House of Boys

Chapter 18

Jordan

I go back to the bedroom and find my bed empty and Jason rubbing his eyes as he stretches awake.
I quietly jump into bed and pull the blanket over my face.

"Are we just laying in silence?" Jason asks with a groggy voice.

"Yes please," I respond quickly from my space under the blanket.

I hear Jason getting out of his bed and grip my blanket tighter as I feel him getting into mine.

"Then let us be blanket burritos together."

I peak out from my covers confused and realize that Jason is also wrapped in his blanket laying in my bed.
I chuckle and move closer to my brother, "Thanks twin."

"I got you twin," he replies.

That's what makes Jason so great, no matter how badly we fight he's always my built-in best friend.

Jason takes the edge of his blanket and opens his arms so I wiggle into his hug.

We lay in silence till we both fall asleep again and this time when I wake up I see my Dad with his arms around me silently scrolling his phone as we lay still.
I move slightly, but it's enough for him to know I'm awake. He puts his phone down and wraps both arms around me and kisses my temple.

"You've been sleeping for hours," he says as he gently rubs my head.
"Moses is going to spend the night, which means you two need to behave."

I smile up at my Dad, "So, no hanky panky?"

My Dad playfully slaps the back of my head and we both laugh. As silence falls again between us I muster up the courage and try to figure out how to start.

"Dad?" I begin, "I said some horrible things," Dad shushed me before I had a chance to finish.

"You're stressed, and I am just adding more pressure."

I look at him confused, "Stressed?" I ask.

Dad takes a deep breath and holds me closer, "Because of your mom's death you thought you had no choice but to get a job to help with bills." Dad sounds like he's on the verge of tears, but Dad never cries.
"Your Mom was so excited about graduation, and she never got to be there."
Dad pauses and takes a deep breath, "I'm not angry, because I know I've failed you boys."

"No," I say softly, "You haven't failed us, and I'm sorry if I made you think that."

Dad pats my head and chuckles, "Well I feel like a failure, I can't even afford new cleats for Jason, and if any of the parts on Jared's hearing aids go out well, too expensive to replace."
My Dad and I lay comfortably in the silence.

"I'll tell Paolo I can't go to Germany right now."

Dad pinches my cheek and laughs, "You're going to Germany!"

I look up to see him smiling down at me.

"You've been at MDev for a year and they already want to consider you for management," Dad ruffles my hair and laughs, "Do you understand how amazing that is?"

I nod my head and hug my Dad tightly, "So you were always going to let me go?"

"Of course kid! You didn't need to have Darlene and Paolo to convince me," Dad gives me a kiss on the head then taps the spot, "I'm proud of you."

I snuggle in and close my eyes, "I wish you could go with me."

My Dad doesn't respond.

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Once I see the pizza box I run and flip it open, cheese, no thanks. I reach for the next box, buffalo chicken, that's for Dad.
"Where's my seafood pizza?" I ask Jason as he loads meat lovers on his plate.

"Your boyfriend apparently likes your weird seafood pizza too."

I step outside on the back porch and see Moses with a slice digging in.
I slide beside him and kiss his cheek, "Save any for me?"

He smiles at me then opens the pizza box, "We have four things in common," he says in this sweet soft voice as he hands me a slice.

I kiss him on the lips then wink at him as I take a huge bite. I've spent most of the day in bed and I am hungry and this pizza stands no chance as I aggressively bite into it.

"That good?" Moses asks as he wipes crumbs from my face.

"That hungry," I reply as I take another large bite.