Off Limits

Chapter 19: Becoming Owen

Owen had stopped recognizing himself in old photographs.

Not because his face was completely different.

Because of the way he looked at the camera.

In the pictures from childhood, he was always somewhere between Riley and Ethan.

Sometimes Riley had an arm around his neck.

Sometimes Ethan was pulling him into some ridiculous pose.

Sometimes all three were laughing at something nobody else understood.

Owen looked happy in those pictures.

He wondered when that had become easier to see than to feel.

He stood in front of the bathroom mirror after training, towel hanging around his neck.

His hair was damp.

His shoulders had grown wider.

His arms carried the results of years of training.

There were small scars across his knuckles and one near his eyebrow.

He looked older.

Not just physically.

There was something harder in his eyes.

Something quieter.

He had spent the last two years becoming someone he could respect.

Boxing had helped.

It taught him patience.

Pain tolerance.

Discipline.

Most importantly, it taught him that strength wasn’t about how hard he could hit.

It was about knowing when not to.

He picked up his phone.

A photograph appeared on the screen.

Riley.

She had sent it earlier that morning.

She was standing outside a university building, smiling at the camera.

Her hair was longer.

Her clothes were different.

She looked confident.

Independent.

Older.

Owen stared at the picture longer than he intended.

Then he locked the phone.

“She’s still Riley.”

He said it quietly to himself.

But even he knew that wasn’t entirely true.

She was Riley.

But she wasn’t the Riley who had left.

And neither was he.

That evening, Owen stopped by the Parker house.

Mrs. Parker was in the kitchen preparing dinner.

“You’re late.”

“I was training.”

“You’re always training.”

She pointed at the counter.

“Eat.”

Owen smiled.

“Yes, ma’am.”

He took the plate she handed him.

“You’ve lost weight.”

“I haven’t.”

“You have.”

“I’m eating.”

“That’s what everyone says when I tell them they’re too skinny.”

Owen laughed.

She watched him for a moment.

“You’ve grown.”

He looked down at himself.

“I’ve been growing for years.”

“No.”

Her voice softened.

“Not like this.”

Owen became quiet.

Mrs. Parker reached across the counter and touched his cheek.

“You don’t have to keep proving that you deserve to be here.”

His expression changed.

He looked away.

“I know.”

She didn’t argue.

She simply squeezed his shoulder.

“You’re my son, Owen.”

The words landed somewhere deep.

He swallowed.

“Thank you.”

She smiled.

“Now sit down before the food gets cold.”

Owen obeyed.

And for once, he didn’t feel like he needed to earn the right to eat at the Parker table.

He simply sat there.

Like he belonged.

Because he did.

Later that night, Ethan found Owen outside.

They sat beneath the old tree in the backyard.

The same tree.

The same place where Riley had told them goodbye.

Ethan handed him a bottle of water.

“You’ve changed.”

Owen smiled.

“Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Because it’s true.”

“Is that supposed to bother me?”

“No.”

Ethan leaned back.

“You used to get angry at everything.”

“I still do.”

“Not like before.”

Owen nodded.

“I’m trying.”

“I know.”

They sat quietly.

Then Ethan said, “Dad wants you to come to the office sometime.”

Owen frowned.

“Why?”

“He thinks you might be interested in learning the business.”

Owen looked toward the house.

“Maybe.”

“You don’t have to decide now.”

“I know.”

Ethan studied him.

“You’re different.”

Owen glanced at him.

“So are you.”

“I’m still handsome.”

Owen laughed.

“That’s debatable.”

Ethan shoved his shoulder.

“Shut up.”

For a moment, they were twelve again.

Then Ethan’s expression softened.

“You know you’re my brother, right?”

Owen looked at him.

“Yeah.”

“No matter what you do.”

“I know.”

“I mean it.”

Owen nodded.

“I know.”

Ethan looked away.

“Good.”

The silence returned.

Owen looked up at the branches above them.

For years, he’d thought becoming an adult meant becoming strong enough to repay everything he’d been given.

Now he was beginning to understand something different.

Maybe becoming Owen wasn’t about repaying anyone.

Maybe it was about discovering who he was when he stopped feeling indebted to everyone around him.

