After watching Easton walk inside, I pull around to the side entrance and take Molly into Lexi's office. Noah is there, and he takes one look at me and grabs his phone.
"I'll get Lexi."
"You might as well stay, too. It's about Easton." That gets his attention.
Noah types into his phone, and a moment later, Lexi walks in, takes one look at me, and closes the door. Noah pulls her onto his lap. It hurts my heart a little, because before today, I was so close to having that, too.
"What happened?" Lexi asks.
"Easton did so well at my house. He was the Easton I remembered, before he joined, and... well, things happened. Then, my brother showed up. Of course, the Barbie bitch ran to him and tried to spin some kind of story. Then, Easton walks out, and my brother lost it."
"Lost it how?" Noah asks.
"Going off about how Easton should have talked to him, and how he isn't good enough for me. I slammed the door in my brother's face, but by then, Easton had shut down. Just like he was, when I got here. Arms crossed, staring out of the window. He didn't say anything other than he wanted to come back here. It's like I wasn't even there."
"Okay, I’ll check in on him," Noah says.
My phone goes off.
Leeland: Mom and Dad’s house now. We need to talk.
Leeland: Please.
"Well, I’ll give him today and try again tomorrow. Besides, I'm being summoned to my parents. I'm sure I'm in for a fun night."
"Go, we’ll check on him," Lexi says.
I nod and head out, not even sure what to say.
On the way to my parents’ house, I debate what I’m going to say. Molly keeps sticking her head into the front seat and nuzzling my arm. She knows I'm upset, and she doesn't like it.
"This will be stressful with Lee and my parents, Molly. Let's get through this, and I’ll spoil you tonight."
She yips like she understands.
I pull into my parents’ house, and Leeland's car is already there. Taking a deep breath, I get Molly and go inside.
Mom and Dad are sitting together on the couch with Mom snuggled into Dad's side. Leeland is sitting in the chair furthest away from them with his arms leaning on his legs with his hands folded in front of him.
I sit down in the chair closest to Dad, and Molly climbs right into my lap, like a warm cuddle blanket.
"Now, what happened? Paisley, we heard Lee's side," Mom says.
"Why am I even here?"
"We’re going to work this out," Dad says.
"There’s no working this out. Lee's a shitty friend. He wanted to come over and start yelling at Easton like he has a claim on someone he's seen one time in years. Did you know your words caused him to shut down? He's back to square one; he's not talking at all, because of you. The only person here who isn't worthy of me is you." I stand ready to leave.
"Sweet pea, stay," Dad says.
"No. We can go back to split dinners. I want nothing to do with him. As far as I'm concerned, I'm an only child." I turn to Lee, "You’ve done some shitty stuff, and you’ve refused to grow up and be accountable. I've sat here and watched Mom and Dad spend so much time and energy fixing your mistakes. But guess what? This is one they can't fix, and I'm done being understanding."
This time I stand up. "I’ll be over for dinner on Friday, so long as he isn't here," I say, stomping out.
I get Molly in the car and turn, finding Dad coming towards me.
"How bad is Easton?"
"Really bad. Back to where he was when I first saw him. He's completely shut down. Things were great. Easton left Oakside to come to my place. He was going to talk to Lee at lunch next week about us, and we were making plans, figuring out our lives. That's all gone in the blink of an eye because Lee was his spoiled brat self and not thinking of anyone but himself."
Dad takes it and stands there. "I don't approve of what he did, and I came clean about knowing about Easton and even visiting him."
"You visited Easton?"
"Yes, after you told me he was there. We’ve had lunch a few times."
"Thank you.”
Dad hugs me, and I feel bad for snapping at him.
"I'm sorry I snapped," I say.
"I get it, but once things calm down, you’ll want to work things out with your brother. Don't wait too long."
"Right now, I don't see that happening. He may be my older brother, but he's got a lot of growing up to do to even be equal to me. Until he does, I just don't have the time or energy to deal with him."
"Maybe, this was the push he needed.”
"Maybe, but I doubt it," I say. “Did he tell you what Barbie did?"
"Only a little bit."
I fill him in on Barbie visiting Oakside, using my name, and what she did to Easton, and what I did to her.
"If I can ever stand to be in the same room with him, can we make it a rule no more of his hook ups at dinner, and only someone he’s interested in marrying?"
"The rule would apply to you, too."
"That would be why I have yet to bring anyone home to dinner, Dad."
"Text me, when you get home. You know your mom will worry."
On the way home, I stop at my favorite burger joint, because I no longer feel like cooking the spaghetti I had planned. I get a burger for myself and a plain burger for Molly and Reba and head home.
The dogs eat their food right up, but I have a harder time getting it down. I decide to text Lexi and see how Easton is.
Me: How is he?
Lexi: Still not talking. Did he eat dinner?
Me: No, and no lunch either.
I look over to the food still on the counter, where we left it. Flashes of Easton wrapping his arms around me and me pulling him to the bedroom, fill my head.
Lexi: Okay, we’ll try to get him to eat.
Me: I’ll swing by tomorrow for my normal visit.
Lexi: See you tomorrow. Need a girl’s night?
Me: Not yet, but soon.
Lexi: Just let me know when.
I get up and toss the food on the counter, since it's no longer good and clean away any trace of Easton being here.
Then, I go to my bedroom and strip my bed, doing the same thing. I wash my sheets and spray my bed down with a fabric refresher and put on new sheets.
Then, I take a shower, erasing the last of the memory of him from me. I can't afford to be down. I have Reba to train, and I need to make my weekly visit to Oakside with Molly tomorrow.
As I lay there trying to fall asleep, my phone keeps going off. Texts from Leeland.
Leeland: Can we talk about this?
Leeland: This all got blown up.
Leeland: You really going to avoid me at family dinner?
Me: You don't know what family is. Goodnight.
Then, I turn off my phone and try to get some sleep, even though I know I’ll get very little of it.