,” she says. “It’s cheap, but it’s mostly vacant these days. We would let him stay with us, but—”
I nod, no need for her to explain that she doesn’t trust him yet. “Of course,” I say. “I’ll take him.”
The car ride is quiet, like it was at the Davis’ house, a tense silence full of… I don’t even know what. But I’m determined to push past it. I want Will to get back on his feet, and making it awkward isn’t helping.
“You haven’t met Ollie,” I say, with a smack against the steering wheel like I just thought of it. “He’s six. Started first grade this year.” I keep my focus on the road when I feel his eyes on me. “He doesn’t like his new teacher, but I’m sure he’ll settle in once he gets to know her. He’s a good kid.”
I pause before I look over, meeting his gaze. “He has eyes like yours.”
Will looks away, choosing to stare at the window instead of the side of my face, and I don’t know why that makes me relax, but it does.
I need to do better,I tell myself, remembering my daughter’s warning to be nice.
We drive in silence through the center of Rosehill, and it mostly looks the same, but there are a few new buildings sprouting up here and there. Old businesses that have been replaced. The new park.
I wonder if it feels weird to him, but he doesn’t say anything about it, so I don’t either.
At a stop sign, I shift in my seat, something to do in the awkward silence. But it only makes it worse. His arm is right there, closer than I thought, resting on the console between us.
Our arms brush.
