To See You Again (13 page)

I risk a glance at Collin who is peering down at
me sympathetically. "How did that happen?" He gently pulls on my elbow and
brings us both to a stop. We take a few steps off the path and move to stand beneath
a large oak tree.

I release a loud sigh and look away from him. "I
don't know. My mom thought I wanted to go to my dad's because she claims I said
something about it being less of a drive for me when I didn't have that much
time off. So, she assumed I had cleared it with him, and my dad thought I was
going to be with my Mom as planned." I look down, shifting a stick with the tip
of my shoe. "So, my mother is going to be with her in-laws and my dad is
sending my half-sisters to my step-mother's sister's house for the holiday so
the two of them can take some kind of second honeymoon in Mexico, or some shit.
I don't know. I stopped listening after she started blabbing about first-class
tickets." The stick beneath my shoe snaps and I look back up at Collin. His
expression is serious. "I don't expect you to follow any of that. I barely do
and I know all the people involved. Bottom line—I'm on my own for turkey this
year."

"Come home with me."

"What?"

"Come home with me," he repeats.

"No, I heard you. It's just what the hell are you
talking about? Thanksgiving break starts tomorrow," I say, feeling stupid for
having told him anything. Now he's treating me like some sort of charity case.

"So?" Collin smirks. "Your point is?"

"Well, for starters that would be totally rude for
me to just show up for dinner with your family with zero notice, and then stay
overnight to top it off. Your mom has probably already started making
preparations and they don't include some random friend of yours from school."

Collin's smile grows bigger, triggering his
dimples. "If that's what's worrying you then just stop right now. My mother will
not care, and she doesn't slave away in the kitchen. She caters every year and
her assistant makes all the arrangements. Trust me, all she does is tick a few
boxes and sign the check. There's more food than any of us could eat in five
meals, let alone one." Collin tugs my arm, pulling me back on to the sidewalk
as we start walking back toward our respective apartments. "You're coming home
with me. End of story." He smiles wickedly, and I can't help but smile back.

"Um, ok. If you really mean it, I guess I will,
but please promise me you will call her and make sure this is really fine."

"It's totally fine. I'm sure of it, but yes, I'll
call her when I get back to my place, OK?"

Collin (Ten
Years Prior)

 "Why are we crammed in your car again?" I ask,
while shifting in the passenger seat of her tiny vehicle. She grimaces at me,
and I crack a smile.

"Because, Mr. Crabby, I wanted to pay you back for
taking in my orphaned ass for Thanksgiving."

"By punishing me?" She swings her fist at me,
attempting and failing, to punch my arm. I recline my seat, stretching my legs
out farther, and I hear something in the rear seat crunch in protest.

"Watch it, Collin, you're crushing the flowers I
got for your mom!"

"You got my mommy flowers?" I exclaim, in the
silliest, most sarcastic voice possible and then downshift nearly immediately
to a darker tone. "You obviously haven't met her."

"What does that mean?" Raven shoots me a nervous
glance. Her dark hair is pulled up into a loose bun. I like it better down,
when it's wavy and cascading down her back. She continues to glare at me and I
realize she isn't letting this one go.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it," I mumble, and
reach for the dial to turn the volume up on the radio. Raven bats my hand away.

"Oh no you don't. I revealed to you my Thanksgiving
familial shame. Now you're going to tell me why
Mommy
doesn't want
flowers!" Raven arches an accusatory brow in my direction.

I give her an annoyed sounding sigh and shift my gaze
to the passing scenery out the window. "She will love the flowers, Raven. It
was very thoughtful of you. My mother is just vain and selfish. You were
worried about her feeling burdened by you coming home with me. Trust me, the
only burden in her life is her disappointment of a son." I point to myself and
then steal a look at her. She's staring back at me with her mouth slightly
open. "Eyes on the road, Jeeves," I tease, as I reach for the radio again. She
slaps my hand. "Ouch. What's with you, woman? Is there a no-music mandate in
this micro car? Must you suck out all the enjoyment?"

