Stepbrothers

Chapter Forty-One - Together

Chapter Forty-One - Together

Adam

I jumped onto my bed with Duck, scrolling through my phone. It was about two weeks after New Year's, my hand was pretty much healed, Tony was in the shower, and I was just waiting for him to get ready. Amy and Jennifer wanted to go to the mall and have a double date with us.

I thought back to the double date I had when I was dating Jace and Tony was fake dating Amy. My thoughts ran to Alex, who had given me Duck. I still wanted to thank him or at least see him once again. There was just something about him that calmed me down and drew me towards him. 

Duck nudged my legged and I looked up at him. He gave me puppy eyes and I rolled my eyes knowing exactly what he wanted. I sat up, crossing my legs up so I was sitting criss-cross applesauce. Duck stepped into the little space, and started going in circles. He kept stepping on my legs with all his weight.

"Can you lay down already? This is physically painful," I said, putting my hands on his back and trying to push him down. He circled one more time before plopping down in my lap. He didn't fit at all, completely hanging off my legs on both sides though he looked content and comfortable despite that fact.

My phone rang and I sighed. It it was Amy again I was going to cancel our double date. We were going to meet at noon but she felt the need to call ever thirty minutes starting at eight in the morning to make sure we were getting ready.

Looking at the caller ID it was Mary.

"Hello?" I said.

"Adam!" she beamed, the phone not putting a damper on her happy voice at all. We talked on the phone a lot and every once and awhile, usually while Tony had football practice or was out with his friends, I would go over for dinner. Even though Jace and I didn't work out, Mary still treated me like her son as did the rest of their family. Charlie and I were close and would ride horses together an Rick had taught me how to change a tire and had no problem making threats and glaring at me. Mary had assured me it was glares full of love and threats full of hugs. Jace would say hi and we would have very short, but comfortable, conversations. Cam still hated me and didn't acknowledge me in the least. 

Cam and Jace were dating as well.

"How are you! It's been awhile since we talked! I miss my boy call me more!"  she said, making me laugh. Mary always made me smile. Over time I developed a bad habit of accidentally calling her "mom" and it didn't help to stop as Mary encouraged me to call her that.

"I'm fine," I said, patting Duck's head as my leg fell asleep. "Sorry I haven't called lately. I've been busy lately which is why I didn't come to dinner either."

"You mean Tony hasn't been busy which is why you haven't come over, right?" 

"You make it sound like I'm doing something bad," I scuffed.

"Aren't you? You're lying to him, Adam. Even if it's something small like coming to dinner, you need to tell him," she said, her voice understanding.