Page 114 of Rules

For all the faults my parents have, at least I know they’re there if I need them. Yes, they’re self-centered and lost in their own worlds for the most part, but how am I different? With hockey and school, I barely have time to sleep. Andrew, on the other hand, is completely alone.

Air gets stuck in my throat as the door swings open and an older woman comes out. She’s probably in her early forties but still looks quite beautiful. I can’t see much of her features since they’re farther away. Brown hair is pulled casually into a ponytail that makes me think of Brook.

My heart aches at the thought of her. What is she doing now? Is she working again in that hole in the wall? Just the thought of her walking alone at night makes my gut clench.

Let it go, man. She walked away.

Because you didn’t fight for her.

I push the thoughts of Brook out of my mind, at least for now. There is nothing I can do from here, and to be honest, I’m not even sure if there’s any point in trying.

Andrew and the woman, who I suppose is his mother, talk on the front porch. She outstretches her hand as if to touch him, but he pulls away quickly. I see their lips move, but I can’t hear them or read their words. I’m not even sure I want to know. It’s their moment. The guy deserves at least this. The truth. Maybe if he gets the answers he’s looking for he’ll be able to move on.

Reaching for the radio to give myself something to do, I feel my phone buzz. I pull it out and check the screen.

Dad.

Fine hairs at the nape of my neck rise.

Why is he calling now?

Dad’s usually not one to call out of the blue. Hell, if it’s not hospital related, I’m not even sure he knows how to use the damn thing. If he’s not on call or waiting for a call from the hospital, he leaves his phone at the door and doesn’t think twice about it.

My fingers clench tighter around the device. I’m not sure what’s happening, but I don’t like this feeling one bit. Swiping my thumb over the screen, I answer. “What’s up, Dad?”

“Max…” he breathes, and my whole body goes on alert.

I sit straighter in my seat, my lips pressed tightly together. I’m not sure if it’s his voice, the way he says my name or something else. My heart slows down until I can barely feel it beating.

“D-dad?” My voice trembles at that one word.

“Max, it’s Jeanette…”

His words buzz on repeat in my mind.

“W-what...?”

“There’s been an accident...”

Dad continues talking, explaining, but his words are just background noise. Blood is rushing through my veins, and the only thing I can hear is the echo of my heart frantically beating in my eardrums.

Jeanette. No, this can’t be happening.

“Max…” The sound of my name helps pull me out of my thoughts. “You need to come. It’s bad.”

Fucking hell, Jeanette.

“I-I’m coming.”

I stumble out of the car, my brain still a mush of possibilities of what might have happened to her. Did he even tell me what happened? He probably did, but I’m not sure of anything anymore, my mind too occupied with thoughts of my sister.

You have to live, Anette. Don’t you dare die on me. Don’t you dare leave me.

As I burst open the door, I almost fall over my own feet. Gripping the cold metal to steady myself, I call out, not caring in the least what I might interrupt. “ANDREW!”

He turns around instantly—from the tone of my voice or the urgency in it, I’m not sure and I don’t care. His eyes meet mine across the distance, and I can see the moment he realizes something is happening. And not just that, but something is going terribly wrong.

My eyes burn, but I don’t let the feelings get to me. I need to keep my cool so I can get to Jeanette.

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