Art Is Dead

I stayed in the kitchen with Patricia for most of the late afternoon. I half-expected Bo to make a misplaced joke about the two of us being in our rightful place, but he didn't seem to be in a teasing mood. His encounter with Elise had left him visibly shaken, though he still managed to smile whenever he caught me looking at him.

It seemed to be important to him that I get to know Pete, so after dinner the two of us watched television and discussed our lives. Bo had been right, I really liked Pete. He and I shared a taste in music, which was something that I always enjoyed. He scanned the artists in the music saved on my phone.

"No," he shook his head suddenly. "I refuse to believe that Bo has fallen for someone who listens to nothing but metal and classic rock. You just don't seem like the kind of girl who has Black Label Society pumping through her car stereo. I would have pegged you for more of a Spice Girls fan."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that I have their greatest hits on there. I was a nineties kid, after all."

"You're excused from all ridicule over that, because the rest of your music is amazing."

I smiled. "Thanks. The credit goes to my brothers for snapping my Backstreet Boys CD in half and making me listen to Marilyn Manson. I'm not even mad at them for it. I'm pretty sure they saved me from myself at that point."

Pete laughed appreciatively. "You're alright, Nathalie. You have my complete approval. Not that it's really that hard to get, but the gesture is there."

"Thank you," I told him. I was happy that his family approved of me. Of course, I hadn't really known anyone to admit that their families hated me, and I really had no idea what was said about me behind my back. Quite frankly, I was better off with the delusions that they fed me.

That night Pete, Bo and I sat up watching some Christmas movie on TV long after the boys' parents went to bed. It was one of my favourites, and apparently it was one of theirs as well. After a particularly funny moment, I sighed.

"Why can't all Christmas movies be like this? Then maybe I wouldn't hate them so much."

Bo gaped at me incredulously. "You hate Christmas movies? What the hell? Next thing you're going to tell me is that you-"

"Hate Christmas carols?" I guessed. "Because I do. I really, really hate them. So very much."

"Nathalie, are you the Grinch?" Pete asked carefully, though there was a grin on his face.

"Yes," I replied in a hushed tone. "But don't tell anyone. I escaped from Whoville, and you can't make me go back."

"How can you hate those things? How?" Bo demanded, still staring at me as though I had just told him that I was secretly a man.

"I'm not really a Christmas person," I shrugged. "I'm sorry, but I much prefer Halloween. The only thing that I love about Christmas is seeing my family all at once."

"What about presents?" Bo's voice had reached a pitch that was nearing hysteria. "And eating until you burst? And presents?"

"I like giving them more than getting them. And since I'm currently a poor student, I can't even enjoy that properly right now. And as for eating until my guts explode, you have a point. It's pretty much the only time of the year that I can binge like that without feeling guilty. Oh, and I do enjoy the time off school. But the commercialization of everything, and the fact that everything has to be so politically correct now, it just bothers me."

Pete looked at his little brother with a patronizing smile. "She's more opinionated than you, man. I think you've got your hands full."

"Okay, I see your point," Bo conceded, holding up his hands as if he were surrendering. "So you're not big on Christmas. I can live with that. I have enough Christmas spirit for both of us."

"So Christmas films are out," Pete said. "What's your favourite movie?"

"Oh! I know this!" Bo said in excitement. "Wayne's World!"

I looked at him in surprise. "I never told you that. How did you know?"

"You have a poster up in your bedroom. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure you out."

"It makes sense," Pete smirked at me. "A Canadian stars in it, and it has a cameo by Alice Cooper. I don't even know you that well, and I'm pretty sure that I would have guessed that."

"Are you saying that I'm predictable?" I asked. "I'll have you know that I have considerable depth. My second favourite movie is Murder By Numbers."

Pete rolled his eyes. "Isn't Ryan Gosling a Canadian, too?"

"If I'm not allowed to like movies with Canadian actors in them, I will never be allowed to watch a decent movie again. Do you have any idea how many movies are filmed in Canada? Practically all of the extras are Canadian. Where the actors are born has nothing to do with the strength or weakness of the movie."

"Okay, okay, you're right. I think I hit a nerve."

"Well so far you seem decent enough," I told him. "You don't seem to believe all of those stereotypes about Canadians. Now that's something that hits a nerve."

"You mean you don't live in an igloo and have a pet polar bear?"

"Oh no that part is totally true," I lied, grinning. "I just meant that we don't say 'aboot' instead of about. Except that I did once when I was drunk. But that's not really the point."

"I think the two of you have gotten to know one another enough for one night," Bo said. "It's time for me to head up to bed."

