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The Friend Zone (The Relationship Quo Series Book 2)

Page 19

by Nicole Strycharz


  I hugged her close but for some reason, it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t close enough.

  On December 23rd we left California to fly to New Mexico; me, dad and Chloe. My sister Autumn picked us up at the airport in her mommy van while the girls were with a sitter.

  Autumn is as tall as I am, which is tall for a woman and she’s super thin with a fair face but she wears strict things all the time. She’s always in tight staunch clothing, tightly braided hair, very little makeup, and a resting bitch face that plucks my nerves.

  When we were on the plane I was sitting next to Chloe and Dad was right behind her. She reached over and patted my hand, “try not to fight the whole time okay? It’s Christmas.”

  My dad sat forward to agree like this was an intervention, “we’re lucky she lets us visit at all, so zip it sparky.” He warned.

  I leaned to the side to see them, “when Jenzy met her over FaceTime we didn’t fight once.”

  Chloe squinted, “you were miles apart. Up close you guys are like vinegar and baking soda.”

  I took a book out of my satchel and pretended to read and block them out.

  Dad hit my head with a water bottle. “Listen!”

  I gave him a look and Chloe jumped in, “all we’re saying is your sister is a super difficult person to put up with and we all know that, but you’re also here to see your nieces.”

  So here I am in the front seat of her van with Chloe and Dad in the back. Autumn looked at me during a stop light and frowned, “is that a new tattoo?” she asked me.

  I looked down at my arm. I had my sleeves rolled up to reveal my scorpion. “Uh, no it’s been there a good five years I think. Right Chloe?”

  She sat with her chin on my seat, “yep! We did that the same time we got my Latin proverb.”

  “I can’t imagine mom would be happy to see you marked yourself up. She wasn’t into all that.” Autumn stated.

  That one grated right on my nerves and Chloe felt it so she rubbed my shoulder. “How are the girls?” she asked her.

  Autumn brightened a little, “wonderful. You should see the grades they bring home. All A’s and B’s. By the way,” she looked to me, “that dream house, Barbie thing you sent is way too big. I hope you realize you’re putting it together.”

  I rolled my eyes when she wasn’t looking. “I don’t mind. I can’t wait to see their faces.”

  She gave a short laugh, “you’re so competitive. Just like dad. Have to have the bigger gift.”

  I heard Dad mutter, ‘here we go.’

  I shook my head, “not everything comes with a cost Autumn. Some people do things not expecting anything back.”

  She flipped her braid over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, is that some kind of karmic, mother earth speak?”

  I laughed without mirth, “no, it’s a common decency kind of speak. You are so self-righteous about everything.”

  “I’m self-righteous? Me?”

  Chloe came between the seats and kissed my cheek, “guys, let’s not do this. You’re brother and sister and that bond can’t be-.”

  Autumn craned her neck, “Chloe, put your seatbelt on. Have you been riding all this way without it? What if we’d of been pulled over?”

  Chloe retreated to the back and buckled up.

  Dad was up to the plate now, “kids.” He began, “your mother wouldn’t want us like this.”

  It was quiet but then Autumn had to talk, “we don’t really know what mom would want. She’s not here to tell us.”

  When we reached the house I wasn’t even one step out of the van when both my twin nieces came flying at me.

  “Uncle Moses! Uncle Moses!”

  I grabbed them both close and hugged the life out of them. They’re eleven and long and tall like their mother and me. The only way to tell them apart is that Chasity has freckles and Milly doesn’t. They talked my ear off to fill me in and things got better. The twins make Autumn less bitchy.

  My sister’s house is like the suburbs dynasty. She’s in the center of a roundabout street. Even the house is boring. Tan paint, black shutters. Two story. White porch. Strip of garden. It’s dead from the change of season but I can tell she kept it up.

  After dinner, I helped her with clean up while Chloe went to a tea party in the girl’s room and Dad went to bed early.

  “How’s the yoga thing?” She asked. “Are you still teaching?”

