Mess of Fading Lines

"So, someone is going to have to explain what happened earlier to me," I said holding the styrofoam box of half finished pancakes and fruit pieces in my lap as I slid into the back seat of the car. I sighed over-dramatically realizing I would have to slide even further to accommodate John's lazy ass.

"What the whole 'why are you dating my sister', 'it's my life' ah boo hoo, thing?" John said acting each part out accordingly. He deepened his voice over-dramatically to voice Jared and made his voice eerily high to voice Katie. The coup de grâce however, was when he flailed his arms to simulate crying. I felt terrible laughing, but it was hilarious and oddly true and to the point. I nodded trying to flatten my lips and conceal my smile. Lucy shot me a disappointed look, but it was past the point of no return and I finally released my giggle fit. "So Katie had skin cancer, it was pretty nasty so she got taken out of school and did the whole treatment thing," John started to explain and I stopped laughing realizing the severity of the situation. "Jared basically got really protective of her, did the whole big brother thing. Kennedy shouldn't be dating a hoe related to a bro though, not after everything Jared's done for him. But Katie's doing better and apparently wants Kennedy," John stated matter-of-factly.

"Wow," was all that I could say. It was weird thinking that a seventeen year old could've gone through all of that. I wasn't too surprised by John's lack of sensitivity because, I was done with being surprised by John.

"I think it's her choice whoever she dates, Jared should support her," Lucy added commentary, breaking away from the conversation she and Garrett were having. I smiled nodding in agreement.

"I don't know, I mean think about it. If your baby sister, someone you protected to make sure that nothing happened to started dating your friend that you've seen cheat on his girlfriend on tour, would you want him to date your sister? That and it's kind of against the bro code," Garrett came to John's defense. I was shocked that he would reveal such a person detail about Kennedy in passing, but I didn't say anything.

"The 'bro code'?" I scoffed, raising my eyebrow and looking between a very serious John and Garrett.

"The 'bro code'," They nodded, affirming in unison. I couldn't help but laugh at them. I thought it was interesting that guys would even adhere to archaic rules, dubbing who was acceptable to date.

"Lucy, do you remember Tony? The guy who thought it was okay to cheat on me because he was in a different area code?" I asked, trying to make swift point of why the "bro code" was an idiotic thing. Lucy nodded, her eyebrows furrowing wondering where I was going with this. "Well, after I found pictures of him with his face between two double d's he cited the that it was okay, because the 'bro code' said so," I said bringing up my index and middle finger in both hands making quotation marks.

"Ah, rule number seven. A fine rule indeed," John said. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but my jaw dropped and I punched him in the arm, hard. "Ow, what the fuck. Holden, I was kidding that's not anywhere in the bro code!" John rubbed his arm, victimizing himself. I rolled my eyes and scoffed, Garrett pulled up to our house parking on the side of the road. I noticed the kitchen light was on and I could've sworn I turned it off, but maybe I forgot.

I sighed getting out of the car and rubbed my forehead sleepily, even though I had gotten lots of sleep it was drunken passed out sleep, which never seemed to recharge me in anyway. We all walked single file up the walkway to the house, avoiding the big brown stain where I had excitedly dropped my coke. Lucy stood in front of Garrett, his arms wrapped around her as he whispered something in her ear.

"Yeah," She giggled, and after the giggle, I decided I didn't want to know what they were talking about in any way, shape or form. I turned and saw John following me and frowned. Why was he coming in if all we did was argue. Lucy yelped before I could say anything and I shot around seeing a petite blond woman wearing a button down white shirt, brown slacks and a light pink cardigan on, topped off with a classic string of pearls around her neck.

"Mom you scared me! How did you get in the house?" Lucy asked with a hand over her heart, nervously scanning the door for breaks or signs of forced entry. I swallowed the gum I had been chewing and pushed my styrofoam box into John's arms.

"Please go along with this," I said turning to him, letting my desperation show through despite the blow to my ego. He seemed completely confused, but I ignored him to fix my hair quickly and I dug through my purse and found a capsule of advil in one of the side pockets. I dry swallowed it, yes it was disgusting, but I didn't care I was going to need all the pain relief I could get.

