Duane was shaking his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I ain't good like you."
"Good's a choice, little brother. And I hope you make the right choices while you're inside. Because I love you and I want you to be happy someday."
Duane sniffed and wiped his sleeve across his face. He took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "I'll try," he said.
Travis reached across the table and patted his hand. "If you need anything, just call. I'll come visit in a couple of weeks."
Duane nodded again. Travis got up to leave.
"I love you, too," Duane said.
Travis turned and smiled at him. Then he left the courthouse feeling a little bit better about his life.
The next week, it was time to move into the new apartment. Emma called Travis and asked if she could use his pickup to move some of her stuff. She didn't expect him to stay and help her load it up. But he did and she found she was grateful for the company. While Travis was going up and down stairs carrying box after box out of the house, Emma was sitting next to her crying mother on the couch, consoling her and assuring her that she wasn't a bad mother.
"Arden and I just want to try out living on our own a while," Emma said. And then her mother wailed some more. "I'm really only doing this for her," Emma said. "She needs it and she won't do it by herself. Maybe once she gets settled, I'll move back home."
This seemed to make her mother feel slightly better. When she was finally able to break free, she found Travis outside dusting his hands off on his jeans. "Alrighty," he said. "Where to?"
Emma smiled. He'd packed everything up. She told him the address and then he drove them there. Arden was at school. Travis started bringing boxes into the duplex apartment and upstairs to Emma's room. Emma went straight to the kitchen and brewed a pitcher of iced tea. It was February and cold outside, but Travis would be hot after all of that work.
He came downstairs after taking up the last box. He shed his coat and stocking cap and thanked Emma when she handed him a glass of tea.
"Saw Arden's room," he said, catching his breath. "It's a lot different than how she had her room decorated at her parents' house."
"Well that's because her bedroom at home was decorated when she was thirteen."
"Full of youth and life."
Emma laughed.
"Now she's old and boring. Not a frill in the room."
Emma had commented to Arden just that morning that her room seemed awfully neutral. The comforter was beige and the curtains matched. There were no trinkets out on the surfaces of the nightstand or dresser. No wall-hangings. They'd painted the walls before moving in and Arden's was a soft white. Not completely institutional...just drab. "I think," Emma said, "She's trying to make it more comfortable for you, should you happen to come visit. She knows you don't like being surrounded by girly stuff."
Travis drank down the last half of his tea and held out his glass for more. "She's pretty sure that'll happen, isn't she?"
"She really is."
Travis sighed and sat on the arm of the sofa that divided the living room and dining area. "Kristen got engaged, did you hear?"
Emma nodded.
"So I guess that option is out."
Emma stared at him for a moment. "You know one option you've failed to ever consider?"
"What's that?" He looked up at her in curiosity.
"Me."
"You?" And then he laughed. "You mean, you and me?"
Emma nodded. "Why not? Why have you never asked me out? When you've asked everyone else out."
"Are you serious?" Travis was starting to look nervous and Emma struggled to keep a straight face.
"Yeah. I want to know why you're not interested in me. I'm available. Reasonably attractive. Looking for a long-term relationship."
Travis fidgeted and then stood. "God, Emma. To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind. You're Emma...sweet, little Emma. And yeah, you're way more than reasonably attractive...you're an all-out hottie. But I couldn't ask you out. I just couldn't." Then he noticed her shoulders shaking and the smile she tried to hide with a fist over her mouth. He laughed in relief. "You're fucking with me, aren't you?"
She nodded. "You looked so scared," she squeaked through her laughter.
Travis shook his head. "I take back the 'sweet, little Emma' part. But seriously, you know you're like a little sister to me."
She sobered quickly and looked up at him. She nodded and he smiled. He stepped toward her and kissed her on the forehead. He stepped back and they stared at each other for a few moments.
"Why did Dustin break up with me?" Emma asked. It was abrupt, but she'd been wanting to ask someone. And the only person better than Dustin to ask was Travis.