"Only when passengers are dropping hints about
major family drama and then trying to pass it off as nothing."

"It is what it is, Raven. She has two step-kids
that she dotes on, slightly less than herself, and my stepdad is a dick. The
end." I run my finger along the seam on the faux-leather seat and feel her eyes
on me.

"I can't believe you're a disappointment to
anyone, Collin." Her expression is sickeningly sympathetic, but she seems
genuine.  "Trust me, though, I get the whole step family gig. It blows."

I smile at her. I can't remember the last time I
met anyone I felt I could talk to about this stuff. Not that I'm going to.

*** *** ***

"You are going to get out of the car, right?" Raven
has been parked in my parent's driveway, near motionless, for at least two
minutes now. She's gone from fair to ashen.

"Holy shit," she says, for the second time in a
row.

I gaze at her, as she stares up at the house with
her mouth slightly open. I reach over and touch her gently on the arm. "Are you
having a stroke or something?" I follow her gaze and attempt to view the house
as she does. Fountains, ornate landscaping, and towering pillars—I guess it's a
lot to take in. She probably thinks I'm trying to show off. That's the last
thing I want to do. How do I explain to her that none of this fancy stuff makes
me happy, and it never has, without coming off like an ungrateful asshole?

"Collin, why didn't you tell me you're insanely
rich? My house could fit inside your house at least ten times. I'm so
intimidated right now. I thought you were kidding when you said your mom had an
assistant!" I notice her glance over her shoulder at the flowers in the backseat
of the car.

"Raven." I put my hand on her shoulder coaxing her
to look at me, but she won't. "Chill out, OK? It's just a house. Besides, it's
what's
inside
the house that counts." I wait until she shifts her eyes
to mine. "And trust me, there's a whole lotta nothing inside that house." I
smirk at her.

"Stop it!" A small smile finally emerges on her
face. "I'm sure your family is great. Super-duper fancy and great." She rests
her head on the steering wheel and makes no move to get out of the car.

"OK, Raven, time to get out. Either exit on your
own, or I'll carry you in there, and then we'll really have a lot of explaining
to do."

Sighing, she slowly reaches in the back and
retrieves her flowers. She's totally melting down just looking at the outside
of my house. I didn't expect this, though maybe I should've. Just wait until
she gets a load of the loonies that live in there. Ah, shit. Maybe this was a
mistake. I never bring people around for a lot of reasons, but after I asked
her I got kind of excited that she'd said yes.  I'm realizing now I probably
should've prepared her more for her visit to the nut house. I need to find a
way for this to be as painless for her as I can, which may be mission
impossible. Here goes nothing. I stroll around to the driver's side of the car
and open her door, extending my palm. She accepts it warily, refusing to look
me in the eye, as she gets out of the car.

I walk her up the path to my front door trying to
figure out what she's thinking. "So, your dazed expression may be a clue that
now isn't the best time to give you the sixty second run-down on my family, but
here goes anyway: I have a slightly older step brother who is high just about
ninety-percent of the time, but somehow manages to be the family hero; a
younger step-sister, Reba, who rivals my mother for self-absorption; and a stepdad,
Victor, who hates me. And thaaaats it." Raven says nothing and I'm wondering
what I'll do if she makes a sudden bolt for the car. "Still with me, Rave?"

"I'm so going to kick your ass, Collin." Her eyes
flutter and then she levels me with her all-business glare. And she's back.

