Chapter 17- Reed
WALKING TO MY kitchen in only boxer shorts is not a common Christmas morning occurrence. Still, I can’t help the jovial pep in my step as I stride to the fridge and get bottles of water. I need to keep Skyler hydrated after all.
Last night was amazing. Having sex and letting my kraken out to play and taste Skyler was a literal dream come true. Then we came home, and I got to bathe him before we stumbled into bed. Best Christmas ever.
And once my guy wakes up, we’ll eat and possibly get ready for another round. I may be encroaching on forty, but dating Skyler has made my refractory period wane. I can’t say I mind.
I’m grabbing as many water bottles as I can when I spot Aisen in the corner of my eye, rooting around the pantry as he often does in the morning.
“Where do you keep the Blob Tarts, Uncle Reed?”
“They’re in the bottom shelf!” I holler with my head inside the fridge. If I told that kid once, I’ve told him a hundred times where I keep his favorite pastries.
It isn’t until I’m returning halfway through my kitchen when it hits me like a ton of bricks. My body freezes in shock as Aisen stares at me, and I drop my three plastic water bottles.
He’s here.
“Ai…Ai…Aisen?” I yelp.
He gives an apologetic smile as a water bottle rolls to his feet.
He bends down to pick it up, and I do the same.
In moments, I’m standing before him, and he puts the waters in my hand.
I want to hug him, to ask him so many questions, but my tongue is frozen.
Plus, I’m down to only my boxer shorts, and I never walked around half-naked when he lived here.
What is going on?
He scratches the back of his head, and I take in how shaggy his hair has gotten in less than two months.
“Hi, Uncle Reed,” he says in a meek tone.
I cover my body with the bottles and shake my head. “Aisen? How did you…?”
“Um, you gave me a spare key. And I know the security alarm code.”
Looking around, I reply, “I understand the concept of how you got in. I just…”
“Baby, what’s taking so long?” Skyler walks in, thankfully wearing his boxer briefs. “I want my Christmas present round two, so let’s get back to―ACK!”
I startle at Skyler’s loud but appropriate reaction. He grabs the nearest object, a loaf of bread, and covers his crotch with it. Meanwhile, Aisen has the decency to look away.
“Hi, Mr. Dillinger. Merry, uh, Christmas.” Discomfort is written all over his face, and my cheeks burn. None of us considers this to be the ideal Christmas morning.
“Merry Christmas, Aisen!” Skyler yelps and exchanges a shocked look with me. His face is an adorable shade of red, but this is no time to be turned on.
I stand in front of my boyfriend to give him privacy, then turn to my nephew. “What brings you here?”
“You said I could come by whenever.” His fingers idly trail the kitchen island. “And I wanted to celebrate Christmas with you.”
He seems so distressed, and I can tell this is only a half-truth. As he stares at his hand, I exchange a look of sympathy with Skyler. Then, I clear my throat. “You came in early this morning?”
“Yeah, at like two.” When my eyebrows fly up, he continues, “I, uh, didn’t hear anything from your room! I didn’t even know you were, uh, sleeping over, Mr. Dillinger.” He briefly glances at Skyler, and I look at my half-naked boyfriend gripping the loaf of bread like it’s a lifesaver.
“We were…watching a movie. Then fell asleep,” I attempt to say convincingly. “But two is pretty late. Your parents let you come by at that time on Christmas Eve?”
“Um, well…” His words trail off, and I think I know what this means. He has something private to tell me.
“Why don’t you let Skyler and me get dressed? You can eat breakfast, then we can chat.”
“Okay,” he replies.
“I can, um, go,” Skyler says.
“No, please,” I say. When Aisen swivels in the chair to look away, I take the loaf of bread and gently place everything in my hands on the counter. “It’s our first Christmas together. I want you here, just like we planned.”
The first of many, I pray. Skyler seems skeptical, but nods, and I guide him out of the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, I’m in my pajamas sitting across from Aisen in the kitchen. It’s a familiar feeling for the two of us, so familiar that I didn’t even notice his presence earlier. “So, uh, Merry Christmas, joka.”
“Merry Christmas. Where is Mr. Dillinger?”
“I asked him to give us a few minutes. So, what’s up?”
“Nothing.” He scratches his arm. “I wanted to visit. Is that wrong?”
“It is if you didn’t tell your parents.” He bristles, and I know I’m right. “They don’t know you’re here.”
“I texted them.” He leans on the table and sighs. “Not that they care.”
“What? I thought you were being homeschooled and performing for the maritime circus?”
“The circus sucks!” he blurts, leaning forward. “And my parents don’t even care about me.” He’s pouting, and my heart aches for him.
“Hey now, that’s not true,” I say.
