Rum and Coke

Brian and Michelle had gotten everything straightened out for the most part. They- the Haner family came to a mutual agreement to welcome Ellie into the family, and, in time, welcome Danni as well. They decided that they would invite Ellie to dinner the following night to discuss their plans for the future. All they had to do now was invite Ellie.

Brian walked up the front steps and knocked on the door. His spitting image answered with a roll of her eyes. “What do you want?” She growled.

“To speak with you, actually,” He replied.

Ryan came up and stood behind his twin. His arms were crossed and his jaw was set firmly.

Brian wasn’t sure what had caused such hostility in a 24 hour time span.

“In private,” Brian tacked on weakly.

She rolled her eyes again and stepped outside, making sure to close the door firmly shut behind her. “Well?” she asked, tapping her foot against the welcome mat.

“How about we walk while we talk,” Brian offered, rubbing the back of his neck.

She rolled her eyes at him and began to walk to the beach.

“Look, I’m sorry for what I said yesterday. I was out of line and should never had said those things.”

Ellie shrugged as she lit up, yet another, cigarette.“It’s fine. You’re entitled to your own opinion.”

Brian stared at her.

“What?” she asked after taking a drag.

“You shouldn’t smoke.”

She cracked a smile. “Hypocrite.”

“Yea, I guess I am.”

They walked for a good while in silence. “The thing you got to know about Bailey is that she is first, and foremost, an Army Brat.” Ellie spoke in a monotone. She did not even look at Brian. “With being an Army Brat- especially one with her father’s high ranking- comes certain traumatizing events. And, seeing as how the entire military community is one gigantic, fucked up family, it only goes to say that she has lost so many family members in short bursts of time- including her only biological sibling, Sean, to whom that song was written for. She gets uprooted every few years and shipped out to a different part of the country- sometimes the world. I remember her telling me about this poem. It was really bittersweet, telling of all the things in “proper upbringing” that the Brat misses- like never growing up with the same person, knowing how to say “hello” and “goodbye” all in the same day, not having a true hometown- but, it also tells of all the positives- you get to see the world, the many friends you make, stuff like that.”

“I-I never knew.”

Ellie shrugged. “Of course you didn’t, because you didn’t give her the chance to tell you. You were too consumed with trying to bring me and mom down that you didn’t stop to see the beauty around. That, we’re not just a group of rowdy teenagers. We have a message- a really important message that people need to hear. We want to save the music, save the passion, save the arts.”

Brian stopped and stared at her.

“What?” she asked, stopping to look back at him.

“You sounded just like your mother then.”

Ellie blushed, her dark hair swirled around her in the wind. The sight took Brian back to a time when he was young and hopelessly in love with Danni.

“And now I’m thinking about how much you look like her.”

She scoffed. “That’s a new one. Mainly people tell me how much I don’t look like her or they tell me that I’ve inherited her bitchiness and fuck-you-attitude.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t oh me, you know it’s true.” She said with a small smile.

Brian laughed. “Yea, it is. You’ve also got her mean right hook,” he said, coming up beside her so that they could resume their walk.

“So you’ve told me,” she said as she nodded her head. She then turned her body so that she was walking sideways. “Well, as much as I am enjoying this, what’s the real reason you wanted to talk to me?”

“I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize.” She confirmed.

“Yea, I don’t like how we’ve only had one decent conversation, ya know?”

She nodded. “Yea, that is a little fucked up.”

“So….I’m sorry.”

She looked out to the ocean and kept on walking.

“Well?” Brian questioned, wanting to hear her acceptance.

“I’m thinking.”

“About?”

“All the shit that has happened in the past two months.”

“Like what?”

Her gaze pierced through his. “You have yet to earn that right.”

He held his hands up. “I’m sorry. Look, you don’t have to forgive me if you don’t want to. What I really came to ask you was if you would like to join my family and I for dinner tomorrow night.”

Ellie mounted the steps to her house since they had made a round on the beach. “Why, exactly, should I?”

“Because, when I finally came to grips with you being my daughter, I felt robbed. I mean, here is this beautiful girl who I helped create standing in front of me, and yet, she wants nothing to do with me.” Brian stepped closer to her. “I just- I want to know everything about you. I want to know how your childhood was. I want to know about every scar and bruise that you have ever had. I want to know your favorite color. I want to know your hopes and dreams. I want to know what makes you tick and what pisses you off. I want to know everything that I’ve missed. I want to know you.” He had eventually come within an arm’s length of her.

“I- I don’t know what to say.” She stuttered. Ellie Patterson was hardly ever at a loss for words.

“Then say yes to dinner with Michelle, Brian and I tomorrow night at my place.”

“I-”

“Please, Ellie. I want to be there for you. I want to help you out. I want you do be a part of my family.”

“I-I’m sorry…but I can’t” she said, feeling the door knob behind her.

Brian quickly caught her arm. “Ellie, don’t you want to know about me? What happened between your mom and I?” he asked, remembering the many excursions that she went on.

She bit her lip and nodded her head. “Fine. I’ll be there. What time?”

“Seven.”

“And the dress?”

“Whatever you want to wear,” Brian replied, smiling.

She nodded her head again. “Okay.” She replied before opening the door. “Oh, and my favorite color is maroon,” she smiled before disappearing behind the door.

Brian smiled and chuckled to himself. Yupp, she definitely belongs to Danni and me, he thought as he walked down the steps and to his car. Things were finally looking up for Brian Elwin Haner, Jr.