Graceland: Family Affair

Chapter Two

The Captain turns on the seatbelt sign and I keep my eyes tightly shut, gripping the arm rests with my hands as we land. I had been booked onto the first flight available for the day following my graduation. It had been a whirlwind twenty-four hours, that's for sure. Last night's graduation celebratory dinner with my family had turned into my last supper. What should have been happy tears of excitement and congratulations had turned into tears of separation and goodbyes. I stayed the night at my parents' house, and everyone woke up extremely early so that they could accompany me and see me off at the airport. Goodbyes really aren't my kind of thing, and even now, a whole plane journey later, I was still wiping to occasional, random tear from my cheek. I could just kill Paul for doing this to me. When I waved goodbye at the airport, I wasn't just waving goodbye to my beloved family, I was also bidding adieu to my dreams of D.C. My heart is broken. As the plane touches down in California, I say a silent prayer, hoping and praying that there would be something surprisingly good in store for me, and that maybe, just maybe, the dreams and plans that God has for me in Graceland will be even better than the dreams I had for myself.

I step outside the airport terminal, dragging my luggage behind me as I try to hail a cab.

            "Freeze, Parker!" I hear a voice calling me, and I frantically turn around trying to find the owner of the voice. My eyes fall on an old friend, who stands there with his arms folded and a giant smirk on his face. "You didn't think I was going to make you get a cab, did you?"

            "Johnny Tuturro!" I laugh as I shake my head. I drop my bags and throw my arms around him to give him a hug. "Look at you! You're looking well!"

            "Why thank you! You're looking beautiful as ever!" He compliments me back.

            "HA! Johnny, you charmer! I wish..." I laugh. "But thank you anyway!" Johnny lifts my luggage and bundles it into his car as I make my way to the passenger side.

"It's been so long!" He beams.

"I know! Too long, if you ask me!" I smile back. He jumps into the front seat as I fasten my seatbelt. Johnny is just excitable as I remember him to be. He was always kind to me whenever I visited Graceland. My parents and I moved to England when I was eight, just before my first younger brother was born, but Paul stayed behind in America. We moved back to the States ten years later, so my accent is a little weird – I sound more English than American, even though I am an American citizen. I would try to see Paul at least once a year, and he let me visit Graceland on occasion, which meant that I was more than familiar with his housemates. The other Agents weren't just acquaintances; they were friends, and that made moving into Graceland a little easier to take.

            "So, how're you doing?" Johnny asks as he starts to drive.

            "I'm doing okay, I guess...I graduated! But...you already know that..." I try to sound enthusiastic, but the truth is that I'm still bitterly annoyed at Paul. We haven't even spoken to him yet about any of this – I couldn't bring myself to speak to him. Part of me still doesn't want to, but I know that as soon as I walk through the front door, there's no escaping him...and sooner or later, I'm going to have to speak to my brother. "What about yourself? What's new in the life of J-Tuturro?" I smile, still trying my best to sound upbeat. A positive outlook is half the battle, right?

            "Same old, same old. I met someone..." He blushes.

            "Oh my gosh!" I squeal with delight. "Johnny! I'm so happy for you! Who is she?"

            "She's called Lucia...and she's beautiful, inside and out. I fell for her right away..."

            "Oh that is adorable! When did you get so mature, huh?" I joke, playfully nudging him in the side. He lets out a half smile. His eyes tell a different story though – his eyes are far from happy at the thought of Lucia. His eyes look like he's hurting. I want to ask him about it, but decide it would be unwise to ask him right now. I don't want him to hate me, and I don't want to pry where I'm not wanted. But at the same time, I want to be here for him. He's my friend – I don't want to see him hurt. I'll wait until I've settled into Graceland and until Johnny is used to having me around, and then maybe he'll open up. I decide it's better to change the subject and not linger on the fragile topic of Lucia. "So...how is everyone? I'm excited to see everyone again!"

            "Well...things have changed slightly. The Graceland you're going to see isn't the Graceland you left behind after your last visit", he says matter-of-factly.

            "What do you mean? Things couldn't have changed that much –"

            "Lauren and Donnie are gone, Paige is out temporarily, and there's a new guy since you last visited –"

            "What?! Paul didn't mention any of this to me –"

            "Paul's changed too..." He says quietly and somberly. I'm silent for a second, trying to gather my thoughts.

            "What do you mean?" I ask slowly and almost inaudibly.

            "He just went through some stuff...he had a bit of a rough time...but he's trying to get himself back on track". I stare straight ahead, a little stunned and confused at what Johnny has just told me. He glances over and sees the worried expression on my face. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said anything –"

            "No, its fine..." I reach for his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm glad you did...Its better that I know..." I try to smile, but it's a pretty weak one. I need to find out what has happened. If something has happened to Paul, then I need to know. And I can't believe that, whatever it is, Paul kept it from me. This is just something else to add to the list. But I have to pick my moment. I don't think Paul will appreciate me just pouncing on him and grilling him with questions about his problems the minute I walk through the door. I've just got to think strategically and logically, and stay one step ahead of my brother at all times.