“Coming!” I called back, taking a deep breath to go back out there.
Reagan and Shane came in the front door as I entered the living room again. We all sat on the couch watching Wheel of Fortune, waiting for the pizza to arrive. I wasn’t actually waiting for the pizza. Even after weeks of hospital food, I wasn’t hungry. I was waiting for the pizza delivery boy - Praying that it would be Luke so I could just sneak a peek of him.
The doorbell rang and I jumped up.
“I’ll get it, baby girl.” My dad said motioning for me to sit back down.
“I’ll come help you.” I gulped. The front door swung open and a boy stood there with pizzas stacked in front of his face. He lowered the pizzas and his identity was revealed.
“$42.30,” he said to my dad, ignoring my presence completely. The boy had chestnut-colored hair that flowed to the side and red and black braces. Obviously, it wasn’t Luke. I felt half broken and half relieved. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face him yet, but I knew it had to happen one day soon if I wanted it to happen at all.
My dad slapped a piece of pizza on a paper plate for each of us and passed them out. I folded my piece in half and took a bite. “So how long are we staying here before we actually head home?” I questioned as I chewed. My mom pretended not to hear me, staring at the TV. She must’ve known my motive.
“Eh. Probably leave here next Saturday. Black Friday will be too crazy to travel.” My dad said, his eyes also fixed on the bald man who had skin as red as a lobster on the TV. He had a huge smile on his face and was taking his turn spinning the wheel.
“Okay,” I replied, trying to be nonchalant.
Reagan smirked and whispered in my ear, “we’ll figure out a plan tonight.”
It was 10 pm and the house was quiet. I could hear the frogs croaking from outside the window and the murmur of a boxing fight coming from the living room where Shane and my dad were planted in front of the TV. I was surprised my dad didn’t want to kill Shane since he was driving but it seemed like the accident had softened him.
My mom had gone to sleep hours ago. I hoped for the first time in the past five months she could actually get some sleep but I was sure she’d still worry about me at least a little bit.
Reagan and I were sprawled out in opposite directions on my bed.
“Okay, so we have exactly six days to find Luke,” Reagan said biting the side of her lip. “The sooner the better.” She added. “Because the sooner you see him the more time you have to spend with him.”
I sighed, “If it goes well, which it probably won’t because my life is one big crazy joke, I will be ecstatic!” I laid upside down, my head hanging over the side of my bed.
“Sutton, that can’t be good for you.” Reagan pulled me up by my arms. “And also FYI, it’ll go great. Maybe you have a gift, you know, like those psychic shows.” I laughed. “So tomorrow, we go and we find Luke and we let everything else fall into place from there.”
“Count me in.” A voice said softly. My mom was there in her robe standing in the doorway.
“Really?” I asked. My mom nodded and smiled.
“Don’t worry I won't walk you to the door or anything but I’ll stay in the car if you need me.” She smiled. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do when I found him but I prayed to God something good would come out of it.
I tossed and turned all night and woke up the second the sun peeked through the blinds. Reagan’s arm was wrapped around me and Shane was sprawled out on the floor. I gently lifted her arm off of me and sat up rubbing my eyes.
“What time is it?” Reagan croaked still clearly half asleep.
I looked around the room once more. “Hello? Sutton, are you okay?” Reagan quickly sat up.
“Sorry, this just feels like Deja Vu to me.” I rubbed the scar on my temple.
“I have a feeling you’re going to be feeling a lot of that,” Reagan replied, putting her arm around me.
I leaned over and grabbed my phone off the side table. “5:48,” I replied to Reagan.
“Ugh.” She sighed turning over. “I know today’s a big day but I don’t think Luke would appreciate us knocking on his door at 6 am.” She said, her voice muffled by her pillow.
“I know,” I replied standing up and walking out of the room.
“Where are you going?” I heard Reagan mutter. I sighed. Clearly, everyone was going to worry about and baby me for a long time, but I didn’t blame them.
“I’m just going to sit outside for the sunrise. I’ll be okay.” I replied continuing out the door.
I grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and pulled open the slider. I sat at the little table outside and looked up at the sky. I saw a cloud that was shaped like a turtle. My mind flashed back to Luke and I out here the day Theo passed away. I shook my head again trying to get the memory to go away.
I sipped my water and stared at the sky. I looked down at the ground for a minute and then blessed myself facing the sky once again.
“Theo if you’re up there listening to me, please just watch over me today. God, Jesus, all of my guardian angels, especially you Theo, just please let me be able to
