Upon his return, Ryan was immediately met with a stern lecture from his older brother, Alex. He had gone out to buy groceries as promised before waiting for Ryan's return with growing anxiety. As soon as Ryan walked through the door, Alex launched into a scolding.
"Leaving home and school for so long without warning left me worried, Ryan," he chided. The constant calls from Ryan's school, inquiring about his whereabouts, only added to Alex's concern.
Initially, Alex had provided the school with excuses as Ryan's legal guardian, attributing Ryan's absence to an illness. But as time wore on, he could no longer cover for his younger brother's prolonged absence. His concern for Ryan's well-being outweighed any annoyance he may have felt, and it was why he returned.
