Chapter 51 Such An Annoying Kid

CHAPTER 51: SUCH AN ANNOYING KID

LACEY

The Tortured Therapists Department

Poppy: Lacey Danielle Sims if you do not text us back, I’m calling 911. At least let us know you’re alive.

Lacey: Y’all can relax and stop blowing up my phone. I’m alive and am doing very, very, veryyyy good

Poppy: Is it safe to come home?

Lacey: Jace just left to go change and then I think he’s going to come to my parents’ for lunch. Colt texted yesterday. He’s in town.

Chloe: So wait, how did y’all go from fucking in the bathroom to you bringing him home to your parents

Lacey: We didn’t fuck in the bathroom…

Lacey: Did they tell you we fucked in the bathroom?

Poppy: That’s not what it looked like when y’all did your little walk of shame!

Lacey: Friends friendly finger GIF

Wren: Yeah, I didn’t mean for you to actually do what the song said.

Lacey: Very funny.

Wren: So are you going to tell us?

Lacey: Girls’ night tonight? My parents shouldn’t take long and then I’ll be all yours.

Poppy: I’m in.

Wren: Me too!

Chloe: Let me see if my mom can watch Ava. I could use a break.

Lacey: Gray?!?

Gray: Sorry, yes! I’m at my other job. I can come. I’ll bring wine.

W e pull into my parents’ house with ten minutes to spare. He parks his Jeep and kills the ignition.

“I haven’t been back here since Dad sold the house,” he says, eyeing the street where so many of our memories are set.

“Well, not much has changed. Poppy’s family still lives across the street.” I point to the white house she grew up in. “The Mcafferys moved into your parents’ old place. They’re nice enough, older, no kids, and an adorable cat.”

Jace stares at the house he grew up in. His eyes gloss over and I grab his hand. “Look, I know it’s hard being back here, but I’m really glad you came.”

“No, I’m glad I came too. It’ll be good to see your family. Did you tell them I was coming?”

“I texted and let Mom know I was bringing someone. Felt like it may be more fun to surprise them with you.” I smile.

Jace jumps down from the Jeep and rounds the front of the truck. “You ready?” he asks, grabbing my hand and pulling me in for a quick kiss.

“As I’ll ever be.”

We walk down the sidewalk toward the front door of my parents’ two-story red-brick home. I ring the doorbell and straighten out the resort-print dress I put on for lunch with my parents.

“You look beautiful,” he says.

“I hate this dress.”

“I know, but you still look beautiful.” He pulls me in and places a kiss to the side of my head.

I inhale deeply and offer him a reserved smile. The dress is fine, but it’s not like my other clothes. It’s the type of dress you wear when you eat at a country club. It’s meant to be worn with pearls and modest heels. It was a gift from my mom, so I wore it knowing she can’t comment on something she purchased. No need to hear her go on and on about how I don’t dress my age, or however she thinks a twenty-seven-year-old woman should dress, when I can just wear the dress she wants me to wear.

After a couple of minutes, my dad swings the door open and greets us with a smile.

“Well this is a sight I never thought I’d see,” he says, moving to the side so we can both walk in. “Jace Jackson walking into our home for lunch.” He shakes Jace’s hand and slaps him across the shoulders.

“It’s great to see you again, Mr. Sims,” Jace says, extending his hand towards my dad.

“It’s been a while, son. How’s your dad doing? I saw him at the golf course last month and meant to call him to grab lunch, but then life got busy.” The three of us move through the narrow entryway.

“He’s doing pretty good. I’ll have to tell him you asked about him.”

“Please do,” my dad offers Jace a smile. “Grab yourself a beer, kid, and come help me on the grill.” My dad disappears out the back door, and we walk into the kitchen, where my mom is preparing a salad. “Hi, Mom,” I say. “You remember?—”

“Jace Jackson,” she says, looking up from the bowl of spinach in front of her. “Lacey told us she was bringing someone, but I never would have guessed it was you. How’s Richard?”

“My dad’s doing well. Glad to have me back here for a while,” he says.

For a while. The words hit me like a metal rod to the chest, and I quickly try to shove any doubts I might have about him and I out of my head.

“Oh, I bet he is.” She eyes the clock on the oven. “What had y’all running late today?” she asks.

“You said one o’clock and it’s twelve fifty-seven. Most people would call that early.”

“Oh don’t be so dramatic. I was just trying to ask you about your day.”

