Second Chance Boyfriend

words. “You can’t be serious.” Owen pulls out of my embrace, his body stiff. His eyes are swollen and his cheeks red from the crying. He was in a total state of panic when he called. So freaked out over what Mom did, I could hardly understand him at first.
    “I’m dead serious.” Drew takes a few steps toward me but stops just before he reaches me. He can probably feel Owen’s animosity. It’s rolling off him in huge waves. “I have the space. Owen can even have his own room.”
    “Where will Fabes sleep?” Owen asks, his look pointed, his expression fiercely protective.
    I rest my hand on his tense arm. “Stop. He’s trying to be nice.”
    “Or he’s just using you for free sex. Maybe make you his little woman once you move in with him and not let you go anywhere or do anything. Don’t do it. I don’t want to move in with him,” Owen says vehemently.
    I don’t quite understand Owen’s hostility. Though maybe it all stems from when I was an emotional wreck after I came back from Carmel and Drew ditched me. He’s run before…
    Just like Mom.
    I’m tempted, though. So, so tempted to say yes. But I need to prove my independence, not move from my mom’s to Drew’s without every experiencing time living on my own.
    “You don’t have to make the decision now,” Drew says softly, his gaze pleading. “But you don’t want to stay the night here. The place is empty. There’s no bed to sleep on.”
    He’s right. Even though I know Mom is responsible for taking everything and we weren’t robbed or anything crazy, I’d feel creepy staying the night here. The apartment feels too hollow. Almost violated.
    “I don’t want to stay here,” I murmur to Owen, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “Besides, we have nowhere else to go. His apartment is nice and he has a spare bedroom.”
    “I’m sure his apartment is badass. I still don’t want to stay there,” Owen retorts. He’s so angry, so hurt by what she’s done to us, my heart breaks for him.
    “Come on. Do this for me.” Owen glances up, his gaze meeting mine. “I love him,” I whisper. “He’d do anything to help me. To help us. I know it.”
    Owen rolls his eyes and yanks his hand from mine. “Fine. We’ll stay there. But I refuse to move in with him, Fabes. You hardly know his ass.”
    “Owen, stop.” I can’t put up with his attitude right now. Drew’s being nothing but kind and generous. Owen’s probably using his rudeness as a defense mechanism to cope or whatever, but I don’t want to deal. I can hardly wrap my head around what our mother has done to us.
    Her mental abandonment has scarred me for life. Her physical abandonment will probably fuck up Owen’s head forever.
    I hate her. So much I can hardly see straight, let alone think rationally.
    At this very moment, I need Drew’s support more than ever.
     
    * * * *
     
    We get Owen settled first. Drew has a futon in his spare room, which he must use as an office, if the desk and computer are any indication. I help Drew make the futon into a bed, spreading out the extra blankets while Drew goes and grabs some pillows. It feels very domesticated and sweet and I know I could get used to this.
    But I refuse to let myself. I can’t get all sappy and silly now. My brother needs me. I need to be strong and figure out what the hell I’m going to do next.
    “Do you need anything?” I ask Owen when he walks into the room, his expression defiant. “A glass of water or maybe some Tylenol?” He’d cried on the drive over to Drew’s house, sniffling in the backseat of Drew’s extended cab. I wanted to comfort him so badly but knew he would refuse it.
    “Something to eat maybe?” Drew suggests as he walks into the room with three fluffy pillows.
    “I’m fine,” Owen says sullenly. I send him a pointed look and he adds a muttered thank-you to appease me.
    “Do you want to talk?” I ask him quietly, both of us stepping out of the way so Drew can dump the pillows on the futon.
    Owen shakes his head. “I’d rather be alone, Fabes. I just want to fall asleep and forget this ever happened.”
    “It’ll just be there ready to face you again once you wake up,” I remind him. We can’t avoid this, even though I’d love to. But it’s staring me right in the face. I need to figure out what to do, where to go next.
    “Thanks for the slap of reality.” He sighs and shakes his head. “I know you’re mad at her. But…I’m not. I’m worried about her. She