  I lifted a bunch of plates at once from the table and carried them to the sink, “Yep, it’s good. I also do personal training now. Fitness and all that. Coaching.”

  She started wrapping leftovers. “Do you use like, mats and bells and fairy dust?”

  I rolled my eyes, “you should try it some time. Might loosen your tight ass.”

  We actually laughed together. That’s very rare. “I’m not always uptight okay.”

  I poked her ribs, “I’m still surprised I even have nieces.”

  She nodded to the doorway, “when am I getting nieces? Or nephews anyway?”

  I shrugged, “don’t know.”

  “Are you still seeing that Jenzy girl or did you finally wake up and realize Chloe is probably it.”

  I filled the water basin with hot soapy water and fought my temper. “I’m still with Jenzy.”

  Autumn put a bunch in the fridge. “I so don’t see it.”

  Those words bother the hell out of me. That’s what people said about Katie. It feels like they curse you every time. “Please don’t go here.” I tried.

  “You’re dating a married woman. I never thought you’d be the type to break up a marriage.”

  I dropped a dish pretty hard, “it’s not an affair. We didn’t start seeing each other until after she filed.”

  Autumn crossed her arms. “Sometimes you still make such hard-headed decisions. I totally disagree about this relationship with that girl and if I had the chance to talk to her again, I’d ask her what she’s thinking.”

  “No, you wouldn’t.” I snapped, “you’d stay out of it because it’s none of your business.”

  She put her hand up as she walked around to clear more of the table, “never mind. Do your own thing and act surprised when things blow over. Just stay at your secular yoga crap and your pagan bookstore-.”

  “It was Mom’s bookstore! How could you hate something that meant so much to her? Dad and I work it because it mattered.”

  She got the washcloth and wiped down the counter while I watched her. “Dad’s too old to even run that stupid thing.”

  “Don’t do that. Don’t be a bitch about this. Dad isn’t old and feeble the way you imagine him to be.”

  She threw the cloth in the sink. “You’re the one that said he was messing up the finances!”

  “Because he’s getting depressed! He misses mom! I fixed it. If you didn’t skip town and refuse to even come see us, you’d know half this shit.”

  “I don’t want to know even a fourth of the family yoke that is that store.”

  “You know what?” I backed out of the room, “I’m not doing this.” I left and went up to my room. Around midnight I was still up and the house was quiet. I lay in bed in my boxers and just played the argument over and over in my dull guest bed with the dull walls and the enormous and leering painting of Jesus with his heart bleeding everywhere. Autumn couldn’t be more Catholic; which is fine but she deliberately put this painting in my room across from my bed because she knows it freaked me out as a kid.

  Then my door opened and Chloe slipped in.

  “Hey,” she whispered.

  I pushed a hand through my hair. “Hey.”

  “I heard you guys downstairs. Wanna talk?”

  I looked her over. She’s in hot pink sleep shorts with Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas all over them and a black lacy tank.

  I didn’t say anything but she tip-toed in fast and dove under my covers at the foot of the bed. “It’s so friggin cold!” she said as she made her way to the pillows. She lay on her stomach and watched me with her arms fol
ded under her chin, “what’s up pussycat?”

  I licked my lips and set my arms behind my head, “same old shit.”

  She nodded, “Sis being a twat?”

  “You have no idea.”

  “You love her…”

  I rolled my eyes, “in a ‘I have to way’ like if a bus came, I’d eat one more chip before pushing her out of the way.”

  She laughed. “She is pretty bitchy.”

  “Family sucks sometimes.”

  “At least you have family.”

  I feel guilty when she pulls that card but I know she’s right. “You have us, so don’t complain.”

  She laughed and we were quiet a long time. Then I said something without thinking, “she wants to know when I’m going to realize you’re probably the one.”

  Her giggle was cute but it depressed me, “did you remind her I’m just your bestie?”

  I just held her eyes. “Are your feelings for me totally gone…?”

  She moved to sit Indian style and tilted her head, “believe it or not, after all those years of crushing hard…yes. I really like Elijah. He does this thing to my heart when I see him like, boom, boom, boom. He even gets you and me and Brianna loves him. Remind me to call her about Goliath’s prescription.”

