Year: 2000

"I'm coming back home for a few days."

Leah was talking to her little brother James on the phone. "A few days?"

"Okay, maybe more than a few."

"Jane give you the boot again?" Jane and James had been lovers on again off again for years now, although lately it seemed more off than on. Leah supposed they really did love each other, but she wasn't so sure they were good for each other.

"I think this is it. I think I've had enough, Sis."

More like Jane has had enough, Leah thought, although she had a hard time seeing that. She knew her brother could be a shit, but she just didn't understand why Jane couldn't be more patient with him, he had been through so much. "Okay, when will you be here?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Wow, it must have really been a fight, usually it was a day or two between the phone call and the arrival. Maybe this really was the end.

"Need me to pick you up at the airport?"

"No, I'll take a cab."

"James, you don't need to take a cab! What time is your flight?

"I land at eight. Are you sure? I can take a cab, really." Like Leah would let him do that.

"What flight are you on?"

James gave her the information.

"I'll be waiting for you."

"Thanks Sis, what would I do without you?" James rang off.

Leah sighed. Will would be less than thrilled. Not that they didn't get along. Will had been a father figure to James after their parents had died. There was six years between Leah and James. James had been twelve when their parents died tragically. Leah had moved back home to take care of him. Will had come along later. He was what Leah needed, but James resented having to share his sister with anyone. Will was very understanding at first, but as James got older, Will felt that he still asked too much from her.

Leah just couldn't deny James. He had been through so much. Will just couldn't see what Leah saw, a twelve-year old boy who witnessed his parent's awful death. Besides, she and Will were living in her parent's house - James' home.

She went to Will's study where he was working. He drafted contracts for a couple of architecture firms. He made a nice living and had the freedom to work out of their home and an opportunity to travel to some pretty cool places. He and Leah had been together now for almost eighteen years. He was twelve years her senior and had helped her raise her son, Ryan, as well as James. They had weathered a lot in their time together, but they were solid. Their love seemed to deepen with every year.

Will was sitting at his desk, drinking his third cup of coffee and going over the specifications for his latest project. She stood looking at him thinking that he was still a very nice looking man, for his age. Oh she hated that qualifier, 'for his age'. He kept himself fit playing golf and racquetball; he still had his athletic physique from when he was young. He had a full head of dark brown hair, almost black, except for the grey showing around the temples. They made a pretty couple with Leah's tall, lean body and flowing dark auburn hair. She referred to the color as Irish Setter Red. She had piercing green eyes and stark features that offset Will's soft brown eyes and round face. They both wore their maturity well.

"Will, that was James on the phone. Jane and he had a fight again."

"When is he coming?" Will sighed. They had been through this before.

"Tonight. And before you say anymore, he is my brother. You know I feel responsible for him. Plus this is Mom and Dad's house. How can I tell him no?"

"No, this was your mom and dad's house. It is our house now, and has been for some time. And at some point, James needs to be responsible for himself." Will wasn't really angry; he just wished Leah didn't still coddle James so much.

"Will, this is still his home. What I am supposed to tell him? That he can't come?"

"No, but he walks all over you. He knows you can't say 'no'. He knows you will take his side."

Leah babied him. It was just that simple. And James worked it for all he was worth. Sure James had been through his share of trauma, but that was twenty years ago. It was time to move on. Get over it.

"Everyone needs someone on their side Will," Leah stated. "I think I'll call Ryan and see if he and Eric want to come by tomorrow night for dinner." Ryan was twenty-one, going to college part time, working full time, and living with his partner of one year Eric. Ryan was the apple of Leah's eye. The boy could do no wrong, but he really was a good kid. And who could ask for a better 'son-in-law' than Eric. He was thoughtful, considerate, and he treated her son like the moon and the stars.

Leah went back into the kitchen, leaving Will to his work.

"Ryan? Hey, how are classes going?"

"Hi Mom. Classes are good, work is good, Eric is good. Whacha need?" Ryan chuckled, he knew his mom so well.

"James is coming home tonight. I though maybe you and Eric would come over tomorrow night for dinner."

"Jane kicked him to the curb again?"

"Appears so. Maybe this time he'll be smart enough to not go back." Leah didn't care much for Jane.

"Well, she puts up with a lot from James, Mother. I don't think I could put up with his shit." Ryan's view on things was a little less biased than his mother's.

"Whatever, so will you and Eric come over?"

"I'll check with Eric but, yeah, we will more than likely be there. I'll call you this evening after I talk to him and let you know for sure." Eric was a few years older then Ryan. His job as a graphic designer kept him busy.

"'K, love you!"

"Love you too Mom."

After she and Will had a late supper that night Leah got ready to drive to the airport.

"Want to come with me, Will?"

Will gave her that look that said 'You have to be kidding' "Okay, I'll go alone." Will hated crowds, he would avoid the airport like the plague.

She gave Will a kiss and happily headed off to go pick up her baby brother.

Will on the other hand was not nearly so thrilled with James' return. James needed to grow up, take responsibility for himself, his life. James just floated, working one job, then another, always claiming to be writing this book, which never seemed to materialize. Leah, of course made excuses for him and gave him money constantly. Will had long ago given up the fight to get her to make her brother take some responsibility for his life.

"Hey Sis!" He gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. James was tall, just over six feet. He had light auburn hair, not quite as red as Leah's. His looks were both a blessing and a curse. And he did have the looks, heads turned wherever he was.

"How was your flight?" Leah asked. "Have you eaten yet?" She couldn't help but mother him. James noticed she looked a little older than last time he had seen her, or maybe she was just tired.

"Yeah, I am fine. Flight was fine. Just glad to be home." James had a sad look in his eyes. "Sis, I think I finally pushed Jane too far. I don't think I'll be going back. I don't think she will take me back." The truth was Jane had had it with living in Leah's shadow. She could never measure up. Nothing Jane did ever seemed to be good enough for James.

"So you'll stay here. Things will be fine, James. Come on let's get your luggage." Leah hated what Jane did to him. How could Jane be so heartless? How could anyone say 'No' to her baby bro?

Arriving back at the house, James pondered being home again. 'Oh if the walls could talk,' he thought to himself. There was a part of him that was relieved to be here and a part of him that felt he would never escape it. It was as if the house, the past, had a hold on him that he just couldn't shake, or didn't want to shake. Maybe that was it. Maybe he was the one hanging on.

"James!" Will greeted him warmly. Despite his opinion on how Leah coddled James, he still had come to think as James as a son. He had been a troubled teen when Will moved in. Will liked to think he had helped both James and Leah deal with their demons. He loved the boy, as a father would love his son.

"Will," James gave Will a big hug. Theirs was a strained relationship and had been from the start. Will took Leah's attention from James all those years ago. But he also calmed Leah and kept her from being so self-destructive. Will had been a surrogate father to him, as Leah had been a surrogate mother. James' feeling for Will were complicated by his complex feeling for his sister. The two men in Leah's life always seemed to pull her in different directions, challenging her to choose between them. Then add Ryan into the mix, it was no wonder Leah felt she was so splintered.

"Come on in. Want a beer?"

"Sounds great"

The rest of the evening was spent discussing James' life in California. Leah always admired James for following his dreams. Will thought he was fool hearty; Leah thought he was brave. Leah had been fool hearty and brave at one time. Then she became bound by the needs of other people.

Later that night after everyone was in bed, Leah lay awake remembering what it was like back then. Before Will, before Ryan. Back when it was just her and James. Her and James against the world.

© Melina Catts 2004