Page 62 of The Other Brother

“Oh shit. What can I do? Do you want me to come there?”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I feel like an idiot. How is me being there going to help him in any way?

Cody clears his throat. “Yeah, that would be great.”

I look at my watch. “I’m not going to get there before you start though.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’d like you here. I’d like to look out at the audience and know you’re there,” he says softly.

“You want the one guy who’s not going to care if you play Chopsticks, right?”

There are a few beats of silence. “Right. I want that guy,” Cody says finally.

“Okay, I’m on my way.” I toe my feet into my Converse sneakers. I’m dressed in a hoodie and jeans, so I’ll stand out at the theater like a nun in a nightclub, but I don’t want to take the time to change. The most important thing is getting there fast.

“Thanks.” I can still hear the tension in his voice.

I bolt down the hallway, putting my phone against my shoulder, when I spot Mum in the kitchen. “Can I take your car? It’s kind of urgent.”

“Sure.” Mum gives me a puzzled look. “Everything okay?”

I grab the keys off the hook. “Yeah, it will be.”

“You there?” I say into the phone as I jog out to the car.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“I’m getting in the car now. I’ll be there soon. In the meantime, close your eyes, okay?”

“Close my eyes?”

“Trust me.”

“I trust you. Okay, my eyes are closed. Now what am I doing?”

“Okay, I want you to imagine you’re out on your board. It’s early morning, the sun is just rising. There is no one there but you and the waves. You’re just floating there, feeling the rise and fall of the waves beneath you. Just concentrate on breathing in and out, floating on the sea.”

I can hear his breathing slow down, softening as my phone switches over to the car’s Bluetooth. For a minute there’s no other sound between us but Cody’s breathing.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

“No problem. Just keep doing it. If you start panicking again, just think of that.”

“I will,” he says. “Oh shit, I’ve got to go. I think they’re looking for me.”

“Where are you?”

“Hiding in a stall in a bathroom.”

I huff out a laugh. “You go show everyone how incredible you are.”

“I’ll try,” he says.

I’m expecting him to hang up, but he stays on the line.

“Ryan?” he says.

“Yeah?”