We're Not Related Anymore...

Distance

I chase after him. "It looks like you can't deal with a lot of things right now, Josh. And look, I get it. I'm not judging. I ran away too. When things get too tough and too awkward, I feel like there's nothing I can do but build up my walls and shut everyone out. But all that accomplishes is nothing. If you have something to say to me, say it. If something's bothering you about Betty, tell me-"

"I cheated on her." He blurts and we both stand stock-still in the middle of the parking lot as his words fill the empty space around us.

A car hoots, forcing us to move off to the side and it breaks the stunned spell.

"You what?" I practically screech. "Josh, what the hell? What the actual fuck? Why are you... Josh... How could you do something like that?" I say, my voice dripping with hurt.

"Why are you reacting like this? You hate her," he says and his eyes are both accusatory and hurt. He seems to shrink inside of himself because of my reaction.

"But you're better than this," I whisper. "You're supposed to be-"

"I have to go," he interrupts. "Tell the others something came up," he says, turning on his heel. I don't follow him as he heads over to his car, scratching nervously at his head before he opens the car door.

"Great," I say, watching him get into the car and speed away.

-

Hours later, after having to get an Uber to take us all back to the hotel after Josh's abrupt departure, I find myself back in town, going for a walk. It helps me think and there's a lot I need to process right now.

I was going to tell him. I had decided before I got on the plane that I was going to tell my brother what Betty had done all those years ago. I was going to tell him that I saw her coming out of the library shortly after Jacob and I had been there and that I knew she was the only one who could've taken and posted the video.

But then he goes and tells me he's the one who cheated on her? He's supposed to be the good guy. We were supposed to learn from our parents' mistakes, not repeat them time and time again.

I blow out a breath and continue on my walk past all the storefronts. Some of the places have closed down in the years since I've been gone and I find myself going into a shop with a for sale sign. I don't know what possesses me to enter, all I know is that it seems quiet and that I like the way it looks from the outside.

The door makes a chiming sound as I enter and I see a tall, dark-haired person leaning on the counter. For a second, my breath stills, and I think it's Jacob. But the chiming sound has the man turning and I see it's not Jacob, but his father. My heart sinks but I try not to let is show.

"Maddie," he says, sounding just as surprised to see me as I am to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"In town or in the store?" I ask. He leaves his station at the counter and comes over to me. I watch him tuck something into his pocket. It looks like a business card.

"Both, I suppose," he answers with a smile. It immediately puts me at ease. "Are you in the market for a store?" He asks. Yeah right, because I have the money to purchase or rent a place like this.

"This place looks big enough to convert into a restaurant," I tell him instead and I watch him look around the place. It has an old retro vibe to it and I can almost see the booths and vinyl-coated chairs.

"You know a lot about restaurants?"

"I work in one," I admit.

"Ah, that's a good experience to have. So why are you in town?" He asks, pulling out a packet of cigarettes. He doesn't pull one out and light it. He just fiddles with the box like a nervous tick.

"Oh. I'm here for Josh's wedding and I just wandered in here...so..."

"The wedding, that's this weekend?" He says, scratching at the back of his neck. I nod and he turns around when a new voice interrupts this.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Isaacs. I found the paperwork in the back- oh. Who's this?" Asks the middle-aged woman now behind the counter.

Adrian puts a hand on my back and ushers me forward. "This is Madeline Culkin. She works in the restaurant industry." I almost want to laugh at his words. What I am is a waitress who only might be getting a promotion. Adrian makes it sound like I'm so kind of rich multi-restaurant owner.

"Is she your business partner? Is that what you're going to convert the place into?" The woman asks and I almost want to blush. She looks at me like she expects an answer but I feel like a little kid infringing on an adult's conversation. But her words do spark an idea. Owning my restaurant... that would be a lot of fun. A lot of hard work... but I would be my own boss. I could have something that would be all mine. A kind of safe haven as well as a livelihood.

"I'm not sure what I want to turn it into just yet. But that's not a half-bad idea, Lorraine," Adrian says. He takes the papers from her outstretched hands. "Thank you for this. Maddie, shall we head out?"

We wave our goodbyes to Lorraine. Once outside, I follow Adrian to his parked car.

"Do you want a ride home?"

"No. I'm enjoying the walk." I still need time to think about what Josh told me. There's a part of me that even wonders if I should say something to Betty. Or get him to say something to Betty... "So are you starting a new business?" I ask Adrian. Surely, he's been blacklisted by everyone and everything.

"I'd like to. Right now, I just own an empty building. But what say you, Maddie, my fellow black sheep? What do you think about going into business together?" His words make me laugh.

"Hm? An ex-con and a twenty-one-year-old waitress. Sounds like a great business plan to me." My words are supposed to be a joke but he grins like I've just read his mind.

"I'll tell you what, I'll draw up the business plan and you can tell me what you think."

Oh my God, he's totally serious. I make sure he sees the eyes I roll at him. "Knock yourself out," I tell him, thinking he'll just be wasting his time. But before he ducks his head in the car, I call out to him again. "Where's your son?"

His smile is positively feral. "I guess that answers that question then." He says and ducks into his car without any more explanation.

What question?