Page 4 of The Lucky One

I bit down on my lip. “We’ve discussed this already.” The spark was on the edge of igniting again. As if I couldn’t empathize with how challenging it must be for him to recover. Well, I could—because I’d been there myself.

But... I had tasted only a spoonful of what he’d consumed for years. I was terrified of how much he could struggle after years of using. I let go of my lip, and a bloody taste spread in my mouth.

“Emily, it’s my job to prepare you emotionally for anything. You can’t control someone else’s progress. While things may improve, I don’t want you to hinge your entire happiness on him. He doesn’t deserve that burden, and neither do you.”

“Be happy without him... I know.” I was tired of always hearing that from her. Glancing at the clock, I saw the hour was up, so I rose from my seat.

“We’ll pick up that topic on Monday.” Caroline jotted something on her notepad. The topics to pick up were by now a mountain so high, we’d need a week straight of talking to get through them all. But who cared? Jon was coming home this weekend. Everything was going to be fine.

“Oh, and Emily?” Caroline said as I was about to step through the door. I turned and met her concerned gaze. “Be careful this weekend, okay?”

I gave her a reassuring smile. “There’s nothing to worry about.” With those words, I left the room, my mind already on the task at hand.

Outside, the mild end of winter air greeted me. I leaned against a sturdy brick wall, Jon’s little black book clutched tight in my hand. I had the evidence I needed to not give up on hope. That’s why he’d made sure to give it to me, squeezing it along with his letter through the jail bars.

I flipped to the last entry and silently mouthed the words Jon had scribbled.

We will be fine... I promise.

Currywurst and Candlelight

Paul

I lit a candle and placed it in Mom’s old antique candle holder at the center of the dinner table. The room was dark thanks to Zack stealing the light bulb for his haunted house project. Dad would laugh it off, but Mom would probably freak out at him when they got home from their date night.

It was now or never.

I strode down the hall to Emily’s room.

But then I hesitated mid-step. Was the candle too much? I pivoted back and forth in uncertainty. What was I doing here?

I took one shaky breath and knocked at her door. “Emi?”

A few seconds of heavy silence, during which my heart raced irrationally.

“Yeah?”

I stared at the door, second-guessing myself.

But things couldn’t go on like this. On my eighteenth birthday in January, she didn’t feel like going out so I spent time with Brandon and the boys. On Valentine’s Day I didn’t see her at all. Earlier at school today she had actively avoided me. When Aiden told me she wasn’t going to the game tonight, I was determined to use the empty house to finally talk.

So I pressed down the handle.

Emily was crouched on her bed. “Paul... I, uh, thought you were at the basketball game.”

I cleared my throat. “Yeah, um... I wanted to go but...”

I trailed off, trying to find the right words. Emily fiddled with the hem of her black sweatshirt.

Jon’s.

His little black book was tucked behind her thigh, completing the image of Jon’s devoted cheerleader. My appetite disappeared along with the plan I had concocted. “Never mind.”

“What’s that smell?” she asked, her eyebrows perking up.

My muscles relaxed a bit. No running. You got this, Paul. This is Emily... your Emi.

“I made Currywurst,” I said. “Went to the supermarket after football practice and tried to get all the ingredients. It’s probably not even remotely close to being as good as your mom’s, but I thought you might like it. If not, I understand. But if you’re hungry, I don’t mind sharing. Mom and Dad are out on a date night and Zack’s out with this girl, so...”