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He’s still in need of the occasional rescue And I’m the only one who can really save hinoring Owen’s statement He certainly didn’t word it as a question, because he knows the truth He kno I feel

"Yeah, I do, but it’s okay" I setting darker as he gets older and there’s golden stubble lining his jahich blows my mind every time I see it He looks one-third boy, two-thirds row older and despise that he’s not a little boy any of a problem Not that Owen is a troublemaker … not really Well, okay, he is a little bit He’s definitely a challenge Does well at school when he applies hih, and that drives me crazy

He works hard at his part-tiets into troubleweed a few tiies of the stuff in his jeans when I do his laundry He was nearly thrown off the football teao to a party or whatever with his friends He has too irls I’m afraid he uses and then discards, and that hurts me I want him to respect women, but he and his best friend, Wade, both have a shitty attitude when it co and relationships And while I like Wade, ether

But reat Drew is a positive role er brother Drew never had and probably needed They’re a good support system for each other I knoen not so secretly wants to be just like Drehen he’s older

If you’d told Drew this a few years ago, he would have laughed Uncontrollably Why would anyone want to be like him?

He still has no idea just how influential he can be

"We still on for this weekend, then?" At his question, Ifro"

I send hi hasn’t stopped If anything, I think it’s gotten worse I’ve tried to control myself In fact, I’ to be a grownup

But it’s hard Really hard, especially when things pissmy husband so bad my chest aches I’d love to throw out a few "fucks" and "shits" and gripe like crazy I could go to Jen I should give her a call She’s my best support system, behind Drew and Owen

"Give , and I reach out and slap his ar a jerk" I lean back against the couch, staring sullenly at the TV I’liht say soame last Sunday and they were expected to win Speculation is their new quarterback isn’t doing as well as they’d hoped

Doubters Bastards, every one of the on Drew?" At the hard look I send hi deeper into the soft leather couch Drew and I picked out e first e, part of an upscale subdivision on the outskirts of the town I grew up in, an area where I’d never i

I don’t answer hie the channel because I’ this "Yes, of course we’re still on Drew got us three tickets, so if you want to bring Wade, you can invite hiht drive me crazy, but he’s Owen’s closest friend and I adore Wade

The grin that breaks out on Owen’s face is infectious and I can’t help but s awesome"

"Owen, please" I should yell at him but I don’t bother What’s the point? He’s happy I don’t need to ruin the moment "I definitely mean it Go call him And let me know if I need to talk to hisday I don’t want her to worry"

"She won’t worry She’d rather knoe’re with you than out running around on our own" The sheepish look that crosses Owen’s face tells e boy doesn’t? But still I know half the tiood

Back incigarettes, one after another, getting drunk, s with theraduated high school Mom sure as hell didn’t pushtrack ofwild

I was the epitoood--with the exception of his deep, dark secret A few years have passed and I still get an icy shiver down my spine when I think of her God, I hate that bitch I hate what she did to Drew

Thank goodness he found es It’s fro Owen a hard tirows as I respond

How did you know?

Because he texted ets up from the couch and saunters toward the kitchen Cocky little brat

I told hiarief over it What else is new?

There’s a long pause after I send thefor hi with my brother because he needs me more than ever, but I need Drew And o back hoht with me

How did I know he’d say that? Oh, maybe because I feel the same way

They have school on Monday and practice They can’t afford to miss it I’m sorry I wish I could stay with you, too I ame you come to, ether