Falling Together

A New Plan

MAISIE

By the time I got home from being with Dax it was 10pm. After I saw the way he was in the truck it was hard to leave him. I understood that feeling of wanting to be alone but also wanting someone around at the same time. Luckily Dax thought of a way to keep us both happy.

Now to just see if his plan worked...

"Maisie?"

Noah was sitting in the living room watching TV. He turned to me slowly and waited to see what I would do. When I finally turned my phone back on a half hour ago I had 12 paragraph text messages from Noah and 32 missed calls.

My dad had text me back to tell me to take my time and call him if I needed him. And then again about two hours ago telling me I needed to come home and talk to Noah because he was a mess and he wanted us to make up.

Noah had swollen eyes and a defeated expression on his face. He was in the same clothes from yesterday, the ones he came home in, and he looked like he had been beating himself up all day.

Guilt clung to me as I looked at him and now I wish I hadn't turned off my phone all day like I had. I drop my stuff on the floor next to the island in the kitchen, then walk over and plop on the couch across from Noah. We stare at each other for a while. Each of us is not sure who should start. Eventually the silence is broken by our dad.

"If one of you doesn't say something, I'm gonna smack the both of you." He says scowling and crossing his arms from the hallway.

Silence.

"Fine. Then you both get the dad lecture. Noah sit here." He says pointing right next to me. Noah does as he says and we both sit on the couch with our arms crossed facing my dad. He sits on the coffee table right in front of us bumping knees. We are so close we have no choice but to look at him and listen.

"Maisie. Next time you need some space, go ahead and take it. But young lady.. you DO NOT turn off your phone again and blatantly ignore me and your brother." He says pointing a finger right at me. "Do you have any idea how worried your brother was about you? What you went through was horrible, but do you realize that in a way your brother went through it too. He spent over 8 hours today trying to call you and make sure you weren't dead in a ditch somewhere! And when I finally got home he was crumpled on the floor trying to convince himself you were ok." He says glaring at me with his scornful dad look.

I'm speechless. I have to admit I didn't think about what turning my phone off would mean for Noah. I didn't mean to worry him. I look at Noah for the first time and hate what I see. My big brother is crying. His head is down and he is crying because I made him scared something happened to me. Noah sniffs up his watery nose and refuses to look at me. My dad keeps going.

"Next time, no matter how pissed off you are at him, do him the same courtesy you did me and at least let him know you're ok! Do you understand me?" My dad asks looking right at me. His face is determined and a bit scary.. I've never seen the "Your in big trouble" face from my dad. So right now seeing it, I know I really messed up.

"Yes sir." I say looking down at my hands.

"And you mister Noah Fetu Collins! You can't not show up for your sister and then get mad when somebody else does. Amy is a sweet girl son and I think she is amazing. I love seeing you happy. But you need to figure out your priorities a bit more. If you weren't going to be back in time you could have let us know. If anything Dax could have come and been here for her earlier so she didn't have to have such a hard night."

"It's not his fault." I say. I'm still looking at my hands. Tears started to escape my eyes. I see them both look at me a little stunned at my words. Noah is still crying but he peeks my way from the corner of his eyes.