1
Quinn
People in California always complain about the humidity, but I can honestly say not a single one of those people have ever been to Chicago in May, and according to my sister, Peyton, “It’s really not that humid.” I happen to think she’s a bit crazy because I feel wet, like I’ve run through a sprinkler trying to cool off, even though I haven’t. Everything is damp and uncomfortable, and I can’t understand how people want to live here. I get it, it’s gorgeous. The lake is amazing, and I honestly wish we were back on the yacht that my parents rented for the week, instead of standing outside, under a white tent, shaking hands with random people who I don’t know. My dad says they’re people who could open doors for Peyton or some shit like that. Honestly, she doesn’t need any doors opened. The girl doesn’t have to work if she doesn’t want to, and yet Noah encourages her. it makes sense. He doesn’t want to hold her back and wants her to follow her dreams. I love him for always putting my sister first, however, I think it’s bad for their relationship. I keep telling him that she’s going to destroy their impending marriage the first time she calls one of his games, and he disagrees. Noah says Peyton’s hounded him from the time she was five. If he’s not used to it by now, he never will be.
Five… it’s hard to think I’ve known my sisters that long. More so, there was a time when I never thought today would happen, not after Peyton’s accident. I had never been so scared in my life. Not only of losing my sister but what her absence would’ve done to my parents. A lot of my friends come from divorced households and they loathe their step-siblings. It’s always been different for us. When my mom adopted me, it was because she wanted to be my mom more than anything, same with my dad when he adopted the twins. When my dad started dating Katelyn, I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I already loved her as a mom. She was kind, loving and treated me as if I were her son, even though I wasn’t. I kept my guard up and my head down and sat away from everyone because I didn’t want to get attached. I saw how smitten my dad was, how he fell hard and fast for the widowed mom of two, and I also saw the hurt he went through each time she rejected him.
The day they started dating, I’d never seen my dad so happy. He finally found his true love and it didn’t matter that she had two kids and was still grieving the loss of her husband. He wanted her to grieve and share her pain with him. I don’t even remember how long it lasted, maybe a few short weeks or months, but after my uncle Liam married the love of his life, my dad and I started packing to head back to Los Angeles. The home we were making in Beaumont was no more and I had no idea why. It was when I was a little older that I discovered why – my biological mother had played some nasty trick on Katelyn, hurting her and she blamed my dad. This was why I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I’d never been loved by a mother before and I desperately needed it. No, I wanted it. When I was little, moms used to come into our class, bringing cupcakes, cookies and volunteering their time. I had my grandma and Aunt Yvie, but I was missing a mom and I wanted one.
And then everything changed. Someday I plan to ask my parents what happened, but right now all I remember is my dad and I moving into the twins’ grandparents’ home, where I had my own room, two sisters and a mom who loved me without me asking her to.
Many have asked why our parents aren’t married, and honestly, we don’t have an answer. Everything about our family is backward and we have our dad to thank for it. He’s never allowed the twins to forget their father and made sure each of us carried a piece of him, even though my dad and I never met him. Truth be told, it doesn’t bother us that our parents aren’t married. You wouldn’t know it by looking at them or even us. My parents dote on each other, share the same last name, although we’ve all decided to use James for the most part, and act like they’re still on their honeymoon. It’s all rather sickening, and my sisters and I have taken to calling before we walk into their condo. I’ve seen parts of my parents that no child, teen or grown man should ever have to see, and I don’t want to talk about what I’ve heard by showing up uninvited. All I know is that I want what they have.
Up until my sister, Elle, moved out and started shacking up with her best friend turned boyfriend, I’ve been lonely. Dating isn’t always easy considering who my family members are. Once they figure out I’m Harrison James’s son, they want to know everything about him and my uncles. I get it, they’re popular, and I’m just a guy who plays in coffee shops, happy with the tips I make, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to find someone and maybe settle down with them. Although, my sisters say I need to figure my life out because it’s going nowhere. To me, it’s fine, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, I’m a simpleton. I like sitting on a bar stool and playing the song I wrote to strangers, playing video games with Ben and Noah, surfing, and just hanging out at home. Growing up in the spotlight, really made me crave normalcy. I don’t need to be the center of attention like the rest of my family.
