"Babe!" I called up to Pete.
"Yeah?" he called back.
"Are you almost ready?" I asked.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, running down the stairs. "I'm sorry, babe."
"It's okay," I chuckled. "I just don't wanna be late."
Pete said he understood, then he grabbed our sweatshirts and the keys, while I took hold of Jackson's hand. Ethan followed us out to the vehicle, then Pete took care of Ethan, while I took care of Jackson. Pete eventually asked if I had gotten the mail, and I said I hadn't, so while I started the vehicle, he ran and grabbed the mail. He hopped back into the passenger seat, buckled, then went through the mail. Boring, useless, magazine, fancy looking letter. Pete gave me a weird look, I shrugged my shoulders. He opened the letter, then started reading.
"Dear Pete and Patrick,
I'd love to apologize to you both for all that happened after the concert all those years ago. What I did was uncalled for, childish, and stupid. I know realize how much pain I have caused you, your family, and your friends. What I put you all through was not okay, and I realize that now. So, with this being said, I'd love for you and your family to meet me at my house this weekend for dinner. I'd love to apologize to all of you in person, not through a letter.
2746 Chicago Ave
I hope you consider this! See you soon!
~R," Pete read.
"R-R?" I stuttered, and suddenly, all those old memories that I tried so hard to forget flooded my head.
"I-I thought he was dead," Pete whispered, giving me the same look I was giving him.
"Dallon killed him," I swallowed. "You don't think it didn't work, d-do you?"
Pete just kept staring at me. We sat in silence for at least five minutes before I shook my head and started driving. As I drove, it was still silent. Neither of us could speak. We thought that '~R' was dead for sure, especially after the number Dallon did on him. I had no clue what to think, nor what to feel. Maybe we weren't the only ones who got this letter?
Just five minutes later, the four of us arrived at Emily and Jack's place. We hopped out of the vehicle, Pete shoving the letter into his pocket. We glanced at one another again, still unnerved about the whole situation, then we got the kids out of the back of the vehicle. We walked up the the door, then knocked. Emily opened the door seconds later, the twins at her feet, practically tackling Pete and I to the ground.
"Hey baby girl!" I said, smiling and picking Hana up in my arms.
"There's my little man!" Pete said, doing the same to Patrick.
"And there's my little men!" Emily laughed, scooping Ethan and Jackson into her arms.
Pete and I laughed, then we all walked into the house, being met with Jack who was hard at work in the kitchen. I chuckled, then Em, the kids, and Pete and I went and sat in the living room and just started talking. And look, I know my daughter, and I could tell something was wrong. I didn't want to mention it now though, but I would definitely have to bring it up later in private.
Just shortly after we had arrived, Jack had finished dinner, so we got the kids situated at the table, then sat down ourselves. We talked over dinner, and of course we laughed as well. The kids finished before the four of us did, so Ethan volunteered to keep them occupied and took them into the playroom. Emily breathed a sigh of relief, which made us all laugh.
Pete and I helped Jack and Em clean everything up afterwards, then we all sat back in the living room, randomly talking about whatever.
"Hey, since there are no kids in the room right now, can I show you guys something?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, what's up?" I asked.
"Hold on," Emily got up and ran up the stairs, disappearing from our view. She soon rushed back down the stairs with something in her hand, then sat back on the couch. "Okay, just look at this," she handed Pete and I what was in her hand.
"Dear Emily,
Look, I cannot express to you how deeply sorry I am for what happened all those years ago after the concert. I was stupid, idiotic, and childish. I only wanted what I couldn't have, but now, I realize I was wrong. So, in the hopes of regaining your trust, I would love for you and your family to join me at my house this weekend for dinner. I'd really love to patch things up and apologize in person for what I did. I'm not asking for your forgiveness through this letter here, I'm just asking for you to give me a chance. I may not deserve it, but I hope you'll see it in your heart to show up this weekend.
2746 Chicago Ave
Please think about it. Hope to see you all shortly!
~R," I read, then my mouth hung wide open.
"Y-You too?" Pete asked.
"What?" Jack asked.
"Here, look at this," Pete said, reaching into his pocket and grabbing the letter we so unnervingly got earlier.
Emily took it in her hands, opened it, then started reading it. After she had read it, she had a nervous look on her face, as did I still. Jack looked confused, so Emily had to explain to him who "~R" was. About halfway through her explaination, Jack remembered what had happened all those years ago after Em had told him for the first time.
The four of us just sat there in silence for a while. We were all too afraid to speak. We didn't know what to say, what we should say.
"I-I thought he was dead," Emily broke the silence.
"That's what we thought too," I swallowed once more.
"Do you think it's really him? I mean, maybe it's someone else posing as him?" Emily suggested.
"As much as I'd love to believe that, hun, I think it's really him," Pete said.
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
"I-I don't know," I said, scratching my head.
"We can't just say yes and go to his place," she said. "I hate that man."
"I do too, but-"
"But nothing, dad," Emily said. "That man ruined our lives."
"Em, just I-I," Pete paused, sighing. "I don't know."
"Me either," I said, then my phone rang from my pocket seconds after that. I reached into my pocket as I got up and walked down the hall. "Hello?"
"Patrick," Brendon's voice echoed on the other end of the line.
"Hey man, what's up?" I said.
"P-Patrick, look, Dallon and I got something in the mail this morning," Brendon started saying, making me swallow again as I stopped walking down the hallway.
"Y-You guys too?" I cut him off.
"Wait, what?" he asked.
"Bden, Jack and Emily got a letter yesterday and Pete and I just got one this morning," I said. "He's got to be back."
"But I killed him!" Dallon's voice came through my phone.
"I don't have any other explanation as to who it could be!" I said. "It's got to be him!"
"W-What are we supposed to do?" Brendon's voice came back.
"Look, Pete, Em, and Jack and I will be at your place at eight, okay? We'll bring the kids back to our place and Jaimee and Nick can look after them. We need to talk this out and get our heads on straight. Just hold out 'til then, okay?" I said.
"Alright, see you guys then," Brendon said, then he hung up.
I sighed, putting my phone back in my pocket. I literally could not wrap my head around all of this. I thought that man was dead for sure. Dallon got him good. There's no way he could still be alive. I sighed once, leaning against the wall, then I composed myself and walked back into the living room.
"Who was that?" Pete asked.
"Brendon," I said.
"What'd he want?" he asked.
"He and Dallon got the same letter," I swallowed.
wow so shitty so sorry please don't hate me okay