The Entangled Engagement of Indigo

Chapter 4

"So, this welcome home isn't permanent," Harrison said, toying with a business card that caught his eye on Tate's desk with the name of a realtor italicized across it.

Tate plucked the card from Harrison's fingers and tossed it on his desk. "It's time for me to downsize. I don't need a house this big and my plan has changed."

He took Indigo's advice and entertained Hiran's idea of turning Chronicles of the Undead into a television series. The project called for him to be in Los Angeles for a prolonged amount of days, so last year he found a rental property and set up a home base. He lost a lot after moving away, but at least his bank account was fatter and the rave reviews from critics helped him garner a bigger cult following than his comics ever could.

Although he yearned to know one person's opinion. He needed it but would not ask for it; he and Indigo had complicated things enough, and the last thing he needed to be doing was asking for things. He pushed the thoughts down with the other feelings that bubbled beneath the surface.

"I see." Harrison nodded. "You no longer want to be a creator of art and life."

"I will always be an artist. That's never changing." He moved away from the desk, the soles of his dark brown Timberland's slapped against the unstained pine floor as he moved to the picturesque window. The darkness of the backyard greeted his gaze. "I just don't think kids are in my future...anymore."

"Why?" Harrison asked. Tate shot him a look over his shoulder and he let out an audible sigh. "What happened between ya'll? I'm confused. Perplexed."

Tate turned back towards him with a smirk. "Perplexed? Xavier brought you a thesaurus for your birthday to go with the dictionary?"

"Fuck ya'll." Harrison hissed. "Math is my skill, and timing is my talent. It's why my baking is magical."

"And you are a maestro at it." Tate affirmed. "Congratulations on the house, by the way. I still need to see it. Hazel told me she has a studio.."

"Yeah. She finally started back painting again. I told her she should think about displaying...wait." Harrison stopped. "You sneaky asshole. You deflected from my question."

Tate shook his head.

"Yes, the hell you did." Harrison eyed him with suspicion. "Why did you and Indigo fall out because she won't tell me?"

The situation floated to the forefront of his mind as his sight drifted past his friend. He remembered every intricate detail of that moment in the past, as if it occurred last week instead of a year ago. Details that he couldn't share with Harrison no matter how close they were; Indigo was still his sister, and the last time he checked brothers didn't enjoy hearing about their sister's sex life.

"Too much distance." He said instead. It was partially the truth.

"Vague, but okay." Harrison moved away from the desk and ambled over to the window. "But can you just fix it cause we're driving up to Vermont and I really hope you come? Please, don't have me stuck in the car with Indie and Hazel. I love both of them but bruh... please." He clenched his shoulder, "Help me."

"Xavier will be there."

Harrison shook his head, letting his hand slip from Tate's shoulder, "They're flying."

"Then why are ya'll driving?"

"Gambit."

"Why Vermont?"

Harrison's brows knitted, "You know she loves Autumn and leaves and shit and the only thing we have here is brown pine needles."

"So, Diego..." Tate uttered his name like it was a foreign word, like he hadn't streamed through Indigo's private Instagram feed, which he was shockingly surprised she hadn't blocked him from. Maybe she was trying to torture him. Well, it worked. "Has he really changed?"

The Diego that he knew in college wasn't much different from the person he met more than a year ago; intelligent, debonair, and arrogant.

"Besides the fact that he plays golf and wears nothing but Burberry, Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren..." A slight smile hitched up Harrison's mouth as he faintly nodded. "He's cool."

"Nice." Tate slid his hand down his Gap shirt and fit it in the pocket of his Banana Republic pants.

Harrison nodded. "He likes and comments on all her Instagram posts so there's also that.."

"I know."

"You know?" Harrison leaned back, taking him in with a smirk.

"Nah, it's not like that." He moved away from the window, meandering over to the built-in bookshelf that was sparse. "We still follow each other and sometimes her posts show up."

"Show up, yeah right."

"Yeah," He nodded. "Right. Seriously."

Harrison gave him a look of disbelief as he sat on the couch by the window. "Just fix yawls shit so we can be one big happy clique, again and ride up there together."

"To the wedding?" He shook his head. "I didn't get an invitation."

Harrison clenched his teeth then said, "Got damn." He reclined back. "It's that bad. Well, I have a plus one." He shrugged with confusion. "I guess it was a typo on the invitation given that Hazel is a bridesmaid, but if you want it."

"I'll think about it," He scratched his jaw, then a pang rumbled in the pit of his stomach. "Did Mr. Clark bring his ribs?"

"He's got hot links, too. And potato salad." Harrison bounced up from the chair. "Come on, let's see if they left us anything."

"Who made the potato salad... cause last time, Saxon...."

Harrison laughed, opening the door, "My mama made it. Saxon's lost that duty."

"Cauliflower," Tate said, remembering the dish vividly and the shock he got after shoveling a spoonful in his mouth. "What was she thinking?"

"She thought it was one of her school potlucks. Trying to be extra."

They both laughed on their way out of the door then Harris slapped him on the back, "I'm glad you're back, for however long."

"Same." Tate hooked his around his neck. "It's been too long."

At least, there was one Clark happy for his return. 

Do you think Tate made the right choice by not going into detail with Harrison about what happened between him and Indigo?

Do you think Indigo watched Tate's show?

Should he go on the road trip to Vermont with them?

What's your thoughts on Cauliflower in the potato salad?  Tasty or Pass.