Chapter 58
There wasn’t much to do. Andre decided to hibernate in the family room and catch a bit of the tennis match. He loved watching Agassi play. There was guaranteed to be a fight or a screaming match with the line judge when he was playing. A lot of people didn’t understand the tennis player. They thought Agassi was a hothead who got mad when he didn’t get his way. Andre saw him differently. He saw Agassi as someone who was passionate about tennis, loved it, breathed it, and didn’t like getting cheated after putting in so much hard work. Andre turned up the volume on the TV. He could relate. People didn’t understand him, his mother and father especially. But he was going to try hard to get to know them again and be a family. He was willing to try.
Around seven Andre heard voices outside the family room. As he turned down the volume on the television, Don came through the door.
“Hey, Andre. It’s good to see you,” Don said, giving Andre a high five. Andre stayed seated.
“What’s up, Don?”
“Sorry I wasn’t here when you got home. I was working on a project with a few friends, and we ran late.” Don plopped onto a seat at arm’s length from Andre. “What are you watching?”
“The French Open.”
“I didn’t know you were into tennis,” Don said, kind of hyper.
“Might as well be.”
Andre wasn’t surprised by Don’s comment. The family didn’t know much about him. They hadn’t cared enough in the past to find out what his interests were. Andre wanted to shut down the chitchat with Don and get back to his match, but he was committed to making an effort. It wasn’t easy.
“So now that you’re home, what are you going to do with yourself? Work? Go to school?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You know, Sam is a freshman at Purdue.” Andre wasn’t really interested in hearing about Sam. He was Andre’s least favorite sibling. “He’s doing a double major in business and political science.” Andre’s ears were burning, and his nerves sizzling. He wanted Don to shut up. Instead his brother kept going. “He wants to go to business school and law school after undergrad.”
“Whoopee for him,” Andre said, pushed to the point of wanting to scream at Don to shut up. “Don’t you have anything else you want to talk about besides Sam being in school?”
“Jeez, I didn’t think it would bother you. I was just talking,” Don said.
“I know, but my tennis match is on.”
“No problem,” Don said with an attitude. “I guess I’ll see you later.”
“You’re leaving?” Andre asked, not caring if he did or didn’t, but feeling guilty for running the guy off.
“Yep. I only stopped in to say hello. I’m meeting friends at the pizza shop.”
Their mother walked in. “Andre, what did you want for dinner?”
“Nothing. I’m ready to go to Dad’s.”
“Aren’t you hungry?” she asked.
Even if he was, Andre wasn’t planning on telling her. He was ready to go. “No, I’m not. I figure we should go before it gets too late and then I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”
“You’re not going to sleep here?” Don asked with a perplexed look.
“He’s staying with your dad and Sherry.”
“Why are you making him stay there?” Don asked.
“We didn’t make him.”
“Nobody is making me do anything. I asked to stay with Dad,” Andre said, jumping in.
“Why?” Don asked.
Andre didn’t want to tell the full truth, not while he was working hard at getting along with everyone. “Why not? I lived with Mom for a long time. Thought I’d go to Dad’s and then get my own place in a few months.”
Don seemed satisfied with the explanation. Andre didn’t have to tell his brother he wanted to stay as far away from him and Tamara as he could. Not so much Don, but definitely Tamara.
“Have you seen Tamara yet?” Don asked.
“Nope,” Andre said, not wanting her to come home on his account. They hadn’t gotten along too well before Andre left for school. He hadn’t missed her and assumed the feeling was mutual.
“If you want me to drop you off, let’s go,” Madeline said.
She didn’t have to tell him twice. Andre turned off the television and jumped up.
“I could drive him to Dad’s if you want,” Don said.
“No, I’ll take him,” Madeline responded.
“Don, you have a car?” Andre asked.
“It’s an old clunker, but it gets me from point A to point B.”
Andre should have known Don would get a car as soon as he turned sixteen. “What kind does Tamara have?”
“She’s a lucky duck,” Don said cheerfully. “Dad got her a brand-new Toyota Celica.”
“Sweet, and I bet she didn’t have to do anything special to earn it, did she?” Andre said.
Don chuckled. “You know how Dad is when it comes to Tamara. You could say she milks the fact that she’s his only daughter, but he certainly doesn’t mind.” Don chuckled again. He was the only one laughing.
“I guess she is the lucky one,” Andre said, feeling resentment churning, but he was able to maintain control.
Andre was smart enough to know the family had kept going while he was away, but it was tough hearing how much they were able to function and thrive without him. It was like he hadn’t existed, although admittedly, he’d refused to come home since graduating from the high school program several years ago. Being home for a few hours had reminded Andre why he didn’t like coming home. He couldn’t wait to get out of his mother’s house. He had to hear repeated stories about the spoiled Mitchell children and their perfect lives, each one of them.
“Mom, can we go?” he said, practically running down the long hallway to the garage. She was right behind him, thank goodness.
Throughout the entire ride to his dad’s, Andre wanted to press the gas pedal while his mother was driving. No matter how fast she went, it was too slow. Before Madeline could come to a complete stop in his Dad’s driveway, Andre had the car door open.
“Andre, what are you doing? That’s dangerous,” his mother said, stomping on the brakes. “Are you that eager to get out?”
“I’m sorry,” he said. The apology was not for being eager. It was for the disappointment she seemed to be showing.
“Go on in.”
“You’re not coming in?” he asked.
“No. I don’t want to get in the way. Tell your dad I’ll see him at DMI tomorrow.”
Andre said his good-bye and knocked on the door. His soaring enthusiasm slumped to the ground when Tamara opened the door and leaned against it.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the lost Mitchell son. Come on in,” she said, attempting to give him a hug. He pulled away. “What is this? You’re not going to give your sister a hug?” she said, scrunching up her face. He didn’t want to make a scene, so as much as he hated pretending, Andre played along and let her hug him. He had to kick off his stay in the right way. “Now, that’s more like it,” she said. Her bubbly attitude was driving him crazy.
“I didn’t realize you were going to be here,” he said, standing in the foyer.
“I usually stop by to see Dad on the weekend,” she said, smug.
He repeated her words in his mind.
“Come on into the kitchen. That’s where everyone is,” she said, leading the way. She had already ruined his evening just by being there. The last thing he wanted was her telling him what to do, no matter how big or small.
She was right. There they were, his father, Sherry, and Joel.
Joel came running to him and said hello with a gigantic smile. Even if Andre wanted to dislike the kid, it was hard, seeing that the little boy was so glad to see him. Andre had to acknowledge that he hadn’t gotten such a warm welcome from anyone else.
“Wow. You’ve grown, little man,” he said.
“I know. I’m probably going to be tall like Dad. That’s what Mommy tells me.”
Sherry grinned at Andre and said hello. Andre returned the fake grin and kept talking to Joel. Tamara was sitting at the kitchen table and leaning back against their dad. Sherry was doting on Joel. Andre felt invisible. He was unnerved. He was the odd man out. This wasn’t the greeting he’d hoped to have.
In his dreams of reuniting, he’d come to his father’s house. They would sit and talk, maybe watch TV, but mostly the two of them would have a chance to spend some time alone together and reconnect. Why not? Don, Tamara, Sam, and Joel had had him for the past eight years. He’d had a few visits here and there with him, but never alone. It was his turn to get some of his time back. They had to get out of the way. His emotions were bubbling over. Andre clenched his fists tightly. He was sure no one saw what he was doing. He had to maintain control, regardless of how painful it was, as his nails dug into the palms of his hands. He was determined not to get kicked out again.