CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Things Left Unsaid
The following Saturday started earlier than usual.
Luke was in the garage changing the oil in his pickup when his phone buzzed.
It was Ryan.
?Morning. If you’re free, I was wondering if you’d want to grab breakfast. My treat this time.?
Luke stared at the message for a minute.
Emily stepped into the garage carrying two mugs of coffee.
“You’ve got that look again.”
“What look?”
“The ‘I’m thinking too hard’ look.”
Luke handed her the phone.
She read the message and smiled.
“I think you should go.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
Luke nodded.
“I’ll text him.”
A few seconds later he replied.
?I’ll meet you at nine.?
Ryan was already waiting when Luke pulled into the diner parking lot.
This time, there wasn’t nearly as much awkwardness.
Ryan smiled.
“You actually came.”
Luke shrugged.
“I said I would.”
Ryan laughed.
“I wasn’t sure you’d change your mind.”
“I thought about it.”
“I would’ve deserved that.”
The brothers walked inside.
Breakfast was different this time.
The conversation came easier.
They talked about baseball.
Old pickup trucks.
The best places to get burgers.
Ryan laughed.
“You still drive that old Ford?”
Luke grinned.
“Runs too well to get rid of it.”
“You always were stubborn.”
“So were you.”
Ryan nodded.
“Still am.”
They both laughed.
When breakfast was over, Ryan hesitated.
“Would you want to see something?”
Luke looked at him.
“What?”
Ryan pointed down the street.
“My apartment.”
Luke followed him.
It wasn’t much.
A small one-bedroom place above an old hardware store.
The furniture was mismatched.
There weren’t many decorations.
Just a couch, a television, a folding table, and a coffee maker.
Ryan looked embarrassed.
“I’ve had better places.”
Luke looked around quietly.
“I’ve had worse.”
Ryan smiled.
“I forgot you knew what starting over looked like.”
Luke nodded.
“I do.”
As they left, Ryan stopped beside the truck.
“I know I can’t fix everything.”
Luke listened.
“I know there are birthdays I missed.”
Luke nodded.
“And holidays.”
“Yeah.”
Ryan looked down.
“I even missed meeting Emily.”
Luke smiled.
“She’d probably tell you she’s worth meeting.”
Ryan laughed.
“I don’t doubt it.”
Luke reached into his pocket.
“You busy next Sunday?”
Ryan looked surprised.
“No.”
“Emily is cooking dinner.”
Ryan’s eyes widened.
“You think she would want me there?”
Luke smiled.
“Only one way to find out.”
Ryan swallowed hard.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything.”
Luke opened his truck door.
“Just show up.”
That evening, Luke told Emily everything.
“So…”
Emily asked with a grin.
“How’d it go?”
Luke smiled.
“We laughed.”
Emily looked pleasantly surprised.
“Really?”
“More than I expected.”
“I told you.”
“You did.”
Luke leaned back on the porch swing.
“I even invited him to eat here next Sunday.”
Emily’s smile grew even bigger.
“I think that’s exactly what you and Ryan need.”
Luke looked toward the setting sun.
“I hope so.”
He knew the road ahead wouldn’t be perfect.
There would still be difficult conversations.
Old memories.
New challenges.
But for the first time in years…
Luke wasn’t walking that road alone.
He had Emily beside him.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
He had his brother walking beside him again.