I take a deep breath. “So, where’s Colt?” I ask, trying to change the subject, and suddenly realize I’m the only Sims child present.

“Stuck in traffic. You know your brother, always so busy. He landed this morning and went to see a friend before heading here, but now he’s going to be late.” She laughs and tosses a diced tomato into the bowl. I roll my eyes internally.

I grab Jace a beer from the fridge. He takes it before wrapping his arms around me. “You two going to be okay if I go help your dad?” he whispers.

I nod, and he kisses my forehead before walking out of the kitchen toward the back door. I look up to see my mother looking right at me.

“What?” I ask, sitting on one of the tufted leather bar stools lining the large island in the middle of the kitchen.

“Oh, nothing. It’s interesting that of all the boys you could bring home, you brought Jace Jackson.”

“What do you mean?”

She swipes a diced cucumber off the cutting board into the bowl with the side of her knife and then begins cutting a red onion. “You were devastated when you two ended things. I haven’t heard you mention his name in nearly a decade, and now you’re back together?”

“Things are different now.”

She takes a deep breath. “I hope you’re right.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That boy was never meant to stay around here. That’s why he’s been gone for so long. Gosh, when Annie was alive she missed him so much. You really think he’s going to stick around this time?”

“Can we not do this? Not today. I’m happy for the first time in a really long time, so can you please let me have this?”

“I only say all of this because I care about you. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“Yeah, okay. Let me know when Colt gets here. I’m gonna go help the guys.”

I head out of the kitchen toward my dad and Jace. I can hear her rolling her eyes behind me and muttering something under her breath, never pleased with my attitude. I try to shake off her words, but I can’t.

“Everything okay?” Jace asks as soon as I step onto the wooden deck.

“Just Mom being Mom.” I offer him a sheepish smile.

“Your mother loves you very much,” my dad lectures. “She just has her own way of showing it.”

“Yeah, that’s what you tell me.”

I walk over and sit next to Jace. He immediately grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze.

“So, Jace was telling me about how you two got back together,” my dad says, flipping the chicken in front of him.

“Is that so?”

“I must say I always liked you, son. Never understood why my daughter here broke up with you all those years ago.” Jace’s face breaks out in a big smile.

The door swings open interrupting our conversation and my brother walks out onto the deck.

“Colt,” I yell, jumping up from my chair and throwing my arms around his neck.

“Hey, Sis,” he says, wrapping his arms around me and spinning me around. He sets me down. His green eyes immediately find Jace.

“Oh hell no,” he says. “What’s he doing here?”

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s okay, we’re back together.”

“Together?”

“Yeah, together,” Jace says, joining me by my side and grabbing my hand.

Colt shakes his head. “Lace, can I have a word?”

I nod and follow him back into the house. Glancing over my shoulder, I give Jace a reassuring smile. While everyone in my family was oblivious, and still is, to the reason we ended things, I confided in my brother.

He moves quickly toward the front door. I hear my mom say something, but we both ignore her.

He swings it open, gesturing for me to walk outside, and when I do, he follows me, slamming the door behind him.

“Please explain why the asshole who cheated on you ten years ago is sitting on the deck with Dad and you’re calling him your boyfriend.”

“I didn’t call him that.”

“No, you said you were together. What does that mean? Fuck, don’t tell me you two are engaged?”

I laugh, “God no, Colt. We’re together. It’s really new. No label, but we’re trying again and I invited him to come because he knows what it’s like for me when I’m around Mom. I wanted him here.”

“He cheated on you.” He begins to move around the driveway.

“No, he didn’t.”

He scoffs. “And how do you know? Did he tell you that? Fuck, men lie.”

“Colton, while this is very sweet of you, I think you forget you’re my younger brother. I’m eight years older than you and I’m not an idiot. The woman I saw him with was the mentor he was paired with for the photography program. They weren’t a couple. Mariah and I blew it out of proportion. I overreacted and ran because I was young and scared and didn’t like the way being vulnerable made me feel.”

“And you know this because?”

“Because I met her. She’s happily married, to a woman, I might add. It was all a big misunderstanding, and I promise he’s a good one. He’s so good, Colt.”

He stops moving and turns to face me. “I don’t ever want to see you that hurt again.”

“I know, but I promise he won’t hurt me.”

Stepping forward, he wraps me in a hug. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too, bud.” I let go and ruffle his dirty blond hair with my hand like I did when he was a kid.

“Sorry I never called you back. You FaceTimed me over a month ago and I got so wrapped up in summer ball. I should’ve called you back or at least texted.”

