Just Business

I was flying home today to Texas for Ethan’s engagement dinner. I have been up since three am trying to pack everything I needed into this one large suitcase but I managed to need a separate carry on. Aria took me to the airport and you can tell she needed a large iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

“You’re lucky I love you Eloise, it’s too damn early for this.” She said putting my bag into the backseat of her car.

I smiled and hugged her. “What I do without you sweetness?” I asked.

She huffed sarcastically. “I don’t, you tell me.”

We drove about a half hour to the airport and I waited for her to go park the car so I could get checked in. When she was walking towards me she was mumbling under her breath.

“What’s the matter now Aria?” I laughed.

“Fifteen dollars just to park my damn car for all of ten minutes. This is some screwed up bullshit.”

We made our way inside and I checked in printing my tickets. I put them away in my bag and pulled out my phone as it vibrated with a text from Max.

Have a safe trip, let me know if you want me to pick you up from the airport.

I hugged her tight. “Alright, I’m going through security, go home and sleep.”

“Love you be careful.” She said turning around. “Holy shit. That’s Henry.”

I looked up as Henry walked in with a carry-on lugging behind him. He looked up and smiled when he saw me.

“Well, you’re screwed. Have a nice flight!” she said quickly walking away waving hello to Henry in the process as he printed his tickets.

“Hey where are you headed?”

“Home to Texas, what about you?” I asked.

He awkwardly smiled and handed me his ticket and my eyes went wide. I pulled out my ticket and examined them both. These seats were right next to each other.

“Did Ethan buy your ticket too?”

He nodded. “I fought him hard and lost.”

Oh Ethan was so dead.

“Great.” I mumbled.

“Look, if we’re going to be together for the next couple days can we just pretend we can get along?” he asked. “I don’t want you to be mad at me because I didn’t know about any of this either.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”

We both went through security and I lifted my carry-on onto the belt took off my sandals and walked through the metal detector waiting for Henry on the other side. We walked in silence to our gate and I sat down.

“I’m going to get coffee, do you want anything?” he asked.

I went into my bag to get my wallet and he stopped me. “I got it don’t worry.”

“Fight me.”

He laughed. “Typical Eloise. Medium iced coffee almond milk with extra caramel and no whipped cream. I’ll be right back.”

I groaned and put my face in my hands in my face. I’m so screwed. I can’t be a complete bitch but I know this is going to bring up some feelings that I didn’t want surfaced. I pulled out my phone and texted Ethan.

We’re going to have a nice long chat when I’m home. I thought I would let you know how angry I am at you for pulling this shit.

He came back and handed me my coffee. “Here you go.”

“Thank you, Henry.”

He sipped his coffee and sat back in his chair. “Was it a mistake to text you? The night I brought you home from the bar?” he asked.

I didn’t say anything at first. “I’ve just been caught up in my own little world Henry, I wanted to text you, I’ve just been busy.”

“I don’t believe you but okay.”

I rolled my eyes and ignored him and sipped my coffee. Our flight was leaving in about a half hour and they started to board first class. I finished my coffee tossing it in the garbage can and got on line Henry right behind me.

We were all the way in the back by the bathroom, Ethan knew me and flying and the bathroom was my best friend on the plane. He put his bag in the over-head and I went to lift mine.

“I got it.” He said and took my bag and putting it in the overhead. We sat in our seats and I sighed.

“I’m sorry.” I said to him.

“For what?” he asked.

“Being a jerk to you.”

He smiled and turned and faced me. “Hey, let’s just get through this alright?”

We watched a movie during the flight and I napped and before I knew it were on the ground in Texas. I couldn’t wait to get home to see Momma, Daddy and my sisters. When we got off the plane Ethan and Meadow were waiting for us.

“You guys made it!” Ethan said with a smile.

“Yes we did. Now can we go get my bag so we can go home?” I asked. “I’m starving and I just want to see Momma.”

We walked to baggage claim and Ethan pulled it off the belt. “Holy shit Eloise, what did you pack?”

“Everything important.” I said with a grin.

All of my emotion began to build once we pulled into the driveway. The house, the porch, The old tire swing in our tree. I almost jumped out of the car once Ethan stopped and ran up the stairs.

“Daddy!”

My Dad came around the corner in his usual white t-shirt and jeans with the biggest smile on his face.

“Look who it is!”

I nearly jumped into his arms and he barely caught me. I forgot I wasn’t five years old anymore but I didn’t care. He just held me there and hugged me tight and I just lost it.

“Honey, why are you crying?” He asked with a smile wiping away my tears.

“I’m just so happy to be home.” I said

He kissed my forehead and hugged me tight.

“Go inside I’ll get your bags, mommas been waiting for you.”

My heart starts to race with excitement as I walk into the kitchen and Momma was sitting in the kitchen in her special chair she turned and her eyes lit up when she saw me.

