You're Flying

Tina and I were sitting in a booth at McDonalds when my phone rang. I answered it immediately because it was the ring tone I gave to Quince. When I did answer I didn’t expect him to sound so urgent. Of course I got worried and bolted to his apartment only to find out it wasn’t the bad urgent.

“You scared the living hell out of me!” I holler angrily at him, much like a mother would do when scolding a child.

It’s kind of pathetic isn’t it? That I’m still taking care of him when he’s so old. What a bum! Useless older brother, supposed to be mature, mature my ass!

“Sorry, sorry.” Quince holds up his hands in defense. He manages to catch the pillow I throw at him, but the book hits him dead on. “Ow, damn it Angel! Your name really does not suit you at all!”

I huff and jump on the love seat. I lean into the soft cushions and smile. “Sorry, but you really did worry me.”

“Sorry mother, I’ll make sure to brush my teeth more often.”

“Smart-ass.”

Quince smiles and tells me to get comfortable because he wants to talk to me about something. I nod and watch him get us something to drink and a bag of chips. Of course, he’d get something that doesn’t involve cooking. I told you, useless.

“So what is it that you want to talk about?” I ask him curiously. My mind can’t help but wander off to Dom. Where is he? What has he been up to? Is he ok? Is he alive? I haven’t seen or heard from him since the break up. I just…want to know that he’s ok.

“It’s about Dom.”

Speak of the devil! “What about him? Is he ok? He isn’t hurt or-”

“Calm down,” Quince laughs, a smile breaking off on his face. It causes my body to immediately relax, because if he wasn’t ok Quince wouldn’t be smiling.

I sigh in relief and ask, “Ok so…what about him? Where has he been anyways?”

“That’s what I want to talk to you about…” Quince uses his long locks to shield his eyes. He looks down at his feet and frowns. Suddenly, I don’t feel so good…“Do you remember what you said to him?”

“Yeah.”

“Well…he’s chosen,” Quinces voice softens and I feel my chest tighten considerably. He didn’t…did he?

I wait patiently, my teeth coming out to chew on my bottom lip. I begin picking at the lose threads on my jeans and I can feel myself break out in a sweat. What am I going to do if Dom has really chosen the alcohol over me? Do I really mean nothing to him?

“He’s gone to rehab!”

My spit gets caught in my throat and I begin coughing like mad. After I finally mange to breathe and Quince is done laughing at me I scream, “What!”

“Yeah, he’s been there for a little over a week. I saw him two days ago, on Sunday. He seems to be doing really good. His therapist called me and told me that he’s been working hard and he hasn’t touched alcohol at all,” Quince says all this like a proud brother would and I can’t help but realize that that’s how he probably feels. After all those two have been best friends forever, they practically are brothers. “He told me to tell you he missed you, but I think it’d be a lot better if he told you himself.”

“You mean…g-go visit him?” Trust me, I want to, I really do, but after what I said…wouldn’t he be mad at me? Wouldn’t he…not want to talk to me? “Does he really want to y’know…see me?”

“Of course he does,” Quince growls out with a scowl. He whacks me over the head and I growl at him. “Who do you think he’s doing this all for?”

I was hoping that he was doing it for me, but I didn’t want to sound conceited thinking that way. But it is amazing to know that he is doing it for me. So…he’s really chosen me over the alcohol? I’m more important? Hell yes I’m gonna go see him!

“When can I go visit?” I ask excitedly. I can already feel myself getting anxious. I mean…can you blame me? It’s great to know that he’s actually chosen me over the other love of his life. Now I can actually say, Dom is mine and only mine.

“Sunday,” Quince replies with an evil grin. “Visiting for him right now is only once a week.”

I feel my eyebrow twitch and I scream, “What? You tell me this four days before I can go visit? You are an ass!”

“I know! What are big brothers for?”

~

“What are you so jittery about?” Tina asks from her seat beside me on the couch.

“I well…you see…do you remember what I told you about Dom?” I ask, squirming in my seat like I have been since Quince told me. I’m just so excited. I want to hold him, hug him, kiss him, and tell him how proud I am of him. I want to apologize for all the mean things I said and I want to fix what has been broken.

“Yeah, that he had to chose.”

“He chose me, he went to rehab.”

“That’s awesome!” Tina cheers, throwing her arms around me and squeezing me. She adds in a kiss on my cheek too, which I laugh at.

“I get to go visit him Sunday. Quince hasn’t told him so it’ll be a surprise! I’m just so nervous…what if he’s…mad at me?”

Tina sighs and rubs my back soothingly. “Hun, you’re the reason he’s in recovery so obviously he isn’t mad. He’s probably thankful that you knocked some sense into his thick skull.”

“I hope so,” I sigh and smile just thinking about being able to see Dom again…this time I won’t have to be scared. I won’t have to worry about that damn alcohol. It can just be me and him just like I’ve always wanted.