Page 5 of One More Round

"Mom?" I question with tears already in my throat.

"Your brother missed his appointment with Dr. Nelson today. And when Dr. Nelson called him, Todd just didn't sound like himself. Dr. Nelson was able to persuade him to come into the office. He called your dad right away, and we met them there. Todd was hallucinating and started talking about killing himself."

Chills run through my body at her news. Even though Todd and I don't get along, it scares me to hear or see him in that state of mind. This, though, seems like the worst by far.

I shudder. "Is he OK?"

Mom nods. "Yes, he was given some medicine. But Dr. Nelson made some calls and got him into a facility in Indianapolis. Your dad and Todd are heading there tonight. I'm here to pack up some things for them.

Oh, wow.OK.

I start to stand, to ask what I can do to help.

"We will be heading that way once I'm able to get a realtor out here. Normally, I'd handle this myself, but I don't think it's a good idea. So, I'm going to let someone else in the office handle it for me."

I stop dead in my tracks. What did she just say?

"A realtor? Why?" I ask, my heartbeat picking up speed.

She grabs a pen from the basket next to the wall phone and flips through her day planner as she talks to me. She doesn't lift her head when she answers, "We need to be with your brother."

I can't even form words. Nothing.

She lets out a huff, marking her place in the book with a finger. She looks up at me. "Gia, we are moving. We cannot let your brother live alone in a city he doesn't know. Now, I need to make some calls."

She picks up the phone and starts punching numbers.

I'm still at a loss for words. I have no idea what to say or even think. I hear her talking. The blood rushing to my head is pounding so loud I can't actually make out the words. I shake my head trying to clear it. She rests the phone between her head and shoulder, covers the receiver with her hand and lifts a paper from the counter.

My note, telling her I was going to go eat dinner with Simon's family.

She gives it a shake. "Go eat dinner with the Palmers, Gia. I don't have time to make dinner."

Then she is back to talking to the person she called, whoever that is.

I stumble out of the living room, through the front door. My backpack full of homework long forgotten. Before I realize it, I’m at Simon's door.

"Hey, I got worried and was about to come over and get you myself. I thought you'd be over sooner," he says as he opens the screen door.

I just stand there, staring up at him.

"G, what's wrong?" He's standing in front of me in an instant, the door slamming behind him. "G. Sweetie. What's wrong?" I search his face, his beautiful face which is etched with worry.

"I'm moving," I gasp.

Chapter Five

Simon

I'm a dick. Damn it. Why am I always such a dick to her? I can't help it. There is just something about seeing Gia that makes me all hot and bothered and, damn it, I wish it would just be in the sexual meaning of the term.

I thought, years ago, I'd put away my anger and bitterness for what Gia did. Pushed it to the very back and hid it behind a bunch of other shit. But I was unexpectedly reminded several months ago that you just don't forget the girl that got away. Well, the girl that went away and took your heart with her, and then stomped all over it and never found the decency to return it.

I don't know why I subject myself, and the others, to my bitterness by tagging along with Dex when he goes over to hang out with Morgan. I don't come every time, I get it, Morgan and Dex are in love and are still in the disgustingly cute stage where they can't keep their hands off each other.

But I just can't stay away from Gia. Maybe I'm a masochist. Memories from when we were kids always come swarming back, usually right after I've ignored or been rude to her.

There are just so many memories of the two of us, and when the memories rush back into my head I get pissed off.

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