7
VIVIEN
“You stay,” Ash says. “We’ll go see what the guys are up to.”
Easton shakes his head. “Dad said if you even attempt to peek he’s locking you in the laundry room for the rest of the night so you’ll miss out on all the fun.”
“Your father is going to get a swift kick in the arse when I see him,” Ash replies.
“Let them do their thing,” Audrey says, topping off Ash’s wineglass. “It’s not often we get time to ourselves without the kids or the guys. I say we make the most of it.”
“I won’t keep Mom long,” Easton says as I walk toward him.
“Enjoy your party,” Audrey says, waving at him.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Ash calls out.
“I have a license to do whatever I want, so…” East quips, waggling his brows at his auntie.
Ash barks out a laugh. “That’s my nephew!”
I appreciate they keep it light and neither of them references the large purple bruise on East’s cheek or his swollen nose. Thankfully, it wasn’t broken, and though both of them walked away with bruises and cuts, no one suffered serious injury. For that, I’m grateful. “I hope that costume comes with a mask,” I say when I step out into the hallway, tugging on the black cape flowing over my son’s broad shoulders.
East closes the door behind me. “It does, but it’s creepy as fuck, and I didn’t want to scare the little kids.” He lifts a shoulder. “Can you walk me to my car? I’m already late, and Hollis is a stickler for punctuality.”
I’m not sure I like the sound of his latest girlfriend. All of her family are snobs, and she sounds a little too controlling for my like. She has lasted longer than most of them, and I get the sense he’s more serious about Hollis than any girl that has come before. And there have been a lot. E is a serial dater, and there seems to be no shortage of girls willing to go out with him.
Bodhi is the complete opposite. He hasn’t had a girlfriend, at least not to our knowledge, though I am sure there are girls or maybe guys. He’s too handsome not to garner interest. We are very open about sexuality, but neither of our sons have come outright and said they are hetero or otherwise, and we would never ask. They are entitled to their privacy, and if there’s something we need to know, I’m sure they will tell us in time.
“What is Hollis dressing as?” I ask, keeping step beside my son, which is no easy feat with his long-legged strides. East is as tall as Dillon now, and if he keeps growing, he will end up taller, something he loves teasing his dad about.
“She’s an angel to my devil.” He grins, waggling his brows as he grabs a scary demonic red mask with horns and a tall black pitchfork from inside the hall door.
“Will your brother be at this party?” I ask, my stomach churning with anxiety at the thought of the mayhem Bodhi could indulge in on a night like tonight.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” East says, looping his arm in mine. “Bo will be at the same house party. He left already, but you don’t need to worry. I won’t drink, and I am going to watch out for him.”
I slam to a halt, peering up at my son with tears in my eyes. “You are such a good son, Easton. And a good brother, but this is not your responsibility. It’s not your job to keep Bodhi in check. You have your own life to lead, and we want you to live it.”
“I know, Mom, but I can’t not do it. I will always have his back, especially when he’s hurting so bad. I am worried about him but super pissed too. The stuff he said to you the other night is not right, and it made me so angry, but I know he doesn’t mean it. Like he doesn’t mean the shit he said to me. He might have abandoned me, but I won’t abandon him.”
I fling myself at Easton, bundling him into a tight hug. “You are so loyal and so strong.” I lean back and raise my hand, palming one side of his cheek. It’s still so weird to feel a hint of stubble on his face. In my mind, Easton and Bodhi are still my little boys. “You make me proud every day, East. I know this isn’t who Bodhi is, and he needs us to be strong for him. But we are here for you too. I know the truth has upset you as well.”
“It’s worse for my brother.”
“It’s not a competition. You are entitled to your feelings, and they matter to me and your dad. You can talk to us about it. You have always idolized Reeve. I can only imagine what you must be thinking and feeling now.”
He shrugs, and a muscle clenches in his jaw. I rub his hand, and maybe we shouldn’t have started this conversation now, but I need Easton to know we are worried about him too. I know I asked him to be strong, but he has a right to be mad or upset or confused or all of those things.
The situation with Bodhi doesn’t negate what Easton is going through.
“I feel guilty, Mom,” he says, almost in a whisper. “Bo was right when he said Reeve gave him up for us. That was wrong on so many levels. How could he do that? Especially after the way Simon treated him and Dillon. I just don’t get it.”
I squeeze his hand. “Reeve isn’t here to tell us for sure, but I think he knew I wouldn’t have been able to take Saffron’s child in at that time in my life. I think he was afraid if he kept Bodhi, he would lose us, and he feared he would come to resent him and neglect him the way Simon did to Reeve.”
“He didn’t even give you the chance to consider it though. You’re a good person, Mom. I know you wouldn’t have turned Bodhi away. Dad thinks so too.”
“You spoke to your father about this?” Dillon hasn’t said anything to me, which isn’t like him.