CHAPTER 30 #2
“Hey,” Elisa said loudly. “You and your sister can both talk to me about anything at any time, but watch your mouth, Son.” She gave him her best Mom glare.
“And I know you’re upset, but I’m going to tell you something important, and I want you to remember this if you remember nothing else: a woman’s feelings about someone else have nothing to do with you or another boy and his feelings for her .
Adele is allowed to feel however she wants about anyone and not have to stop herself from being who she is or going after whatever she wants because some boy has feelings for her.
You will not take your sister’s feelings and make them about you or about Tucker.
They are hers to own and experience, just like yours are yours to own and experience.
If she and Wendy like each other and want to date, they can do that.
If Tucker is hurt, I’m sorry. Heartbreak is hard for everyone.
But Adele gets to decide who she dates.” She got off her soapbox and softened.
“And, honey, I’m sorry you like Wendy and that Wendy likes Adele.
I wish there was something I could say or do to take away the pain you’re feeling, but it’s important to feel it and experience it.
It’s part of growing up. It’s part of learning how to deal with emotions like that. ”
“But we’re twins, Mom.”
“I know, baby,” she said.
“And Adele knew how I felt.”
“She can tell you the whole story, but it sounded to me like she didn’t know until after Wendy and she found out that they liked each other.”
“Then, she should’ve stopped. ”
“No, honey, I don’t think she should have,” she said. “Adele told me that Wendy is gay.”
“So is Adele, apparently.”
“She hasn’t said that. Don’t put a label on someone until they give you permission to do that, okay?”
“You’re gay. It makes sense.”
“No, it doesn’t. And stop that. You know better. We’ve talked about this before, AJ.” Elisa shook her head.
“They’re going to have sex, Mom.”
“Possibly, yes,” she replied.
“She had sex with Tucker, Mom.”
“I know. But if I hadn’t known that, that’s not your secret to tell me for your sister,” she said.
“Fine. But now, she’s just… like, gay?”
“She might be. She might be something else, or she might not label herself at all, but she’s your sister.
No matter what, you’ll support her because I raised you to be a good man, Archibald Junior.
You’re hurting now, and I understand why, but Adele is discovering something about herself that’s important.
She’ll need her brother to be there for her. ”
“I don’t know that I can right now if she’s with Wendy.”
“I know. I get that. Adele will, too. But when you calm down, you’ll realize how much you love your sister and that you’ll always be there for her no matter what. I don’t want you to have said something to her that you’ll regret later, Arch. You can’t take back words once they’re said.”
He looked at the closed door and said, “I’m going back to Dad’s.”
“You can if you want, but we still have some talking to do.”
“I don’t know that I can do it, Mom, watching you with someone else.
Dad is with other women, yeah, but not for real.
Adele and I know he’s not serious about any of them.
But you’re here with someone, and you call her your girlfriend, I guess.
And there’s a dog in the house now. You said you’d get one, but I thought we’d go together to pick him out or something, and he’s just here already.
It feels like you’re moving on without us, like you’ve got this whole new house, this new girlfriend, a new dog, and you’ll have a new job, too, soon.
It’s like the moment we got into college, you thought you’d buy this place and start the next part of your life, and we’re not invited. ”
“Archie, what? No,” Elisa said, standing up. “Honey, that’s not–”
“It’s fine. I’m not ready to deal yet. Whatever,” he said and hefted his bag over his shoulder. “I’m going to take more of my stuff back to Dad’s.”
“Archie, stay. Let’s talk more about what you’re feeling.”
“I don’t want to right now,” he replied.
“Everything’s changing. Everyone’s moving on.
Even Adele’s going to some smart kid school and has a new girlfriend, and I’m the idiot who couldn’t even get into a D-I school for soccer, and I like a girl I’ll never have.
You’ve got everything you could want here. You don’t need me in the way.”
“Archibald Alexander, that is not true.”
“Mom, don’t middle name me right now, please,” he replied before he pulled open the door and left his room.
Elisa followed him out, watching him rush past Buster and down the stairs. When the front door closed behind him, Elisa didn’t know what to do.
“Hey,” Myra said. “I was just about to leave.”
“You don’t have to go now,” she replied on a sigh.
“Didn’t go well?”
Myra walked over to her and placed a hand on her lower back.
“No, not at all.”
“What can I do?”
“I think I might need to go there and talk to him,” Elisa said.
Myra nodded but didn’t seem to think that was a good idea if her expression was any indication.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “We shouldn’t have stayed here.”
“What? Yes, we should have.” Elisa turned to her. “I’ll admit that I have no idea what their schedules are right now. He was supposed to be here initially. Then, he wanted to go there to hang out with his friends and changed the plans you two made to go review the plans.”
“I doubt he’ll want to go with me now.”
“I don’t think this is about you. He’s going through a lot, but I thought he was at his dad’s, and I didn’t expect him to walk in on us. I’m sorry. I’ll talk to him and take care of it.”
“I’m here, you know?” Myra asked, rubbing her back.
“I know. Thank you,” Elisa replied.