“He internalizes everything,” Viv says. “And that can’t be good. I want him to speak to a therapist, but he’s refusing.”
“You can’t force him, sweetheart.” I remind her again. We’ve had this conversation a lot this past week. “At least he’s venting some of his emotions through his songwriting. He’s been down in my studio most days working on new stuff.”
“It’s ironic that Bodhi is the one more obsessed with music,” Ash supplies in between bites of her ravioli.
“It’s not really.” Viv pauses eating to reach for her glass of water. “Bodhi adores Dillon, and he’s naturally gifted with a guitar. They bonded in those early days over music, and I truly believe it helped Bodhi cope with Lori’s loss and the big change in his life when he came to live with us.”
“Easton is really fucking talented too,” Jamie says, talking over a mouthful of pizza.
Ash elbows him in the ribs, narrowing her eyes at him in that silent way she has of chastising any of us when we don’t act appropriately. You’d think after nearly twenty years as our manager that she’d be used to us by now.
“East is a jack of all trades,” I say, feeling a surge of pride in my chest as I think of both my sons. “He’s a talented guitarist and drummer. He loves drama, and he has a natural affinity for the stage, and he’s gifted at sports too.”
“Yet he’s so down to earth about it all.” Audrey smiles and her pride in her godson is obvious.
“E is definitely more laid-back,” Viv says. “He feels things as deeply as Bodhi, but he doesn’t dwell on them in the same way. Bodhi is more intense but also more focused. He already knows he wants to pursue a career in the music industry.”
“As a songwriter,” I elaborate after swallowing another bite of pizza. “He has zero desire to be up on a stage.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Alex cuts into his chicken parmigiana. “He has always hated attention.”
“I think it’s great the two boys are so close despite how different they are,” Ash says.
“It’s the main reason I’m not rocking in a corner this week,” Viv explains. “As long as Bodhi has E to talk to, I feel like he’ll come through this.”
“Are we still coming to your place for Halloween?” Jamie asks before biting a large piece of pizza.
“Of course. It’s tradition.” I lift my bottle of beer to my lips, taking a quick sip. “Fleur and Melody would throw a hissy fit if we didn’t have our annual Halloween party. It’s all they’ve been talking about since Oisin’s birthday last week.”
“Emily too,” Audrey says in reference to her eldest daughter.
“We were putting Oisin to bed after his party, and he was already talking about Halloween,” Ash supplies
“Oh, to be a kid again.” Alex shakes his head, grinning. “When the only thing you worried about was when the next party was.”
“Or what costume to wear at Halloween,” Viv says.
Alex chuckles. “I remember giving Reeve such shit about that. He was always such a pussy about Halloween.”
“It was the theatrical side of him,” Viv says, a faraway look appearing in her eye as it often does when she talks about her first husband and my twin. “He would start planning our costumes in the summer,” she adds, turning to face me.
She squeezes my thigh though I don’t need the reassurance. I am confident in our love and no longer threatened by my dead brother. In fact, I like when Viv, Audrey, and Alex reminisce over the past. I like learning new things about Reeve because I never got the chance to know him in person. Something I will regret until the day I draw my last breath.
“That’s actually how my passion for sewing started. Reeve always wanted us to dress in matching themed costumes, and he wanted to be unique, choosing costumes no one else would show up in.”
“When we were in middle school, they would throw these lavish Halloween parties and award prizes for best costume,” Audrey explains, eyeballing me across the table.
“Reeve and Viv either won or were runner-up every year,” Alex says.
“Reeve was very competitive.” Viv kisses my cheek. “I would be up for hours in the weeks before the party putting the finishing touches on our costumes.” She runs her fingers through the scruff on my chin and cheeks. “Maybe I can make our costumes this year,” she muses.
“That’s a sweet thought, Hollywood, but I think you’ve got enough on your plate making the kids’ costumes, managing the foundation, and running the household.” I am trying to lift the strain from my wife’s shoulders, not add to it. I do my best to lighten the load, but our label has grown a lot in the past few years, and we are still putting out albums, so I don’t have a lot of spare time. We hired a nanny when the kids were younger, and we have a housekeeper and a couple of drivers to help ferry the kids to and from school, playdates, and extracurricular activities, but life is still hectic most all of the time.
I make a mental note to talk to Lauren and Jon on the weekend and see if they would be down to mind the kids so I can whisk Viv away for a naughty weekend or even a night at a hotel. She has been working too damn hard lately, and now we are dealing with all this trouble with Bodhi and the shit at school. I’m worried about her, and I want to do what I can to alleviate her stress. A night away by ourselves might be just what the doctor ordered.
Viv sighs, looking like she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. “I wish I could clone myself,” she jokes.
“If you discover the magic formula, please share it.” Audrey finishes her pasta dish and pushes the plate away. “The clinic is full to capacity every day, and I am maxed out to the hilt.”