A son.

A brother.

A boxer.

A man with his own plans.

Not a tragedy the Parkers had rescued.

Not a debt.

Just Owen.

And somewhere across the ocean, Riley was preparing to come home.

He had no idea what would happen when she did.

For now, he only knew one thing.

He wasn’t the boy she had left behind.

Neither was she.

Later that night, after spending some time talking with Ethan, Owen finally went upstairs to his room.

He showered, changed into a loose shirt and sweatpants, then sat on the edge of his bed.

His room was quiet.

Too quiet.

His eyes wandered around the space before settling on the bottom drawer of his dresser.

He pulled it open.

Inside was a small box he’d forgotten about.

Owen smiled when he opened it.

Photographs.

Dozens of them.

He picked up the first one.

Three seven-year-olds sitting around a birthday cake.

Riley had frosting on her nose.

Ethan was making a ridiculous face.

Owen was sitting between them, looking as though he still wasn’t completely convinced he belonged in the picture.

He chuckled.

He picked up another.

The three of them in swimming clothes.

Another from their first school trip.

Another where Riley was standing on Ethan’s shoulders while Owen stood beside them, looking terrified that all three of them were about to fall.

He kept turning the pictures over.

Years had rushed past so quickly.

Sometimes it felt as though that rainy day outside the mall had happened only yesterday.

He could still remember Riley handing him her jacket.

Ethan staring at him suspiciously.

Mrs. Parker taking his hand.

His first night in this house.

His first breakfast.

His first birthday.

All of it.

And somehow, the little boy in those photographs had become the man sitting on this bed.

Owen smiled to himself.

“Where did the time go?”

His phone suddenly vibrated.

He looked down.

Riley.

His smile appeared before he could stop it.

He opened the message.

Riley:

Are you awake?

He replied.

Owen:

Yeah.

Her response came almost immediately.

Riley:

Good. I was bored.

Owen:

That’s unfortunate.

Riley:

You’re supposed to entertain me.

Owen:

Since when?

Riley:

Since I became your favorite person.

Owen laughed quietly.

Owen:

You’ve always been annoying.

Riley:

And yet you miss me.

He stared at the message.

Then typed:

Owen:

Maybe.

That was enough to start another argument.

They teased each other about childhood stories, complained about Ethan, and talked about how different everything felt now.

Eventually, Owen asked the question that had been sitting in his mind.

Owen:

So… what about the boyfriend situation?

There was a pause.

Then:

Riley:

What boyfriend situation?

Owen:

You know what I mean.

Riley:

Are you interrogating me now?

Owen:

I’m asking.

Riley:

Hmm. Interesting.

Owen shook his head.

Owen:

Have you actually lived your life there without your brothers interfering?

Her reply came quickly.

Riley:

Mostly.

Owen:

Mostly?

Riley:

Ethan still thinks he’s my personal security guard.

Owen smiled.

Owen:

That sounds like Ethan.

Riley:

He has no business worrying about who I talk to.

Owen:

You know he’s going into the law firm, right?

Riley:

Yes.

Owen:

Then you should probably be careful.

Riley:

Why?

Owen:

Because when he starts making money, he’ll probably hire someone to investigate every guy who talks to you.

Riley sent a laughing emoji.

Riley:

Ewww. That’s so lame.

Owen laughed.

Then another message appeared.

Riley:

I’m no longer a baby, Owen.

He read it again.

Riley:

I’m a pretty woman now.

Owen stopped smiling.

He stared at those words longer than he should have.

Another message followed.

Riley:

So I know what I want and what I don’t want.

Something about that sentence stayed with him.

He didn’t know why.

He simply typed:

Owen:

Good. You should.

There was a pause.

Then Riley changed the subject, and they continued talking.

One hour became two.

They talked about her classes, his boxing, her plans after graduation, and what they wanted to do when she came home.

By the time they finally said goodnight, Owen had forgotten about the photographs scattered across his bed.

He picked one up again.

Three children.

One family.

A lifetime of memories.

He smiled.

Then he placed the photograph carefully back inside the box.

Goodnight, Riley.

He had no idea how different those words would feel once she was home.