“It’s fine. I’m just as guilty. I called you to tell you Jace hadn’t cheated. I had just found out and I wanted to tell you about it. I’m sorry I made you hate him too. I’m sorry you had to see me like that. That wasn’t fair to you. You were only nine.”

“I don’t care. I’ll always protect you, Sis. You don’t have to be sorry.” He wraps me in another hug and squeezes me tight.

When I pull away my hand finds the locket and I begin to move it along the chain.

His eyes dart down to the necklace and he begins to laugh. “Why are you wearing that?” he asks.

“I told you I’ve missed you. You’re so busy with school and baseball and we never get to talk. I found it at the beginning of the summer and it made me think of you, so I’ve been wearing it since.”

He continues to laugh and he can’t stop. Tears stream down his face. I hear the door open and when I look over my shoulder Jace is walking out to meet us.

“I was coming to check on y’all and to make sure everything was okay, but it seems to be.” He gestures in Colt’s direction. “What’s he going on about?”

“I’ve got no idea. He saw my necklace and then he started laughing.”

Colt takes a few deep breaths and his laughter begins to subside. “Do you want to tell her or should I?” he says.

“Tell me what?”

Jace’s eyes flit down to the locket and then back up to mine.

“Tell me what?” I raise my voice.

“The locket was from me,” Jace says.

“No, Colt got me this for my high school graduation.” I run my hand over the engraving on the outside of it. “The birds were supposed to be for the Grantville High Golden Eagles which was so funny because they are very obviously not eagles, but he was only ten, so I thought it was sweet. He even put his picture inside it,” I flip it open and reveal Colt’s sweet, little face.

“God, you were such an annoying kid.” Jace laughs, running his hand down his face.

“He’s right,” my brother says. “He brought it over the day of your graduation. He wanted to see you and I was so mad at him for what I thought he did that I lied and told him you weren’t here.”

“Colton!”

“I snatched it from his hand and told him I’d give it to you, but I took it up to my room and opened it instead. I switched the picture, hid the letter he wrote you, and came up with the story about the birds. I’m sorry, Lace. I thought I was protecting you.”

I flip around to face Jace. “You brought it over the day of my high school graduation?”

He nods.

“And you didn’t think you should tell me? I’ve been wearing it since the day on Lake Allatoona.”

“You said things were weird with your family. You missed Colt, I didn’t want to complicate things for you and him.”

“I mean to be fair, Lace. You believed that I thought the two birds sitting on the branch were eagles. I mean I didn’t have your grades, but I wasn’t that dense.”

I shake my head thinking back to the moment he gave me the necklace.

“You were so convincing. You told me you had been saving your allowance. I had no reason to believe anyone else would have bought it for me. ”

“I’m sorry,” Colt says. “It was a shit thing to do even if I was mad.”

“What did you do with the letter and the photo?”

He shrugs, “Last I saw them, they were up in a bag in my closet. I was going to throw them away, but it didn’t feel right.”

I turn without responding. I pass by Jace, head in the house, and up the stairs toward Colt’s old bedroom. I can hear both men behind me, but I don’t stop. I’m on a mission to find the letter and picture I should’ve been given nine years ago.

I walk into his room and immediately start searching his closet for a bag. “What kind of bag?” I yell.

“Purple gift bag. Top of my closet,” he shouts from down the hall.

“Would you two please lower your voices?” my mom yells. “This is not a concert venue, it’s a house.”

I shuffle the items on the top shelf until I find a small gift bag. I pull it down, moving the old crinkled tissue paper out of the way revealing an envelope with my name scribbled across the front and a tiny picture of teenage Jace and me.

I grab both and storm out of the room past my brother and Jace. I head straight into my room, slamming the door behind me. Sitting down on my childhood bed, I tear the envelope open. With shaking hands I unfold the paper and begin to read.

Pixie,

Meet me in our spot tonight at 8, so we can talk and figure this out. I’m sorry I got busy. I’m sorry I didn’t call like I should have. I love you more than you will ever know. Please talk to me.

Yours forever,

Jace

“Can I come in?” Jace asks, pushing the door open and tapping his knuckles against the door frame.

“Please.”

“Are you mad?” he asks, climbing onto my bed and pulling me between his legs. He wraps me up in his arms.

“No. He was young and you were right. It’s been hard having him so far away.” I lean my head back onto his chest. “I wish I would’ve known. I wish I could go back in time and change it all.”

