Page 17 of Absolution

Quinn's mouth curves at the corners. "And the first thing to go is their balls."

"At least I have them, married man."

"Yeah, you do and they’re blue from not getting any pussy for the last thirty years." Mark crosses his arms, making his muscle twitch.

Quinn nudges him. "Leave the kid alone, it's not his fault he can't remember how to get laid."

"Oh, I have no problem with blue balls or getting laid. Ashton squirms every time she's under me." I wink at him.

"I call time! The kid has a long trip, and a hard day ahead, we need to give him a break." Mark's right, but I enjoy this kind of banter. Once I came home, I was lost, and these guys took me in. They're my brothers, and this stuff makes me feel at home.

"Imma give him a break if he doesn't keep Ash's name out of his mouth."

I wave my hands in front of me, taunting them. "C'mon, I can take it. Pile it on, so I can go already."

"Don't forget to... oh, you probably will anyway." Quinn doubles over.

"Please don't go off on your own, if you start to go down memory lane, you'll never find your way back home." Mark holds his midsection, fighting off the laughter.

I take my keys from my pocket, spinning them on my finger as I walk around the front of my vehicle. I pause by the tire, leaning over the hood. "But if I do any of those things, Charlie and Ashton gave me their numbers, so they can come to me."

"Fucker!" Quinn flashes me his middle finger.

"Listen here Scarecrow, you might only have half a brain, but you're going to wish you had magic shoes if you don't get your ass out of here." Mark narrows his eyes at me. I can't help it; I have to poke the bear. One. More. Time.

"You're probably right." I rub my chin with a nod. "So, Jackson must be the wizard, right?"

"Huh?" They say in unison.

I grab the handle on my truck, ready to run. "If I'm the scarecrow, obviously Twilight needs love, and Ladykiller wants some courage. Wait, I know... you're the lollipop dudes!"

They dart for me, and I jump into my seat, locking the doors before starting my SUV. I pull away with them, yelling something about giving me something to suck on. Apparently, they've been lied to because we all know Jackson gets all the action in this crew.

The second I'm on the interstate, I crank some old rock-n-roll and do my best to not think about what I'm about to do. I didn't call my parents to tell them I was coming because I knew I'd chicken out if there was a discussion.

The drive down the east coast is stunning; the scenery helps the hours to pass quickly. Almost too fast. My breath hitches the minute I spot the exit sign to my hometown, and for a split-second, I think about driving past.

"Nope! You can do this. You have to do this, not just for them, but for yourself." I don't even touch the switch when I veer right onto the ramp. Sweat builds on my brow, and I begin to struggle. My lungs burn and constricts my air. I know I need to slow my breathing, but I can't gain control over myself.

Once at the bottom of the exit, I spot a clearing on the side of the road. I pull off, barely putting my SUV into park as my breathing becomes labored. I grip the steering wheel, gasping, as I try to fill my burning lungs.

Doc climbs over the seat, laying her head on my shoulder. Her presence alone immediately begins to help. I focus on her heartbeat, hoping to slow mine. She's the only thing in the last two years with the power to calm me enough to regain control.

As my breathing slows, I loosen my hands from the wheel. Doc nuzzles my neck until I can lift my arm to wrap around her. She's genuinely my lifesaver, I'd be lost without her.

"Thank you, girl." I kiss her head, running my hand over her as I struggle to regain my bearings. "Love you, Doc."

Slowly, I pull myself together. My mouth is as dry as the desert. I reach for my water, taking a few big gulps to quench my parched throat. Any movement I make throws me into agony. I realize if I don't move forward now, I may never.

"You ready, girl?" I glance back at her, smiling as I do, and she responds with a bark of encouragement. "That's why you're my number one lady."

As I pull back onto the road, my fears quickly return, but I keep them at bay by cranking the radio and singing to the top of my lungs. Soon, I'm calm and focused enough to pull the directions up for my destination.

Now that I'm a few blocks away, I can't help but think a surprise visit may not be the best thing. Drew might've been right when it comes to the devil being in the details.

The simple thought of me coming back freaked me out. My parents will probably be thrilled. As I scan the house numbers, I hit my brakes hard when I spot theirs and banish every thought of turning back.

"We're here Doc, let's hope this goes over without a bang." I take a deep breath and flip on my signal light. It's as though my SUV makes the turn into the driveway without my help. Exactly what I needed.