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“Yes,” Mom says. “We tried to get your brothers to get real jobs, but they insisted on this music thing. They had a lot of really hard years. You were too young to realize how poor they were up until the last couple of years. We don’t want that for you.”
It’s probably best if I let them speak their minds, but a ball of frustration grows inside of me. I wait as she purses her lips and takes in more air before continuing her monologue.
“And the fornication, you could end up pregnant.”
My belly tightens. Now we’re back on that topic. Not good.
“Whatever that was, Aurora, it’s not normal. You have to value yourself. If we hadn’t—”
“I get it. You don’t approve of them. You don’t approve of their music, but you don’t even understand it, and you don’t approve of my dreams, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to explore them. And do even you realize what a big deal my brothers are?”
“Do you realize what a big deal incest is, honey?”
I can’t believe Mom said that. Pointing out that it’s not incest won’t help.
“Honey, if people find out you’ve done that, you’ll never be respected. It might even be hard to get a job as an accountant.”
Too late for that warning, since the video surfaced. And why are my parents so convinced I should be an accountant? Sometimes I think Cindy should be their child instead of me. She’s working on getting her accounting degree.
“That’s my risk to take. I don’t want to sit at a desk and look at numbers all day. I thrive on creativity. I want to inspire creativity in others. And I’ll work whatever minimum wage jobs I have to while I establish myself. I get to make that choice. I get to pursue my dream. You don’t get to stand in my way. They don’t get to stand in my way. Nobody gets to tell me how to live my life.”
I rush out the door, tears streaming down my face.
My words are much stronger than my soul, which is now crushed. Pieces of it fall with each teardrop as I rush to the elevator. I pull out my phone and open the rideshare app.
I need time alone. That’s weird. I usually want to be with people. Travis is the loner of the family. Maybe I can learn from him. Time to go sit with myself.
Seventeen
Calvin
OfallthetimesI’ve told my parents I’d like to see them… It’s not their fault. Any time in the last few days would have been risky.
Embracing reality doesn’t help.
I wouldn’t have thought they could think less of us, but now Rory’s involved. Why the hell didn’t she let us help her? How can I protect her from society’s judgment if I can’t control my own home?
Hating the answer, I slam my fist into the wall. My fingers ache as I rub them. Wouldn’t be a smart move to break my fingers while we’re on tour. Except that without a lead guitar, we could cancel. No. I’ll do that of my own choosing if needed, not because I’m a dumbass who can’t control my reactions.
Which reminds me that I need to think with my head. Rory wants to act, wants to have her own life, and wants to run a children’s theater. That will mean she can’t be on the road with us. I can’t make her do it my way.
Fuck. If I want to show her that I respect her, I have to actually respect her. She deserves to be happy, even if it’s not with my dick inside of her. Going on the world tour could be just what we need to give her space. How fast can our tour manager get venues booked?
I call my brothers into the living room.
“There’s only one way I can see this working.”
“All right, give it a go,” Big D says.
“It’s not going to work with Aurora.”
They all rear up, but I motion for them to hear me out. “That horror on Mom and Dad’s faces, we’ll experience it elsewhere. Rory will experience it elsewhere. It’s not something society’s ready to accept. It’s not going to advance her career.”
Travis is sitting in the oversized chair Rory hid behind during our CNC play. He’d look like a fucking king if we hadn’t just been destroyed. He leans forward. “So you’re giving up on her?”
“Not giving up.”
Jack stands in front of the couch and throws his arms out to the sides. “Sure sounds like it.”