“I know, but we can’t. All we can do is move forward and I’m glad we’re getting the opportunity to do that together now.”

“Did you come that night?” I hold up the letter.

“I did. Waited down there for a few minutes and then I saw you with?—”

“Alex.” My hand covers my mouth as the name falls from it.

“Yeah.” His voice sounds defeated.

I turn to face him, sitting with my legs tucked underneath me. “What exactly did you see? Fuck, were you in the bushes or something?”

He swallows hard. “I saw you come outside with him smiling. He was holding your hand and then y’all kissed. I got out of there as fast as I could. You seemed happy, and I knew then that it was really over.”

“It was just a kiss.” I think back to the night and shake my head. “It wasn’t what you thought. Beau’s older brother had given him a bottle of some fancy vodka and he spiked the punch. I didn’t like them. Beau or Alex. But, Poppy was so blinded by her love for Beau that she couldn’t see how mind-numbingly awful they were. Alex was a thorn in my side my entire senior year. Everywhere Beau went he went and everywhere Poppy went?—”

“You went.”

“Yeah. So, we somehow became this little foursome.” I roll my eyes at the memories. “God, they were so terrible and so dumb.”

He nods. “Oh, I remember.”

“Anyway, we were all a little tipsy from the punch and Alex decided he was going to shoot his shot with me, I guess. He pulled me out to the backyard and kissed me before I really realized what was happening. God, Jace, I hated it. I pushed him away. Told him he was insane if he thought I wanted anything to do with him. It was the worst kiss I’ve ever had and that’s saying something because I’ve had some really bad kisses.”

He laughs and I feel my shoulders relax a little. He pulls me back into his lap.

“But I guess you were already gone and didn’t see that part?”

“No, I left thinking you were happy with Alex of all people.” He chuckles. “I should’ve known better. I told my parents that night about Georgetown.”

“You decided on Georgetown that night?”

“Yeah. I knew there wasn’t a place here for me anymore. Coming home reminded me too much of you, so I threw myself into work and school. Convinced myself that maybe if I could find the Bix, it would somehow bring you back to me. That you would hear about it and come back into my life, even if it was for a fleeting moment I’d get to see you again. Get to tell you I did it.”

Tears begin to run down my face. “I’m sorry. I wish I could go back and change everything.”

“It’s okay, you didn’t know I was there. Colt took the bag from me and I wanted to believe he would actually give it to you. I should’ve known better,” he says. “I’m sorry, I should’ve tried talking to you.”

He pulls me into him, and I press a kiss to his lips. “Where’s the picture?”

I hand him the small photo of him and me as kids. His arms are wrapped around my back, and we look so happy.

“May I?” he asks, undoing the clasp of the necklace.

I nod. He pops out the photo of Colt and replaces it with ours. “Much better,” he says, closing the locket and placing it back around my neck. My mom’s voice echoes through the house, calling for us.

“We better get back down there. Lunch was almost ready and I’d like to do something before I bring you home.”

“Do we have to?”

“Yes, pixie. Come on.”

We walk down the stairs hand in hand. As we round the corner, we find my family sitting at the perfectly set table, waiting for us to join them.

“Well, it’s about time,” my mom says.

“Sorry,” I say, sitting in one of the chairs. Jace sits next to me.

“Honey, will you say grace?” She looks over at my dad, who nods and then begins to recite the same prayer he’s said before every meal my entire life. Once he’s finished, my mom begins to pass around the plated food. I place a piece of grilled chicken on my plate and then pass the plate to Jace.

“How’s work going, Lace?” my brother asks.

“It’s good. Margaret, my boss, can be a little much sometimes, but I really like it. Actually, Poppy started last week, so that’s been fun.”

“That’s great. I played golf with her father the other day,” my dad adds. “He was telling me she was starting soon.”

I put a scoop of salad onto my plate. “We’re really excited to get to work together.”

My mom hums over a bite of chicken but doesn’t look up from her plate.

“How’s Austin?” Jace asks, looking at my brother.

“It’s good. I’ve been up in Massachusetts playing summer ball.”

“Colton’s the ace pitcher,” my mom beams.

“That’s cool. I thought you played for UT,” Jace says.

“Oh, I do. This is for the Cape Cod Summer League. Gives scouts a chance to come see what we can do.”

“I see. You think you’re going to get drafted?” Jace asks, cutting into his chicken.

“We’ll see. I’m hopeful.”

“It’ll happen, Son,” my dad encourages.

