Fanboy (boyxboy)

Dear Agony

"Who was talkin shit? I's right, ain't I?"

"You ain't never bin right," Gideon came in from the garage. "Eli, the missus wants Dad to come fer dinner on Friday. Kin you tell Dad you're busy so he won' make you come?"

"What am I doing on Friday?" Eli narrowed his eyes.

"Aint there a game or somethin?"

"I wouldn't know," Eli shrugged. "And I sure wouldn't be at it. Why can't I come to dinner?"

"Look, just make somethin up. Say it's a church thing," Gideon suggested.

"I could," Eli normally never pushed his oldest brother but that day he was already annoyed. "But why should I?"

"You know why, Eli."

"No, please, explain it to me," Eli crossed his arms. "Are you making Levi and Isaiah lie too?"

"Aw, shit, Gid," Isaiah sighed. "I tol' you."

"Why you gotta be so damn difficult, Eli?" Gideon narrowed his eyes. "You know we cain't have you in our home. We don't condone your lifestyle choices."

"So you're gonna let the whole family but me come over?" Eli could feel his pulse quicken. This never would have happened if his mom were still alive. She and his sister would have thrown the party and made sure to keep Gideon's wife busy so she wouldn't hardly see Eli let alone have a chance to judge him.

"It's to celebrate if Kindra agrees ta marry me," Isaiah shook his head. "Jus' let him come, Gideon, ain't no one there gonna care."

"I care," Gideon shot back. "An' I promised Susan he'd never be welcome in our house."

"You're a real jackass, Gideon," Eli's hands were shaking. As furious as he was, he had an idea. "Git outta my way."

"Please, Eli," Gideon called after him but thankfully didn't follow him into the garage.

"Hey, Dad," Eli could see his Dad bent over the inside of someone's car.

"What is it, Eli?"

"I was thinkin, we should have everyone over on Friday. To celebrate Isaiah and Kindra, you know?"

"Hm," his Dad stepped away from the car. "I s'pose we should. Seems right. Hey, Izz!"

"What?" Isaiah's eyes widened when he saw Eli standing with their dad.

"Hey, why'nt you bring Kindra and her family over at the house on Friday? Eli says he's cookin."

"You lil shit," Isaiah grinned at Eli. "Sure, Dad. I gotta make sure she says yes first though."

"She's only bin waitin' since whenever you was 18," their Dad snorted. "She ain't say yes now, she's wasted almost tin years on ya."

"She'll say yes," Levi shouted, from across the garage.

His brothers kept joking and Eli waited for his pulse to slow. Just when he thought he might be calm again, his dad spoke up.

"Hey, Gideon, Eli had a great idea," he called. Eli turned to see Gideon standing in the door to the garage.

"I bet," Gideon narrowed his eyes.

Eli had to get back to the register but he didn't miss the glare from Gideon as he passed. He ignored his urge to shove his older brother and calmly went back to work as if none of it mattered.

But of course it did matter and on Friday when everyone showed up for the engagement party, Eli found himself trying to hide in the kitchen as much as possible. He had an endless supply of excuses ready if anyone asked why he wasn't sitting with the family but no one ever did.