"Go on," Pete nodded at me. "I'll cover for you in the morning. Bo did it for me once, so this will even us up."

"Thanks, Pete," I said. I followed Bo up the stairs and straight into his bedroom.

He kept his promise, and the next morning he distracted his mother until I got up and headed downstairs. Bo was still sleeping, but I couldn't stay in bed any longer. I helped myself to some coffee while Patricia flipped some bacon and smiled at me.

"Did you manage to sleep a little better last night?"

I grinned at her happily. "Actually, yes. Last night was much better, thank you."

"It's really too bad that you have to leave in the morning, Nathalie. We're just getting used to having you around. And I know that Bo will miss you terribly."

I sipped my coffee. "The feeling is mutual. But my niece is with us this Christmas, and I haven't seen her in almost a year. So I really can't stay any longer. Thank you for taking me in for a few days, though. I really appreciate the chance to come down here and meet everyone and see where Bo grew up."

"It was no trouble at all. Really, you're easier to deal with than my own children. I'm looking at you, Pete," she said, shooting her eldest son a wry glance.

"Me?" he placed an innocent hand upon his chest. "I'm the good one!"

"That's what you think."

I had to laugh. Bo's entire family behaved just like I did with my brothers. I loved the way they were always laughing and having fun. It was no wonder that Bo had grown up to become a comedian.

We spent most of that day just hanging out at the house. Bo had wanted to introduce me to his best friends, but they weren't home from college for Christmas yet. In a strange way, I was kind of relieved. Meeting Bo's family had been enough stress to last me for a little while, even though they were being so good to me. I was perfectly happy to just relax with him alone for our last day together.

The next morning, the two of us were up before the dawn. I had a fairly early flight, so we were gone before the rest of the family had even woken up. We had all said our goodbyes the night before, so I didn't feel as though I was leaving without thanking them properly.

Bo and I had breakfast at the airport, and we stayed together until I absolutely had to go through security.

"Thank you so much for coming," he said softly. "You have no idea how much it meant to me that you came all this way to meet my family."

I nodded. "I wanted to come, Bo. One day you'll have to come and meet my family. And one day I'll have to save enough money to pay for your trip."

"Don't be stupid. You're paying your way through school. This is literally the least that I could do. Call me as soon as you get home. No, as soon as the plane lands. I want to know that you made it there safely." We embraced tightly, and I waved sadly as he left me there alone.

I called him before I had even gotten off the plane, and I found my mother waiting for me outside of the baggage claim. I furrowed my brow in confusion.

"Mom?" I asked, stopping in front of her and dropping my bag. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she said with a knowing grin. "Joanna called me and asked me to pick you up. She said something about Nicky taking her away for the weekend. I didn't think she was still with him. Anyways, she told me that you would be at the airport. It's funny, I don't remember you telling me anything about taking a vacation, Nathalie. You know what's even funnier? The fact that you left the country while the rest of us thought you were still writing exams. And you were alone. I know that you're an adult now, but this definitely requires an explanation." Her expression turned from sly to visibly irritated. I was in trouble.

I meekly gestured toward the information board above the baggage claim. "If it helps, I was in Massachusetts. What kind of trouble could I possibly get into there?"

She didn't seem impressed by my sidestep of the real issue. "Get in the car. I had to drive two hours to pick you up, you know. I hope you have enough packed to last you for Christmas, because I'm just taking you straight home with me."

I nodded. "That's fair."

We began to walk out of the airport, and she continuously shot me dark looks out of the corner of her eye. "Start talking, missy."

"I went to visit someone."

"Someone in another country? We don't have relatives in Massachusetts; who could it possibly have been? You'd better not have been visiting some stranger you met online. That's so dangerous!"

"Give me some credit, Mom!"

"How did you afford it?"

"It was paid for."

"Stop hedging around the answer!" she yelled suddenly. A few people milling around the parking lot turned their heads in our direction. "Start telling me what I want to hear," she demanded sternly.

"I met him at work," I told her sincerely. "His name is Robert, and he was just in the city for a little while. We kept in touch, and he asked me to come and visit. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to freak out. He paid for my flight, and I stayed with his family. I didn't spend any money, aside from getting his parents a little gift for putting up with me."

"You went to see a boy?"

"I would really appreciate it if you stopped yelling at me now. He's a really nice guy. You would like him."

She lowered her voice, complying with my request. "Get in the car, Nathalie. We'll discuss this with your father when we get home."

I sighed heavily, feeling resigned. "This is exactly why I didn't tell you sooner," I murmured.