  I smiled and fought the spiral in my stomach. “He’s a cool guy.”

  “My audition is March 1st. He’s been to see me dance like a thousand times. He says I’m ready.”

  “You are.” I caressed the underside of her chin and it felt good. Like touching her felt right. “You’ll bag this.”

  “How are you and Jenzy?”

  I took my hand away, “she’s with her parents up in the mountains.”

  “Cool.” She smiled, then looked over her shoulder. “Oh God, you have Jesus huh? I’ve got Michael the archangel conquering a super creepy Satan in my bedroom.”

  I laughed, “I’ll trade you for Jesus.”

  She looked back at the painting, “uh…no, the heart bleeding profusely is a little bit of a turn-off.”

  I did a chin lift at Dad’s room, “Dad’s got The Virgin Mary.”

  She rolled her eyes, “lucky bastard.” Then she looked about to burst into giggles. “Want me to turn Jesus toward the wall.”

  I laughed, “If Autumn says we have to go to Mass, I’m claiming Ebola.”

  Chloe bugged her eyes. “Well if you have Ebola that leaves me with the Bubonic Plague. I don’t think strippers are welcome to Mass. I might burst into glittered flames or something.” We laughed, “okay, I’m for bed now.”

  She went to leave but I grabbed her hand, “stay with me.”

  She came back but looked confused, “Moses, we don’t do those things when you date. I’m kind of unsure here. You’ve even spent the night since dating Jenzy.”

  I shrugged, “you do it when you date.”

  “Yeah…but…”

  “What?”

  She bit her lip then held my hand in both of hers. “Don’t get mad okay? But I’m serious about Elijah and…I don’t want him to feel like I’d do anything to hurt him. I never cared before because the other guys never mattered I guess but…”

  I hated where this was going, “we don’t do anything when we hang out or sleep together, we don’t like touch-.”

  “I know but…” she struggled with it, “I don’t think it’s fair to Jenzy either, it’s a little too intimate.”

  The understanding that I’d never get to hold her again was like a hot poker through my chest. I wanted her here tonight. “What if we-.”

  Her phone rang and she checked it. “Oh, that’s him. Okay, I’ll see you in the morning. Love yah buddy,” she kissed my cheek then answered her phone, “We’re sorry, you’ve reached an imaginary number…please rotate your phone 80 degrees then try again.” she teased, then annoying girly giggles followed, “I miss you too.” She scooted off the bed and skipped out my door, “no, we can talk, I’m just going to bed,” she said as the door closed. Then she hurried back in and took down Jesus to face him to the wall before rushing out.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  CHLOE

  It was hard to say no to Moses, especially while we’re at his sister’s. I can feel how frustrated he is but I’m learning that for us to have healthy relationships we have to have a line drawn on our closeness. Another pitfall to guy/girl friendships.

  I spoke to Elijah late into the night and fell asleep on the phone with him. He makes my heart feel safe and cared for.

  Christmas Eve was turbulent with Moses and his sister. She treats their dad like their mom’s death was his fault and when Moses defends him there’re fights. It’s my job to take the girls away for fun.

  Christmas morning though was sweet. All of us hung out around the tree and actually enjoyed one another. Moses handed Autumn a gift that was wrapped and she gave him a suspicious eye. She unwrapped it to find a plain looking box but inside was a glass figurine of an 18th-century couple. It was a glossy white porcelain with hand painted detail.

  Autumn’s eyes got watery and she cradled the figurine. “How did-…?” she took a steady breath and their dad took her hand from the chair next to her. Moses was on the floor with me in front of the tree.

  Moses got up to sit by her, “I found it in mom’s things and I remember you looking at it a lot when we were growing up.”

  She wiped a tear from under her eye and reached out so he hugged her. They hug stiffly but for Autumn it’s still big.

