Settle The Score

“You must be so used to this now.”

Cameron nodded, turning around. Traveling to Arizona was always different then when he toured—not only was it less hectic, but there was something comforting in visiting his mother’s sister family beyond just knowing he would have a Queen-sized bed to sleep in every night. It was a tradition, he’d taken the trip for the first time when he was ten, his older brother accompanying him. He’d done it every year since, only skipping one when he was forced to attend summer school when he failed Calculus.

Arizona felt like home now. His aunt, uncle, and cousins were as close to him as his mother, father, and brother. It had been eight months since he last saw the family but at the pace things changed with them, it felt like so much longer. Even in the few minutes he had gotten to see his youngest cousin, he could barely recognized her before she was rushed out the door for another camp or course she was taking over the break. He knew it would take a few days for it to go back to how it always was, for him to be able to take Nicholas out without a single question about it, for Becca to begin harassing him, for his uncle to remind him of his views on his career choice, and for his aunt to began treating him like one of her own children. Cameron knew that after those two or three days, things would fall right back into place and it would be like he had never left the summer before.

“So how’s Quinn?”

“Great,” His attention stayed on the luggage on the bed, his clothes laying all over the bedspread. “Getting ready to go to Chicago.”

He glanced up at the man in the doorway in time to catch the quick, proud smile that he had always associated with Quinn. “Oh, that’s right, University of Chicago, right? Your mom mentioned something about that to Maggie.”

Cameron agreed, his attention still focused on unpacking his things. When he looked up, checking to see if his uncle was still standing in the doorway, he saw that same proud smile widened as he continued. “Georgetown and then University of Chicago Law School, with an education like that he’s got endless possibilities awaiting him.”

“Mom and dad are pretty happy,” Cameron’s eyes looked at his uncle, lips turning up at the thought of his parents’ smiles and proud words of encouragement for both of their children. “Having both their children pursuing their dreams, I mean how could they not be happy about that?”

“So that means you’re still in your little band then?”

Cameron bit down hard on his tongue, preventing the immediate set of choice words words to fly from his lips. He was used to this, his uncle would make small jabs at the band whenever he could to remind his nephew of how much he disapproved of the decision. Before the proper series of words came together for Cameron to shoot back at his uncle, the two heard the cheerful humming of Cameron’s aunt coming down the hallway.

“Justin, don’t tell me you’re already harassing the poor boy? He just got here.” She pushed through the small gap between the uncle’s body and the rest of the door frame. An immediate smile filled her face, her small hazel eyes lighting up at the same moment. The short woman looked nothing his own mother, but the two were sisters. Her attention went to him, looking at him worriedly and then to the mess spread across his bed. “Do you need help, Cameron? I can finish this up for you if you wanna go hang out with Nicholas.”

Her words were interrupted by her husband’s hand on her shoulder, “Mags, I think he’s got it—“

“Hush,” She cut him off, swatting at his chest, and shooting him a glare. The sternness slipped away when she met her nephew’s eyes again, the smile reappearing. “I don’t mind and then you and I could run to the store and pick up the stuff to make your favorite lasagna for tomorrow night.”

His uncle interjected again, touching the woman’s shoulder again. “He’s fine, Maggie.”

While the two bickered together in the doorway, Cameron continued putting his clothing into the antique dresser he used every year. The room looked completely the same as it did in all the years past, except the television that sat in the corner before was now replaced with a newer, slicker set. The walls stayed the same beige that the rest of the common areas of the house were painted. The large bed pushed against the wall felt to same to him when he fell into it once he first arrived. It was one thing he really loved about his space here; it never changed. His aunt never came in a rearranged the few items of furniture and even when he was gone always referred to the guest bedroom as “Cameron’s room”.

Once he heard his uncle’s heavy footsteps moving away from the door, keys jingling in his hand, did Cameron look up at his aunt still standing in the doorway. Her kind smile had turned sympathetic, the wrinkles over her cheeks and forehead deepening. “Sorry about him,” She muttered, stepping into the small room and grabbing a few items from his suitcase and refolding them, “Y’know how he gets.”

Shrugging, he continued carrying shirts and pants to the drawers, laying them in the same spot he had throughout the years. “Don’t worry about it, Maggie.”

“Really Cameron,” Her hands busied themselves again, rubbing down the bedspread’s creases. “We’re both so proud of you.”

He’d glance up at her between his steps from the dresser to the bed. “I know you are.” His words were more confident as he caught her glance, smiling again, “It’s alright.”

The reassuring words he told her didn’t smooth away the heavy frown that tugged at her lips. It was the only similarity he could see between both his mother and her sister. That frown was the only thing Cameron would truly melt for and do anything to get rid of. The small arc reminded him of all the disappointment he remembered growing up, when his mother would come home every so often with that same thick line drawn across her lips. Words would be shared with his father, sad stories exchanged that he and his brother were never supposed to know about. The stories of the kids she saw or tried to see, when the system would fail them. He couldn’t help but go and hug her, trying to get rid of the sadness in her.

