Chapter 8: HUGE X3: Chapter 8

I make an effort to smooth my hair and powder my nose before we reach the pool house. It’s not that late so I’m thinking that there’s more chance that I might bump into one of the twin’s family members and I don’t want to look a mess if I do.

As we pull up outside the house I strain my neck to look out of the opposite window. There’s a car in the driveway that wasn’t there last time and it’s caught my eye because my mom has exactly the same model in exactly the same color. As Jason drives past toward the rear of the house I do a double take. The license plate is the same as moms. That’s mom’s car.

My heart starts to race. What in the actual fuck is she doing here?

Maybe Bryan went back after I left and told her about the twins. Maybe she’s here to pick me up and give me a good telling off for ruining my reputation in a small town.

“My mom’s car is in the driveway,” I blurt out and Jason slows to take a look.

“You sure?” he asks, sounding worried.

“I’m sure.”

“Fuck,” Austin mumbles.

“Are we about to get in trouble?” Jason asks.

“I have absolutely no idea, but what the hell would she be doing over here if it wasn’t because of this?” I wave my hand frantically between us trying to indicate our beautifully sordid triangle without actually saying anything.

“What do you want to do?” Austin asks.

“I don’t know. Maybe we should go.”

“I don’t think so. It’s only going to make things worse. If she’s here to confront you then they’ll have seen our car pulling in down the driveway.”

“Fuck.” I look around to see if I can see the welcoming party.

Jason continues to where we parked the car last night and we all sigh at the same time.

“You know what, guys? I seem to be causing you nothing but trouble,” I say. Since I met them they’ve had to deal with me crying about my possible health concerns and had an argument with their brother. Now they might be about to face the wrath of their father as he finds out they’ve been deflowering a girl together in his backyard.

“Don’t even think about it,” Jason says. He sounds fierce and I lean forward in the seat to get a closer look at his face.

“Whatever is about to happen, we’ve got your back, okay?” Austin says. It makes me smile that they’re so protective of me that they’d consider fronting up against my mom in order to save my bacon.

“I guess we’d better go and face the music.”

We all open our doors at the same time. The air outside the car is warm and damp; it smells so perfectly of summer I take a deep breath hoping that it will make me feel calmer. Jason locks up and we head down the path toward the pool house. There are people sitting in the patio area. A man I don’t recognize that I assume is Bryan and the twin’s father, my mom and Bryan.

They turn their heads when they hear our footsteps and my mom stands up and plasters on a really fake smile. I’m trailing behind the twins so she doesn’t seem to have noticed me. When she does her expression turns to guilt and then confusion. We all stand awkwardly, while everyone looks at everyone else.

“Kat,” Mom says. “What are you doing here?”

I’m expecting there to be shouting so her question throws me off. “I could ask you the same thing.”

She looks at Bryan’s dad and then at Bryan. The twins push their hands into their pockets, moving to stand on either side of me like two huge bodyguards. There’s a really strange atmosphere, as though the air is thick with unspoken conversation. All the men end up with their hands in their pockets, which I assume must be a family trait when things get awkward. I catch Bryan’s eyes but he’s not giving anything away.

“This is Doug,” mom says, gesturing to Bryan’s dad. I don’t really get why she’s introducing us but I smile politely and he smiles too.

“Hi Doug,” I say, thinking that this is the weirdest conversation that I have ever had. For a moment I wonder if Doug is an Oncologist. Maybe she’s had a recommendation and has come to talk to him in person seeing as he’s local. Maybe Austin is following in his father’s footsteps.

“Doug and I have been dating for three years,” she says, taking a step toward me like she’s expecting me to fall over with shock. I am shocked, not because I didn’t know she was dating but, THREE YEARS! She’s been dating Bryan’s dad for three years. How the hell do I not know? I look to Bryan, wondering if this is the first time he’s hearing this but his expression is dark. He looks away into the middle distance as though he’s pissed at me. I bristle, thinking about all the time he’s potentially known this big thing about our families and hasn’t told me. All the conversations we’ve had and he could have been keeping this from me the whole time.

“Three years,” I say quietly.

“Yes,” she says. “I know it seems like a long time but we’ve been taking it slow and…” She trails off but I know what she was going to say. That we have the rule that she keeps her private life private. It was me that asked for it to be that way after she dated Rory for two years and I got attached to him, and then he suddenly wasn’t around anymore. I didn’t need any more disappointments after dad left and moved to Australia to be with his new family.

We all stand around some more and then Doug pipes up. “Where have you guys been?”

“The movies,” Austin says.

“Any good?” ask mom.

“Not really,” we all say at the same time.

“We were just coming back to play games.’

I know what Jason’s trying to say. He means video games but in my head it sounds so bad. Bryan clears his throat as if he’s thinking the same thing but mom smiles as though she’s really happy I’m making friends. I dare to look at Doug and the smile that was on his face earlier is now more questioning.

‘I didn’t know you’d introduced Katelin to your brothers,’ he says, looking at Bryan in a way that seems accusatory.

Bryan shrugs. ‘I didn’t.”

‘We met on a night out,’ Austin blurts out quickly. ‘Katelin’s got a thing for comics.’ He says the last part as though it explains everything. It explains nothing but at least it sounds geeky and not in the least bit sexual.

‘Has she?’ Doug says, looking doubtful.

‘Anyway,’ Mom says, seemingly oblivious to everything going on around her. ‘I’m going to head home. Do you want to ride back with me?’ I should say yes but it feels weird to just bail on our imaginary comic discussions and secret hot and dirty sex. Plus, I want to have a serious discussion with Bryan about what the hell has been going on under my nose.

I shake my head and tell her that I’m going to hang with the boys and that I’ll get a ride later.

Bryan looks less than happy but nods. Doug looks even less happy than his son. He glances toward the pool house as though he’s considering sprinting to the door and baring me entry. My mom might be oblivious but Doug certainly isn’t.

‘Okay. I’ll see you later, sweetie,’ Mom says. She looks to Doug and then starts toward the house and he follows, looking back at us over his shoulder with a stony expression. Honestly, if looks could kill I think Doug would have melted us all on the spot.

I hear Austin exhale beside me as Jason shifts from foot to foot. Bryan says nothing and no one moves an inch. In the end, I’m so freaking exasperated.

‘All right all of you,’ I say crossly. ‘Into the pool house, now.’