“Oh Eloise.” She reaches an arm towards me and I ran over and gave her a hug.

“Oh Momma, I missed you so much.” I said.

She gently kissed my cheek and hugged me.

“Oh... missed you.” She said

I smiled and sat next to her. “We’re going to have fun these next couple days.”

She smiled and nodded and looked at the doorway as Ethan came in with Henry.

“Momma, this is my good friend Henry. He’s in my wedding party.”

Henry went over and sat next to Momma and took her hands.

“So good to meet you, I’ve heard a lot about you through Eloise and Ethan.”

She smiled and turned a little red. “Okay.” Was all she could let out.

“Are Alex, Sav and Ginny coming?” I asked my Dad as he stepped foot in the doorway.

“Yup, they’ll all be here later.”

My Dad took my suitcase up to my room and showed Henry where he would be staying. I kept my distance from Henry for now, knowing I wasn’t going to be able to avoid him all weekend. I then remembered how mad I was at Ethan.

“You.” I said pointing at him. “Outside now. We need to talk.”

He kissed Meadow on the cheek and followed me outside. He leaned against the railing and crossed his arms.

“You’re out of your mind do you know that Ethan James? Why would you do this to me? Do you hate me?” I asked.

He laughed. “Eloise, you will be just fine. Just please be nice.”

It was about Six o’clock when everyone started pouring in, Alex and Dave with the two kids, A pregnant Savannah and Thomas and Ginny and her boy-toy Asher.
“Alright, Alright everyone grab a seat.” My Dad said.

Everyone sat down at my Moms huge table and the kids had their own table. My Dad put the meat on the table with the sides following. I made sure I got my seat next to Momma and Henry sat on my other side.
We always said grace when we were together, it always made Momma so happy.
We all took each other’s hands and bowed our heads and Daddy prayed.

“Thank you lord, for this beautiful meal you have given us. I thank you for bringing my family together for this special event and for giving us beautiful Meadow. I ask that you bless this meal and hope you bring love and joy to everyone here. Amen.”

Momma and smiled and kissed his hand.

Dinner was amazing as usual. Daddy really out does himself when it comes to food as always. I had caught Daddy staring at me and then at Henry, I knew he was going to question me later on. I helped my sisters in the kitchen clean while everyone else sat out on the back porch around a bonfire.

“So, who’s the handsome guy you brought home?” Savannah asked with a big grin on her face.

“That’s Henry, that is your brothers’ best man and my ex-boyfriend.”

All of their jaws dropped. “Ex? What happened?” Ginny asked.

“A lot of things okay? It just got to be way too much, and it just fell apart. I don’t want to talk about it.”

They knew I was bothered and they dropped it. I went outside and down the steps to the old swing my dad had built us when we were kids. Alex came down and leaned against the tree.

“Do you want to talk to me sugar?” she asked.

“Not really Al, it’s just too much.” I said.

“Do you miss him?”

“Of course, all the time.”

“And what about your sugar daddy?” She asked wiggling her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes at her and sighed. I could tell there was something about Max that was changing he was trying to change but there was a side of him that didn’t want anyone to know that the wall was slowly starting to crumble.

“He’s just my boss I guess.” I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes at me and sighed. “Okay. We shall see, but hey this weekend is about Ethan let’s just try and stick it out for him okay?”

This is why I loved her, she’s just so wise and she’s the only one who knows the real me.

That night when everyone went to bed, I found myself in the kitchen eating ice cream from the pint just like I always used to when I would stress eat.

Henry came down in his pajama shorts and a white t-shirt.

“Hey, you’re still awake?” he asked.

I nodded scooping another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. He was watching and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you stress eating El?”

“NO!” I said defensively with a mouthful of ice cream.

He grinned and laughed a little. “You totally are, what’s the matter?”

I looked at him and my knees felt like jelly, Henry always did this to me. He knew my weaknesses, he knew he was my weakness.

“Nothing, just thinking about things.”

I washed my spoon and put the ice cream back into the freezer and sat at the counter, Henry stood across from me.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked hopefully.

I shook my head a little. “Not really.”

He sighed a little in frustration. “Come on El, do you really think I’m a bad guy huh? Do you really hate me that much? Because all of this- you not wanting to be near me or talk to me about anything it just really hurts.”

“I never said I hated you Henry.” I snapped “You do realize this hurts me, too right? How all of this hurts me, just as much as it hurts you? Yes, I can be a bitch, but I’m not all heartless.”

Tears had started to brim in my eyes and I wiped them away quickly.

“Why can’t you just talk to me? Why is it so hard? What are you afraid of?” he challenged.

“Because I’m afraid to love you again Henry okay? I’m afraid of feeling the hurt all over again!” I said.
He stood there in shock wide eyed and didn’t say a word. Tears were falling down my face now and I ran upstairs to my room and shut the door.

This was going to be bad. Really really bad.