FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙎𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉

"James!" she shrieked, reaching for the phone. 

He jumped backwards and put the phone to his ear, mischief in his eyes. It rang for a moment.

"Hello?" the voice on the other end asked. 

"Bradley!" Jamie screamed into the phone.

Lilah's stomach it the floor. No, no, no. 

"James Mitchell." Lilah hissed. "Hang up that phone right now." 

From inside, Maverick and her grandmother's low tone's could be heard. Lilah resisted the urge to turn around and watch. 

Jamies held up one finger. "Yeah, I'm doing good, about to be murdered by Lili, but still doing pretty amazing. Oh! I have a girlfriend, her name is Jacie." 

She heard Bradley laugh and respond, not quite catching what he said. 

"Can you come hang out tonight? I haven't seen you in sooooo long and every time I ask Lili to take me to see you, she says no." Lilah rolled her eyes and Jamie turned away from her and whispered, "I think she's mad at you, and I don't like that she's mad at you."  

Bradley's answer was inaudible, but from the smile on Jamie's face, it was a good one. 

"Okay," he nodded his head, "7? Okay." he nodded again. "You don't have to knock, just walk in." Another nod, a few seconds of silence. "Okay, see you tomorrow, Brad." 

He hung up the phone and handed it back to Lilah. The object felt too heavy in her hand. 

"What was that?" Lilah demanded as he walked passed her and back into the house. 

"Bradley's picking me up at seven tomorrow morning for breakfast." Jamie told her. "Apparently he has to be at work by nine, which is weird, since you have to be at work by nine." 

"Coincidence?" she tried weakly, shrugging her shoulder. 

Jamie's gave her the look, raising on his eyebrows. "If that's what you want me and Granddaddy to believe, then sure, coincidence." 

"Jamie-" she started, following him back inside. 

"Don't 'Jamie' me. I'm not five anymore, Lilah." he snapped at her. "I know what your job is, I know the risks you take." he sniffled. "But you're supposed to be my big sister. Grammy and Granddaddy are great, I love them, but you're all I have. Mom doesn't bother to come around anymore, and I don't even know who the heck my dad is."

"It keeps you a shit load safer if I don't tell you," she countered. "A 11 year old shouldn't have to understand what my job intels." 

"But I do." Jamie argued back, slumping on the couch. "Everyone around me has that job, the same job as you, except for Grammy, and I'm not even sure she fully understands. I know that every time you come home, have dinner with us, say goodbye, that you might not come home. That the hug and kiss on the head you give me might be the last." 

"But it never has been, and I promise, it never will be." Lilah assured him softly, sitting down beside him. 

"I hate it!" he cried into her shoulder. "I don't want you to go! I don't want you or granddaddy to die! I don't want Bradley to die. I want everyone to be happy!" 

"I know, I know." Lilah comforted him, pulling him close to her chest. "I'll make it home, I promise." 

Jamie's glanced up at her with his big green eyes. Tears ran down his tanned skin. "Pinky promise?"

She held out her pinky to him. He hooked his around her own. "Pinky promise." 

He cuddled up to her, resting his head on her shoulder. Lilah reached for the remote and turned up the volume of the movie playing on the television.