Raven (Ten Years
Prior)

"I'm going to open the door now." Collin's tone is
cautious, and he's eyeing me up and down. I don't think I've ever seen him look
so concerned about anything. In spite of the frantic butterflies in my stomach,
I roll my eyes at him. It seems like the only way I can show him that I'm OK.
Although, I'm pretty sure I'm not. He pushes the door open and we step into the
largest foyer I've ever seen in my life. The stark white walls are ordained
with large paintings in gold frames. The floor is marble, glossy, and looks
like it belongs in a museum or theater.  Everything from the furniture to the staircase
railing seems oversized and like it should be incased in glass. I glance into
the adjacent room and spy a majestic looking grand piano. I can feel Collin's
eyes boring into me, and just as I turn to face him; a girl comes bounding down
the spiral staircase. She's wearing headphones and is staring down at some sort
of MP3 player. She doesn't even look up until she reaches the bottom stair. I'm
guessing this is Reba. Her mousy, brown hair is twisted and coiled into a pile
of curls on top of her head. I don't think I've ever had an up-do that fancy,
not even for my senior prom. I don't have to read the labels on her clothes to
know that they're all designer and she's covered in sparkly jewelry…What have I
gotten myself into?

She pauses briefly, gives me an unimpressed
once-over, nods at Collin, and then calls out down the hall: "Collin's here and
he brought
some girl
with him." She continues down the hallway and is
quickly out of my sight.

I feel my face go hot.  I stare down at my blouse
and brown corduroy skirt and suddenly feel like a high school outcast. "Reba?"
I question. He nods. "Is she always so charming?"

Collin smirks. "Yeah, it's best to just ignore her."
He leans in closer to me and cups his hand by his mouth. "Listen, her rudeness toward
you is just a reflection of her jealousy."

I jerk my head back. "Um, jealousy? What on earth
could
she
be jealous about? On what planet does that even make sense?"

"This one. The prettier the girl, the colder she
is. Let's just say Reba doesn't like to feel upstaged and so she took one look
at you and put on her bitchy pants."

I smile at him and let out a small giggle. "Bitchy
pants?" Where did you come up with that one? What exactly are ‘bitchy pants',
Collin?"

"I don't really have any idea, but I'm pretty
confident that Reba owns a lot of them." He tilts his head toward the hall. "C'mon,
we can't hide out here all morning." He examines the look on my face and
laughs. "Don't worry, Raven, there will be plenty of time for hiding away
later, and I know all the good spots, but for now you've gotta meet the fam."

Collin guides me through the house and with each
step, every room is grander than the last; I try hard to eradicate the stupid
look on my face. Finally, we reach the kitchen where my nose is assaulted by
the smell of an array of fine foods before we even round the corner. The
kitchen is incredible. It's filled with top-of-the-line appliances, two
side-by-side stoves and beautiful white cabinets with glossy countertops. If my
stepmother were here she'd claim she had died and gone to heaven. The woman who
must be Collin's mother, is standing near a large kitchen island examining
boxes and bags, while at least a half-dozen staff scurry about.

"Hello, Mother." Collin's voice is quiet, muted
even. She barely glances at him, and immediately turns her attention back to
the large boxes and bags of catered food. The turkey is being lifted and placed
on a tray embellished with parsley and other garnishes.

"Hello, Collin. I see you couldn't be bothered to
tuck in your shirt, even on Thanksgiving Day with your family." Her tone is
cold and unfeeling. My mom had this friend when I was growing up who always
talked about auras and energy. I never put much stock in it, but all at once I
feel as though I know exactly what she was going on about. There's a
feeling
that just surrounds Collin's mother that sends goosebumps cascading down my
arms. It isn't exactly fear that I'm feeling, but definitely something akin to
it.

"Apparently not, I guess I forgot my manners."
Collin's deadpans, and he makes no move, I note, to tuck in his shirt. He then
places a hand gently on my shoulder. "Speaking of which, there's someone here
that I want you to meet."

For the first time since entering the kitchen I
get a clearer view of her face. Collin told me once that he looks a lot like
his dad did, but the likeness he shares with his mother is unmistakable. I see
it most in the shape of their noses and high cheekbones. She's attractive for
sure, but there's something very artificial about
her
beauty. Her features
are constricted and tight in a way that suggests plastic surgery. Also, she's
miniature, much shorter than me, and nowhere near Collin's height.