“So, how’d you manage to get a weekend off?” Jace asks.

“This damn blister has made me miss two starts now.” Colt lifts his left hand and looks at his middle finger. “I got approval from my coach to come home while it heals.”

“A blister?” I ask.

“It’s a very serious injury for pitchers,” my mom says. I can’t help but laugh. Before my IUD, I was expected to act like nothing was wrong while my uterus tried to kill me every month. Colt gets one tiny blister and has to come home to heal.

“She’s right, Lace,” my brother says. “I put a lot of pressure on this finger when I pitch and risk a lot of pain and infection if I were to play.”

“Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re home.”

The rest of the conversation continues to center around Colt and baseball. I stay mostly quiet, preoccupied with the necklace around my neck and thoughts of what the last decade may have looked like if I had known it was from Jace.

A knot forms in my stomach at the thought that nothing would have been different because eighteen-year-old me would’ve probably read the letter and decided not to go. Too dramatic and too immature to even consider having a conversation.

“You okay?” Jace leans over and whispers in my ear.

I nod and sip my iced tea. When we finish eating, I get up and place my plate in the dishwasher. My mom walks over, placing hers next to mine.

“What was all the fuss about before lunch?” she asks in a hushed tone.

“It was nothing,” I lie.

“Didn’t seem like nothing,” she says unamused. “Why don’t you three go spend time with your father and I’ll clean up the mess in here?” She picks up a sponge and begins to clean a dish sitting in the sink.

“Lacey and I can clean up,” Jace offers from behind us.

“I can help too,” Colt adds.

“That won’t be necessary. Jace is our guest, Lacey hates to clean, and your finger is injured,” she says.

“Well then I can clean up,” Jace says, offering her a smile. “You three go spend time with each other.”

My mom breathes deep, rings out the sponge, and dries her hands. “Thank you,” she says, walking away and leaving the three of us in the kitchen.

“You don’t have to go in there,” Colt says. “I’m sure it’s going to be more baseball talk.” He offers me a sheepish smile and rolls his eyes. “They probably want to know more about all the MLB scouts that aren’t calling.”

“It’ll happen.” I squeeze his upper arm. “You sure you won’t be mad? I don’t know how much more I can take today.”

“Not at all. Stay and help Jace clean up. I’ll call you when I’m back in Massachusetts and we can catch up.”

“You promise to call me this time?”

“Yes,” he assures me. “Plus I’ll be home again one more time before fall semester starts. I’ll even carve out a whole day for my favorite sister.”

“I’m your only sister.”

“Still my favorite,” he says, turning to walk out of the kitchen.

“Oh, Colt,” I yell behind him.

“Yeah?”

“I’ll be sure to keep your finger in my thoughts and prayers.”

He shakes his head and laughs before turning and heading into the living room.

Jace and I load the dishwasher, clear the table and wipe down the counters. When we’re finished, I lean back against the island, watching Jace load the leftovers into the fridge.

“Thank you for helping,” I say, drying my hands and placing the towel back on its designated hook. He walks back to where I stand and leans on the counter, his arms caging me in.

“I don’t mind.”

“Sorry if today was weird.” His ocean-blue eyes find mine.

“It wasn’t.”

I laugh. “Yes, it was.”

“I’m glad you know about the necklace.”

My hand finds the locket and I move it up the chain. “Me too. I think I’ve had enough Sims family fun to last me for a while. You ready to head out?”

“You sure? I know you miss Colt.”

“I’m positive. Didn’t you say you wanted to do something before you dropped me off?”

He pushes off the counter and leans back against the counter across from me. “I was wondering if we could stop at my mom’s grave.”

“Oh, Jace…” My heart simultaneously breaks and swells with pride. I know he’s never been, and part of me wonders why today, but I don’t question him.

“We don’t have to,” he begins, looking down at the hardwood floors. “I didn’t mean to blindside you with that. I know it’s close by and?—”

“You didn’t blindside me.” I step forward, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I think we need some new rules. If this is going to work this time, we need to talk to one another. When we were kids we talked about everything. We didn’t let fear get in the way of confiding in one another about how we felt or what we wanted to do. I don’t want to lose you again, so we talk.” I rub my hands up and down his back. “Promise me you’ll talk to me. No more assumptions. No more apologies. If you want to go see your mom, you don’t have to apologize. Of course I’ll go with you.”

He plants a kiss to my forehead. “Deal, pixie.”

“Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise.” He links his pinky with mine.

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