Headaches
Chapter 3
“I can’t believe it took us over an hour to get out the door.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Reid, we have twin babies. Surely you remember, when you were living with Katie, how long it used to take her to get going whenever she went out with Jacob? Multiply that by two.”
“But there’re two of us. She was a single mother, and caregiver for Chris for quite some time during his recovery.”
“That may be true, but there was also only one baby.”
“Fine.” Reid sighed knowing Luke was right, yet still frustrated with the length of time it took to simply get two tiny bodies dressed and fed. He wondered what would happen when they actually started solid food. “Let’s get going before the picnic lunch plan turns into dinner.”
Shaking his head, Luke picked up Bobby, already strapped into his combination car seat/infant carrier, along with their picnic basket and Reid grabbed Miri, in her carrier, along with the oversized diaper bag.
“What do you have in here, bricks? They’re babies. Everything should be tiny and lightweight.”
“Except there also has to be enough for two, including bottles, diapers, changes of clothing, and cleaning wipes.”
Reid was beginning to hate the lack of spontaneity he saw in their future. He glared at little Miri. She wiggled her fingers and cooed when her eyes locked on Reid’s. He felt the edges of his mouth curling upward despite himself. Maybe there were some trade-offs worth losing a little spontaneity over. “Come on, rugrat, we’re going to surprise your big brother. He seems to be relishing eating your Great-grandma Emma out of house and home.”
After an uneventful ride to the farm, Reid was surprised to find Emma’s car gone. The place seemed totally deserted.
“I wonder where Grandma went. Maybe Ethan and his friends really did eat enough to force her out on a grocery expedition to replenish the shelves and fridge.”
Luke and Reid each took one of the carriers and left the rest of their supplies in the car for the time being. They entered the kitchen and placed the children on the kitchen table. Checking the ever-present cookie jar, Reid was pleased to see it still half full and grabbed two of Emma’s delicacies.
“Luke, it’s nearly noon. I know Ethan’s a teen now, but I expected him to be up by now.”
“I’ll call Grandma and see if he’s with her.” Luke frowned as he scanned the empty room. It seemed too quiet.
“Hi, Grandma. We decided to stop by and surprise Ethan. Did you and Nat take him out to lunch?”
....
“I see.” Luke bit his lip and brushed his fingers through his hair, leaving it somewhat messy. Reid would have to tease the king of hair products about his tousled look later.
....
“Okay. I must be mixed up. I’m sure everything’s fine. Have fun with Natalie and give her a kiss for me.”
....
“Yes, I’ll give the babies each big snuggles from you.” Luke chuckled. “And a big kiss for Reid.”
....
“He did find the leftover cookies and is already enjoying them.”
....
“I love you too, Grandma. Bye.”
Disconnecting the phone, Luke looked at Reid in such a way that Reid’s stomach felt unsettled enough to put down the remainder of his second cookie. “What’s up? Where are they?”
“Parker and Jack took the little kids to an amusement park adventure for the weekend. Grandma, Faith, Carly, Sage, and Natalie are having a women’s weekend at some spa just outside of Chicago.”
“So where the hell is our wayward teen?”
Before either could venture any guesses, they heard noises from the second floor of the house.
Luke was about to call upstairs when Reid shook his head, encouraging him to stay silent. Receiving the message, Luke closed his mouth and waited with Reid.
Blasting through the door from the stairwell into the kitchen, Ethan, wearing just his briefs, plowed into the room. His hair was a complete mess, stuck up in every direction.
It took him just a moment to realize he wasn’t alone. “Fuck!”
“Good morning to you too, kiddo.” Reid took a seat at the kitchen table, within reach of the two infant seats and the babies resting in them.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Ethan looked from Reid to Luke and back again.
“That’s the same question your brother and I have for you. We came to surprise you with lunch since we haven’t had much family time, and my mother finally headed back to the east coast and out of our hair. Although from the looks of your hair, she may still be in there, we may never know.”
Luke covered his chuckle and walked closer to Ethan. His face turned from amusement to a look Reid could only label as near terror, when Luke was within inches of the kid.
Ethan took a step back.
