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Chapter 2

 

Nick knocked on the door and then poked his head in.

“Aaron? You here man?” He called, making his way inside completely.

“Yeah, just a second!”

There was shuffling and then suddenly the sound of footsteps pounding down the stairs.

“Nick, what’s up man?” Aaron called, as he gave him a quick hug.

“Nothin’, nothin’ just thought I’d come by and hang out for a bit,” Nick explained as they made their way out to the deck, stopping along the way to get a couple of drinks.

“You’re shittin’ me right? Since when do you just stop by?” Aaron grinned.

Nick shrugged, “Since now, is that so wrong? I can leave if you want.”

Aaron shook his head, “Nah man, it’s just…you never come by. Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, everything is fine…”

“You sure about that?”

“Mmmhmm, so what’s been going on? How’s the girls?”

“They’re alright, I spoke to Les yesterday, she’s doing alright, says Mom’s been getting on her case a bit, but that’s nothing new. Angel is gonna be moving in with her boyfriend…”

Nick raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“I met him once, he seems ok, you know anything about him?”

Aaron shrugged, “Not really, we haven’t really hung out, but Angel seems to really like him so whatever.”

“Not whatever man, you gotta look out for her, Les and BJ too. I’m gonna try and see if I can catch up with each of them this week. I tried to reach BJ on her cell but she didn’t answer, left a message.”

Aaron stared at Nick as if he’d grown a second head.

Nick looked at him and frowned, “What?”

“What has gotten into you man?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean what’s gotten into you? Why the change? Don’t get me wrong it’s great and all, but when you came by last week, I thought it was just some passing thing like always, I wasn’t expecting you to actually follow through.”

And that was his eternal problem, no follow through. Of course when it came to his music it was all or nothing, usually all. But when it came to his personal life, more so his family, he always managed to screw up somehow.

Nick really had no one to blame but himself, he’d let it get this bad and now he was fighting against the ghost of himself to try to make things right. He never realized how much damage he’d done by simply not being there, he’d been like an ostrich with it’s head in the sand for so long. His blatant disregard for anyone or anything other than himself had risen to epic proportions at a point in his life when everything was starting to crumble around him and he didn’t care.

Then he’d gotten the letter that’d changed his life. He owed so much to that letter and the woman who wrote it.

“I know Aaron, I’m working on it, which is why I’m here now, I’ve told you this before. I want things to be better between us, all of us.”

Aaron nodded, “That’s cool.”

“Yeah.”

“So…where’s Veronica?”

His heart dropped, just thinking about her hurt, just thinking about the fact that she was back home hurt so much he could hardly breathe. It’d only been a few hours, but he missed her like crazy already.

Nick frowned, “She’s gone, left today actually.”

“Oh yeah? That sucks,” Aaron announced.

He nodded, yeah it did, it really sucked actually.

“So what was up with that? Where’d she come from anyway?”

“I met her through my fan club.”

“Oh, she on the staff?”

“Nah, she’s a fan and if you say anything I’ll beat your ass got it?” Nick warned, glaring at his brother.

Aaron blinked, “A fan? So what, are you two like a thing or something?”

“No we’re not a “thing”, she’s my girlfriend, not a thing.”

“You know what I meant asshole, and I didn‘t say she was a thing I asked if you two were a thing, a couple.” Aaron groaned, rolling his eyes.

“If you must know yes, we are a couple.”

“Seriously? Wow, she’s not your usual type,” Aaron pointed out.

“I know, but she’s not a typical girl either.”

Aaron nodded again, “That’s cool man, I liked her a lot.”

Nick raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

“Yeah, any girl who can kick your ass in Playstation has my instant respect,” Aaron winked.

“You’re a jackass.”

“I know. Oh, Mom’s been asking about you.”

Nick said nothing, just took another drink of his pop.

“You should talk to her ya know,” Aaron said.

“I will, just not right now. Besides, I‘m not so much concerned about what Mom and Dad do, whatever, I‘m more worried about you and the girls.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Why what? Why do I care? Shit Aaron, you’re my brother, they’re my sisters, how the fuck can I not care?”

Aaron just stared at him, and Nick knew exactly what he was thinking, he’d never really seemed to care before.

“I told you, I’ve changed, or I’m trying to ok? I’ve stopped running, stopped hiding.”

Aaron continued to stare at him.

“You gotta too man ok? I mean, seriously, this shit you’ve been pulling lately ain’t cute and it’s getting old fast. No more screwing around, you gotta get your shit together. I was thinking, me and you and girls, we should go into therapy,” Nick announced, taking another drink.

“Are you crazy? I ain’t going to therapy,” Aaron muttered.

“Maybe I am crazy, all I know is I got a lot of shit I need to get sorted out, we all do. Our family is a freakin’ insane Aaron, you realize that right? Everyone knows all our dirty laundry, aside from your tirades and me and BJ’s DUI’s and all that shit and then Mom blabbing and the whole divorce thing, we’re the poster family for therapy. We need to do something man, I want you with me on this,” Nick finished, looking over at him.

“Do you realize what people will say if they find out?”

“I don’t really give a fuck, fuck them, fuck all of them. This is us ok? We need to do this to get better, I’m sick of being some fuckin’ joke all the time, I’m better than someone’s punchline,” Nick fumed.

“I dunno man.”

“Do whatever you wanna do Aaron ok? All I know is it’s time someone did something. I’m not gonna let Mom and Dad continue to do this to me. I’m sick of playing victim.”

Aaron was quiet for a long time.

“Alright, I’m in.”

Nick smiled, “Thanks man.”