Lillian Brighton was one of the most feared women in the Northeast. She could make a baby cry with just one eyebrow raise, it was all in those stone-cold grey eyes that could pierce your soul. She was a former Republican political advisor, who retired to be a house wife. Her entire job was finding flaws and exploiting it. She almost had an aura of a elder nun, the one who beat your knuckles with a ruler for something as miniscule as not tucking in your shirt. Except she did it with her icy glares and subtle insults.

John looked completely lost as I grabbed his hand and we walked into the house. Lillian and Lucy exchanged European kisses, but they were distant in doing so. She spotted me and a spread a fake smile across her Botox-injected face. Frankly, I was surprised she could show emotion she had so much work done.

"Holden Kearny, I'm surprised to see you looking so thin. I suppose you were destined to grow out of that baby fat," She smiled, what a bitch. I was fat, it's not a crime! Despite her condescending comment of growing out of baby fat, it's not baby fat when you're sixteen. I started working out and running and stopped eating my emotions and now I was a foxy lady. I felt my skin crawl with insecurities brought up my the memories of a size fourteen prom dress. I heard John snickering from behind and I turned around giving him the best death glare ever. Lillian's eyes flew to Garrett and then his hand intertwined with Lucy's.

"So, this is the lucky man," She spat, clearly dissatisfied with the tattooed and pierced boy at her daughter's side. "I see why you didn't introduce him sooner, you know in our family the man usually asks the father for the daughter's hand," She stated for the sole purpose of making Garrett feel like shit. She was really good at that, like I would advise her to take it professional.

"Mom, how did you get in our house?" Lucy asked the obvious question that I was wondering before I started making mean comments about Lillian in my head. I knew her father had a key, because he co-signed the home, but he lived in Scottsdale and hadn't talked to Lillian since the divorce (Gee, wonder why?).

"Under the flower pot? Sweetie, I taught you that," She responding revealing our spare key ring on her index finger. I cursed at myself for letting Lucy decide the hiding place. "So I brought a book and I have Mario Marcella's number on speed dial. He's a fabulous wedding planner to the stars, have you set the date?" Lillian changed the subject, digging though her Louis Vuitton to pull out a huge wedding planner book.

"Oh well, no. We just got engaged so we were going to talk about it," Lucy mumbled, when it came to her mother she was five-years-old all over again. Garrett seemed in sheer awe of what was happening and John seemed too scared to show entertainment if he found it.

"That won't do, it's Arizona and it's distastefully hot in the summer. A fall wedding would be best," She nodded writing it in the book. Lillian kept scribbling things down before she looked up at all of us staring at her with varied emotions. "Oh hello," She smiled seeing John standing at my side then stared at me, "I'm Lillian Brighton, Lucille's mother. Are you Holden's boyfriend?"

"Yes, yeah! This is John O'Callaghan," I interrupted before he could say anything. If I was going to be the butt of fat jokes as long as Lillian was here I would not be the butt of fat and single jokes. I would not stand for it. John and I exchanged looks before he seemed to piece it together John put a confident smile on his face before nodding and shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet you ma'am," He said before wrapping an arm around me, his hand falling from my waist lower and lower. I smiled despite the fact I was prepared to punch him in the junk right now.

"Nice to meet you too, I always had an inkling Holden was a lesbian, but I'm glad to see she's found an attractive young man," Lillian said with a flirtatious manner. I gagged and snapped at the same time. I cocked my head to the side, still faking a smile before I moved John's hand from my hip and faked laughter.

"Well this has been fun, but... uh... John, sweetie, remember we have that thing... at your house?" I raised my eyebrows, praying to multiple Gods and Oprah that he would catch my drift. Once he did it was like a lightbulb turned on in his eyes and he cleared his throat.

"Oh yeah, we best be going," John said winking at me obviously. I rolled my eyes wondering why in God's name I couldn't have been stuck with anyone else. I smiled at Lillian superficially, giving her the European kiss and John shook her hand again before I practically ran out of the house. Lucy glared at me with envy. I felt bad for her, but its not my fault her mother is a fucking bitch. It was every man for himself here. When we finally walked out the door, John smirked cockily as we made our way to his car. I was already regretting this decision.