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I wanted to believe him. But his shifty eyes and unshaven face told a different story. My brother was running from someone. I’d been through this with him too many times—I knew what it looked like.
“I was about to order some Chinese food for dinner. What can I get for you?” I asked.
“Oh man, that sounds great.” Luke’s expression brightened. “I’ll take some chicken fried rice and eggrolls.”
He reached for his wallet and I waved him off. “Stop, I’m DoorDashing it and my payment info is in the app.”
“Thanks.” He paused for a moment. “Hey, I don’t want to be a dead weight here. I’m planning to look for a job, and I’ll help with cooking and cleaning.”
Luke and I had always been close, but we’d grown apart in the past couple of years. I wanted to tell him I didn’t care about all that; I just wanted him to be okay.
“I have a weekly housekeeping service, so just take care of your own dishes and laundry and we’ll be good,” I said.
“How have you been, sis?” he asked.
I hesitated, then decided to be honest. “Since our conversation last week, I’ve been worried about you.”
He pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m okay.”
“People who are okay don’t need to pay off people who are threatening to hurt them,” I said softly.
“I wasn’t okay then, but I am now. I’ve been clean for more than seven months now. I know it doesn’t sound like a lot, but for me it’s a big deal. I was just wrapping up some loose ends last week.”
My heart pounded hopefully. I wanted so badly to believe him.
“I swear to you, Elle,” he said, seeming to sense my doubt. “I haven’t done drugs, had a drink, or even a cigarette in more than seven months.”
“That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.”
He shrugged. “I was out of control. It was either change or end up dead.”
His admission was sobering, because everyone around him knew that, but none of us knew he realized the stakes of his situation.
“I have to ask, though,” I said. “If the money wasn’t for drugs, then…what was it for?”
His expression fell with shame. “Gambling debt. I needed money to live and for a while, betting was paying my bills. But then a couple things went bad and…”
The hope I’d been feeling started to fade. “Oh, Luke.”
“Don’t pity me,” he said firmly. “You know I’ve never wanted anyone’s pity. I hated to have to ask you for that money, but now that it’s settled, I’m done with gambling. I came here because I knew you’d help me get on my feet.”
“Of course.”
It was a relief to have him here. To see that he was okay and to know I could help him make good choices and get the help he needed.
“How are things…medically?” I asked, trying to be delicate.
“The headaches are still an issue.”
He didn’t elaborate, and I forced myself not to ask about everything else. Since he was staying here, I’d find out soon enough if aggression, confusion, and depression were still plaguing him.
He’d just gotten here, though, and I hadn’t seen him in a long time. I hugged him, determined to set aside my worries and enjoy my first evening with him in a long time.
I ordered our food and took him to my guest room. He took a shower and changed into clean clothes and then came to sit in the living room with me.
“I need to ask you for something,” he said.
I froze, fearful that he was in more trouble with gambling debts than I’d already bailed him out of. He looked sheepish and I steeled myself, vowing not to freak out if it was a lot of money.
