I didn’t plan on sounding as pissed as I did when dealing with those two, but the way John talked about Tess had instantly killed my resolve to be lenient with them. Seriously, how many uncles and aunts do you know who take part in their nephews’ birthdays? It’s not their job; I’m not their child. Sure, they were both involved in the core issue plaguing me, but they didn’t cause it. At least not that I knew of.
“But that means you turned sixteen yesterday!” she said, throwing an expressive look at her husband, who, unlike me, seemed to immediately get the hidden meaning her words held and closed his eyes, letting out a small sigh.
“Yes ... so?” I blinked in confusion. Then, finally understanding but not wanting to let on that I indeed knew what she probably meant, I added “Oh, don’t worry, I already got a car myself. A small Jeep! As I said, I didn’t expect any of you to remember anyway. And even if you had, there’s no way they’d go out of their way to get me a car. The guys here helped me get my license.”
“Yes ... a car. That ... was nice of them.” Aunt Danielle replied, but she was throwing a pleading look at John.
Did I get this right? Were they supposed to let me in on their activities when I turned sixteen? Was that what I witnessed at Ava’s sixteenth? It would certainly line up with the changes at home that happened after Logan’s sixteenth. But this didn’t make any sense ... People don’t just suddenly start fucking family members, just because they got the chance to. This is something I would have needed to be slowly and carefully introduced to, long before my birthday came around, so I wouldn’t run off and tell anybody about it. Well, at least I would have had to be introduced to it long before my birthday, if I hadn’t already known about it. There was no way they knew that I had walked in on their little family orgy on Ava’s birthday.
I suddenly remembered the phone call with Grandma. Maybe, when she was confused about me being oblivious to their Thanksgiving plans, it wasn’t about Thanksgiving itself, but rather something that was happening when the whole family got together. Were the parents expected to have that talk with me? That would, for sure, be better than being resented and unwanted, but it didn’t fit with the blatant disinterest the parents showed me.
In fact, I had refused to refer to them as ‘my’ parents for a while now, after they had basically abandoned me. What Princess Ava did to me would not be forgotten simply because I’d maybe get to fuck her. And Golden Boy Logan, after smiling happily upon seeing me beaten on the ground, was unredeemable as a brother to me. So, even if they suddenly decided I was worth their time, I didn’t think they were worth mine. Nothing made sense at that moment. My thoughts were interrupted, however, when Tess had a sudden outburst.
“Wait a minute! Are you saying that your WHOLE family simply FORGOT about your sweet sixteen!? ALL of them!?” The tone of her voice was clear disbelief. But there was also something else mixed in. Was she angry for me?
“Why do you think I’m working so much while still being in high school? It’s to get out of that damn house.” I shrugged, ignoring how Aunt Danielle’s eyes widened. “But speaking of working, I have to get back to it if I want to get through that mountain of old hardware anytime soon.”
I pulled Tess tightly into my body as I gave her a loving parting kiss, thanked her for the gift, and led the three of them out of my office. As I did, Uncle John tried to rejoin the conversation.
“I’ll have a talk with my little sister about...” he started, but I already suspected this would happen and I wouldn’t have any of it.
“Fuck, no!” I said sternly. “What’s going on in that house will not be solved by a simple conversation. And certainly not by one started by either of you.” I said that last word in a mocking tone and, again, ignored it when Aunt Danielle’s eyes widened even more. “If there is one thing I seriously don’t need, it’s them spending time with me because someone else made them feel obligated to. That would be even worse than what I have right now! If they prefer their two other children, I’m very much okay with it.”
That last statement was a blatant lie, of course. I was very much NOT okay with being left out, or I wouldn’t feel so damned depressed all the time. I stood by what else I had said, though. They didn’t care whether I’m around, they couldn’t be bothered to consider my feelings, and they weren’t even interested in talking to me unless it was to assign chores and make sure I stay out of the way for their family orgies. Why did I even still want to have these people in my life?
While Uncle John looked at me with some doubt, Aunt Danielle seemed to understand where I was coming from. After a moment of her studying her feet, she sighed, nodded, and grabbed her husband’s arm to pull him out of the door. Tess followed shortly after, so I could finally get back to my task. It took me three more hours and a trip to Home Depot to finally sort through the mess and make my way home.
Six days later was Thanksgiving, which we all gathered in Uncle John’s house for. As announced, the grandparents had flown in to spend the entire week with us, though I hadn’t spent any real time with them in the evenings. I spent roughly thirty-five hours a week in school, followed by twenty-eight hours a week working my job, followed by another eleven hours a week in the company gym. That’s a seventy-four hours workweek, not accounting for homework or travel time, and that was before things with Tess got serious!
So, Aunt Danielle had gone to great lengths to ensure I would attend their Thanksgiving dinner. She even counseled – conspired is more like it – with Bill and Tess, so I could definitely attend that dinner without having to go into work or being tempted to do something more fun than eat at her house. That told me she had something planned I explicitly asked them not to, and I wasn’t happy about it. Aunt Danielle was a therapist who specializes in Couples Therapy, so I guess she simply couldn’t let it go without meddling.
“Tell me...” I asked Danielle while helping to set the table. “ ... why exactly did I absolutely, positively have to be here?”
“Can you make it sound a little less like you’d rather be anywhere else?” John chuckled.
“No.” I answered matter of fact while looking him straight in the eyes as if to challenge him. That caused his chuckle to abruptly die.
“Oh, I just thought it would be nice to have everyone together again.” Danielle finally answered my question with a strained voice. Surely the result of my exchange with John. “It’s been a long time since we had.”
“What are you talking about, Danny? We were all together just last Saturday. Five days is hardly ‘a long time’. Or did you miss us so soon?” Logan injected while laughing, adding that second part with playful coyness.
I was sure I puked a little into my mouth. Calling her by a pet name was probably just his way of rubbing in how close they all were. Looking at her, though, I noticed Danielle acting a little hurried upon hearing Logan’s comment about them being together last week. She hastily tried to get the topic back on track, away from that little piece of information.
“No, Logan, I meant everybody. That includes your little brother. If John and I don’t visit him at work, we never hear anything that’s going on in his life.” she said with a patient smile.
“Oh?” I heard Claire inquire “Anything you’d like to share?” I wasn’t sure, but it sounded like she asked out of genuine interest, not just because she needed to play the part in front of her parents.
“Yes! We’ve been here since Saturday already, but barely got to see you!” added Grandma Susy with an accusing undertone.