Page 46 of For Love & Torture
Chapter 21
Grant
Pulling up to my parents’ home, I get a chill as soon as I see the cars in the drive. Jenny is here, and there are two more cars. Probably Becca and Jake. “The gang’s all here, it seems.”
The smile on Bell’s face tells me she’s very excited to meet my brother and sisters. “Great!”
“Yeah, great.” I get out of the car and meet Bell in front of it, taking her hand I walk up to the door and open it.
“Well, look who’s home,” Becca says as she nods in my direction. “I guess you only come home when Mom tells you to”
I can see the pain in her eyes. The pain my neglect has caused her. I don’t know where to start to right all of my wrongs. I don’t know if it’s even possible. “Becca…”
With a toss of her head, her blonde curls bounce over her shoulder as she interrupts me. “Save it, big bro. I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. I’m here to see if Mom comes through to you. That’s the only reason I’m here.”
Isabel grips my hand as she gives me a slight smile. “So this is Becca? Your youngest sibling, right?”
“Yeah, I’m his youngest sibling. And you are?” Becca asks as she narrows her eyes at Bell.
Bell lets my hand go and holds it out to Becca for a shake. “I’m Isabel Sanchez, Becca. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Hesitantly, Becca shakes Bell’s hand then looks at me. “So, you’ve managed to form a relationship with someone. But you couldn’t be bothered to form one with any of your own family.”
Bell laughs a bit. “Oh, don’t be thinking he’s given me much more than he’s given you guys,” her smile fades and she keeps talking about me as if I’m not there. “The death of your mother has affected him deeply. But I can tell you this—he’s making some headway now. Perhaps giving him a little break would help this family get back to normal.” Slipping her arm around my sister, Bell whispers something in her ear that makes them both laugh.
I can feel the tension in the room easing a bit. Bell is a little gold mine; I can see that even more clearly now.
Jake and Jenny come into the living room from the kitchen. “Hey,” Jake says. A cool greeting but at least it isn’t as bad as Becca’s.
“Hey, Jake.” I walk over and shake his hand. “I’m trying my best to get back to the man I was before this happened. I don’t expect any of you guys to forgive me. What I did is unforgivable. But I’d like the chance to start over. If you guys will let me. I get it if you’d rather not.”
Jenny steps up beside me, putting her arm around my shoulders and kissing me on the cheek. “You’ve got your chance, big brother.” She cuts her eyes at Becca as she leans in to whisper, “She’s still a bit immature. She’ll come around, you’ll see.”
Looking at my youngest sister, I hope she will come around. Now that I’m with them all, I feel the time that I’ve wasted by staying away from them.
This is the first step in changing. Family back together, check. Now onto making myself a respectable man for Isabel.
Jake walks back toward the kitchen. “We made some spaghetti. Come on everyone, let’s eat.”
It’s odd how one can stay away for years, and yet within a matter of minutes things can go right back to how they were before. Laughing and telling stories around the old dining table is making things fall right back into place.
Jake laughs as he tells a story about me to Bell. “And then he climbed in through his bedroom window. Dad was waiting for him with a belt in his hand. Grant was a big guy even when he was just sixteen, but Dad gave him three good whacks with that belt, and I’d never seen Grant’s eyes go so wide. It was hilarious.”
“I thought it was crazy,” I add. “And that’s when he took my car away and sold it. Needless to say, my wild teenage years were pretty much over then.”
Bell’s hand rests on my leg and she gives it a little squeeze as she whispers, “You’ve more than made up for the loss.”
With a nod, I agree. I have made up for the wild times I lost back then. More than made up for them, really.
Stretching, I feel the need to get up and move again, clearing the table and filling the dishwasher. Bell hops up to help me and the others follow suit. In no time at all, the five of us have the kitchen cleaned up, and we head out to sit on the back patio to get a bit of fresh air.
The old iron patio set is still right where it was the last time I saw it. The last time I stepped foot in the backyard. The stars have come out, and we all sit in silence as we look up at the night sky.
Jenny is on one side of me and Bell is on the other when I feel my hand being taken. “I’m glad you’re home, Grant.”
“It’s good to be here.” I close my eyes as I picture Mom and Dad here too. The pain in my heart pinches and pokes at me, taunting me. It’s a pain I’ve refused to feel. But now I’m going to allow it. I need to feel the pain, the loss. I know that’s the key to getting over this thing that’s stopped me from really living for far too long.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to hold back the tears but I can’t anymore. They begin to flow down my cheeks, slowly at first, then in waves that have me sobbing out loud.
