Broken

Seeing the pleasure in Ryan’s eyes made the race worth it, and Hunter smiled. He’d been close to miserable lately and…this helped. Doing something for someone else. Seeing a small light in Ryan’s eyes that had been snuffed out by a terrible misfortune. He hadn’t just won a race tonight…he’d helped someone. And that made him happy.

Ryan’s words made him cock his head before shaking it a little. “Being a stranger takes two. And I usually don’t go far.” He looked back out at the crowd and didn’t put the car in park. Instead, he slowly pulled away and aimed for the edge where they’d started out. “Basking can wait a few minutes.”

Coming back around to Eli’s car, he came to a halt, now far enough away from the crowds to not intimidate Ryan. Glancing over at her again, he smiled once more. “You’re not as messed up as you think. Hang in there, huh?” He looked out at Eli, who was waiting. “This place is full of jerks, Ryan. They think they know who you are or what you’re going through. But just remember there are those of us who still have your back.”

Travis paused his eating to listen to Ashlee, his expression softening. Not having a dad around at all…that had to be rough. “I’m sorry… I’m glad you’ve got such a great mom though.” Even that was something he couldn’t relate to. His eyes dropped and he fiddled with a potato chip, and for a moment, he was quiet, thinking of all the years spent with no defense against his own mother’s temper. “I guess…we’ve all got something different to deal with, huh?”

He finally popped the chip into his mouth and looked back up at her, deciding it was better to leave his own story untold. After all…Angel was the only other person who knew. “At least you’ve got Eric.” He grinned. “He seems like pretty good dad material, right?”

Hearing Nate’s perspective of what family meant, Garret felt his unwanted emotions welling up inside of him again. The hated burn hit his eyes, and the world around him grew blurry. He blinked, and a tear cascaded down his face. His focus was still on Nate though. “I have two parents…who sold me for money…” He swallowed hard. “I have two siblings…who will never know I even exist. And yet you…and Laura…and Maggie…total strangers… consider me a part of that? A part of what you think family is?” They would help him? Go above and beyond for him? Care about him?

Slowly rising, he took his coffee mug to the kitchen to rinse it out, hardly even seeing Laura still near the doorway. And quietly he walked to the bedroom where he could weep in silent solitude.

Laura watched him go, then came into the living room to join Nate on the couch. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she sighed. “He’s broken, Nate… I wish I knew how to fix him.”