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I go with Ian to his apartment complex with the intention of catching another cab back to my house. I don’t think I need to be around Percy tonight. Not with how mad I am at him right now.
“Hey, do you think you’d want to come up for a little while?” Ian asks, looking down at the ground.
“Uhhh. I mean I would, but I’m still with your brother. I don’t think that would be a good idea. I hope you weren’t getting the wrong idea with the cab ride, that was never my intention.”
“What? No I didn’t mean anything like that. I just don’t really feel like being alone after that. I’m trying to stay clean this time, but when I’m alone it’s harder. All my other friends are users so I can’t call them. I don’t really have anyone. I’d never disrespect my brother like that.” He shakes his head like it's the last thing he’d ever think of doing.
“Oh, I’m sorry for assuming. I just didn’t want to leave something like that up to chance. Sure. I’d love to come up and hang for a little while. I don’t have anything to rush back to Percy for anyway.” I roll my eyes and follow Ian up the stairs that lead to his apartment. The outside of the apartment doesn’t look like it’s in the best shape and when I actually walk into the space I see it’s not as tidy as it should be. Everything he does have looks expensive though. It just seems like he doesn’t take care of it as well as he could.
“Sorry for the mess, it’s been a while since I’ve had anyone up here that I cared to impress.” He rushes around and tries to pick up a few things.
“Don’t worry about it, you don’t have to impress me either,” I tell him, finding a spot on the couch and sitting down.
“Of course I do, it’s not every day that a woman manages to tame my brother.” He laughs as he walks over to what I’m assuming is the kitchen. “Do you want something to drink? I have water, apple juice, and orange juice. But I’m not sure how long the orange juice’s been there.”
I cringe at the thought of drinking God knows how old orange juice. “I’ll just take the water that’s fine.” I yell back to him.
“Cool.” I hear him pulling some things out of the fridge and then a cabinet opens up. After a few seconds, he comes back with the water, some chips, and candy. Not usually what I eat this late at night, but oh well, I can binge a little.
“What do you mean about taming Percy? I don’t think I’ve tamed him at all. If you would have stayed long enough to hear him not defend me to your father, you’d know that I don’t have any type of hold on him.” My mind drifts back to the fight at his parents’ house.
“I’m sure it was something to see, but I doubt he didn’t try. My father,” Ian clenches his jaw and his eye twitches, “well he’s not an easy man to get along with. Everything has to be perfect at all times which is why I really don’t fit into their lifestyle. Part of me feels bad for Percy sometimes. He grew up surrounded by that pressure. The need to be perfect. The drive to succeed at any and all costs. I don’t think he’s ever had a chance to really pursue what he wanted out of life. From what I was told our father had a clear plan set out for him since he was a child. He was right on track like always until you showed up.” Ian chuckles and grabs the remote to flick the massive tv on.
“What? How do you figure that?”
His eyebrows go up to his hairline, “Are you shitting me? Percy is so uptight I don’t think he’s ever done anything to have fun. I’ve never known him to miss a day of work even when he had the flu and pneumonia. He still checked in via webcam to make sure everything was working perfectly. Then you show up, start doing this article, and suddenly he’s late to work. Suddenly he’s taking weekends off. He’s going out to lounges and driving around. Laying in bed all day. My brother is changing radically and you’re the only new variable in his life. I’d say you tamed him pretty well even if you don’t realize it.”
I open my mouth to retort, but I have to admit he has loosened up quite a bit since I’ve met him. “Well, I’m glad he’s able to do that. No one should be stuck trying to impress someone who should already be impressed.”
Ian scoffs,” Have you met our father?”
“Unfortunately.” I roll my eyes.
Ian laughs loudly at that and I realize this is the first time since I’ve known him that I’ve heard him genuinely laugh. I’m glad I can be here for him right now. “So what’s on the tube?” I ask just as a notification pops up on the bottom of the screen to let him know that the latest episode ofChoppedis being recorded.
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t really watch many sitcoms, but we can watch whatever. You’re the guest.” He smiles and hands me the remote.
I take it and out of curiosity go straight for his recorded shows. The man has days worth of cooking shows, everything fromHell’s KitchentoChoppedtoBarbecue Pit Boss. The only main genre revolves around cooking.
“Wow, either you like to eat or you like to cook,” I say as I scroll through all the shows he has.
“Ahh, yeah. It’s just a bit of a hobby for me. We don’t have to watch that stuff.” He seems to be a bit embarrassed.
“Are you kidding me! I love watching Gordon Ramsey scream at people. It gives me such a thrill.” I laugh and put one of the newer shows on. I grab one of the big bags of chips and settle in for a little cooking show marathon. By the third episode Ian was passionately explaining to me that the only way to eat pasta is by making fresh pasta. He said anything else is just fast food. I almost fall over laughing when I tell him I usually heat Prego up in the microwave. The man gags so hard I swear I thought he’d throw up.
Ian had a real love of the kitchen, but with his problems of addiction, he never thought he’d be able to do anything with it. I didn’t know anything about the industry, but I did tell him I’d be his guinea pig if he ever wanted to have me try out any of his food. This seemed to make him more excited than anything else. He said the people that he usually hung out with were coke and meth heads. None of them usually have a big appetite or good palette. He’s only ever cooked for himself.
By three in the morning, I can barely keep my eyes open and his enthusiastic conversation has died down to a polite level.
“It’s late, let me call you a cab,” Ian says after I yawn for the fifth time.
“Yeah, I guess it’s time for me to hit the sack. I’ve got to get into the office sometime tomorrow and start writing the final draft of this article.” I stretch and look around for my purse. Shoot, I left it in Percy’s car. “Shoot!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I forgot my bag in Percy’s car. I don’t have any cash.” I look around suddenly feeling a bit awkward, “Is there any way I could borrow a few dollars to pay for a cab until later today when I get my bag? I can have Percy bring it to you or I can come back over myself.”
“Ella, stop it. Of course, I’ll pay for your cab. You did me a favor, I appreciate it. A cab back to my brother is the least I can do.”
