Take Your Time

Tempe, AZ
January 14th 2012

Oh how she hated being dragged around like this. They were only five minutes away from John and Stephen’s parents’ house, or so John said. Addie was not amused, not at all, in fact she’d rather die than be there. According to John and Stephen, their Dad’s on a golf trip, but their mom is certainly home.

Meeting the woman who bore the two men that she’s not really fond of... well, at least the older one she’s not. The photographer leaned back in the backseat of the car, bored out of her mind as John and Stephen held a conversation she couldn’t care less about.

“Are you okay back there, Adds?” John turned his head to look at her from the passenger seat. If she had to admit, he looked better in his glasses, and she never even knew he wore a pair until she saw him read a copy of A Game of Thrones in her appartment.

She nodded. “Yeah,” she answered, looking out the window. She had nothing else to do, really. She tried to BBM Brian for entertainment but he wasn’t replying, he didn’t even read it; she left her iPod with her laptop at the hotel so that’s out of the question.

“I thought we agreed she’s not much of a talker.” Stephen stopped the car in front of a house. The house was pretty big and painted cream. It had three parking spaces and a garage with a clean exterior.

“Sweet indeed,” she said absent mindedly. She hadn’t even entered the house and she could already feel a homey feeling to it. Some houses just has the ability to do that, like her current apartment when she first saw it. She truly liked the way it looked from the window of the car.

After a few seconds, John snapped her out of her thoughts. “Are you going to dramatically sit there forever?” asked the younger Gomez. She looked away from the window to realize both him and Stephen had gone out of the car.

She shook her head before she got out of the car. Stephen soon locked the door and they made their way to the big homey house, Addie trailing behind the two siblings.

Neither of the two knocked on the front door, they just walked in. “Mom, we’re home!” Stephen called out as soon as they got in, dragging their laundry.

“I’m in the kitchen!” Addie heard a woman’s voice call out. She casted a worried glance at John, but the younger Gomez just shrugged before walking to the kitchen, following his brother.

For a few minutes Addie just stood there. She wasn’t really sure what she was worried about, but she wasn’t quite sure how to explain why she was there. However, a small smile formed on her face as she heard the family getting their reunion, their mom sure sounded like a nice woman, and a loving one at that, unlike her own mom.

“Where’s Addie?” She heard one of the brothers said. That’s when she started panicking, what was she supposed to say? Did she even have a right to be there?

“She was behind me earlier...” John walked out of the kitchen. A smile formed on his face when he saw her. “There you are, come on.” He pulled her to the kitchen.

If the photographer had to admit, she liked the kitchen. It was spacey and simple, not to mention clean. She’d gladly open the drawers and see what was in them if it weren’t for the fact that it wasn’t her house.

Standing in front of Stephen was a woman in her early fifties and she was beautiful. She had semi-long dark hair, obviously it was dyed because in Addie’s opinion at her age she should at least have one grey hair. She had similar complexion to her sons. A smile was on her face and Addie couldn’t help but smile back. “You look beautiful sweetie, Addie is it?”

Addie nodded slightly in response, a blush on her face thanks to the older woman’s compliment. She really didn’t know what to say, she had nothing to say if she had to be honest.

“You’re a shy one aren’t you? You can call me Jean.” The woman glanced at her sons. “Alright, which one of you want to date her?” She asked Stephen and John, Addie could only blush even more. She’d never date them. Ever.

“Neither. She’s one of our newest friends and we drove her to her apartment earlier, she’s a photographer and it’s her first time on tour, right Addie?” John retorted as he looked at the young woman.

“I see, a photographer?” Jean asked Addie.

Addie was about to nod again but the look John was sending her told her she should speak. “Yes, ma’am.” She answered, her voice barely audible.

“Call me Jane. Are you from Arizona, then? Have my sons been treating you right?” The older woman asked again. There was still a smile on her face, and her tone was smooth and friendly, but somehow Addie was still nervous.

“I’m from Baltimore but I live in Glendale,” she said, her eyes didn’t leave the ground. “They’re very nice, Mrs. Gomez.”

Jane sighed. “Jane.” She corrected the young photographer. She looked at John and Stephen. “Go do your laundry, then, I want to talk to Addie.”

Stephen left without another word but John gave her an encouraging look and mouthed good luck before leaving her with their mother.

“Have a seat, Addie, do you want to drink anything?” Jane opened took a cup and poured coffee into it.

Addie licked her lips nervously. “No, thank you, I’m not really thirsty.” She replied as she pulled a stool and sat in front of the kitchen island.

Jane sat beside her on another stool and put her cup of coffee on the table. “Baltimore, right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You don’t need to sound so formal, Addie.” She took a sip of her drink. “Is your family in Glendale as well?” The woman asked her.

“No,” Addie replied. “They’re still in Baltimore, my mom and my brother, my dad’s in New York.”

“For work?”

“My parents are divorced.”

Jane’s mouth formed an ‘o’. “I’m sorry, dear.” She told her. “How long have you lived in Glendale? I think one of my sons’ friends live there too.”

“About four months. I’m Dan Fusselman’s intern, maybe you've heard of him...?” Addie asked.

The older woman nodded. “Ah, I know Dan, such a nice person.”

She smiled. “He’s a nice mentor.”

