Jessup is forty, fifty yards from his driveway when the truck pulls out. It turns toward him, brights catching him and pinning him in the darkness before rolling to a stop, the window coming down. Jessup recognizes the truck before he sees Wyatt. It’s a blue Ram crew cab, eight years old, but low miles, in good shape. Having a dad who’s a mechanic doesn’t hurt. There’s a small Confederate flag sticker in the back window, but nothing else.
Wyatt doesn’t have his normal smarmy smile. “How come you didn’t text me back?”
“I was at work,” Jessup says.
Wyatt blows his cheeks out, looks straight ahead. “Yeah, well. And then out with Deanne?”
The way he says her name is aggressive. Jessup’s first reaction is anger, but he tries to tamp it down. Wyatt is on his side. Wyatt is his brother. Always has been. Decides to tell him the truth. “Yeah. Actually, parked up by the bird sanctuary. And, uh, Coach Diggins was tracking her phone. Caught us in the backseat.”
Wyatt’s face transforms, the joy of a friend getting in trouble. “Oh, shit! He must have been pissed.”
“He wasn’t happy,” Jessup says. Decides not to say anything else. Already knows Wyatt’s reaction if he does. “Were you waiting for me?”
Wyatt hesitates. Makes Jessup think of the time they were seven and snuck into the church kitchen and literally got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Wyatt’s dad gave him a spanking, but even though Jessup’s mom was embarrassed, David John wouldn’t let her paddle him. Doesn’t believe in corporal punishment.
“You okay?” Wyatt says.
“Sure.” Jessup notices that Wyatt didn’t exactly answer the question, but he’s cold, he’s wet, he’s tired, and he doesn’t care. “I’m wiped out, man. I’ll see you at church.”
“Listen, Jessup,” Wyatt says, “you be careful, okay?”
Wyatt’s voice is unusually earnest. He’s got a fever glint in his eyes, looks like there’s more he wants to say, but he stops, nods.
“I will,” Jessup says. “I’m trying.”
“I’m serious. Be careful.”
Jessup considers him. Wyatt sounds scared, but he sticks his hand out, taps his knuckles against Jessup’s. “I love you, brother. You stay strong, okay? Stay strong.”
Jessup watches him drive off and walks to where the mailbox marks the corner of his driveway. It occurs to him that Wyatt wasn’t surprised that Jessup is going to church in the morning despite Jessup’s long absence, but he forgets about it as soon as he turns: he’s got other things to worry about.