Chapter 4
Aurora
I waited impatiently, standing just outside the airport’s departure area, watching people exit as I waited for my brother.
His plane had come in late, which was making us late for our next stop, but I didn’t care.
I wasn’t really all that excited about the next stop anyway.
I let out a huff, sat down, and checked the time on my watch.
When I looked up, I finally spotted Walker, his large green duffel bag flung over his shoulder, looking over the crowd for me.
I stood up, waving my hand in the air and smiling.
This was the longest we’d ever been apart, and I’d missed him a lot.
I’d struggled a lot this year after returning from Mexico.
It wasn’t just the actions on the trip, either; it was school.
This last semester had been hard, and losing my friendship with Willow, Adalyn, and Hannah hadn’t helped matters.
I hadn’t even been able to call my brother while he’d been away, so to have him home for a weekend meant a lot.
“Walker! Over here!” I shouted.
He glanced in my direction, waved, and made his way through the crowd to me.
“Hey, sis,” he said, throwing his arms around me.
“Walker!” I cried, hugging him back. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too. You look good. Thanks for coming to pick me up. I figured Mom would have wanted to be here as well,” he said, looking around as if he were hoping she was going to jump out of some undisclosed location.
“Ah, yes, our mother. I offered to pick her up, but since Mr. Romance appeared, she’s been… preoccupied.”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Romance. Have you met him yet?” Walker asked as he held the door open for me.
I shook my head. “No, not yet. Not sure I really want to, given her track record. We’ll just get used to him and he’ll be gone, just like all the others.”
“Can’t say I blame you there… I feel the same way, although she told me in her last email that this one was different,” Walker replied, giving me a funny look.
I let out a laugh. “Oh yes, different. I think we have heard that before, haven’t we?”
Walker nodded. “We have. I think it was guy two, five, and eight, or maybe it was five, seven, and twelve.”
“No, I know it wasn’t number eight. He was the one with that crazy laugh that she couldn’t stand.”
“No, that was seven. Number eight was the fire investigator that she met the night of the bar fire, remember?”
“Oh god, yes. How did I forget that? She was sure he was going to be the love of her life, and yet here we are, a new one again.”
Walker laughed. “Do you know anything about him?”
I shook my head. “Not much. She’s been unusually tight-lipped about him, but she did let it slip that this one comes with a new stepbrother. Apparently, he’s about your age.”
Walker looked at me with the same curious, annoyed look that I was sure had crossed my face the first time I’d heard about this man and had told Lorelai.
It was just like Mom to drop this announcement on us.
After all, she hadn’t lost her freedom, and even though I’d always wanted to be like her, after the events of our girls’ trip, I’d changed my mind.
The shame from that night had been enough to stop me from dating since.
I’d decided I was happy being boring old Aurora.
I popped the trunk on my car while Walker threw his duffel bag in, and then we climbed in.
We were going to meet our new stepfather today.
Apparently, Penelope had met him four months after I returned from Cozumel and had accepted his proposal a few weeks later.
It was fast. She’d surprised me with a call only a couple of weeks ago and dropped the news that they had gotten married while on a trip to Vegas.
When I’d found out Walker would come home during my spring break, I made sure to be available to be here. It was the perfect opportunity for us to meet this man, and I was happy to not have to do it alone.
“So do you know much about the stepbrother?” Walker questioned.
I shook my head as I pulled off the highway. “Nothing really. Mom said he isn’t around much. He travels a lot. Other than that, she has said nothing to me about him. I’d almost hedge a guess she’s probably never met him herself, given the rush of the entire relationship.”
“That figures.” Walker shook his head.
“Can you check the address on that piece of paper in the middle console?”
Walker picked up the paper. “69 Fletcher Cresent.”
“Okay. I was sure that was what it was.” I said, turning into one of the wealthiest areas of Vancouver.
As we drove through the neighbourhood filled with houses as big as we’d ever seen, Walker let out a whistle.
“Looks like Mom finally did something right.” He chuckled. “This neighbourhood is filled with a lot of doctors, lawyers, and I’ve heard the occasional sports stars.”
I giggled. “Maybe it’s her divorce lawyer from husband number four.”
“Ha, that wouldn’t be funny. That guy hated me.” Walker chuckled.
“Well, you’re different now. You’ve cleaned up your life.”
