When I'm Gone: A Novel Read Online Free Page B

replaced it, smiling. “Will says he’s on his way.”
    “Wait, you texted him and he’s actually coming?” He flipped May’s pancake, the one with the chocolate chip smile. Will never did anything the first time he was asked, not even for his mother. “I’ll believe it when I . . .” Footsteps on the stairs echoed through the main floor.
    Annie raised her eyebrows with a little smirk. “I can’t believe a man who engineers cell phones for a living still uses a flip phone and never learned to text.”
    “Well, engineers also make airplanes but you wouldn’t expect them to own one, would you?” He poked at the pancake, feeling a little guilty he could make jokes at all. Wasn’t he supposed to be curled up in the fetal position in his bed right now?
    “But look how well it works.” Annie pointed at Will as he tromped into the kitchen in baggy jeans and Luke’s old Metallica T-shirt.
    “So, the food is actually ready? Or am I so hungry I’m hallucinating?”
    “You sure are a funny one, aren’t you?” Annie ruffled Will’s hair after he sat down, and miraculously he let her. She was impressive with teenagers. Her son and only child, Matt, was a freshman at Georgetown University in DC. He’d only come home once since orientation, and it was obvious how much she missed him. Brian once confided that he’d tried to bribe Matt into going to the University of Michigan so he could come home on weekends to do laundry and see his mom. But he wanted to go into political science, so Georgetown was the right place for him.
    Laundry. Luke glanced down at his robe and ratty old slippers. If Annie hadn’t shown up he probably would’ve stayed in them all day, but there’s something motivating about having a non-family member in your house. And it wasn’t just the clothes. His reflection in the microwave revealed what a wild mess his hair was—sticking up in uneven peaks and leaning to one side like the Tower of Pisa. He turned off the flame on the stovetop and added the last few pancakes to the pile.
    “Hey, would you mind getting the kids started on these so I can go throw on some real clothes?” He placed a plastic bottle of store-brand syrup on the table.
    “No problem at all,” she said, arranging plastic utensils next to each paper plate.
    “Thank you. I’ll be fast.” He handed her the full metal tray. “Remember, the smiley one is May’s.”
    “No problem.” She shooed him away with a flap of her hands before laying the tray on the table and grabbing Clayton from his spot on the couch in front of the TV. Luke would have to get his act together, or the three-year-old would soon leave a permanent divot.
    As he made his way up the stairs, Luke enjoyed the gentle murmur of voices from the kitchen. He’d always loved coming home from work and eavesdropping until someone finally realized he was home. Today he couldn’t hear the majority of what was being said, but the tone was so different than when Natalie’s mom was there; calm and happy instead of Terry’s anxiety-inducing silence and occasional episodes of uncontrolled wailing.
    If Natalie’s dad had been there, things would’ve been different. He was always the strong one in that relationship. When he died of a sudden heart attack five years ago, Natalie wasn’t sure if Terry would make it on her own. Why do the strong ones always seem to go first?
    When his feet touched the flat off-color carpet at the top of the stairs, a scream cut through the fraction of peace. It was May, screaming like a monster was chasing her. Adrenaline shot through Luke’s veins, and without hesitation, he ran down the stairs, slipping down the last two until he reached the kitchen, winded and worried.
    “May!” His slippered feet slid on the slick polished floor. Will sat in his seat, slowly munching on buttered pancakes, dipping each bite in a pool of syrup. Clayton waved and shoved a fistful of cut-up squares in his mouth, but May was gone and so was