Thankfully, today, all eyes are on Peyton. We are finally ushered into Cahn Auditorium. Peyton’s convocation is a ticketed event and when she called our mom to tell her it was only four tickets per student, it didn’t sit very well with Katelyn James and she used our dad’s name and a big donation to secure more. There was no way any of us were missing Peyton walking across the stage. The only people not here are my aunt and her husband Xander, Jimmy, Jenna, and Eden, and Noah’s little sister who stayed back on the yacht with Ben. We’re all dressed in our finest, which for my dad and myself, means we actually put on slacks, ditched the combat boots and beanies, and slipped into polo shirts. My mom wanted us to wear button-downs, but both of us refused. It’s too damn hot right now and I know if I had, my shirt would be drenched and turned see through. I can see where this benefits her if it’s my dad, but not me.
Noah and I sit next to each other with Elle on my other side. We’ve always been this four-some, even after Noah went off to college. I’d visit more often than he could come home. For a long time, he was my only friend in Beaumont, aside from my sisters, and he understands what it was like growing up with a single parent and suddenly having a houseful. He also knew how to keep Peyton level-headed. I never understood why she would get so antsy until they both came clean about their feelings for each other. Life, with them, started to make sense. They were each fighting feelings for the other, hiding what we all knew – they were meant for each other and now they’re getting married.
My parents, along with Liam and Josie, and our grandparents fill most of the row. Liam’s playing with his video camera, likely testing the lighting, and my dad
is trying to show him something on his phone. They’re like an old married couple, going as far as finishing each other’s sentences. My mom and Josie are the same though, except they seem to know what each other’s thinking before the other even says anything. Noah’s my best friend, but we’re not even on that level yet. Don’t get me started on my sisters. They’re just freaky and even after all these years, I still can’t figure out the “twin” thing.
The soft melody of music changes to the commanding bass of The Graduation March. When I look around, I see nothing, but phones pointed in the direction of the marching graduates. Even Liam is standing, likely blocking the people behind him. Ask him if he cares and he’ll flat out tell you no. He, like the rest of us, has been waiting for this day to come.
As soon as we spot Peyton, midline because she’s decided to go by James, at least until she marries Noah, everyone in our row is on their feet yelling for her. She ducks her head. Not out of embarrassment, but to hide her smile. This morning when I saw her, she told me she was going to keep a straight face and not let our crazy, unconventional family get to her. I should’ve put some money on this moment. She’s proud of her accomplishment and she should be.
The graduates sit in front of us, a sea of caps, some decorated while others are plain, with matching gowns. Sometimes I wonder if my parents wish I had gone to college, but school wasn’t my thing. Sure, I made decent grades, but that’s because my mom sat with me while I did my homework. She never let me falter. It’s not that I’m not smart, I got straight A’s, it’s that I genuinely don’t like structure. Maybe it’s from my early years and being on the road with the band. I didn’t have a bedtime or any sensible ritual. It’s not my dad’s fault. He did his best, the absolute best. Living on the road is a different lifestyle and acclimating to normalcy is hard. Still is. My sisters are different, and I think it’s because they only toured in the summer, so they didn’t get the tutors and nannies. Still, I wouldn’t trade any of it to have parents who work a nine to five. To me, that seems boring and out of character.
The speeches start. I want to zone out, maybe tip my head back and take a nap, but my father would kill me. Noah would kill me. So, I sit here, in these uncomfortable chairs, moving from side to side for a bit of relief. I’m even afraid to look at my phone, knowing my parents are watching. This is important to them and my sister, but I find these ceremonies so boring.
To pass the time, I pick up a program and flip to the agenda to see how many speakers we have left. That’s when my eyes land on Peyton’s name. I bump Noah and point to the line. He rips it out of my hand and shows it to Elle, who does the same thing until it’s down the line to my grandmother. My sister never mentioned she was giving a speech, at least not to me, and by the way things are looking, not to anyone in our family. Liam walks in front of us, making his way to the aisle and down to the front. He wants to be front and center, capturing this moment.
