"We're going to head out for a while." Kendall said. Logan and Kendall shared a smile before they ran out the door.
James walked to the door, closed it, and dragged his feet back to the couch. He was really down these past days. Carlos thought it had something to do with the mysterious phone call he heard a couple nights ago.
"Hey buddy?" Carlos asked.
"Yeah?" James cocked his head up to face Carlos.
"We trust each other, right? So we can tell each other… anything?" Carlos mumbled.
"Of course, Carlos. What's wrong?" James put a hand on Carlos' shoulder.
"I'm just worried. About you." Carlos paused in between words. "I heard that phone call you had 2 nights ago, and I just want to know if everything is okay."
"Everything is fine. It's just—" James' words got cut off by the door slamming open.
Carlos and James both jumped in shock. Their expressions quickly changed into confusion.
In the doorway, there stood a woman. She was tall and pretty. Her clothes had to be the most expensive and fashionable ones in style. Her makeup was applied with precision, and you could easily tell. She looked like she was 30 years old.
James' eyes suddenly grew wider as he recognized the face by the door.
"MOM! WHAT-WHAT ARE YOU DOI-DOING HERE?" He held Carlos close by his side.
Carlos would have thought that James' mom was tough, but she stood there, with a sad smile. She seemed defenseless.
"It's your dad. He's gone again." She strutted to James. But he backed away a little as soon as she got closer.
Carlos watched in amazement at the scene that was revealing in front of him.
"He's gone too far this time. Please James, I need your help. He needs your help." She pleaded to him, and they could see tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Forget about dad. It's his fault." James looked away. His eyes got watery as well.
"James. Sit down, honey." His mom sat down on the couch behind them. James and Carlos followed.
Carlos noticed that James did not sit near his mom. He looked very uncomfortable with her.
"Mom, this is Carlos, my boyfriend. Carlos, this is my mom…" He almost felt embarrassed to call her his own mother.
"Hello, Mrs. Diamond. It's, uh, nice to finally, uh, meet you." Carlos tried to seem cheery, but the mood was so low, he didn't know what to say.
"James? Do you mind me asking why your mother is here, and what's going on?" Carlos whispered in James' ear, but loud enough so that Mrs. Diamond could hear.
"Carlos, you really don't need to get mixed in with this." His voice was firm.
"Dear, if Carlos is your boyfriend, then Carlos deserves to know." She put a hand on James' knee, but he quickly shook it off.
James mumbled something under his breath, that neither Carlos nor Mrs. Diamond understood.
"Let me try to make this simple for you," James started. "My dad has been taking drugs for years now. Ever since I was in grade 7, actually. He has only been getting worse. That phone call you heard? That was with her," He faintly pointed to his mom, took a deep breath, and continued. "He's gone too far this time. But there's nothing we can do."
Carlos secretly took James' hand into his, trying to comfort him in a best way possible. Of course, it wasn't the best way to help James, but Carlos had never seen James, or anyone like this before and frankly, he didn't know how to handle these situations properly.
"I'm so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?" Carlos asked.
"No. Please Carlos, don't get involved in this. I shouldn't even be talking to you about it. You shouldn't even be here." James let go of Carlos' hand.
He was a little hurt by that, but he understood why James would have felt that way.
Carlos looked at Mrs. Diamond as he asked, "Well, what are you guys going to do?"
"Actually, that's why I came here." She looked at Carlos, then back at James. "I think it would be better if James came home."
James' head lifted so fast, you could have heard the huge crack. Carlos did the same.
"WHAT? MOM, NO. I CAN'T GO BACK THERE. I CAN'T. PLEASE. DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK. I JUST-"
"James Diamond. You are coming back to Minnesota."