We both looked at one another and laughed. I turned onto Fletcher Cresent, and within seconds we spotted number 69. I slowed my old beater of a car down and pulled into the driveway.
I’d just cut the engine when I saw Mom wave from the front door. Then she pushed it open and ran out into the driveway. She looked radiant in a white dress, especially with her dark tan.
“You ready?” Walker questioned.
“Not really, but there is no turning back now. She’s already spotted us.”
Walker chuckled and pushed his door open at the same time I did, and we both climbed out of the car and walked around to the front of it where we met Mother. She immediately threw her arms around both of us, pulling us in for a hug.
“Gosh, you two look great. I’ve missed you both so much,” she said, now hugging us individually. “I’m so glad you are both here.”
When she grabbed me, she pulled me against her. “Come on, come inside and meet Joe,” she said, pulling us toward the door.
She hadn’t even asked Walker how his first nine months had been. She hadn’t asked me how school was going, if I was passing or failing, or worse, had dropped out. It shouldn’t have surprised me. It was just like her; nothing had changed. She was and always would be solely focused on herself.
We stepped inside the house. I slipped my shoes off and then followed Walker, who followed Mom. I could tell he was just as uncomfortable in this house as I was. As Mom entered the kitchen, Walker glanced over his shoulder at me.
“Are you as stumped as I am?” he whispered.
I gave him a crooked smile. “Sure am. This is effed-up,” I said through clenched teeth.
We stepped into the kitchen. “Aurora, Walker, this is Joe,” Mom said, introducing him as Walker came to stand beside me. He was a very attractive, well-built older man, and it surprised me to see him at the counter making a tray of drinks. It was usually my mother doing those things.
“Walker,” he said, shaking my brother’s hand, “nice to meet you.”
Then he turned to me. “Aurora, nice to meet you as well. Your mother has told me lots about both of you, and I look forward to getting to know each of you better. I also look forward to being your stepfather,” he said, coming over and hugging me.
He smiled at me and then went back over to finish making the drinks while Mom started going on about how proud she was of both of us.
We looked at one another as we listened to her go on like she was the one responsible for our schooling and career decisions, when the truth was, if you asked her, she’d barely even know what I was in school for.
“My dear, how about the four of us retire out back by the pool?” Joe said. “Dylan will be here shortly, I’m sure. Then I’ll get some food on the barbeque. I know he’s looking forward to meeting you both,” Joe said, putting his hand on Mom’s lower back and guiding her toward the back door.
Mom grabbed the tray of drinks and carried them outside while we followed. The backyard was amazing. A huge in-ground pool sat in the centre of a very well landscaped backyard. Walker and I took a seat at the table and helped ourselves to a drink.
“Oh, I know the two of you are going to love Dylan. He’s been looking forward to meeting you both as well,” Mom said, giggling as Joe tapped her behind.
I glanced at my brother, who gave me a look of disbelief before taking a drink.
“We are looking forward to meeting him. What does he do?” Walker asked.
“Dylan is the centre for the Vancouver Dominators,” Joe announced.
“Holy hell. Seriously?” Walker asked. “Now I’ll know two of them.”
I shook my head. It looked like Walker was going to be pulled to the dark side with our mother, leaving me to fend for myself in this nightmare.
Lorelai’s brother played for the Dominators as well, and since they were and had always been Walker’s favourite team, I could only imagine how excited he was.
“Yep.” Joe smiled. “Who else do you know?” he questioned.
I cleared my throat. “Phil Anderson is my best friend’s brother. He plays for them as well.”
“Ah, yes, he plays right defense. He’s an excellent player,” Joe said.
Instantly, my brother began asking him questions, and his eyes lit up at every answer. He was beaming by the time Joe invited him inside to show him some things, leaving me alone outside with Mom.
I stood there looking around the backyard, tension building between us. She’d been on me for the past few months about dating. I let out a sigh as I looked at the gardens, praying for Walker to return, when she cleared her throat.
“So, have you met anyone at school?” she asked, pouring me another drink.
I shook my head.
“You know, you really should take some time to get to know some guys in your classes.”
“I’m just trying to focus on getting good grades, Penelope.”
“I ran into Willow the other day. She asked how you were doing. She says you’ve been distant since Cozumel.”