Perception

Part 43

North POV

With the dinner rush over, I head back home. I don't see any of the other guys' cars here, so I'm still unsure whether Sang Baby is there. She didn't send a text to me to tell me she left, or anything at all. I'm just hoping that she was able to straighten my brother out. The little shit was being more destructive to his body than normal. Not eating, not really sleeping, smoking, and if he didn't do the hours with us, I'd be on his case about not being physically active.

I jump up the steps to get inside as soon as possible, both to check on Luke, and to see if Baby was still there. As I reach Luke's room, I can already see the change. The windows have been opened to let the noxious smell of smoke out, and the food plates are missing. It takes a moment to spot them huddled together by the headboard of his bed. I must have made some noise because both heads turn to look at me.

"Why is Sang Baby crying? What the fuck did you do, Luke?" I bellow.

"Hey! What about me? I'm crying too! Why aren't you yelling at Sang for making me cry?" he asks with a pout, and I notice that he was indeed crying before. I grunt and narrow my eyes at him.

"You probably deserved it," I mutter. His face scrunches slightly like I got a direct hit, and he gives a sad nod.

"That I did, little brother. That I did," he sighs.

"You ready to head home now, Baby? I have to head back to the diner to help Uncle close tonight," I ask reaching for her hand to help her off Luke's bed.

"Sure, North Star. Thank you for coming for me," she beams a smile at me and climbs over to stand up next to me. Luke follows her across the bed and stands too.

"Is it alright if I come along?" he asks looking between us. I want to say no, but this is the first time he's shown enthusiasm for anything lately. I grunt and nod yes.

"Yeah, you need to change when we get to Nathan's, though. You still stink," Sang says without irony. That has to be the meanest thing I have ever heard her say to anyone. I can't deny that she's right. Even his clean clothes smell like smoke.

"No problem, sweetie. I have a few things there I can wear. I'll wash everything else when I get back," he says with cheer. He spins and grabs the small candy bars that have sat on his low dresser since the meeting, tosses one to Sang, and eats the other himself.

"Make sure you get him to eat real food, Baby. He hasn't been eating anything lately," I tell her. Her eyes get huge, and her mouth fishes open and closed a few times.

"Well that explains why he's lost so much weight," she says, looking at him with new assessment written on her face. I look at him, but don't see anything different.

"How can you tell? His clothes are always sort of loose," I admit.

"Well...," she starts but turns pink. Instead of answering any further, she grabs both of our hands and leads us to the double door where she put her backpack, then outside to the Jeep. Luke did some fancy footwork that made me want to punch him—opening the passenger door, and pretending to sit down, only to twirl, scoop up Sang, and deposit her laughing inside. The little shit winked at me before climbing into the back seat. I'm still shaking my head as we drive off toward Sunnyville.