When my sister’s name is called, again, we’re on our feet. We’re loud, obnoxious and our boisterous applause gets everyone in the auditorium clapping. That’s right, everyone needs to clap for my sister.
Peyton smiles as she stands at the podium. When she starts talking, I listen. It’s the story of her father, Mason. I’ve heard it many times and often feel like I’ve missed out from never knowing him. My sister speaks eloquently, poised, and it’s proof that she’s ready for her television debut. She tells the other parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and grandparents about her life, growing up with a band for a family and how our small town never really bothered us when it came to our parents. When she steps away to clear her throat, I know what’s coming next. Her voice cracks and I feel Noah’s arm tighten next to me, likely from gripping the armrest. I look down at my own hand, it’s doing the same. The both of us want to protect her, keep her safe, but we can’t. We didn’t. Her recount of the accident, mostly what we’ve told her, or the police did, is bone-chilling. Tears prickle my eyes as she tells the entire auditorium about how she almost died. About how she didn’t know if she would make it through rehab without our uncle. How she became good friends with the man who was in the accident with her and how because of this accident, the man she’s been in love with for most of her life, finally admitted he was in love with her too and now they’ll be married. “When, I don’t know because we can’t agree on a date,” she says, earning a round of laughter. “In closing,” she continues. “It was the strength of my family and my determination that puts me in front of you today. As my uncle has always said, follow only your dreams. I want to add, it’s your dreams that determine your future.”
Peyton leaves the podium to a standing ovation. She doesn’t look at the crowd or even scan the area for us. She doesn’t need to, she knows we’re proud of her, and I’m fairly certain she can hear us.
We clap as each name is called to receive their diploma, and in true James/Westbury/Powell fashion, we make sure Peyton knows where we are when she gets up on stage to get hers. She pauses for a moment, holds it up in the air and screams, “I did it!”
“Yeah you did, sis. You sure as hell did.”
2
Eleanora
“I can’t believe we’ve graduated!” Sofia pops the cork on the champagne bottle and in true college suite life, the cork flies across the room, hitting a parent in the arm. The group of us, Ashley, Bella, Kizzy, Debbie, Sofia, and I, chuckle.
“It’s just my dad,” Ashley says with the wave of her hand. “He’s legit, the coolest dad ever so no worries.” She holds out her plastic flute, waiting for Sofia to pour the bubbly in her glass.
“To us.” Bella raises her glass. “May we all stay friends for life, be each other’s bridesmaids and have babies at the same time.”
“Hear, hear,” Kizzy adds. We clank our cheap plastic glasses. The sound is dull and lacks the excitement that’s supposed to come with giving a toast.
“Where are your parents?” Debbie asks. I look over into our small kitchen area where my roommates’ parents have gathered. The moms are preparing snacks for the road trips home and the dads are busy talking. And my parents… well, they’re probably at the Hilton, which here is only a 3-star at best, and that also means my mother is probably standing in the middle of the room, having a panic attack. I sort of like the idea. She deserves it for being so nitpicky all the time. “I think my dad mentioned something about filling up their rental.” I shrug, playing off the fact that my parents think they’re too good for everyone else.
I used to be that way until I came to the University of Idaho. I chose this school to get away from my parents and Roy. I wanted to put as much distance between us as possible and found the most obscure location to do it. There isn’t a major airport within fifty miles, meaning my parents couldn’t fly out here on a whim. It was the perfect set-up until this week when graduation activities started. While most seniors were excited, my anxiety levels reached an all-time high. Yep, I’m the only senior on campus, here and at every other school in America, that dreaded graduation.
“Your mom is so beautiful,” Sofia blurts out, touching my arm in the process. “So southern with her accent.”
I love Sofia. We’ve been roommates for the past two years, but sometimes she says the weirdest crap. It’s like she’s forgotten that I’m from South Carolina, which would mean my parents would have accents. Granted, mine isn’t as thick as my mother’s, and I refuse to speak like her, but still. I only turn on the southern charm when it suits me, like at the bar, when the bartender isn’t being very nice, or we have a good looking waiter at dinner. Accents are everyone’s weakness.