“Luke, what is it?”
Practically ignoring Reid, Luke yelled, “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Ethan? Are you crazy?”
Quickly making sure the infant carriers were secure in the center of the table, Reid stood up and approached the two.
Ethan reeked. He smelled like a distillery.
“Please tell me one of your friends spilled something on you and you haven’t showered. And then follow it up by telling me you and he, or she, are no longer friends.” Reid couldn’t believe that after living with Luke, Ethan would dare to drink at such a young age.
“Ethan, answer Reid. Were you drinking?” Luke scanned the room. “Is that why you came here, because Nat told you the place would be empty? Did you even ask Grandma if you could stay here?”
“Back off, Luke. You’re my brother, not my jailer.”
The expression on Luke’s face sickened Reid. He looked devastated, as if someone had just told him he could never ride horses again.
“Hey, that’s uncalled for. Luke’s always been more than a mere brother to you and I’m your father. Answer the questions.” Reid squeezed Luke’s shoulder.
“I knew no one would be at the farm. I wanted some time to myself. Is there anything wrong with that?”
“There is if it includes drinking.”
“Why? Because my brother was a drunk, I’m not allowed to be normal and experiment. I don’t plan on ending up the next AA statistic like him.”
Reid balled his fingers into a fist and then uncurled them slowly. He knew once Ethan turned 14 they would begin to experience some sort of rebellion, but this was much worse than he’d expected. “That’s exactly why! Addiction runs in families and there’s no way either of us are letting you experience the pain your brother went through if we can help it.”
“Which pain would that be?” Ethan stood almost eye to eye with Reid having sprouted several inches during the previous year. “Do you mean the pain of losing our parents because of his ex-birth father?” Ethan pointed at Luke. Reid could see the horror and sadness in Luke’s eyes. He wanted to cut Ethan off but the boy raged on. “Or do you mean the pain of never having my parents together before they died for more than a few months at a time? Or maybe it’s the confusion at realizing you get hard in the boys’ showers after gym class? Which pain should we deal with first; because I’m not sure I can figure it out.”
Luke’s eyes widened; Reid knew they must match his own. “Are you telling us you’re sure you’re gay?” Luke asked in just above a whisper.
“I wondered about it for a while, but I’m pretty sure. I’m also pretty sure I hate thinking I’ll never be able to talk to Mom or Dad about it. They lived through you coming out and it would have made it easier to sit with them and deal with my feelings.”
“But Reid and I are gay. Talking to us about it should be simple.”
Reid took a step back and glanced at the twins. “Did you think because we were busy with the babies we wouldn’t have time to support you? We love you, Ethan, just as much as Miri and Bobby. They don’t come ahead of you.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Ethan turned his back to them. “Just leave me alone. I’ll clean up and come home later.”
“We’re not going to leave you like this.” Luke touched his brother’s shoulder and Ethan shrugged him off. “I won’t watch you go through what I did. I felt alone and unable to approach anyone. You can come to us. Please let us help you.”
Before anyone could say another word the door to the stairwell swung open. “Hey, Eth, I thought you were getting us something to eat. I’m starving.” Another boy, obviously close in age to Ethan, wearing just as little, bounded into the kitchen. “Shit!”
“I said fuck when I saw them in here.”
Reid returned to his seat at the kitchen table. He wasn’t sure what he should, or shouldn’t, assume. “Ethan, care to introduce your friend to us?” Reid was doing his best not to embarrass Ethan any more than he probably already was. Luke sat in the chair next to Reid’s and held his hand, understandably squeezing it tighter than was necessary.
“I’m Andy. Ethan and I met at school.”
“At least you didn’t meet at a liquor store.” Reid was getting impatient waiting for information.
“Reid, let them talk,” Luke hissed, but Reid knew his annoyance wasn’t directed at him.
“Andy plays keyboard and has a great voice. We’ve been playing together after school. We’re thinking of putting together a group.” Ethan looked at his friend and then took the other boys hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “When he came out to his parents they basically kicked him out, sending him to Oakdale to live with his cousin, Allison Stewart. You know, Casey’s ex.”
[TBC]