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11
Ecstasy
We got backto the reunion in time for the last of the burgers to come off the grill. I filled my plate with one, along with the fancy salads the caterers had brought, while the guys were recruited for a game of touch football.
My stomach grumbled as I dug in. I hadn’t realized how starved I was.
“Honey, where have you been?” Mom said, rushing over with her own plate. “You disappeared for so long! Reece said something about Nathan falling asleep on that little island out there, and that he and Julian had to go get you guys?”
“Yeah, sorry about that, Mom,” I replied, smiling as I took another bite. “Honestly, I just needed a good shoulder to cry on, and Nathan was tired from the row. It was nice to hang out with him for a while.”
Wow. So far I hadn’t even lied. Just omitted some details.
“Oh,” she said, surprised. “Well, that’s lovely. Do you feel… better? Was talking to Nathan helpful?”
“I feel so much better, Mom,” I said, laughing inside. “And yes. Nathan is amazing, as are Julian and Reece.”
“I think so, too,” she said. “They’re such nice boys. I’ve always adored them. But I didn’t think you liked them much back when we were all living together, or even now.”
Best not to correct that impression. Nothing good would come of it.
“They’re okay, Mom. They’re decent guys,” I said, nodding.
“Honey, I’m glad to see you smiling again. I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t fully understand what Peter’s put you through. I’m glad you found a friend to talk to.”
“Me too, Mom. Me, too.”
She’d never know how much more than talking we’d done…
“So, maybe you and the boys will get along better now. Maybe you’ll be close friends. I always felt like there was tension among you growing up. Robert and I didn’t know what to do about it.”
“We’re going to try very hard to be good to each other,” I said, patting her hand.
Mom beamed, but my head was spinning and I had to force myself to concentrate on her words. I didn’t know what I was going to do when and if the time ever came for the guys and I to tell Mom about our new ‘closeness.’
She hustled back to her hostessing, and the guys found me, filled their plates, and joked about the game they’d just played.
I looked around to make sure no one could hear me but them.
“Hey. Now that the picnic’s winding down, you guys want to go hang out somewhere? We could… continue what we started,” I suggested.
If they turned me down, I’d slink back to my car, go home, and never venture outdoors again.
And it seemed like that might be the way my life was going when they just looked at me for a minute. But, thank god, Reece put down his plate and threw an arm around my shoulders. I looked around to see if anyone suspected anything improper, but no one batted an eye.
Just a friendly stepbrother and sister joking around, enjoying each other’s company. Nothing to see here, folks.
“Fuck yeah, baby. Let’s do it. Guys?” he said, looking at his brothers.
“I volunteer my place,” Nathan called out, finishing his beer. “Who can get there the fastest?”
“Race ya,” Julian said, dropping his plate and taking off for his car.
“Julian,” Nathan called after him. “You can’t get in until I get there.”
He turned to face us while running backwards. He looked ridiculous, which I think was his intent. “I got a key to your place,” he hollered, jangling a set. “You never asked for it back.”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “Little shit. Never gave me back my key. Anyway, follow my car?” he suggested to me.
