AJ barely made it home in one piece. He was replaying the last hour over and over in his head. He couldn’t believe that he missed her plane by 3 goddamn minutes! He pounded on his steering wheel as he flew into his driveway. He skidded to a stop almost plowing into the car in front of him. Who the hell is here now?

AJ stormed up to his door and flung it open, almost taking it off its hinges.  He went charging into the living room and was shocked to see all four guys sitting there.

“The guys came by tonight and filled me in. Sorry for going off on you like that J but…..” Howie was silenced by AJ roaring at all of them.

“It doesn’t matter! It’s doesn’t fucking matter now! She left! She’s on some goddamn plane back to Boston!” AJ was yelling so loudly that his voice was starting to crack.

No one said anything. AJ stood there fuming and finally yelled “Get out! Everyone out now! Get out!”

He slammed his fist on the counter and shoved Nick towards the door. “Leave right now!” he said pulling open the door and literally throwing Nick out.  The other 3 guys followed right behind him.

“I have nothing to say! Get out and don’t come back here!” AJ screamed and slammed the door shut.

 ------------------------- 

Denise showed up at her son’s house about an hour after Kevin’s phone call about AJ and the situation that unfolded. She walked up the driveway and went to knock on the door but she noticed it was unlocked and partially open, so she let herself inside.

Denise gasped and her hand flew to her mouth after she looked at the first floor. The furniture had been knocked over, a lamp was broken and there were at least five broken picture frames. It looked like a tornado had blown through the house and she frantically raced up the stairs to AJ’s room. When she opened the door, all she saw was her son in a ball on top of his bed, shaking.

Denise rushed over and sat down on the bed next to him. “What happened AJ?”

AJ turned very still and told his mother to leave.

Denise decided to be more forceful with her son. “I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me. I’ll stay here all night if I have to but I am not going to leave until you talk to me.”

“I don’t want to talk.” AJ croaked.

“Well that’s too bad because I am not leaving until you decide to!”

AJ sat straight up and glared at his mother. “I DON’T WANT TO TALK! CAN’T ANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?”

Denise shook her head. “I do understand that but I am not leaving this house until we talk. I’ll wait downstairs until you’re ready to pull yourself together.”

His mother got up, left the room closing the door softly.  She walked downstairs and tried to think of a way to help her son.