When The Nights Get Long

Making The Bed

"Are you seriously about to smoke in here?" Andrew asked as he continued to push against the door. "I live here. I don't need to be fined for indoor smoking."

Jared rolled his eyes and lit a blunt. "Oh, like you can't pay for it. You make a fortune off your books, and you will always make money off them. You're too good to stop reading."

Cocking an eyebrow at him, Andrew asked, "You've read my books?"

"I started one. I can see why people like them." He stared into his brother's eyes. "You're an incredibly talented author. There's no doubt you'll be writing hit after hit for years to come."

Something was off about Jared complimenting him. He always criticized Andrew's books, but he suddenly seemed to be supportive. It didn't make sense to Andrew. Why would his brother suddenly begin to care and actually take the time to read his books? Why wouldn't he insult him like usual?

Something about Blue mentioning Jared changing popped up in his head. Did he actually change? Did Jared want to make amends? Andrew couldn't picture it. After a lifetime of hatred, it made no sense as to why his brother would suddenly want to bury the hatchet. But if Blue wanted him to, then he would try to conjure up some form of peace.

"I'm coming!" Blue shouted at the door as they ran down the steps. The frequent buzzing of the bell was growing more and more intolerable by the second. Answering the door, their mood plummeted down to a new wave of depression they were unaware they could experience. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to speak with you," Mr. Parker replied.

"You know, I'm getting real sick of you and your son always popping up in my life, leading me from one nightmare to the next. Why can't you both stay out of my life? Mainly you," they spat.

"I wanted to talk...make peace," he replied. "May I please come in?"

"Since you asked so politely," Blue spoke sarcastically as they led him into the dining room. "Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"Do you have green tea?"

"No, I have herbal, black, or oolong."

"I'll take oolong."

As they began to boil the water, they continued to glance back at Mr. Parker. Making peace didn't seem like something he would normally initiate. Whatever caused him to fall must have been severe.

"What sort of peace were you hoping to make?"

"You're the reason Jared left the company."

"He's a grown man. He can do whatever the hell he wants to do. If he wanted to keep working for you, he would have, but he knew he had a choice. I just pushed him to consider it. He made the final choice," they responded. "You can blame me all you want, but I don't regret anything."

"That's not what I was going to say."

"Then amuse me."

"Do you want it?" Jared asked as he handed the joint to Andrew.

"No, I don't smoke. How are you so good at that?"

"My assistant is one of the biggest pot heads I know, but he still does his job, and he does it damn well. I wound up picking up on it from him. And after smoking with Blue in my bathroom, I thought it would be smart to learn to perfect it, because I thought I fell in love with them," he admitted.