Presley
I woke up from my nap and came downstairs. Everyone was still here.
"Do you feel better?" Payton asked me.
"I don't think a person feels better after they find out the person they mourned cheated on them," I mentioned. Everyone looked at me as I went into the kitchen.
Payton and Parker leaned on the counter that separated the kitchen and dining room, looking at me. I made some coffee while I grabbed lunch meat and bread to make a sandwich.
"Okay, you're not acting like your sullen self," Parker mentioned.
I started making my sandwich. "Let's see; I thought Eliza loved me, so I thought I would marry her. Then I find out she cheated on me. I guess the joke's on me," I mentioned, looking at my brothers and smiling. Then the smile disappeared.
Pat and Pax joined Payton and Parker at the countertop. I went back to making my sandwich.
"So who knows if Eliza lived, we would be together," I added, finishing my sandwich as the coffee finished brewing.
"I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing?" Pax mentioned to the others.
Payton and Parker gave Pax a look, and Pat smacked Pax. Payton rolled his eyes and looked at me.
"Does it matter?" Payton asked me.
"Who knows? The only thing I know now is that nothing makes sense, and I will never have answers," I answered, biting my sandwich. "Oh, and I might not have a job, thanks to Eliza."
My brothers looked at me, then at each other. Yeah, Eliza screwed me over even in death. I get not only a broken heart but lose a job that I love. I didn't know that loving someone was a crime?
I stood in the kitchen, leaning with my back against the counter as I ate. I thought about everything. Here's the problem with anger, it simmers, then when enough pressure happens, it explodes. My temper exploded as I chucked the plate against the wall. Then I grabbed whatever else I could do the same thing, unleashing my anger.
Pops and Nolan ran into the kitchen and tackled me to the floor. I struggled, but they held me down.
"Pres! Look at me!" Pops yelled as I looked at him. My steel-grey eyes met his. "It's okay," Pops reassured me.
"It's not okay. Nothing will ever be okay," I mumbled.
"Not today, but one day, it will be okay," Pops assured me. I had my doubts because now I didn't know.
Kaylee
I came into the dorm room and walked over to my bed, then fell forward face first. I sighed as I laid face down on the bed. The door opened, and someone else came into the room.
"Rough day?" Selena asked me.
"More than you know," I answered, my voice muffled. I lifted my head and turned to sit up. "Did you ever find out information about someone, and it disappointed you?"
"Well, yeah, but then you get over it and move on," Selena answered, walking to her bed and sitting down. "But it depends on the information. What happened?"
"My dad covered up issues at the station, Presley covered up Eliza's mistakes, and Martinez slept with Eliza," I blurted.
Selena's eyes widened.
"Presley found out after Parker, I think that's his name, beat up Martinez. Payton, I'm guessing, threatened to expose my dad. Then there was some other guys there-one guy, who I didn't know and two that look similar," I added.
Selena's mouth dropped open.
"So, yeah, that's about it," I mentioned.
Selena scratched her head. "That's a lot of information to understand," she replied.
I nodded as Britt and Josie came into the room. They stopped, looked at us, then looked at each other.
"Why does Selena look confused, and you look disappointed?" Josie asked me.
"Well," I said, then told them what happened.
Britt whistled. "That's a lot to happen in one day. Although it doesn't surprise me," she mentioned.
"How does this not surprise you?" Josie questioned, looking at Britt strangely.
"Well, dingleberry, I learned about Gray's family history when Pat and I had a creative writing course together. His Grammy Pat gave us some journals," Britt explained.
"Okay, wise one, then explain to us the family history," Josie replied, sitting down next to Selena.
"The Grays start with Lucille, who married Grayson Gray. They had three boys-Nathaniel, Jonas, and Cayson. Nathaniel married Patricia, and they had five boys-Nashville, Nixon, Nathaniel, Jr., Noah, and Nolan," Britt said, making us do a double-take.
"Wait. Nash's name is Nashville?" Selena asked with confusion.
"Yeah, but he hates it. Can we continue?" Britt asked.
"Go ahead," Selena replied.
"Nash married Margaret, and they had a set of quints-Lyric, Larkin, Lakin, Luna, and Lex. Lex married Piper, and they had five sons-Payton, Parker, Patton, Paxton, and Presley. Now, this is where it gets interesting. The quints take after Nash and his brothers while Lex's sons have Nash's brothers names as their middle names. If you want to understand Presley, then you need to look at his middle name to find the brother," Britt explained.
"I don't know what Presley's middle name is," I mentioned.
"Well, Payton's middle name is Nashville," Josie mentioned.
"Parker's middle name is Nixon," Selena added.
"I know Pat's middle name is Nathaniel," Britt said.
"So, what is Paxton and Presley's middle name?" Selena asked.
Britt pulled out her phone and made a call, putting the person on speaker. Someone answered.
"Hey, Shaun," Britt said.
What's up, and when are you coming to work?
"We're discussing Gray family history and in a few hours," Britt answered.
Okay, what about it?
"What is Pax's middle name?" Britt questioned.
It's Noah.
"Thanks, that's all we need to know," Britt replied, then ended the call. "Yeah, I will catch hell when I go to work, but considering his love muffin almost beat the shit out of me, it's worth it," Britt added.
"Okay, so then Presley's middle name is Nolan. But I know nothing about the Gray Brothers. How does that help me?" I questioned.
Selena got up, walked over to a bookshelf, pulled out a book, and then handed it to me.
"Here, this might help," Selena said, holding a book out to me.
I took the book and looked at it. "The Gray Brothers?" I asked, looking at the title. Selena grabbed another book and handed it to me. "The Gray Sisters?" I looked at both books.
