Thats Life

Chapter Sixteen

"I'm sorry I was never a great brother. I know I didn't bond well like everyone else did, I guess I wasn't sure how. I've always been so different I wasn't sure what things to talk about that you would understand. Suzie on the other hand, bug, you kept me going through all of life. You have always been so relatable, and I am so selfishly glad Mom and Dad had just one more kid to neglect so I could have my best friend."

Finally, the fucking weekend, not that it really mattered for me. Last night was really nice with Katie, it felt good to feel cared about. After the shower she tried her hardest to get me to agree with her cutting my hair, I probably should have just let her but I had been over touched at that moment and didn't feel like sitting through a haircut.

I haven't done laundry in so long that I still didn't have any clean shirts, so I made my way to the kitchen in just my shorts, they all know about the weight loss now anyway.

"Hey! Good morning, are you feeling any better today?" Tyson asked, genuine concern spread on his face. He glanced at my chest for a moment, He knew about the weight loss, but he hadn't seen me with my shirt off yet. I know how bad it looks.

I nodded, knowing it was a lie, but probably one he needed to hear. "Yeah, just need some toast or something."

"Do you need me to make you something?" he asked while he finished doing the few dishes that were in the sink.

"No but thank you. I'm not really feeling up to eating a whole lot."

I knew he had more he wanted to say, and he wasn't fully impressed with my answer, but he let it go anyway. "Hey Jace, Um, I just wanted to talk to you about what happened... with dad."

I froze, my arm still holding the fridge open and my back towards him, I figured he had more to say but I didn't think it would be about that specific subject. Squeezing my eyes shut I asked, "What about it?"

He gestures towards the table, "Can we sit?"

I let out a deep breath, this conversation could go very well, or very bad. "Yeah, sure." I closed the fridge and walked over to him and the table, deciding to sit at the chair across from him.

"I wanted to let you know, I am so sorry about all of that. I know how that must have felt, and I would never have put you through that ever. We all knew Dad was a dick, but I never expected that from him honestly, I should have never doubted it. Anyway, I wanted to let you know I love you dude. I know its super overused advice and doesn't mean anything, but don't listen to anything he says." He wrapped both his hands around his coffee mug. "He just wants a reaction; I doubt he even believes half the shit that comes out of his own mouth."

"It's fine." I smiled. I wish I had more to say, I wish I had the energy in me to have a real-life intellectual conversation.

"Also, you have been back to never leaving your room. I'm worried about you, I'm worried you think we all hate you."

Ah, so they have noticed I've been running off to my room again. "I don't think you guys hate me. It's been... weird since the dad thing." I chew on my cheek, trying to figure out what I'm wanting to say. "It's just... we never really talked about any of the stuff that was thrown around that night. I'm assuming dad was right when he mentioned that everyone already knew but, I still can't help but wonder if you guys did. Did you know? About the gay thing?"

He raised one side of his mouth; I'm guessing he didn't think he was going to hear so much come from me during this conversation. It made him happy to know I was participating.

"I practically raised you, of course I knew. There was never really anything big that said 'oh yeah he's gay as fuck' but I could just tell. I didn't really think it was a big deal, that you would either tell us at some point or end up bringing home a dude and introducing his as your boyfriend. Although, I will say, say most gay men have way better hair than you do. I mean, come on. What is going on with that, why do you always look so homeless?" We both laughed.