On Sleepless Roads
Chapter Eighteen
Brendon’s POV
It was a few days before I went over to Ryan’s.
He and Marti figured that they needed a few days without any action.
By the time Ryan called me up they were sick of being in the house.
The three of us decided to go to the park,
It was the only place that we figured would be calm,
Even though it had already proven not to be.
For the first little while it was fine.
Marti didn’t talk but she didn’t seem as scared.
And then somebody called her name.
Marti stopped dead,
Like a deer in the headlights.
Both Ryan and I looked around.
The only person coming towards us was a young boy,
About sixteen-years-old.
He was wearing a hat over his short brown hair.
“Mark, oh my god what are you doing here?” Marti cried.
She ran over to him,
And to my surprise she hugged him.
“Just walking around, but you look good!” The boy said happily,
Hugging Marti back.
I looked at Ryan expectantly.
“Step-brother.” He whispered to me.
I nodded and turned back to Marti,
Afraid to speak for fear I’d ruin the “moment.”
“How’s Maddie?” Marti asked.
Mark forced a smile which didn’t reach his brown eyes.
“She’s fine, she’s living with my mom now.” He said.
Marti didn’t look happy but before she could say anything Mark started talking again.
“Who are they?” He asked,
Looking curiously at Ryan and I.
He didn’t sound rude,
Just interested.
“My brother and his friend.” Marti muttered,
Obviously not wanting to talk about it.
Mark wouldn’t let it go though.
“Names?” He asked with a smile,
As if he’d said that many times.
“Ryan and Brendon.” Marti said softly.
Mark grinned.
“That’s what I thought! I told you it wasn’t a coincidence!” He said,
Elbowing her playfully.
Marti blushed.
“Are you going to introduce us?” Mark asked.
Marti looked embarrassed as she turned to us.
“Ryan, Brendon this is Mark. Mark this is Ryan and Brendon.” She said.
We exchanged hellos and how are you’s.
“I’m Marti’s step-brother.” Mark said.
Ryan looked surprised while Marti looked horrified.
“I’m her half-brother.” Ryan said.
Marti looked like she wanted to die,
But Mark looked amused.
“Guess we have one thing in common.” He said with a laugh.
Ryan smiled back and for a minute there was an awkward silence.
“How’s my mom?” Marti asked,
Her voice dropping down to a whisper.
“She’s, good, the same.” Mark said,
Obviously not wanting to talk about it.
I thought Marti was going to ask again but Mark looked at us and she stopped.
“Well I should go before they start missing. It was nice seeing you again!” Mark said warmly,
Hugging Marti again.
Marti looked upset but she nodded.
As Mark was walking away I sneaked a look at Ryan.
The look on his face said that we had to have a talk later.
It was a few days before I went over to Ryan’s.
He and Marti figured that they needed a few days without any action.
By the time Ryan called me up they were sick of being in the house.
The three of us decided to go to the park,
It was the only place that we figured would be calm,
Even though it had already proven not to be.
For the first little while it was fine.
Marti didn’t talk but she didn’t seem as scared.
And then somebody called her name.
Marti stopped dead,
Like a deer in the headlights.
Both Ryan and I looked around.
The only person coming towards us was a young boy,
About sixteen-years-old.
He was wearing a hat over his short brown hair.
“Mark, oh my god what are you doing here?” Marti cried.
She ran over to him,
And to my surprise she hugged him.
“Just walking around, but you look good!” The boy said happily,
Hugging Marti back.
I looked at Ryan expectantly.
“Step-brother.” He whispered to me.
I nodded and turned back to Marti,
Afraid to speak for fear I’d ruin the “moment.”
“How’s Maddie?” Marti asked.
Mark forced a smile which didn’t reach his brown eyes.
“She’s fine, she’s living with my mom now.” He said.
Marti didn’t look happy but before she could say anything Mark started talking again.
“Who are they?” He asked,
Looking curiously at Ryan and I.
He didn’t sound rude,
Just interested.
“My brother and his friend.” Marti muttered,
Obviously not wanting to talk about it.
Mark wouldn’t let it go though.
“Names?” He asked with a smile,
As if he’d said that many times.
“Ryan and Brendon.” Marti said softly.
Mark grinned.
“That’s what I thought! I told you it wasn’t a coincidence!” He said,
Elbowing her playfully.
Marti blushed.
“Are you going to introduce us?” Mark asked.
Marti looked embarrassed as she turned to us.
“Ryan, Brendon this is Mark. Mark this is Ryan and Brendon.” She said.
We exchanged hellos and how are you’s.
“I’m Marti’s step-brother.” Mark said.
Ryan looked surprised while Marti looked horrified.
“I’m her half-brother.” Ryan said.
Marti looked like she wanted to die,
But Mark looked amused.
“Guess we have one thing in common.” He said with a laugh.
Ryan smiled back and for a minute there was an awkward silence.
“How’s my mom?” Marti asked,
Her voice dropping down to a whisper.
“She’s, good, the same.” Mark said,
Obviously not wanting to talk about it.
I thought Marti was going to ask again but Mark looked at us and she stopped.
“Well I should go before they start missing. It was nice seeing you again!” Mark said warmly,
Hugging Marti again.
Marti looked upset but she nodded.
As Mark was walking away I sneaked a look at Ryan.
The look on his face said that we had to have a talk later.