Page 33 of Drag Me Up

“I can understand why you’d take that deal,” I tell him honestly. “And I understand why you didn’t try toexplain when you left. I wouldn’t have understood it back then. But why did you stay away?”

26

MATT

Oh, man.

I didn’t expect to have to explain all of this right away. I kind of wanted to bask in that new relationship glow for a few days before we got into the deep stuff, but I guess we need to get the past behind us to move forward.

“I came home as soon as I graduated with my bachelor's degree,” I tell him. “That was the day you wrecked your car into the fountain. After that, I was nicely informed that I was not allowed to contact you or come onto the property at all without being invited by your father unless I would have to repay everything he spent on my education.”

My mind drifts back to that day as Eric contemplates exactly what I’ve told him.

Ten Years Ago:

Grabbing my aching head in my hand, I move across the gravel lot behind the garage toward the kitchen in the main house to find Mom. She left me a note to tell me where to find her, next to some ibuprofen and a bottle of water. The note was a brief scolding for making so much noise, but I know I’ll get worse as soon as she has the opportunity to slam some pots and pans around.

“It’s not a big deal!” a boy’s voice is coming from around the corner of the main house, from the direction of the circular driveway out front. “I’m not a child anymore!”

“You are sixteen, Eric! You are most definitely a child, and apparently you cannot be trusted with a car if you managed to destroy this one just days after you received it!”

THAT voice I recognize. Mr. Mendleton is the absolute last person I want to see on this trip home. Yes, the family that employs my mother paid for my undergraduate education at a top tier university in New York City. Yes, they provided me with opportunities that I could never dream of, especially coming out of it debt free and being able to secure funding and scholarships for my graduate studies at the same university starting in the fall.

But this man hates me for some reason. All I’ve ever done is ensure his son didn’t die of loneliness as a child. Apparently, this is the same son who at sixteen somehow destroyed his car. Knowing the asshat, it’s probably a scratch or dent and the fucker is screaming at that precious boy for no reason.

My righteous outrage over the way the jackass isberating my little unicorn buddy makes me alter my course to head for the front of the house to see the damage myself.

Is it the hangover or is my brain just not computing?

As soon as I round the corner, I can’t make sense of what I’m seeing. There is a lime green convertible upside down on the fountain, causing water to spray across the driveway, cascading down toward the street. Even turning my head every possible way, I can’t figure out how the fuck the car could even get there like that.

Mr. Mendleton notices me and storms inside yelling about how his son is lucky that this happened out of the eyes of the media. Welp, it sounds like the asshole still loves his image more than his own flesh and blood.

I should probably turn the water off to the fountain. Turning toward the garage, I try to remember where the shutoff for the fountain is located. I think it’s on the same wall as the solar panels backup battery for the gate.

A soft gasp has me turning back toward the house. When I see the young man sitting on the stairs, it takes me too long to equate him to the gangly twelve year old I left behind four years ago. Before I can even say anything, he launches himself into the air and I have no choice but to catch him.

I promised a long time ago to never let him fall. I don’t mean to ever let him go again. These four years were torture, hearing Mom tell me about his antics and adventures and not being able to see him.

“I missed you so much, Mattie,” Eric sobs into my shoulder as he clings to me like a baby koala. “Why did you leave me?”

Up close, I can see the scratches and bruises starting to form on Eric’s arms from his accident, and I hold him closer. He could have killed himself…

“Don’t leave me again, Mattie,” he whimpers when the front door to the house opens again. “Please don’t leave me alone.”

At the look on Mr. Mendleton’s face, I know I can’t make that promise to Eric. I know I’m getting sent away again because this man holds my mother’s livelihood in his hands. If I don’t leave, he will follow through on his threat from years ago. My mother will be jobless and I will be so buried under lawsuits and debt that I’ll never find employment beyond minimum wage.

Setting the boy back on his feet, I ignore the tears falling from his eyes, even as they are shredding my heart. Against my better judgment, I use my thumbs to wipe the tears from Eric’s cheeks. Showing his father that I care about him will likely only make things worse.

“Sorry, kiddo,” I say to him and watch the light fade from his eyes. “I’m only stopping in to get the last of my stuff from Mom’s rooms so that I can finish my move for grad school.”

And just like four years ago, I broke my word to the only person who has ever mattered to me other than my mother. The boy in my arms jerks away and takes off running around the house to the expansive backyard.

I want to stay. I want to tell his asshole father to go fuck himself, but instead I square my shoulders and level him with a stern gaze.

“You need to get his meds adjusted,” I growl out to theman in the doorway as soon as I know that Eric has run far enough away to not be listening. “He’s obviously manic right now, so whatever he is on isn’t working well enough.”

“There is nothing wrong with my son other than being a spoiled, attention seeking brat,” Mr. Mendleton replies before turning back into the house. “He doesn’t need your help. God will correct him once he accepts that his behavior is unacceptable.”

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