Streamline by Jennifer Lane

getting off track every time you try to make amends because you’re missing the biggest one of them al . Who have you harmed the most with your alcoholism?”
    “My brother and my mom,” Jason said immediately. “My biggest failure is my inability to protect them from my dad.”
    “And what’s preventing you from protecting them?” Jason furrowed his brow. “The threat of jail time.” An understanding dawned on him. “But if I’m in prison, I can’t protect them from my dad any better than if I’m in Seattle.”
    “Jason, I can’t imagine any court handing down a long jail sentence for petty thefts made when you were a minor, especially if you turn yourself in.”
    He took a deep breath. “I’ll think about it.”
    “That’s all I ask. Listen, I got another call.”
    “Thanks, Walt.” Jason ended the call and stared out at the Florida landscape.
    Marcus glanced over at Jason as he pulled into the church parking lot. “Looks like you’ve got a lot on your mind.”
    “Yeah.” Jason picked at his fingernails. “I don’t know how much you got, but basically I’m a criminal.” Marcus didn’t say a word.
    “I stole a bunch of cell phones from a warehouse when I was seventeen, and my dad caught me.” Flashes of that beating overtook him — all he could see were livid violet eyes staring at him, hating him. That was the last time he’d ever even thought about stealing.
    He heard Marcus speaking in the distance, and Jason forced his mind back to the present. “What?”
    “I’m not too proud of my past either. But here we are.” Jason focused on the church. “Time to make a better present.” As they walked to the back entrance, Jason put his hand on Marcus’s shoulder. It was a new experience for him to trust a tall Black man. He was grateful for the opportunity.

19. The Best Day of My Life
    Audrey had the radio cranked up as she pulled into her driveway.
    The endorphins rushed through her body, and she always felt like singing following a tough practice. Her dad used to love listening to her. She collected her swim bag and backpack and, weighted down, she unfolded herself from her Hyundai.
    Still crooning the song, Audrey paused to open the front door and noticed movement at the edge of her line of vision.
    “Leo!” She held her hand to her chest and watched him approach from the side of her house.
    Her bright smile faded as he got closer. His lip was swollen, and there was dried blood on his forehead. “What happened?” Leo’s eyes darted around the overgrown yard. “Can we go inside? I’ll tell you there.”
    Audrey paused. Wasn’t he supposed to be in treatment? “Okay.
    My mom’s out of town again.” She stuck the key in the lock, and Leo lifted her swim bag from her shoulder.
    Once inside, they set down the bags and stared at each other.
    Something seemed different. He seemed tense, like he had so much to say but no idea how to say it. He was on the verge of something — she didn’t know what.
    “Can I hug you?” he asked tentatively.
    She gave him a strange look. “Of course.”
    She buried her head in his chest. As soon as he scooped her into his arms, a dam released inside of him, and Audrey felt his body tremble as he sobbed.
    “Oh, Leo.” She squeezed him tighter. “What’s wrong, honey?”
    “I can’t talk about it,” he choked.
    “It’s okay.”
    After smoothing circles on his back, she attempted to meet his eyes, but he hung his head low and sniffed. She took his hand and led him down the hallway to the living room and the leather sofa, the only nice piece of furniture she and her mother had been able to keep.
    Holding his hands in hers, Audrey sat quietly next to Leo as he cried. At one point she grabbed some tissues from the end table and handed them to him. He balled them up in his fist.
    “My dad’s back in town,” he finally said.
    It took a moment to register. “Uh-oh, you didn’t want him knowing about the pills. Did he find out?” He nodded,