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“Dylan? Where’s Todd? Is something wrong?” All the worst-case scenarios that would cause Dylan to answer his brother’s phone ran through my mind.
“He’s right here, Lana. He’s fine. Just passed out.” Annoyance came through clearly in Dylan’s voice. “It’s late…Is everything ok?”
“Um, yeah I guess so. I got off work half an hour ago, and he was supposed to pick me up. I’m—”
“You’re at the diner? You’re not outside alone, are you?”
“Yeah, I’ve been out here figuring he’d show up any minute.” I swallowed hard, the roughness in Dylan’s voice doing things to my insides.
“I’m on my way,” he said.
“What?”
“It’s at 4th and Vine, right? Uptown? I’m coming to get you. But go inside while you wait. I don’t want you out there this late at night by yourself.” Something slammed, maybe his door, then I heard an engine rumble to life. “It’s going to take some time in this weather.”
“You don't have to do that, I can grab a cab..."
“I’m on my way,” he said. “Go on inside.”
“Okay,” I said, but I thought he’d already hung up. The storm only got worse, so I took his advice and unlocked the door to step inside. I’d see him pull up through the glass front of the building, and it was a lot dryer and warmer in there.
The tension that had run through me at Todd not showing up was gone. It was like the uncertainty of not knowing where he was had been replaced by the certainty that Dylan was coming. I had a feeling he did the things he said he’d do, unlike his brother.
I immediately felt guilty about how excited I was to see Dylan. To see him alone again.
Then I crushed that guilt into a little ball and threw it away.
It was Todd’s fault that it was happening at all, so I tried not to feel too bad about it.
Things had been so good the first few months. But gradually, little red flags started popping up. He would stay out all night with his work friends or cancel plans with me at the last minute.
I knew his behavior wasn't normal or healthy. I kept making excuses for him though. I didn't want to admit to myself that I had picked another wrong man.
The wrong brother.
When I tried to talk to him about us, he’d change the topic.
But I was still hopeful that it would get better. After all, no relationship is perfect right?
I kept hanging on to the hope that the Todd I’d first met would come back.
Headlights appeared, and a rush of relief mixed with excitement flowed through me. I went outside and was about to lock the door behind me when the wind whipped up so hard that it pushed me into the building.
Suddenly, Dylan’s big body enveloped mine from behind and shielded me from the wind.
“Go back inside!” Dylan said, pulling the door open and guiding me through the doorway.
“Holy—” A trash can slammed into the glass of the diner and disappeared. The rain and wind made it impossible to see beyond the sidewalk. “I’ve never seen wind like this,” I said.
“Me neither. Let’s get away from the glass until this passes.” He pulled me away from the windows and toward the back of the diner.
A large broken branch slammed against the door, so we hurried into the back.
The storeroom didn’t have tables or chairs, but there was a very short bench along one wall barely big enough for two people. I turned on the light, and we sat.
I shivered at the contact with the cold bench.
“Here.” He slipped off his burgundy hoodie, holding it out for me.
