While she was in lockup, I’d had the cleaners come in and handle the living room. My father had killed my mother.
I had decided on a double funeral—closed casket. There was only one day for visitation, and nothing more than a graveside service. I didn’t feel happy or sad. It just…was. I’d written them both off so long ago, I couldn’t even muster an emotion.
There was a repast, but it was mostly my mother’s friends and family. Only one of my father’s brothers showed up, and as soon as he saw me and remembered I was gay, he left. I’d never understand it, and I didn’t care to.
After the repast, I sent Mel home in the plane. He had been a rock to me, but I knew he wanted to get back to David. There was no reason for both of us to be hold up in Nowhere, Maryland away from everything we knew.
Violet wasn’t at the funeral. She was released the day after. I had asked her if she cared to be there, but she didn’t want to. She had miles and years of therapy ahead of her for this. Someone as sweet as my sister hadn’t needed the guilt of what my father had done, and forced her to do.
I told Vi to go in and get what she needed and wanted, and the rest was going to be thrown out. Turned out, it was only enough to fill the back of the rental SUV. She was only seventeen and it was easy to keep everything in a few suitcases. She’d also taken all of my mother’s jewelry, and asked that all the art and photos be crated up.
I did, and had them shipped to my new, still unseen apartment.
Bennett took the guns that were stashed all over the house, and handled them. I didn’t care what he did with those. We had an assessor come in, buy what was valuable in the furniture and appliance and then hired a dumpster and a moving crew to haul everything else out of the house and throw it out.
From there, Wendy had taken over and Violet never walked into the house again. I’d done all the hiring from another location. I didn’t want to go into the house, ever. We were both done with it.
After selling the cars, we had no obligations left and we were in the SUV on the way back to New York. Finally, after three very long weeks.
“I am so glad this is over,” Violet said as the road crossed the border into Pennsylvania. “I am so glad you want to put up with me and I don’t have to face those assholes at school.” She picked at the door handle. “Do you know one of them had already started calling meKiller? There was no way I could handle that for an entire year.”
“And you won’t have to.” I nodded. “Now, according to Mel, you’ll have your own room. You’re going to have to forgive him and David.”
“For what?”
I snickered. “Well, David is going to seem really quiet and shy at first, but the man is a raging beast in bed and doesn’t care who hears him.”
“David is the drag queen, right?”
“Yes.”
“And Mel and Alexei are the hockey players.” I nodded again. “You also have bandmates—Rand, Ora, and Holland. No one knows Maddox is your boyfriend.”
“No, people know, we just haven’t been out about it yet. He said he doesn’t care, but I had to come back before he and I could hash out the details. We’ll get to those.” I glanced over at her. “What kind of music do you actually listen to, Sis? I never asked.”
“I’m not too picky. I’ll put up with country, but I prefer rock, pop, R-and-B. I really like some of the new stuff that Up Down Left Right has been putting…” She sat up straight. “Wait. Taylor took over drums for Robot Servant.” She turned slowly and stared at me, and a grin spread across my face. “You know Taylor Dawkins.”
“Yeah, I’ve been to his place.”
“Holy Hell,” she breathed. “You’ve met all of them, haven’t you?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Austin, Taylor, Bryce, Grant, and Luis. My audition was actually at Taylor’s place on his drum kit in the music room.”
“Oh my holy Hell, A.” She started squealing in the seat next to me, “Oh my God, this is a whole new world! This is amazing! Who else do you know?”
“Believe it or not, Vi, we’ve been really busy with the tour, and I haven’t had a chance to rub elbows much. Oh…” I bit my lip. “Well, there’s Nelson…”
“Powers?” she screamed and turned completely in her seat. “Are you kidding me? Xavier Renegade?”
“He’s actually on set in Ecuador right now, for the next movie.”
“Oh, my God. Why does he hang around Robot Servant and UDLR?”
“He’s dating one of their mutual friends. Maddox, Uriah, and Jace have been friends for years. Uriah is dating Austin, and Nelson is dating? Seeing? Hanging out with? Jace.”
She watched me drive for a few moments. “You’ve really moved into a new life, Aaron. You’re not just a drummer, you’re a drummer for an amazing band, and you’re rubbing elbows with the most famous people in the world now.”
I sighed. “I just want to play my drums, Violence. That’s all.”
