Read Online The First Three Rules by Adrienne Wilder - Free Book Online Page B

take care of him.” Ellis pushed Jon away and stumbled up the hall. His ribs hurt with every step and a dull pain behind his eyes throbbed in sync with his heartbeat. Jon called his name, but he didn’t stop. Even when he tripped over his feet and almost fell. Ellis couldn’t quit moving until he was standing in the doorway of his brother’s room. Rudy sat on the floor too close to the TV, crayon in one hand, coloring book under the other. He grinned at the screen in a way that made him look five instead of forty-five.
    Rudy waved. “My favorite show is on.” He pointed. “Do you and Jon want to watch it with me?”
    Ellis forced a smile. “That’s okay, you can tell me about it tomorrow.”
    “Do you still feel bad?”
    “I’m better now.”
    “I opened the door.”
    “I know.”
    “It was Jon. Just Jon. He said he would break it if I didn’t.”
    “It’s okay, Rudy.”
    “That was mean. But he brought pizza so I guess that makes it okay. And you were sick. And your clothes were wrinkled. It’s always important that your clothes aren’t wrinkled. That’s what you always say.”
    “Yeah.” Ellis bit his bottom lip to keep it from quivering.
    “Jon will make it better. And he didn’t break the window.” Rudy turned his attention back to the TV. “I like this show. It’s my favorite.”
    Heat pressed against Ellis’s back. Jon said, “See? He’s okay.”
    Ellis nodded.
    “You ready to go eat some dinner? It’s cold, but you have a nice new microwave that needs breaking in.”
    “In the…” Ellis cleared his throat. “The groceries, the microwave, everything is still in the truck.” The ice cream would be melted and the meat ruined. He could only hope the stray cats hadn’t gotten into the rest of it.
    “I’ll go get it out.”
    Ellis wanted to tell him he’d do it, but exhaustion tightened its hold. “Rudy.”
    “Yeah.”
    “Rudy, look at me.”
    “But this is my favorite part.”
    “Rudy this is important, I need you to look at me.” He did. “After your TV show, you go to bed.”
    “Okay.”
    “To bed. You got that? No wandering around.”
    “What if I have to go to the bathroom?”
    “Then you go and you come right back. Are we clear?”
    “Yeah.”
    Jon pulled Ellis away by his shoulders. “C’mon. We’ll get you some food then you can rest.”
    “I just want to lie down.”
    “You need to eat.”
    “I’m too tired. I just want to…” Ellis waved a hand toward his room. Jon put his arm around Ellis and he leaned into him.
    Jon helped him to the bed. The pillow seemed so far away. The ground too. Ellis lay on his side too tired to pull his feet up. Jon untied Ellis’s shoes and took them off.
    “I’m going to go bring the stuff in.” Jon petted Ellis’s cheek. “Then I’ll bring you some Tylenol and something to drink.” Ellis couldn’t find the strength to nod. The warmth of Jon’s touch lingered for a moment before vanishing.
    Fatigue forced Ellis to close his eyes. He willed himself to relax, but concern for Rudy and questions about Jon kept his thoughts a blur. When sleep seemed at his fingertips Jon said his name and shook him. Jon stood over him with a tight expression.
    Ellis figured he probably couldn’t find the Tylenol. “It’s in my bedroom. Top of the closet in the back.” He always worried about Rudy getting into the medicines and eating them. Anything small and round seemed to meet the qualifications for candy in Rudy’s book.
    “I need you to wake up.”
    But he’d just laid down.
    “Ellis, please.” Jon slid an arm under him and helped him sit up. The wash of vertigo made Ellis nauseous. Jon patted his cheek. “You with me?”
    “Yeah.” Ellis swallowed against the dryness in his throat. Jon lifted a glass to his lips.
    “Drink this. Take small sips so you won’t choke.”
    Once the water hit his tongue it was like his body would have traded it for air. He strangled and Jon took the glass away.
    “How do you