  I gave the things I’d gotten everyone and Moses, gave me another of C. Dougherty’s books signed. The new one! He also gave me one of Martha Sweeney’s adult coloring books that Jenzy kept telling me about. She even let me color a page with her once.

  As the night winded down his dad waited until the girls were asleep to open a topic. We were all in the den about to put on a movie. Moses was sitting with my feet in his lap and Autumn was sitting with the remote about to press play. Their dad stood and went to stand in front of the blank screen.

  “So…” he set his hands in his pockets and spoke hesitantly. “I have…a Christmas gift of my own…and I would like for both my children…to hear me out.”

  I looked over at Moses to gauge his reaction as he watched his dad. Then I drew one of my legs back, “I’ll turn in then, so you guys can talk.”

  Before I could move Moses grabbed hold on my other ankle and kept me in place.

  At the same time his dad shook his head, “no Chloe,” his dad smiled at me, “you’re just as much a part of this family. I need you to stay.”

  I sank back down and Moses pulled my other foot back across his lap.

  Autumn even hangs out is a stiff way, back straight. She put the remote aside, “what is it, Dad?”

  Their dad looked to Moses first. “I know you’ll fight me on this. I realize you might even…dislike me for this but…I’m giving over the bookshop to you.”

  Autumn’s and my jaw dropped open but Moses’ tightened, “I don’t want the shop.”

  Autumn held up her hand, “you are giving Moses the shop? Moses? Not me? Not the eldest? Not the one that invested with mom to put it up?”

  Their dad turned at the waist to see her, “Autumn, you don’t love that shop. You don’t even step foot in California and you aren’t the one that’s spent countless hours, like your brother tending it. From the interior to the finances to the marketing Moses has-.”

  Moses cut in on them, “that’s not the point Dad! I did it for you, not to take it over. It’s mom’s shop, she gave it to you and if anyone should have it after that it’s Autumn.”

  Autumn turned to glare at Moses, “oh don’t pretend you weren’t in on this. You and Dad plotted this long before you got here. This is just his way of reminding me I’m not part of this pitiful excuse of a family.”

  Their Dad stepped closer, “now hold it! Autumn, don’t-.”

  Moses yelled over him at his sister, “no one took you out of this family, you took yourself out when you left us two days
after losing mom! You didn’t even stay for the funeral!”

  Autumn gave him a look of disgust. “I left because it was harder on me than the two of you. I was on medications for months after-.”

  Moses railed back, “fuck your selfish excuses! You hate the shop! You hate us and you hate-.”

  And back to Autumn, “don’t you dare use foul language in my house! I hate the shop because of what it stands for. Mom was sick, and everyone let her run that stupid store! That stupid pagan slop building!”

  Moses was leaning over my legs to yell back, “if you loved mom so much why the hell do you put her beliefs down? You’re like a walking contradiction! Why are you even upset? Why would you even want the store?”

  Autumn brought her tone down, “mom didn’t start that hippie crap with you until she was sick. Livingston’s have always been devout Catholics. I raise my girls that way and it’s why I keep my distance from you two. If I ran the store I would clean all that secular poison out and make it into a proper bookstore.”

  Their dad stood right before them, “and that’s why I want it passed over to Moses. He’ll keep the spirit of the place intact. Autumn,” he demanded her eyes when he said her name. “I respect your walk in life. I understand your devotion to a spiritualism that suits you and the girls. I’m glad you’ve kept your faith and I’m glad that it brought you comfort after your mother passed. This isn’t based on all that. It’s simply based on who I deem fit to keep up the place.”

  I actually chanced talking and asked, “why exactly are you giving it up?”

  He looked at me like I was the first to breach something reasonable, “because I miss your mother,” he said it to me but he looked at Moses and then Autumn lingeringly. “I miss her, and being there is wearing on me. I need to retire the work.”

  Both siblings went quiet. Then Moses looked up, “What if Autumn and I partner on it? Fifty percent goes to her and the other half to me.”

  I knew how selfless a call that was on his part. Autumn would turn the store into something it wasn’t but he didn’t want to see her excluded even if she was wrong.

 

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