Rule(62)

“Well he isn’t exactly new, but yeah.”

I was her boyfriend.  She was my girlfriend.  How weird was that?  I hadn’t had any girl in my life long enough in twenty two years to call a girlfriend I didn’t even have friends that were girls really, Shaw was the closest thing that had ever come to filling that role as well.  I was her boyfriend and that made me want to dance a jig and pump my fist in the air.  Instead I winked at her when she turned back to look at me and laughed when she in turn stuck her tongue out at me.  Why hadn’t I realized before that letting someone in would make me happy, that she made me happy.  I couldn’t remember the last time I had laughed so much and even in bed she made it fun.  She made things better and I knew I wanted to do the same for her.

I sent Rome a text that I was on my way and he replied back he and Nash were just finishing up at the gym so he should be ready to go when I got home.  I changed the music to the Bloody Hollies and rocked out on the way back to the Victorian.  I ran in to grab her phone out of her bag and collect my brother and in no time we were on the highway headed to Brookside.  The first few flurries of snow started to pelt the windshield when we were just entering the interstate and I swore knowing what it was going to do to the commute and my schedule for the rest of the day.  In fact before we even got to Brookside Nash called and told me both my noon and two o’clock appointments wanted to reschedule because of the weather so I no longer had the work excuse as a reason to bolt home without trying to see my folks.

Rome not being stupid blatantly listened in on the call and looked across the cab of the truck expectantly.  “It won’t kill you to stop by and just say hi for a minute.  We can even go there first so they don’t ask why we have Shaw’s car with us.”

“I just don’t see the point.”

“The point is that no matter how you feel they’re still our parents and you don’t just get to give up on them.”

“Why not?  They gave up on me the minute the good twin was pronounced DOA.”

“Stop it and grow a pair.  You can tough out a five minute visit with mom and dad if only to say at least you tried.  It’ll make Shaw happy to know you made a minimal effort at least.  Remember their more like her parent’s than her real parent’s so if the two of you are going to do what you’re doing for the long term you’re going to have to show her that even if mom isn’t going to budge that at least you tried.”

He was right and it totally made my stomach turn over.  Right now Shaw was all about building a bridge and forcing my mom’s hand when it came to dealing with me and accepting me but after seeing how awful her biological mother treated her I had no doubt the divide between her and my parents wouldn’t be longstanding which meant I had to figure out how I fit into that puzzle.  Trying wouldn’t kill me but it was sure as hell going to be awkward and uncomfortable, for all of us I was sure.

“Fine we can stop by but don’t get your hopes up.  I haven’t heard from either one of them since I left brunch that day.”

“Archer pride is a dangerous thing.  If we aren’t careful it’s going to destroy our entire family.”

I just grunted in response and tried to tell myself that doing this was not only going to make Shaw happy but clearly it meant something to Rome as well and if there was anyone in the world that I would do anything for it was my brother.  Rome never asked me for anything and had given me his support and his approval endlessly even when it put him at odds with the rest of the family and I owed him at least the opportunity to try and mend what was fractured.  We drove the rest of the way to their house in silence; I could see Rome giving me surreptitious looks out of the corner of his eye the entire way.  I think he was waiting for me to drive past the exit or freak out and change my mind but I kept telling myself that I didn’t need my parents to look at me the same way they looked at him to go home and be okay.  Before that tore me apart and made me act like a troubled adolescent with a chip on his shoulder, now I knew I was going home to a kick ass job, a rock star brother, a smoking hot girl that happened to be totally into me issues and all and to a solid group of friends that were willing to put up with me and have my back no matter what and while the hole that Remy’s death left would never really be filled, I was living a good life and they should be proud of me and if they weren’t they could just piss off.

Both my folk’s cars were in the driveway when we pulled onto their street.  I hissed a breath out between my teeth and tried not to flinch when Rome clapped me on the shoulder and gave me a little shove.  “Come on, we’ll be quick.”

I jumped out of the truck and my boots sent little tufts of snow scattering.  I could see my breath in the air indicating the weather was going to get worse before we headed home which was kind of how I felt about my situation here.  I knew Rome had a key but since I was with him he stopped at the front door and knocked relegating himself to stranger status just like me.  I heard shuffling around and it took a few minutes for my dad to come to the door.  He peered out at us in surprise and I had to admit I was secretly pleased he looked equally surprised to see Rome as he was to see me.

“Boys?  What are you doing here?”

He pushed open the screen door and motioned us into the warm house.  I was rubbing my hands together to warm them up so he didn’t even try to give me a hug after he embraced Rome which was fine by me because I wasn’t sure we were at the hugging phase of our relationship anymore.