Page 14 of Out of the Storm

Gary felt a twinge in his chest, making his heart ache.

“So, why haven’t you come by?” Dawn asked.

Because it hurts.

Gary fumbled for a less horrible response. “I barely have time to breathe in between my courses and the radio show.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Curse of showbiz, sis. I swear I haven’t been avoiding you,” he said, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue.

“Alright, well, the box is on the back porch if you want it.”

Gary forced a smile. “Thanks.” He started down the driveway toward his niece and nephew, neither of whom seemed particularly interested in his presence, and knelt down. “Whatcha doin’?”

“Drawing,” his nephew Joey said, the boy’s tone suggesting that Gary’s inquiry was more than a little stupid.Look with your eyeballs, Gare!

Geez, he’d have to spend more time with these two. Despite the twins being around for nearly eight years, he still hadn’t figured out how to talk to them. Guilt twisted in Gary’s stomach. He looked over at Amy’s cat doodle. That had to be their cat, right?

“Is that Ginger?”

“Yep.”

Wow, these kids loved to chat, huh? Resigned to staying the World’s Most Mediocre Uncle (for the moment, at least), Gary pushed himself to stand and continued to the porch to find the box of knickknacks or heirlooms or whatever it was that Dawn had thrown together. He was happy enough to take it. Not thathe needed more stuff to cram into his tiny house, but maybe he could have a yard sale later in the spring to take care of whatever he couldn’t use.

When Gary reached the porch, his mother came outside, her previously permed curls limp and her clothes in need of a wash. The knot in Gary’s stomach tightened even more.

“Hey, Gare,” she said, the smoke from her cigarette billowing into the air. “Don’t you pick up your phone anymore?”

“Uh, well, I’ve been a little busy,” Gary said, floundering through the excuse as his lunch threatened to creep back up his throat. “Some of my students are struggling, so...”

Nodding thoughtfully, she took a long drag of her cigarette. Thankfully, even though she probably knew the reason he gave was shit, she’d likely let it slide.

“Just take whatever you want from that box,” she said. “Donate or trash the rest.”

“Yeah, okay.” Gary rubbed the back of his neck. “So... how have you been?”

“Fine,” she said before taking another puff. “But my knees have been bothering me lately.”

“Yeah, Dawn said as much.”

“If I hadn’t needed to work at that nursing home, helping lift those folks—”

Gary’s stomach soured more. “Yeah, I know,” he said, cutting her off.

But she continued on. “I mean, your father—”

“Mom, I have to head back,” he sputtered, cutting her off again. “Showtime, you know?”

“Always in a hurry.”

“Sorry.”

Gary took the box without opening it and then spun around before heading back to the front. He knew that as long as he waswith his family, the knot in his stomach would just get worse. It was like the world’s largest ball of rubber bands had somehow found its way inside of him, and with each minute that came to pass, one more band stretched over top, more and more and more of them until eventually, there’d be no room to even breathe.

Barely managing to balance the box in the crook of his arm, Gary climbed onto his bike and started for home. In times like this, he vaguely considered purchasing a car, but he knew that wouldn’t be very economical. After all, he borrowed Mel’s or Dawn’s whenever hereallyneeded one. Even if this stupid box ended up causing him to crash, he had trouble seeing how the temporary inconvenience of minor potential injuries could justify future monthly car payments and oil changes and insurance costs. No thank you. He was happy enough with his bike.

Gary raced home as fast as his legs could pedal, and by the time he reached his house, sweat was practically pouring out of him. The mild winter weather hadn’t been much help on that front. Once in the garage, Gary tossed the box onto the cement floor, bracing himself to hear something shatter, but the only sound was the dullthudof the cardboard as the box landed.

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