I nod. There’s no use denying it.
“How long?” he asks.
“Officially? About a week. But I’ve suspected since he first disappeared last month.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“You were so happy to have him back.” I stare down at my shoes. “I didn’t want to be the one who took him away from you again.”
“That’s not your call to make, Archer.” Pa shakes his head. “We are your parents! We are supposed to protectyou, not the other way around!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault. I’m just…” He blows out a breath. “This situation is difficult. For me. For you. For your mother, most of all.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“In time. But not today. She is taking your brother’s relapse very hard. She blames herself, you know. If she’d told the doctors not to prescribe those pills, all those years ago when he was injured, maybe—”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I agree. But emotions are rarely logical.”
We’re both quiet for a stretch.
“I hate to see her cry,” I say finally, my throat thick. “When he went to jail, she cried for months. I thought she’d never stop. So, when he came back and started to spiral again… I figured, if I could keep her from finding out… maybe she’d never have to know. Maybe she’d stay happy.” I pause. “I didn’t realize how serious the situation was until later.”
“I know you have a protective streak, son. It’s one of your most honorable qualities. But sometimes you get so caught up in trying to protect the people you care about, you wind up doing more damage in the long run.”
My eyes press closed.
If only he knew how right he is.
A hand clasps my shoulder. “We love your brother. We will always love your brother. But we are not blind to his faults. It’s better for us to know all the information, so we have a chance to help him. Really help him.”
“You mean rehab.”
“If that’s what it takes.”
Neither of us says what we’re both thinking.
If it even works.
In the past, rehab has never been more than a temporary fix. We have no reason to believe this time would be any different. And the cost alone for a six-week detox program…
It’s far more than our family could ever afford.
Jo’s parents were generous enough to cover Jaxon’s two previous stints, back when he was a troubled teen living on their property. There’s no guarantee they’d do so again, now that he’s an adult — and an ex-con, at that.
“Would Vincent agree to—”
My father cuts me off with a stark whisper. “I don’t want to take more charity from the Valentines. Especially since I’m not fully convinced rehab is the best place for your brother, right now.”
“What’s the alternative?” I ask. “Send him back to prison? Lock him up for the rest of his life?”
“That’s the last thing I want for him. But I think we both know, this is about more than just him using again.” My father is watching me intently. “Earlier, in our conversation about Josephine… something you said caught my attention.”
I avoid his gaze. “What’s that?”