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Ben stopped the vehicle as Troy jostled slightly in the backseat but didn’t fully come awake. Ben stepped out of the vehicle tentatively, his heart pounding in his chest as he worried that Amy might be here somewhere. He still didn’t know what he would say when they came face to face, and he was hoping to situate Troy first. A young-looking waif of a girl came toward them from a big building with a sign announcing it as the Living River Bed and Breakfast.
She seemed to hesitate, and her eyes were wary though she continued toward him, a stranger. As she came abreast of him, he was caught by the pretty shade of her seafoam green eyes, her skin pale but had the lightest smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She was almost a head smaller than him, and he was having a hard time determining her age. She wasn’t traditionally pretty but had something to the combination of features that drew him in.
“Good morning,” he greeted.
“Morning, can I help you?”
“I was wondering if Amy Baize was here, or Margaret?”
“Margaret is on her honeymoon but is due home tomorrow,” she said. “My name is Emily,” she held her hand out.
“Ben,” he said, holding back his last name so as not to poison her opinion before he could secure help for Troy. “I have a friend that needs some help,” he said, glancing into the car.
“Ben,” his sister’s voice cut into the moment. He turned slowly as his entire system went into overdrive.
“Amy,” he said, slowly as a tear of its own volition traveled down his face.
“What are you doing here?” She said, in a harsh tone, he knew he deserved but still didn’t go over well with his heart.
“I need help for a friend,” he said, glancing again into the car to direct her to Troy.
“We don’t help drug addicts here,” she said and turned away.
“He’s one of the good guys,” Ben whispered softly. “He worked with the organizations in the city, providing food for the homeless and ran a soup kitchen for all of us needing a hand up.”
Amy seemed to soften as her brow furrowed and focused back on him.
“Emily, go get Belle please,” was all she said.
Ben watched Emily head toward another direction from the one she had come.
“What happened to him?” Amy asked with all the anger she felt toward Ben softening with concern for Troy.
“A gang found him late one night,” Ben said, choking on the words. “It was awful,” he bit down on his lip, trying not to recall the moment when he had come upon Troy. That picture would haunt him the rest of his days, and it was the single biggest turning point in his life. He couldn’t explain it, he had kicked into a good Samaritan mode and hadn’t a backward thought since.
“I’m sorry,” Amy whispered, as Emily and Belle, whom he recognized from school, came upon them.
“Ben,” Belle said, with shock radiating from her face.
“Long time, Belle,” he said, wanting to hug her but realizing he had burned the bridge of friendship with her a long time ago. “I didn’t know what else to do, but the second they released him from the hospital, I loaded him in the car and drove him here.”
“You realize that is considered kidnapping,” Amy retorted.
“I had seen that look in the eyes of guys before,” he said, as fear sprang to life again internally. In those seconds before they gave into another hit, jumped off a bridge, or took up their weapon for the last time. He wasn’t letting Troy go that direction.
“Let’s get him out and see what we are dealing with,” Belle said, gently moving toward the back of the car.
“He is skittish, so be careful,” Ben said, warning her as he had to manhandle Troy a couple of times during an unpleasant episode.
“Troy,” Belle whispered, as Ben watched him raise his head and try to focus on her.
“Hey,” he said with a frown, “where are we?”
“Living River Ranch in Michigan,” she said softly. “I heard you have been having a really tough time.”
He just stared at her with vacant eyes.
Belle’s head tilted slightly, “can you come out and talk with me?”
Troy glanced up at Ben and moved to free his first foot from the car. He looked dazed and confused, so vastly different from the mentor and guide he had been for so many. Ben felt the ping of pain radiating throughout his body as he glanced at his sister. She reached out and squeezed his arm, “You did the right thing,” she said, with no reproach in the tone.
At that moment, he felt peace rest itself upon his shoulders for the first time in years. He was home, it was the most challenging step, but maybe just maybe he could rebuild everything he had torn down and thrown away during the years. He gave a silent prayer that Troy would also find himself back to them in short order.