“How long have you dwelled in photography?” Jean asked again. If Addie had to be honest, she actually looked interested.

The 20 year old thought of it for a second. “Around two years, give or take.” She answered at last.

“Not so long.” Jean commented.

“It’s the only thing I really care about now, though my family doesn’t really approve, they want me to go to college.” Addie shrugged. The amount of words she had said in that sentence surprised her, really.

“Have you tried convincing them?” Jean always approved what her sons do as long as they’re happy, and they really love what they do.

“It’s not worth it, and I don’t feel like they’re my family anyway so I don’t see the point in doing so.” She said flatly.

“They’ll always be your family.”

“Only by blood, they sure don’t act the part.”

“They will, in time.” She said.

Jean stared at the young woman sitting beside her. She was shy and quiet, but somehow she could see fire when she talked about her family, the girl was burning with hatred. “I think you’re an amazing person, Addie.”

Addie frowned at her. “I’m sorry?”

The older woman smiled softly. “I know you’re not interested in either Stephen nor John but if you ever change your mind, please know that I approve.”

The photographer shook her head. “I...I don’t think that will ever happen, Mrs. Gomez. They’re nice, at least John is, but no, just no.”

It hurt Addie to see Jean’s face fell slightly, she felt a little guilty. “I see...” the woman in front of her said. “We’ll never know for sure though, and if I have to admit it, Addie, I like you better than any girl that any of them had ever brought here except for Jess, they’re all very... shameless.”

“Shameless?”

“Yeah and dear, if you ever need someone to talk to, a mother’s point of view, just know that you’re a part of this family even though you’re new.”

She smiled shyly, “Thank you.”

“Mom, we’re going now!”

Jean rolled her eyes. “God knows those boys can’t do their laundry themselves and they’re just going to take fresh clothes.” She complained. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Addie.”
Addie stood up as well. “You too, Mrs. Gomez.”

“Jean.” She corrected.

“Jean.”

They got out of the kitchen and as their mother expected, Stephen and John had fresh clothes in their bags. “Would you leave us for a moment, Addie?” Jean looked at Addie.

She smiled slightly and didn’t say anything before she walked out of the house. Stephen and John sure grew up in a good neighborhood, she never liked hers that much, and she grew up around an abusive father and a bullying brother so the neighborhood was only a small part of her uninteresting childhood.

She liked that place, she liked that family. Even when John’s 20 and Stephen’s 23, but Jean still cares about them. Maybe it’s just because her family is weird but as soon as Addie turned 18, she was pretty sure her mother couldn’t care less about her as long as she goes to college, that’s the only thing she cared about.

“Do you like her?” Someone snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned her head and saw Stephen standing there with his bag in hand. “Because I’m pretty sure she loves you already.”

“She’s lovely.” She answered, but unlike her kind words, her tone was flat and she didn’t sound so excited. She couldn’t help it, she was envious, jealous even, of how much Jean cares about her sons.

“You don’t sound like you think so.” He walked past her to the car. She followed him to the car and got into the backseat, a little bit too quiet for his liking. “Why do you PMS all the time?” He turned his head to look at her, resting his hands on the wheel.

“I don’t PMS.” She mumbled. “And I love your mom, she’s very nice,” she said a little louder.

“How is your mom like?” He asked again, now turning his body a little so he can be more look at her more comfortably.

She shrugged. “She’s... like Cersei Lannister.” She answered, unable to find words to describe her mother without insulting her. She then noticed the confused look he was giving her. Right, he doesn’t like Game of Thrones. “She’s a dictator, she likes being in charge of everything.”

“Really?” He chuckled. “Tell me about it, she just planned my love life back there.” He motioned his head to the his house.

She raised her eyebrows, but chose to ignore his statement. “She doesn’t approve photography, she wants me to go to college and get a real job.”

Stephen scoffed. “That’s fucking stupid, you’re twenty, you have freedom.”

She shrugged. “The last show is in Baltimore, I wouldn’t be surprised if my brother shows up there and drag me home.” She said in the least bitter tone possible, but her words ruined that.

“At least you’ll be home.”

“Arizona’s my home now, has been for about three months.”

“We won’t let him take you, don’t worry.” There was a faint smile on his face and it made her give a small smile in return.

John opened the door and sat shotgun, slamming the door shut. He looked at his brother dead in the eye. “I hate you.” He emphasized on every syllable in the sentence. “Oh I’m too old for her why don’t you try John?” He mocked Stephen.

“You know how much she hates it when I don’t pay attention and I can’t act like I am. You, however, are a great actor.” The bassist pointed out.

“It was a fifteen minutes lecture about fucking Addie Shirley.” The younger Gomez said through his teeth.

Addie’s ears picked up her name spoken and leaned forward. “I’m sorry?”

The siblings realized her existence and looked at her. “It’s not your fault, Adds, it’s okay,” said John.

“She lectured you about me?” She frowned.

“The woman’s obsessed with you.” The guitarist answered as he put on his seatbelt.

“Told you she loves you.” Stephen piped in. “So we’ll meet your parents when we’re in
Baltimore right? Because I don't know who Cerse Lannister is but I have a feeling she's interesting.” He glanced at her as he started the engine.

The girl just shrugged. Hopefully not, she thought to herself.