chapter thirteen
†
ZACK
Things are tense over the next two weeks. At the shop, Gabe mainly ignores me and everyone has noticed the tension between us. I’ve been texting Sasha every time I need to drop by to pick up stuff and she must be warning Gabe because he’s always gone by the time I get there.
I’ve brought most of my stuff to Josie’s place at this point so I don’t have to go back there too often. I feel bad for Sasha because the stress of running interference has to be wearing on her. The last time I was there, she hugged me so tight, like she was afraid it would be the last time.
Maybe I’m afraid it was, too. I was so sure that this would blow over and Gabe would see reason. We’d both apologize and move on. But I’ve never gone this long without talking to my brother before. It would be one thing if he was mad and yelling at me but this silence is chilling.
It’s like he’s already written me off as out of his life.
When I get a call from Debbie on a Wednesday asking us to drop by, I agree even though I don’t feel like going out. We’ve always had a routine where they would come to Gabe’s for dinner during the week and we’d go to their house for dinner on the weekends. It made it easier for us working late hours at the garage if dinner was waiting when we got home.
But avoiding Gabe has meant that I’ve seen less of our moms than usual, too.
As soon as I pull into their driveway and see Gabe’s car, I know what’s going on. Josie sees it too and she covers my hand with hers. “It’s time. Come on, let’s just go see what they have to say.”
Debbie answers the door and as soon as we walk in, Gabe and Sasha look up from where they’re seated on the couch. He looks at me and then looks at Debbie in surprise.
“Yes, we tricked you. We have a few things we want to say.” She crosses her arms.
Josie squeezes my arm and then speaks up. “I need a few things from the drugstore. Why don’t Sasha and I go run a few errands and leave you all to talk.”
“You don’t have to leave,” Debbie says.
Josie gives her a hug and then Paula. “I think maybe a good talking to from their moms is exactly what they need right now.”
Sasha hugs them both also and then they leave. Gabe still hasn’t looked at me.
Paula points to the dining room table. “Sit. Both of you. We’re going to nip this in the bud.”
She
sits at one end of the table and Debbie sits at the other. Gabe and I sit across from each other. This is like some kind of bootleg family court they’ve got going on here.
Debbie clears her throat.
“First, we want you both to know that we love you very much. That’s why we’ve asked you to come here today. Because there is no place for division in this family.”
Her voice shakes a little at the end of her speech. She’s always been very sensitive to confrontation and anger. It really upsets her. Mediating like this has to be tearing her up inside.
I hang my head a little, ashamed that this feud between Gabe and I has brought stress on our moms. It’s like I’m five years old and in trouble for sneaking cookies again.
Paula takes over. “Sasha filled us in a little and the rest we’ve figured out on our own. But we’re very disappointed in the way you boys have handled this.”
Gabe sighs. “Mom, we weren’t trying–“
“No. You two have done more than enough talking. It’s time for you to listen. Starting with the fact that no one else knows your friendship with Josie as well as we do. We’ve had a backseat view to the whole thing.”
She looks over to Debbie. It’s obvious they’ve prearranged how to handle this.
“It’s true,” Debbie continues. “She was a lonely little girl looking for someone to notice her. We gave her the family connection she needed and she brought joy into all of our lives.”
“But she’s not a doll you can dress up and show off to your friends,” Paula interjects, looking directly at Gabe. “She’s a person with thoughts, feelings and yes, womanly desires of her own.”
I’m pretty sure my face is beet red by now. Gabe and I would probably both agree to a ceasefire right now if we never have to hear either of our mothers talk about “womanly desires” ever again.