Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me

Jordan's P.O.V.

Cam and I waited in the player’s lounge for my family for fifteen minutes, and I was convinced that they weren’t going to come. Eric had been too shocked and whatever the hell else his problem was, and to be honest it made me angry. I mean, why the hell should it matter to him anyways? He should just be happy we were happy, and that should be the end of it. I was about to suggest to Cam that we just leave when they made their way into the player’s lounge.

“Thought you guys had left,” I said, not bothering to leave the anger out of my tone. Cam had been distraught ever since Eric had made a quick exit from my apartment, and even now she hadn’t moved from her seat on the couch.

“No, we just didn’t know how long the team meeting or anything would be, and Parker had to use the bathroom,” Tanya answered me, giving Eric a stern look as he stood silently behind her. He was being a first-rate asshole, and that was all there was to it.

“So…” I started, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah,” Jared nodded, before looking over to Cam. Tanya looked concerned as well, and Parker cautiously walked over and crawled onto the couch beside her. She didn’t stir, and probably hadn’t noticed he was beside her until he wrapped his little arms around her. She jumped, before leaning towards him and then putting her hand on his back.

“Okay?” he asked, and she nodded slowly.

“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” she told him, managing a smile for him. He crawled onto her lap then and cuddled into her. It made my heart skip a beat or two to see the two of them together. I sighed, before looking over at my brother, who had an eagle-eye watch on his son. The rest of this visit was going to be difficult and awkward until my family left tomorrow.

“So did you guys want to go back to my place?” I asked, and Tanya nodded. Levi was getting fussy – probably hungry – and Parker was getting worried about Cam.

“I think I’m just going to go home Jord,” Cam quietly told me as she stood up. Parker looked heartbroken, and while he begged for her to come over she refused, telling him that he should spend lots of time with me because he had to go home tomorrow morning. I knew she was only doing this because of how Eric was acting, otherwise it probably wouldn’t have bothered her to come and spend a couple more hours at my place. So instead I watched her text Becka to come and get her, and then felt Parker tug on my sleeve.

“Unca Cam not gon’ come?” he asked, and I gave her one more pleading glance, which she shook her head to.

“No, Cam’s gonna go home and get some sleep,” I told him, and his lip quivered a little.

“Come on, let’s go then,” Eric said, and Parker let out a cry.

“No! Have say goodbye!” next thing we knew he was wrapped around Cam, nearly in tears.

“It’s okay Park, don’t be upset,” she soothed, and still he sniffled. She hugged him tightly before, mussing up his hair.

“I’ll see you sometime soon, okay? Next time we play in Raleigh you’ll have to come say hi, okay?” she asked, and that seemed to satisfy the three year old enough that we could leave to go to my place.

I drove to my apartment completely engrossed in my own thoughts, and tried to figure out something to say to my brother. I mean, I get that it’s a lot to digest, thinking that I was gay, but even if I really was he should at least be happy for me. Eric had no right to be such a douche about it; I mean, we’re still family, and if the roles had been reversed I would have been happy for him, even if it took a while to get used to the idea. By the time I pulled up to my apartment I still had nothing to say to him, and as I feared my living room was extremely quiet once Parker had gone to bed.

“Come on, you’re still brothers – please don’t do this,” Tanya sighed from her spot on the couch. Eric was still silent, staring at his hands as if he’d never seen them before. We’d made polite conversation while Parker was still up, but since he’d went to bed all attempts I’d made at conversation had been ignored by my oldest brother. He ignored even Jared’s attempts at conversation as soon as the conversation moved to include me. It hurt; knowing that something like this was all it took for him to all but disown me. As much as I’d never admit it I wanted my brother to be proud of me. I knew all of us were the same way; Jared, Marc and I always wanted to be good enough for Eric. He was the oldest, the most accomplished, and he’d done it all first, so naturally we wanted his approval and wanted to follow suit.

“Eric, stop being such a douche – Jordan’s still Jordan, and Cam’s still Cam… what difference should this make?” Jared pushed, and Eric turned to him.

“Why are you so gung-ho about this? You gonna introduce me to your boyfriend when we get back to Carolina? Eric snapped. Jared shrunk into his chair, and shook his head.

“Don’t get pissed at him,” I growled at Eric, who continued to ignore my existence although he was in my home.

“I’m just gonna go to bed. Goodnight Tanya, night Jordy,” Jared sighed a few moments later, and moved to leave the living room.

“Where are you going?” I asked, and he gave me a sheepish look.

“Cam said I could take the spare room there; then Eric and Tanya can have the extra bed here and I’m not in the way,” he said, and his phone buzzed in his hand.

“Jared, it’s okay – take my room,” I insisted, and saw the look of disgust on Eric’s face, while Jared shrugged it off.

“No, it’s fine Jordan, honest. Just call me in the morning so I can be ready to go when we have to head to the airport,” he said, and with that he was gone. Eric’s expression remained, and while I knew what he was thinking I had to ask and make him say it out loud.

“What’s that look for?”

“I doubt Jared wants to sleep in your bed if you and Cam…” he trailed off, and Tanya gasped and smacked him.

“We don’t, thank you very much,” I snapped back. “You know what? For being an older brother you sure are an asshole. What happened to the whole always being there for us and help us out thing? All you’ve done is be a prick since you got here.”

“Well sorry I’m not exactly thrilled my little brother has a boyfriend,” he sneered, and with that I stood up, done with his attitude.

“Whatever. If you can’t accept me and Cam, don’t bother coming over to visit next time you play here. I’m not putting up with your bullshit, and I’m not letting you upset Cam like you did today. He cares a lot about you guys and what you think; hell, he looks up to you Eric. So until you get your head out of your ass and you’re willing to talk about this with me, or with us, consider yourself not welcome in this apartment. Tanya, that doesn’t extend towards you and the boys; you’re still welcome whenever,” I said, and with that turned on my heel and went to my bedroom, a little satisfied at the shocked look on Eric’s face. If he was going to be an ass, two could play at that game.