“Yes, it is.” The kitchen is so silent as Aisen continues to curl up into himself, leaning on the table.
“They only care about their shows. They don’t even notice when I don’t eat, or when my laundry doesn’t get done.
I’m not learning anything for school, they just push books at me and don’t even check if I’m doing the work or not.
And when my octopus form messes up the juggling routine, that’s when they get mad.
I only got this form in October, I’m not gonna be good at using it! But they don’t wanna hear any of that.”
My face burns hot and my soul breaks all at once. I want to kick my brother for neglecting my nephew. “Aisen…”
“At least when you get on my case with homework, it’s because you want me to learn. They didn’t get me anything for Christmas. They ignore me when we have no shows. In fact, they don’t care about anything except my big octopus form.” He sits up and then slumps down to look at his lap.
“I thought they finally wanted to be my parents, but they don’t. I had a parent and that was…” His words trail off, but I think I know what he was going to say. He sniffs, and when a tear falls down, it finally breaks me.
My eyes sting, and I stand up to hug my nephew. I rub his arm up and down and say, “Hey, shh, it’ll be alright.”
“I’m not crying. Crying is for babies, and being sad is stupid.” Ah, teenage denial.
“I didn’t say it was stupid.” I let go and place my hand on his shoulder while he wipes his eyes. “Your parents do love you. In their weird way.”
“No, they don’t,” he retorts. When he looks up at me, it’s then that I realize his wide, dark eyes are just like my own. He inherited them from my brother, and we both got them from my parents. In a broken voice, he asks, “Can I move back in with you, Uncle Reed?”
The Sung family has been generations of not wanting to keep their kids close, but it ends now. “Only if you’re sure.”
He nods. “I’ve wanted to since Thanksgiving. I saw all those cool photos of you and Mr. Dillinger’s family. It made me miss all of our Thanksgivings and Christmases.”
I snicker. “I always burned the stuffing.”
“Burnt stuffing every year is better than no holiday at all,” he retorts.
We laugh and I can’t fight the urge to get up and hug him again, so I do. “I might not be the best parent in the world,” I say.
“You’re the best I’ve ever had,” Aisen replies quietly. He smiles and acts like those words won’t be etched in my heart for decades to come. Aisen wants me to be his family, so that’s exactly what I’ll be.
I let Aisen play his video games while I catch Skyler up with all the drama.
Hours later, we’re having Christmas lunch in the living room.
Naturally, the Chinese food places deliver, and the three of us share a joyous holiday feast. Skyler tells Aisen all about the latest marine rehabilitation projects, and Aisen asks him if he can rejoin the program.
Skyler promptly welcomes him back with a smile.
But alas, it’s time to bite the bullet and do what Aisen’s been dreading. I dial up my brother on video phone. The three of us are sitting on the couch when their faces pop up.
“Hey, Merry Christmas,” I say.
“Merry Christmas,” Ryan says. “Aisen, glad you’re well.”
“Hi, Dad,” he says.
“Who’s that with you?” Shannon asks.
I take Skyler’s hand. “This is my boyfriend, Skyler.” He gives an awkward wave, and I go back to staring at the camera. “You knew Aisen swam to my place last night, right?”
“Yes, we got the text,” Shannon says in an annoyed tone.
“And you didn’t text me back?” Aisen asks.
“We had a holiday show. We knew you’d be fine.” She bristles. “And I don’t appreciate that tone, young man. Especially since you’re missing the holiday afternoon show.”
“Mom,” Aisen whines.
“Be nice to your mom,” I say in my sternest tone. When Aisen looks at me with confusion, I turn back to the screen. “But also, maybe you should have called?”
“We were busy,” Shannon retorts. “After all, we cancelled your octopus portion of the show, meaning we needed to fill the time with other acts.”
Aisen bristles and I pat his shoulder. “It’s alright. Aisen tell them what you told me.”
My nephew takes a long deep breath. “I want to live here and not join the circus.”
Shannon stares with concern for a long pause. “But what about the shows?”
“I’d rather go to school,” Aisen says. “A real school on land. And the Institute.” He exchanges a grateful smile with Skyler.
Shannon sighs. “This is extremely disappointing, young man.”
“Is it?” Ryan asks. His wife turns to him, and my eyebrows rise. “We kind of saw this coming.”
“Well,” Shannon says.
“Sweetie, our son isn’t exactly good at this role. The fans aren’t taking to it,” Ryan says.
“That is true,” Shannon admits. “I just thought…we could be a family act.”
“We’ll always be a family, and we’ll always have our son.” Ryan points at the camera, and I can’t even breathe. “But clearly, having him on the road at such a young age isn’t right for him. He swam back to my brother, the superior parent.”