reaching out

When Ian found out about Amanda's death, he wanted to go to Derrick. He wanted to show his support. Only, Derrick wouldn't take his phone calls nor his texts, Ian ended up on Josie's doorstep.

"Have you heard anything? Anything from Derrick?" He wanted to know.

Of course, she was rather mute about the subject.

"Maybe, he's just in shock." She told him.

"Have you talked to him?" Ian didn't ask if he were there. He guessed he would have had better luck from Max, but even Max didn't know where he was. He looked around for clues.

"Not really." Josie shrugged. "I  mean, he doesn't want to talk about it. He..he doesn't want to talk about his sister."

"So you have?" Ian glared at her that she wasn't telling him everything.

"He's just being stubborn." She couldn't look at him. "He'll be OK." She told him not to worry.

"I just don't know why...why he can't talk to me? I mean, I still want to be friends. I.." Ian winced hard. "I love him. Still. I want him to know, that I care. Its just..I can't imagine..what he might be going through, right now. This must be ..so horrible." He sat down on her livingroom couch and rubbed the tears from the palms of his hands. "I mean, we both have that in common. You know, losing our mum, and all, but this. This is so tragic and sudden. Something like this. Its so awful. I hope he's OK." He looked  up at Josie. "Will you tell him? I'm thinking about him."

He got up, didn't want to take up anymore of her time. She gave him a hug. There was something unusual about her scent. She wasn't her lemony fresh self. Instead, he could sense it, but he wouldn't say it. Derrick was here.