I just nod and continue drinking my champagne, emptying the glass. Sofia’s holding the bottle, cradling it against her chest, like it’s some million-dollar prize. I reach for it, hoping she’ll hand it over easily. She does, but it’s empty. Plan foiled.
I’m not a drinker, at least not normally, but with my parents in town, I feel like I should be somewhat fuzzy so when I have to deal with them, it?
?ll be tolerable. My eyes close at the thoughts running through my head. My parents aren’t evil, just different. They were raised differently, as were their parents and so on. Southern traditions are hard to break. Family suppers, gracious hospitality, don’t swear, always say please, and thank you, wear a hat to church on Sunday, and let’s not forget the somewhat arranged marriages. It’s really not a thing because it’s illegal, but you can bet your bottom, my grandfather and father expect me to marry Roy Aldridge.
Roy and I have been dating for a long time, since high school, and off and on through college. He didn’t like it much when I decided to come out west to college. In fact, he told me I wasn’t allowed to go, which only solidified my decision. He came out here with me when I moved in, inspected the place and made sure every guy on my floor knew I was his, and then he cheated on me. It was my fault of course, because I was so far away, and a man has needs, and all that sort of crap. We broke up, got back together because I was homesick, broke up again, got back together one Christmas when he showed up with flowers and soup after I lied to my parents and told them I couldn’t come home for the holidays because I had this horrible flu. I thought Roy and I had reached our turning point, but after being here for a month, I started to see what life was going to be like with him. Sure, he came in my time of ‘need,’ but the rest of the time he acted like my father, strict and demanding. That life is not my cup of tea. I told him as such and suggested we take a break until I figure out what I want to do with my life because being Mrs. Roybert Aldridge wasn’t high on my priority list at the moment.
And now, I’ve graduated and am dreading the trip back home. My parents have a big party planned, complete with white tents, catering staff and a band to play soft music in the background so you can hear each other’s conversations. God forbid rumors start at the Boone Plantation. My mother would lose her marbles if anything nasty happened at one of her soirées. Not that I blame her. Gossip spreads like wildfire where we live. If you want someone to know something, you just have to tell Lulabelle, she has the biggest mouth on the east coast.
“Have you figured out what you’re going to do yet, Eleanora?” Debbie asks. She’s going to be a nurse, working in labor and delivery. One time I volunteered with her, holding newborn babies for hours. If that doesn’t get your motherly instincts moving, I don’t know what will.
“I don’t know. Go home, I guess. Start teaching kindergarten.”
“You should come with me,” Kellie blurts out. “I’m heading back to California. My parents own an apartment building so they’re giving me discounted rent. You can room with me until you figure life out.”
“My parents would kill me,” I say, just as all my roommates nod.
“You should do it, El. My brother lives there,” Sofia adds. Her brother, right. For the past two years, she’s told me about her brother. In fact, she tells anyone who will listen. He’s famous or is going to be, yet refuses to tell us his name, but talks about him an awful lot. He goes by Q, according to her. It’s some artist name or whatever. The thing is, when you’ve lived with someone for two years, you meet their family. Granted, this is the first time she’s met my parents, but my brother and sister have come to visit, and she’s had the dubious honor of meeting Roy. The only person in Sofia’s family that we’ve met is her mom, Alicia. Never the brother, which is a shame because anytime him and Sofia are together in pictures, he looks super-hot, and way out of my league. Not that I’m looking. I have Roy waiting for me.
“I’ve never been to California.” That’s about the stupidest thing I could say. I close my eyes and clear my thoughts.
“Well, think about it. You can ride with me. Road trip,” Kellie yells while putting her arm up in the air. Before I can respond, there’s a knock at the door. I’m secretly hoping it’s Sofia’s brother because meeting him would absolutely change my mind about heading west. But, it’s my parents.
My father walks in, with a grin so wide it looks fake. He comes over to me and quasi-pulls me into his arms. We don’t hug, at least not like normal people. He grips my forearms and pulls me to within eight inches of his body. That’s it, that’s enough for Willard Boone.
“We’re so proud of you, sugar pie.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”