Page 44 of Make It Without You

We stay like this as a family. My parents holding me together when falling apart seems like the better option. Their words of hope and love, that I can one day heal, renews my love for them.

Emily

It’s hours later when I finally work up the courage to go next door. I only know they’re home because I was in the living room when I saw Malcolm walk inside. Throwing on my dad’s jacket and shoving my feet into some UGGS, I head to the door.

“I’m heading next door.” I say to my dad as I pop my head into his office.

His head lifts from a contract he’s reviewing. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I shake my head, unable to speak.

“Take your time honey,” my dad tells me with the softest eyes I’ve ever seen him display.

With a final glance at him, I walk outside. I take the long way instead of cutting across the yards. It buys me a little bit of time. I take the familiar steps up the driveway and to the front door. Shaking out my hands I press the doorbell. The familiar chime of the bell sounds through the house. If I thought seeing the Hayes family made me nervous, the wait for them to answer the door drives me to panic.

The sound of the lock on the door flicks, interrupting the quiet street, and I brace myself for who I’m about to face.

“Hi,” I say when the door opens, revealing James’s Mom.

“Sweetheart.” Michelle greets.

She pulls me into the house and her embrace. Her lilac and rose scent takes me back to my childhood. To a time when the future was certain.

Footsteps on the stairs pull us away and we look towards the newcomer. I’m barely prepared to see a new face when a body crashes into me. My arms go around the trim frame as one of the boys tucks his face into my neck.

“Evan, let her breathe,” Michelle tells her son.

His hold loosens and I hold in my gasp. He looks just like James at this age. It's scary. I look over at Michelle and the tight smile on her face tells me she knows what I’m thinking.

“You’re taller than me.”Really, Emily? Two years you haven’t seen this family and that’s what you say?

A blush covers his face and it’s so much like James I have to bite down on my teeth to keep from crying. I loved all of James’s brothers. But Evan stuck close to me when I was here. I think it was his shy personality he took from James that had him latch onto me.

“I missed you, Eminem.”

“I missed you too, Evanescence.” I say as I wrap my arm around his neck and follow Michelle into the living room.

The sound of the TV echoes down the hallway and taunting from the other boys greets us. It really is like going back in time. My steps are sure but my heart is racing as I see them for the first time in years.

I observe them as a whole.

A silent observer while they interact with one another. Malcolm does a victory dance while Ford glares at him with invisible daggers shooting out.

“Boys!” Michelle starts. “We have company.”

Evan is still under my arm as the attention slides to us.

“Woah!”

“Um, hi,” I say weakly.

Malcolm is the first to break. He jumps over the couch and pulls me into his arms. His breaths are short and I’m unsure if it’s from his dancing or jumping over the couch or he’s trying not to cry.

“Hi, buddy.”

My greetings go like this with all of the boys. I for sure thought Michelle would slam the door in my face. But I’m welcomed back into their home with open arms.

“So areyou just home for Thanksgiving?” Michelle asks when we’re all on the couch.

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