"Parker's Aunt Luna wrote both books and others about the family. She gave the books to Lex when he lost his memory," Selena explained.
"Then how did you end up with the books?" I asked curiously.
"Piper lent them to me. I liked them, but some information in the books were difficult to read. It will give insight if you want it," Selena reasoned.
I looked at the books. What did I have to lose with reading about a family I didn't know? I had a feeling more than I wanted to know.
Presley
After I calmed down, I sat at the table with everyone. The person I wanted to be angry with isn't here. It would be easier if Eliza were here. How do you yell at a ghost?
"Okay, so you're angry. That's a start," Nixon mentioned.
We all looked at Nixon.
"You're not helping," Grandpa told Nixon.
"Brother, I help better than anyone," Nixon retorted.
Grandpa rolled his eyes.
"Jesus, you both suck at this," Nolan told Grandpa and Nixon. He looked at me. "Look, Eliza let her insecurity rule her. No matter what you or anyone else did, it would still be there. You can change the past, and if she lived, you wouldn't have lasted."
"How's that any better than what I would have said?" Nixon questioned.
"You take too long. It must be the age," Nolan remarked.
"I can still beat your ass, little brother," Nixon warned.
"And I can still beat both your asses. Now shut the hell up," Grandpa barked.
"You sound like the old man," Nixon retorted.
That earned a look from Grandpa. The front door opened, and Nathan and Noah came into the house.
"Why are you here?" Nixon questioned.
"Because we came to see our grandsons and figure you were here screwing things up as usual," Nathan answered.
"Yep," Noah agreed.
Nathan and Noah looked at Luna, who was eating a muffin. Nathan looked at Noah. "Now, I know things will get screwed up."
Noah nodded.
"What?" Luna asked, mid-bite.
"Nash, why in the hell did you send Nolan and Luna to help?" Nathan questioned.
"Why not?" Grandpa asked.
"There are so many things wrong with that question," Noah replied, earning a glare from Grandpa.
I laid my head on the table and started hitting my head against it.
"Maybe some common sense will get knocked into Lex's boy," Nixon remarked, earning a look from everyone.
Ma put a hand towel on the table before I hit my head again. Everyone looked at her. "What? I don't need Presley getting a concussion. Plus, it will soften the blow."
"Only you, Piper," Pops said, rolling his eyes.
I came to realize that whenever there is an issue, my family comes and screws it up the best way they know-how, their way. Then I thought about the dream I had and what everyone said.
"When someone loves you at their worst, you give them your best," I whispered.
"What?" Ma asked as everyone looked at me.
"I had this dream, and they said the same thing to me in it. When someone loves you at your worst, you give that person your best," I mentioned, not sure what that meant.
The answer came from the person I least expected.
"It means that no matter how terrible you act towards someone, if they love you, they love all of you. That person deserves your best attributes and potential," Pax explained, surprising everyone. "When you do stupid shit and feel unlovable, one person will see past that. Their heart will see the flaws and imperfections because the heart wants what the heart wants."
I looked at everyone who nodded in agreement.
"I will find nothing like that," I said, feeling defeated. I thought I had it with Eliza, but that proved false. In high school, I dated. No one caught my attention to warrant a relationship until I talked to Eliza. When I saw how that tool treated her, I wanted to show her that she deserved better. I could be better. Why wasn't it enough?
"Acting like a white knight and rescuing someone doesn't always work," someone said.
"What?" I asked, confused with the person's statement.
"Isn't that what you did with Eliza?" The person asked me.
I looked at everyone as Nixon pointed to his phone on the table. I got up from my seat and leaned on the table.
"Grampa Nate?" I asked.
"The last time I checked," Grampa chuckled. "I heard you had some troubles."
"Yeah," I sighed.
"Presley, we all weather storms, and it takes a powerful woman to help. The problem is, most men think that a woman needs rescuing. Isn't that right, Nashville?" Grampa asked.
"You need not remind me," Grandpa huffed.
"Oh, but I do, considering what you put Maggie through when you dated," Grampa said.
Grandpa Nash rolled his eyes.
"The right woman doesn't need a white knight. She needs a partner who helps her shine. When you do that, the woman will make you a better man," Grampa explained.
"Is that what Grammy Pat did for you?" I asked.
"No, your Grammy Pat did something better," Grampa said.
"What's that?" I questioned.
"She loved me at my worst, so I gave her my best. We had our moments, and I didn't always treat her well growing up. I hurt her because I let my temper get the best of me. But when push came to shove, your Grammy Pat knew what I needed," Grampa answered.
"I thought if I were enough for Eliza, it would help," I admitted.
"Presley, if a person is insecure, no matter what you do, it will never be enough. It's not a bad thing, but it's not the right thing for you. A person should fight for you if you fight for them. It can't be a one-way street. That's not how relationships work. Trust me, I stayed married to your Grammy for many years," Grampa reminded me.
"I think I'm better staying single," I sighed.
"Good luck with that idea," Grampa chuckled. "Grays are notorious for not staying single unless their spouses die."
"Nathaniel! You will not die on me, you hear me!" Grammy Pat yelled in the background.
"Patty, it's not like I can prevent it," Grampa yelled back. "I got to go before your Grammy tears me a new one."
Grampa Nate hung up, and I sat there. I know what everyone said was right, but it's difficult believing it. I persuaded Eliza that I loved only her, then mourned her death. Come to find out that she cheated on me. Who's saying it won't happen again?
Although I had a feeling, something would alter my perception when I least expected it, and it wasn't a something but someone.