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“Lee, they better have a fuckin’ chance. Goddamn! It’s time for them boys to play well enough to make it worth watching.” Jonny’s voice booms as he throws his comment into the ring. Paul leans over and says something in his ear, causing Jonny’s face to go pissy, but he lowers his voice before continuing. “I swear to all hell if they can’t get to the Super Bowl this year I’m done.”
“You’re done?” I clarify.
“Sure as fuck am. I’m done. Ain’t watching that shitshow no more.” A laugh escapes my mouth because the Bengals have had a pretty good season. My mind’s now slightly fuzzy around the edges, making me realize I took down my second beer a little too quickly.
“I hear you, Jonny,” I say.
Jonny throws his fist toward me and I dodge, misunderstanding he’s offering a fist bump, not throwing a punch.
“What the fuck, man? You’re gonna leave me hangin’?”
I extend my fist toward him and apologize. “Sorry, spaced out there for a sec.” He finds my apology humorous and giggles like Maggie does when I make her laugh. His laughs grow louder, and I watch in horror as he disintegrates into tears.
Oh, no—crying’s a sure fire way to end a night out. Paul’s eyes widen as Jonny’s tears grow lungs, moaning to anyone within earshot. Paul hooks his arm through Jonny’s and walks him to the exit, turning to wave at Lee and me.
I text Paul as the two men disappear out the door.
Logan: Let me know when you get him home.
Paul: He’s staying with me tonight. Can’t take him home like this.
Logan: Gotcha. Let me know if you need any help.
Lee and I take off soon after. Knowing a few beers were in my future, I walked the mile or so from Noah’s house to Sharkey’s. It’s freezing as I walk home, and the warmth from my buzz can’t even knock some of the chill off. My phone pings with Paul’s notification that Jonny’s safe at his house. He says Jonny passed out in the back of the cruiser in the two minutes it took to drive from the bar to Paul’s ranch. I laugh at the thought of Paul driving his drunk friend around town and having to haul him through his house and into a bed. Poor Paul.
I’m still feeling good from my buzz when I come through the front door at Noah’s. I’d expected to find Noah and Izabeth drinking wine and watching reality TV, but the house is quiet and dark; everyone must be asleep. I check my phone, wondering how long I’d been at the bar, but it’s not even 10 p.m. yet. I turn the corner from the entryway into the kitchen to score a bottle of water before heading to bed myself. The dim light over the sink illuminates Izabeth sitting on the couch.
“What the hell?” I shout before remembering the time and lowering my voice. “What are you doing? You scared the shit out of me.”
“Hey. Sorry about that.” She reaches over and flips on the lamp sitting on top of the end table nearest her. “I wanted to wait for you to get home before I left. It’s been an awful night for Noah, and I didn’t think she should be alone.”
“What happened?” My buzz flatlines. “Is she okay?”
“She’s okay,” Izabeth says, joining me in the kitchen. “Dunbar called while you were out.”
My nostrils involuntarily flare. Everything I know about Noah’s brother comes from her stories of him and the phone call I witnessed. The way he spoke to his sister makes me pray I never come face to face with him. No good man speaks to a woman the way he did.
“What happened?”
Izabeth opens the fridge and pulls out two bottles of water. She tosses one to me and I chug it while waiting for her to explain.
“Did Noah tell you Dunbar’s sentenced to a year in jail?” I nod that I’m aware of his sentence. “He called tonight, not too long after she laid the girls down to sleep. I’d just gotten here a few minutes before. He was friendly at first—he usually is—and Noah acted glad to hear from him.” Izabeth moves to the bar top and takes a seat on a stool. “It didn’t last long. From what I gather, Dunbar wanted Noah to bring Rainey to see him at the jail. She asked if she could think about it and talk to the social worker to make sure this was the right choice for Rainey. That set him off like I’ve never heard before.”
My stomach turns nervous, and the alcohol in my stomach bubbles, when Izabeth shares the rest of the call. Her account’s eerily similar to what I’d witnessed. Who does this man think he is? His sister’s raising his daughter while he’s in prison, but he seizes any opportunity he finds to beat her down. My nails bite at my palms as I work to stay calm.
“I’ve known Noah since college,” Izabeth explains, “But I’ve never understood her relationship with Dunbar. She let him go on and on tonight about how worthless she is and how he’ll show her who’s the boss when he gets out of jail.” She traces shapes along the granite countertop with her index finger as she talks. “He wasn’t even talking to me, and I was in tears. But Noah just took it.” Izabeth swallows, fighting back the tears threatening to return. “She’s a good person and I can’t believe anyone could treat her like this. She just won’t give up on him.”
“Where’s she at now?”
“She went to her room after she hung up. I tried to check on her, but she locked the door and asked me to go home.” Izabeth stands to leave. Right before she closes the door behind her she asks, “Will you check on her?”
I promise her I will, and I take her number to text her later.
I pull two more bottles of cold water from the refrigerator before climbing the steps. I pass Noah’s room and enter my own, sitting on my bed to decide what my move is. I want to strangle her brother until he swears to never say another cross word to her, but I have no intention of becoming his bunkmate.
How do you make someone else see that they deserve better and things don’t have to continue the way they always have? It’s simple for me to draw that conclusion from the outside, but I have nothing at stake here. Noah has everything to lose and a lifetime of continued verbal abuse on the horizon if nothing changes. Like her best friend, I can’t understand why Noah is hellbent to stay on good terms with Dunbar. He doesn’t deserve her.
I take the bottles of water and step in front of Noah’s door. I don’t knock, I sit down against the wall between us and say, “You okay in there?”
