Page 60 of The Monster I Loved
“Go where?” she asked with the phone still held to her ear.
I didn’t waste time answering. I ran for dear life down the hill, toward the station. It wasn’t far. People walked up and down the hill every day to commute into the city for work, but right now I wished it were closer.
“Thaddeus, wait!” Summer yelled after me.
Wasting no time in looking back, I ran faster. Down the hill, my feet moved as if my life depended on it. My chest burned, and for a second, I couldn’t hear anything but the repeated train horns. I had to get there and wished my legs could keep up with the speed my mind was racing.
In a matter of minutes, I was at the station.
Chest heaving, I arrived on the platform and took a big gulp of air. Sweat stung my eyes, but I turned in circles, desperately scanning all the faces. Tall. Too old. Woman. Wrong coat. My eyes darted from one person to the next, desperate for something small, something familiar.
Where are you?
Shit! What if Wylie managed to board a train? How long before a conductor noticed the little boy traveling alone?
“You think he’s here?” Summer asked when she caught up to me, out of breath.
My throat burned from running. “I hope so...If he’s not, then there is a possibility the little guy jumped on one of the earlier trains.”
“Shit!” Summer said, looking stricken. “Do we tell Henry and Ashley?”
Seeing how much she cared about Wylie stirred feelings inside me. Her hair had frizzed from all the running around, which should have made her look worse.
It didn’t. As she stood there, lips pressed in a serious line, and eyes sparkling with determination, I thought she looked more beautiful than she’d ever been. “I’m not sure. What if I’m wrong and they concentrate all their energy on this, and then he was in town all along?”
As I spoke, I noticed a change in Summer’s facial expression. She didn’t have to say anything. It had been ten years since I’d seen that kind of joy and relief on her face, but by the way her eyes pricked with tears and the corners of her mouth tugged with a smile, I knew she’d seen Wylie.
Gratitude flooded my chest as I slowly turned around. I exhaled deeply when I spotted him. The bench he sat on seemed to swallow him. I’d looked in that very direction just seconds ago but hadn’t noticed him. Thank goodness Summer was here, or I might have turned around empty-handed.
“I’ll call Henry.” Eager to put my best friend at ease, I placed the phone call.
Summer kept a careful watch over Wylie. Then, together, we walked over to him, both cautious not to scare him. My stomach was in knots at the idea that if we startled him, Wylie would make a run for it. One baby step. Another even smaller step. It took forever, but eventually we stood by his side.
“Hey, bro.”
Shrunken on a bench, Wylie looked up, and a tear slipped down his cheek. Lifting a hand, I ran it through my hair asSummer instinctively lowered herself beside Wylie and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry.”
Both Wylie and I carried a look of confusion.
“Sorry. Everything has gotten so crazy the last few weeks.”
Patting Wylie’s shoulder, I nodded, wishing some deep words would come to me soon, but they didn’t.
“Divorce sucks, right?” Summer continued.
As they spoke, I watched Wylie’s small figure fidgeting. He wore his blue jacket,Star Warsbackpack, and his Nike sneakers.
“I hate it,” Wylie finally said.
“Wylie, if you need me, I’m here to talk, or just hang,” Summer said.
I glanced at her curiously. Positioned next to the boy like a caring mother, she looked like the Summer I’d not seen in a long while. One that was softer and able to connect with other people’s emotions.
Admiration filled me as I watched them talk. I lagged in finding the right words to say, but Summer stood up to the task effortlessly. She talked and listened. Paused at the right cues, gently squeezing Wylie’s shoulders when she could tell he was near to tears.
Clearly unable to hold it in anymore, Wylie allowed his sobs to break through.Poor kid. I know how it feels to see your family fall apart.Through his tears and stammers, Summer wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder. I noticed she didn’t lecture but mostly listened, as if she saw it as a privilege to be allowed into his inner thoughts and have the chance to help Wylie reach a better headspace.Man, she sure has a knack for this consoling thing.
“Mommy and Daddy are so worried about you. I know this must be hard for you. Your family is changing. But you have to remember, no matter what, we all love you. You are not alone. AtDaddy’s house, or with Mommy. Little by little, things will feel the same again.”
