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“Bring in the food. Leave the bullshit outside.” Casper turned and strode toward the kitchen, not waiting for Dash to follow.
Dash stepped into the house, kicking the door shut behind him. Starry finally got to greet him. Elic had been training her to sit and wait instead of rushing the door every time someone came over. It was one thing if she wanted to alert or protect us, but greeting everyone by jumping on them so she could lick their face had to stop.
“We’ve got to talk,” Dash said, looking pointedly at me as he passed by on his way to the kitchen.
It was my turn to sigh. “Time to get up.” I clapped Elic on the thigh. “Ready for no fun and possibly tears?” Casper said to leave the drama outside, which Dash promptly ignored.
“Who’s crying?” Elic asked.
“Who the fuck knows? I’m just covering the bases.”
“You need to talk. I agree with him.”
Groaning, I said, “Not you too.”
“You have to fix what’s going on with the band. Slater looked miserable the other night. He tried to hide it, but the second he didn’t think anyone was looking, the mask fell away.”
“As he fucking should.”
“Reed, let’s go!” Dash called. “Uncle Dashie needs to have a heart-to-heart with his favorite people.”
I stood along with Elic. We went into the kitchen, which was open to the dining area. I didn’t have a formal dining room. That wasn’t my style. This was more comfortable. More natural to sit on the other side of the kitchen at the table.
The dining table was made from dark stained wood with a matching bench wrapping halfway around it. Soft cushions padded the seat and back in a subtle striped pattern. The kitchen had light oak cabinets and deep gray marbled stone counters, including the island. Across from the opposite side of the island was a second area where there were stools with leather cushions and another counter, this one higher for us to eat at, making the island bracketed on either side. That was where we ate more times than not and where Dash had placed the bags.
Casper opened them, pulling out containers of Chinese food. Dash knew what we liked, but he hadn’t learned Elic’s tastes yet, so it appeared he got a bit of everything. Elic grabbed plates, and I got the napkins. Dash took glasses from the cabinet, filling each with water.
When we sat to eat, Dash remained standing on the opposite side with his hands braced on the counter.
“You three are going to eat and I’m going to talk. Don’t interrupt me until I’m done. Then you can say whatever you want, and I’ll listen. Got it?”
Elic and I nodded, but Casper glared at Dash. If looks could incinerate, Dash would be ash.
“I didn’t expect you to agree.” Dash ignored Casper. “I’m still going to speak. Just shovel food into your face so you can’t respond yet. The argument you had”—Dash pointedly looked at me—“with my brother, we have to repair the damage. You two have never fought like that before and it’s causing issues. You don’t see them, but I do. Slater’s a fucking mess. After the concert Saturday night, he came to my house where he curled up on the couch in front of mindless TV to stop his panic attack from getting worse.”
I opened my mouth, but Dash held his hand up. “I know. Slay’s panic attacks aren’t your fault. He’s been having them for years. This is just another trigger on a long list. He thinks you hate him, Reed. That you won’t speak to him again. I don’t agree with the shit he said. As far as I’m concerned, you and Cas had your issues, but I didn’t witness abuse. I saw a man who was so fucking in love with you but at the same time so petrified of hurting you he couldn’t open up.” He turned to Casper. “Thank you for finally getting your shit together, by the way. Or should I thank you, El, because without you, I wonder if any of this would have happened.” Dash gestured to the three of us.
Elic shook his head. “Don’t thank me. I needed them more than they needed me.”
“Not true,” Casper interjected. “We both needed you, and we’re happy to have you with us.”
“Great, happiness all around,” Dash said, cutting Casper off. “Rainbows and blue jays for everyone.”
“Why blue jays?” I asked.
“They’re pretty. All that vibrant blue. I stop to look at them when I see one.”
“Okay, I see your point. They are nice to look at.”
“We drifted. I need to get back to this shit with my brother. He was still on my couch when I left to drive here. He’s only moved to shower and barely eat. I can’t get him to do anything else. He thinks he’s lost you forever, both of you.”
Casper scoffed. “He doesn’t give a fuck about me. He’s more upset he lost Reed. Did you know how he felt?”
“Of course, I knew, but I didn’t tell him to confess his feelings to Reed. It would only have hurt him worse. It was obvious how in love with you Reed was… is. Whatever. I didn’t want my brother getting his heart broken more than it already was going to be. I thought he’d finally see he wasn’t meant to be with you,” Dash said, facing me again. “Now that you’re with Cas and El, I figured he’d move on. Only it’s not that easy. Instead, he fucking lashed out and said a bunch of shit he regrets. Ask me how I know. He’s been broken up over it, even if he acts like he’s not.”
Casper pushed his stool back, scraping the feet over the hardwood floor, and stood. He braced his hands on the counter, mimicking Dash’s stance. “So, I’m supposed to take his bullshit in stride because he’s upset? What the fuck did he think he did to me?” Casper yelled, making me glad I didn’t have neighbors nearby.
Holding his hands up, Dash fully faced Casper. “I saw you when my brother said those words. I saw the impact they had on you. Cas, we were there when you were drunk, and we had to carry you from your place. Slay loves you as a brother. That’s another reason he’s so upset. He said things—awful things—he wishes he could take back.”
