Parking Lot Kids

Chapter 17 : parents

"Okay drama queen," Regulus began as he played some rap song I didn't really care about. "Ready to see mom and dad?"

"Oh yeah, simply buzzing. I couldn't be more excited to spend a weekend with people who constantly remind me of every way I am disappointing them," I deadpanned.

"It won't be that bad. You just have to behave."

Hm, wonder where I heard that before. "Yeah."

The rest of the drive was spent in comfortable silence, with small intervals of conversation or singing. Finally my car pulled into my parents' large circular driveway, not even bothering to pull into the garage. I figured if I needed to make a speedy getaway trying to get out of the garage would only slow me down. I stared at the grand entrance, white pillars and all. The memories of last time I was here came flooding back all at once. The sting of my mother's hand hitting my cheek.

"Sirius, you good?" Reggie asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah. Let's just get this over with."

Regulus grabbed our bags out of the trunk, flinging his over his shoulder and holding mine out to signal he was not going to carry it for me.

I looked him up and down, refusing to take the duffel hanging from his outstretched hand. "I drove you here. The least you could do is carry my bag."

"Oh my god Sirius!" Regulus complained. However after a few seconds of uncomfortable staring he defeatedly sighed, "Fine."

He swung my bag over his other shoulder and we made our way up the large, white stone steps. Just as I was about to open the door, I turned to my brother, "Also, I'm gonna need you to write my name on whatever you got Mother."

I spun back around, Reg grumbling something behind me. I pulled the front door open. The foyer was decorated for fall. The chandeliers had a more orangey glow, making the high ceilings feel warm and inviting instead of cold and distant like they usually do. Small pumpkins were artfully littered throughout the different surfaces, a large wreath of orange leaves and chrysanthemums hung over one of the long wooden side tables. This was one of the reasons fall was my favorite season, my empty house finally felt like a regular family home. Ew gross, that was so cheesy, I thought.

"Mother, Father, we're back!" Regulus shouted announcing our arrival. No one answered. After a few agonizing minutes of tense silence a thin blonde lady hurried around the corner.

"Regulus, Sirius I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed excitedly., pulling us into a warm hug.

"Dani!" Regulus and I shouted in unison. Dani had been one of our maids since we were little kids. She had raised us more than our parents ever had.

"Jeez Dani, we've only been gone a couple months," I said as she released us from the hug.

"Oh I know but it's too quiet around here with you boys gone."

"Do you know where Mother and Father are?" Regulus asked.

"Oh they went to the office, some important deal they needed to close I believe," she responded, eyes filled with sympathy.

Great, they force me to come back for Mother's birthday and they're not even here to welcome us. I motioned for Regulus to give me my bag, "I'll be in my room."

___

A knock on my door woke me from my nap. "What?" I called sleepily.

Regulus walked in. "It's almost time for dinner and Mother told me to tell you she wants you to look quote 'like a respectable young man not homeless male prostitute junkie' unquote."