CHAPTER TWELVE
The Reply
Luke didn’t sleep much that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, memories came rushing back.
Fishing together as kids.
Building forts in the backyard.
Learning to drive on dusty country roads.
Then…
The arguments.
The shouting.
The day Ryan left.
Years had passed since they’d spoken.
Years of birthdays.
Christmases.
Family gatherings with one empty chair.
Now, with a single text message…
Everything had been stirred back to life.
The next morning, Luke sat on the front porch with a cup of coffee while the sun slowly climbed above the trees.
Emily stepped outside wearing one of Luke’s old hoodies.
She sat beside him without saying a word.
After a few quiet minutes, she finally asked,
“What are you thinking?”
Luke stared into his coffee.
“I don’t know what to say to him.”
“You don’t have to figure it out all at once.”
“What if he’s just going to disappear again?”
Emily nodded.
“That’s possible.”
“What if he only wants money?”
“That’s possible too.”
Luke sighed.
“I don’t know if I can trust him.”
Emily reached over and took his hand.
“You don’t have to trust him today.”
Luke looked at her.
“But if you don’t answer…”
He nodded slowly.
“…you’ll always wonder why he reached out.”
Luke unlocked his phone.
Ryan’s message still sat there.
He opened the conversation.
His thumb hovered over the keyboard.
He typed.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
Deleted it again.
Emily smiled.
“You’re overthinking it.”
“I know.”
She leaned against his shoulder.
“Just tell the truth.”
Luke nodded.
Finally, he typed:
?Hey, Ryan. It’s good to hear from you. I don’t know why you’re reaching out after all these years, but I’m willing to listen.?
He stared at the screen for another few seconds.
Then pressed Send.
There was no taking it back now.
The rest of the day felt strangely quiet.
Luke mowed the lawn.
Emily worked in the flower beds.
Neither of them mentioned Ryan again.
They didn’t need to.
He was already in both of their minds.
That evening, they ordered pizza and watched an old comedy they’d seen a dozen times.
Luke laughed.
Really laughed.
Emily smiled when she heard it.
“I’ve missed that.”
“What?”
“That laugh.”
Luke looked at her.
“I guess I needed it.”
“You deserve happy days too.”
Just before bed, Luke checked his phone one last time.
One new message.
Ryan.
His stomach tightened.
He opened it.
?Thank you for answering. I honestly didn’t think you would. I’m sorry for everything. There’s a lot you don’t know. Can we meet??
Luke read the message twice.
Then a third time.
Emily looked over from her side of the bed.
“He answered?”
Luke nodded quietly.
“What did he say?”
Luke handed her the phone.
She read it carefully before looking back at him.
“He sounds scared.”
Luke nodded.
“I think you’re right.”
Emily handed the phone back.
“So…”
Luke looked at the screen.
“I guess it’s time to hear his side of the story.”
Outside, rain began tapping softly against the windows.
It was the kind of steady Oregon rain that washed the dust from the roads and left everything feeling new.
Luke couldn’t help but wonder…
Maybe it could do the same for two brothers who had spent far too many years apart.