Suddenly he came home like the sweetest little boy you’ll ever find. The dog greeted him enthusiastically at the door, tail wagging, wondering where he had been all these five long years. (Really, it was just five months. But to dogs everything seems like forever.)

“Hi Charlie!” Sweetie Boy exclaims. “I missed you! You’re so cute. Good boy.”

“Sweetie Boy is home!” Mom chimes in, though to who she was speaking to was unclear; was it to the dog or the house?

He didn’t really have much else to do at home so he bee-lined his way down to the basement where his room was. His computer was gone.

“Don’t go down there yet!” Mom yells after him. “Stay up here where I can see you. Have something to eat.”

“Where is my computer? Is it in the garage?”

I sat frozen in my room all the while. Hold up. He was suppose to come home today? No one told me. Mom never said a word. She never even told me that he was coming home soon. I had to find that out from brother-in-law.

There was nothing I could do next except text sister and Ducky:

TEXT: TO SISTER

OMG HE’S HOME

TEXT: TO DUCKY

OMG HE’S HOME

Ducky tells me not to be bothered by it.

How can I not be? This sweet little boy, trapped in a 20-year-old body, is very, very angry. Who knows what he could do. What is he capable of? Where are the knives, are they locked up?

It was just getting to be very peaceful at home with just Matty and I. The best we’ve gotten along in years. I’d ask him about girlfriend and school, and he’d tell me he was doing great. Though not with girlfriend.

But now, Sweetie Boy is home.

“Sweetie boy is home,” Mom suddenly exclaims passing by my open door. I say nothing. “What’s wrong?” She suddenly whines. “ I’ll cook later.”

“It’s not that!”

“I’ll need your help. He’s home. He needs to take his meds everyday.” She whines, “I’m so tired.”

“Ok I’ll help, just tell me where the meds are. I’ll give it to him at night.”

“Good Lord. I’m so tired,” She says more pitifully again as she goes down.

My phone vibrates.

TEXT: FROM DAD

Sweetie Boy is discharged. He is home now.

TEXT: FROM DAD

Tonight don’t forget to remind him his med before bed, ok? Good girl.

Am I dog? And where have you been?

Sweetie Boy and mom make plans to go to the bank. Before they leave mom tries to keep him occupied by telling him to come say hi to me. Before he could make his way up I boulder down the stairs to say: Hi, Sweetie Boy.

Hi Sister, he says.