“Which is…?” I search his eyes, the eyes that can reveal so much and so little about him.
He leans down near my ear. “For us to exist as a whole.” His lips graze my cheek before leaving the room.
Family dinners shouldn’t make you nervous, but we haven’t exactly had a good track record with them. It’s hard not to shake the feeling of dread that’s lurking in the back of my mind regardless of how good the food is. It feels less tense than it was earlier, but I guess it would be for a woman to meet another segment of her son. Caylen being here has helped the awkwardness in the room as well. Laughing and spitting out random words she’s picked up. What’s the most shocking to me is how smitten she is with Collin and he with her. He just didn’t seem like someone who would take to a child. I catch him making funny faces at her, and she bursts into giggles which make us all do the same. It’s especially funny how serious he looks in between his goofs for her laughter.
“This is so good. Your food could be the answer to world peace,” I joke destroying the last of my asparagus. I don’t even like asparagus, but the moment I put it in my mouth, I fell in love.
“You’re too kind,” she says bashfully.
“It really is spectacular. Have you ever thought about writing a cookbook,” Collin asks, and she smiles brightly.
“Thank you, no I haven’t. I have recipes here and there,” she says a little taken aback.
“That would be an awesome idea actually,” I say encouraging her and she fans her hand.
“I’m serious. It’s the digital age, and it’s much easier to market and create a platform,” he continues. He starts to go into the analytics of e-commerce and the ideal conditions for content to go viral, and we both look on a bit stunned.
“That is something to think about. At the very least it’d give me something to do, and I’d always wanted to pass along my recipes.”
“I could help you with whatever you need,” he adds, then turns his attention towards me.
“And an art gallery in the area we’re in, you have the perfect demographics.” Collin finishes a glass of wine and it’s my turn to be stunned. My thoughts drift back to the night when Cal suggested it, but we are interrupted by knocks at the door.
“Are you expecting anyone?” Collin asks and I can see her eyes widen.
“No,” she says quietly. Collin stands and goes to open the door.
“I knew she was here!” I can’t help but crack a wide smile hearing that voice.
“Hillary!” I say excitedly getting up from my seat.
“Nice hair cut, Cal.” She jokes referring to his hair being styled so neatly. She maneuvers past him, and he steps back gesturing for her to go.
“What are you doing here?” I ask surprised as she tackles me into a hug.
“Aidan,” she giggles in my ear, and my mouth drops in shock.
“What?!” I scream and Collin clears his throat.
“Since when did you become such a prude, Cal,” she laughs rolling her eyes.
“Actually I’m not Cal, and Gwen is sitting right here,” he says slightly annoyed.
“No, it’s okay, Collin.” Mrs. Scott turns red with embarrassment.
“Who the hell is Collin?” Hillary asks, confusion evident all over her face as she shoots me a glance.
“I’m Collin!” he says with a sigh.
“Not another one,” Aidan is in the kitchen now looking exasperated.
“Aidan…” Collin gives him a half-hearted greeting.
Aidan begins to laugh. “What are you auditioning for the cover of Ralph Lauren?” Hillary joins in laughing with him while giving Caylen a quick kiss on the cheek. Both Mrs. Scott and I turn red.
“Aidan!” Mrs. Scott says in a warning tone. He throws his hands up in defense, his laughter only subsiding a small amount.
“It’s okay, Gwen. Kids will be kids,” Collin says returning to his seat.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Red. It’s just…” he looks at Collin with confusion all over his face.
“Don’t look at me,” Hillary squeals. I can see she’s trying her hardest not to laugh.
“It’s just so weird,” he looks at Collin as if he’s trying to examine him. I have to give it to Collin. He only looks mildly perturbed. Cal would have punched Aidan in the face by now.
“Chris, come out!!!” Aidan says loud and exaggerated in Collin’s face, and at that point I realize they both smell like Tequila. They’re drunk! I see Collin stand, and I immediately rush over between them.
“What, are you upset prep school?” Aidan asks.
“Collin, please.” I beg him, but I only see his fist clench. “Please not while Caylen is here.” I beg and he allows me to guide him to the other side of the room.
“Aidan, you’ve got to go right now,” Mrs. Scott leads him toward the door with Hillary in tow.
“I’m going to call you, hun!!!” Hillary sings to me.
The Scotts kitchen is seriously jinxed.
“I’m so sorry about that,” I say breathlessly once we make it upstairs to Chris’s room. Collin lets out a held in breath and rubs the back of his neck. His skin is tinted red, and it’s the only tell that he’s flustered. Though I admit, it’s nice to see that he can be affected, that he’s human.
“It’s not your fault that Chris’s friends are idiots,” he sits on his bed.
“Well, one of those idiots is my friend.”
“They were just drunk,” he says calmly. I chuckle watching him remembering my thought from earlier.
“What?” he asks curiously.
I shrug. “Earlier I just had this thought that you were Cal playing me,” I admit.
He grins. “Yes, Calvin has a hard time walking away.”
“Yeah, that he does,” I say, and my thoughts can’t help but drift to when he walked away from me.
“He loves you.”
My eyes widen. “Are you a mind reader?” I joke to lighten the mood.
“You don’t have to be psychic to tell what those you’re closest too are thinking,” he says, and I wrap my arms around myself. It’s so odd for him to look at me as if he knows all of my secrets. I think of his words from earlier, saying that we want the same thing, that he wants them to be one. Chris nor Cal has ever said that to me.
“When you said earlier that you want what I want, about you all being one, you really feel that way?” I cautiously sit near him on the bed.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
“How do we do that?” I am almost afraid to hear the answer.
“Is that really what you want?” he asks me, and his look is serious.
“Of course that’s what I want. Why wouldn’t I?” I ask offended.
“The man who comes out on the other side may not be the one you fell in love with,” he says, and I swallow hard.
“Please don’t tell me that you’re going to ask me who I love the most,” I laugh nervously.
“No, there isn’t a competition. If we all don’t cross the finish line then none of us will, but if they don’t believe that, none of us have hope,” he says quietly.