Seeing the same unhappiness in his aunt made him set the next few items back down on the bed and move towards her, engulfing her in a tight hug. The tactic always worked, even when he was shorter and couldn’t hold them nearly as tight as he did now. Both sisters would embraced it, squeezing him back and kissing the side of his head or forehead when they’d retract.

“You’re too sweet,” She whispered against him as he held her tightly. She sniffled and he knew she was pushing away the tears she’d shed every time he came back. “I’ve missed you, Cam.”

“Me too, Aunt Maggie,” He smiled as she pulled away, feeling the same kiss he always felt, before taking a step back. A new, strong smile replaced the fragile frown before, which only made Cameron’s reassuring grin grow too. “Now how about this year Mags, you teach me how to make your famous lasagna so I can make it for you this year.”

He had always been so charming and sweet. Even when he was young he knew all the right things to say to do and say. Even in the presence of adults, the young boy knew how to handle himself and charm his way through the group. In Arizona though, he flourished. His aunt and uncle would take him and his cousins on vacations and community dinners and Cameron was the child that their friends and co-workers remembered the most. As he grew up, visiting every summer, he’d accumulate more and more friends. Each year the two he’d made the year before would be waiting for him to return and then he’s make a few new ones. It wasn’t long before the boy knew the entire neighborhood.

“I don’t think so,” The woman chuckled out, handing him the pile of clothes he hadn’t finished putting into the drawer. “If I show you, you’ll have no reason to come back.”

As she turned for another pile to hand to him, the timer on the oven went off, causing both of them to gaze out the door. She moved quickly, handing him the stack and heading towards the door, reminding him of where he could find clean towels and extra blankets. Cameron just nodded, reassuring her once that he was well aware of where everything was located.

“Hey Cam,” His aunt regained his attention, his blue eyes shooting up at her in the doorway. “You look exhausted. Why don’t you lie down and take a quick nap after you finish.” Cameron smiled again, about to interjected, “I even put your favorite sheets on the bed.”

Any words that he was preparing to say were lost and a little blush rose to his cheeks. The edges of the Winnie-the-Pooh sheets poked out from under the thick blankets. Even the pillowcase were covered in the cartoon, the golden bear and striped tiger’s small figures stood out against the cream background. His blush only grew when he glanced at them, remembering the years they’d been through here. The set had arrived here years ago, during Cameron’s first summer here. Even with his brother present and constant phone calls from his mom and dad, Cameron grew sickeningly homesick. That was the year he needed to be there as neither parent was home most of the time. His mother was working a case in the city that required her to travel to New York City frequently and his father decided to spend the summer in Egypt, working with his fellow professors and writing his second dissertation. So one night a week later, his aunt remade his bed, surprising him with the familiar sheets from home, the ones he’d had since he was young. It comforted him enough to make him stay for the rest of the summer and come back the following year.

He ran his hand across the smooth fabric, remembering all the events that had happened while they lined his bed. Smiling, he looked back up towards the doorway, except his aunt had left, the door pulled halfway shut. This was just like home now. He loved coming here every year. He’d work it out so that tours didn’t end up in the months so he could come. Even on the rare occasion he’d consider not doing it, the humidity of Virginia’s summers reminded him of one reason why he loved it.

After unpacking, Cameron had intended to crawling into the bed a taking a quick nap. He was exhausted after the weeks of songwriting and touring with the band. Just the night before he was up until dawn, finishing up a song with the guys to give the label for the next set of songs they wanted to record. And afterwards, Cameron packed all his belongs and rushed to the airport, almost missing the flight due to traffic. Except the moment he was ready to slip out of his tight pants, his cousin pushed open the door, giving him the forced cousinly hug her mother told her to give him, and running out again.

Before another distraction could come through to door, preventing him taking his nap or finishing unpacking, he closed the door, twisting the lock. Being here was the perfect escape. He didn’t have to deal with the pressure of song-writing and touring. Worrying over whether or not his mother got home safely every night wasn’t in his thoughts as often. Coming to Arizona could pull him away from the East, the band, and his family enough to relax him. Cameron could sleep the entire visit away or he could go out every night and Maggie and Justin didn’t question him about. Questions about the band and home certainly came up but not the way they did there.

Silently, he pulled the heavy covers down to the foot of the bed, dragging his fingers along the fabric again the process. The familiarity of it brought comfort. He shrugged off his sweatshirt and pushing down the thick denim of his jeans. The sheets were soft against his skin, the smell of laundry detergent and dryer sheets rushed over him, pulling him into the gentle sleep that he could fall into here. Cameron was so comfortable. It was the rush of cold air that would fill the small room when the air conditioning’s fans turned on. Also, that smell that spread throughout the whole house when his aunt was cooking. The sound of his uncle’s whistle. The taste of chlorine in the pool. The scratchy grass in the backyard he would lay on. The old car in the garage that his uncle spent years fixing up. Becca and her friends playing out on the street at dusk. All the smells, tastes, feelings, and sights made it right. They made it feel like home.