“Wrong. Our family—”
“Seriously, Andrew,” Miles said, walking in. “You’ve got to get out of bed. You’re starting to smell, and you look like shit.”
“Watch your mouth, Miles.” Andrew’s dad turned to look at his other son.
“Oh, I thought you wanted me to be real with him.” Miles threw up his hands.
Their father shook his head, and then let out a little laugh. “Andrew, you do smell and look like shit.”
Andrew fell back on the bed. “Get out of my room. I’m not in the mood to talk with either of you.”
Their dad sat down on the bed next to him. Andrew had never seen him look so vulnerable. “I know, son, but we’re worried about you. It’s time you stop feeling sorry for your broken ass and get on with life. You have one month left of high school. One lousy month. Then you can decide where you want to go from there. We’re all hurting. The accident did more to me and this family than you will ever know. It’s been rough, but if I can get past it, then so can you. My expectation is that you put this shit behind you and start living again. I want my son back.”
“Sorry, Dad.”
“Stop being sorry and let’s try to move past what happened.”
“I can’t do that. It’s still too fresh. I’ve been thinking about leaving this place. I just need to get away from here. Everything reminds me of the accident and Jessica.”
“Fine. You’ve got a few weeks left until graduation. Once you get that piece of paper, you are free to do whatever it is you need to do to heal. Even if that means leaving for a bit.”
Andrew thought about what his father had said. “Deal. One month, and then I’m gone.”
Chapter Seven
Present Day
Andrew stood up from the stadium seat and brushed off the back of his shorts. One of his legs had started to fall asleep. He shook it in an attempt to wake it. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting out there, but it had to have been at least an hour. Several girls had run out of the locker room and were stretching at the far end of the field.
He quietly got up and headed back to his vehicle. His family’s ranch was located at the end of a tree-lined street, several miles away from town.
Andrew drove up to the black, wrought-iron gate with the word “Montgomery” welded into it. He wondered if the gate code was still the same after all this time. He pushed the numbers, and, magically, it slid open. He wasn’t too surprised the code had never been changed. That seemed like something his mother would have done, to make sure Andrew always knew he could come home.
“I’m back, Mom,” he mumbled under his breath as he drove down the winding driveway. Large oak trees lined the path.
The trees opened up in front of his Jeep as the large porch of his family’s home came into view. He stared at the place in which he’d spent his childhood. It was still as beautiful as he remembered. Behind the house, there was a large porch and then perfectly cut fields as far as the eye could see. At one point, his dad had a few cows on the land.
“Hello,” he yelled as he got out and slammed his door shut. Off to the left hand side of the house was a large pool. The dark blue water looked inviting, but also very still, as if it had been a long time anyone had actually been in the pool.
Only quiet, still air responded. A lone bird finally chirped somewhere off in the distance.
He slung his bag over his shoulder and headed inside. The front door was open, but just like the driveway, the house was empty. He went upstairs to his old bedroom. It looked like it hadn’t been touched. His soccer medals and posters still lined the back wall. The plaid quilt had been tucked in under the pillows. He threw his duffle bag on the floor, and then fell backward onto the bed and looked up at the ceiling. It felt good to be home.
On the morning of his graduation, he’d also laid in his bed staring up at the ceiling before putting on his robe for the ceremony. Later that day, he’d driven into Houston and enlisted in the Marines.
After several minutes looking at the white ceiling, Andrew forced himself off the bed and headed downstairs. He pulled open the refrigerator door, but there was hardly anything inside.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. Miles was calling him. Someone must have seen Andrew drive through town and alerted his brother.
“Hey,” Andrew answered, trying to hide the surprise in his voice.
“Hey, right back at ya. Did you just get into town?” Miles asked. His voice sounded deeper than Andrew remembered.
“Yes. How did you know?” Andrew looked around the kitchen.
“Because I’m sitting in the driveway looking at an old black Jeep. I know for a fact that no one who lives in this household owns a piece of shit like that, so I figured it must be you. My long lost twin brother has finally returned home.”
“You done?” Andrew really didn’t want to hear any more about how he had “left” his family.
“Nope. I’ve got plenty more, but it can wait. Come on. Let’s go get some lunch. It’s been fifteen freakin’ years, and you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Andrew peeked out the window and saw his brother sitting in a large white Ford F-250 truck. A smile crept onto his face. Little had changed about Miles.
“You need to get a new ride,” Miles said when Andrew joined him outside. “That thing looks like it’s about fall apart.”
“Thanks. And how are you doing?” Andrew gave Miles an uncomfortable hug.
“Get in.” Miles pointed at the truck. “Just glad to have my brother back in town.”
“It’s good to see you too. It’s been a little too long.”
“Yeah. You’re a jackass.”
“I know.” Andrew looked down at his hands. A part of him didn’t want to hear these things from his family, but another part was thankful Miles was being honest. Maybe this was the easiest way to get everything out, so they could hopefully return to the way things used to be.
“If I’d known my wedding would get you back to town, I would have gotten married a few years ago. Although, if I had, I would probably already be divorced.”
“So, whatever happened with Stacy?”
“Stacy?” Miles looked over at Andrew. “How do you remember her?”
“Uh, she was your girlfriend in high school.”
“Andrew, we broke up, like, fifteen years ago. You would know that if you’d been in town, but I forgive you. Stacy went off to college and never came back. I have no clue what became of her.”
“Hmm. So, how long have you known your fiancée?”
“We met a few years ago. She’s been nagging me for a while to get her a ring. I caved earlier this year,” Miles said, a goofy grin on his face as he slapped Andrew on the shoulder.
Nothing had changed about Miles. He was his same carefree self.
“Have you seen anyone since you drove your piece of shit into town?”
“Nope.”
“You want me to call Warren and have him meet us at George’s?”
“Not really.” Andrew shrugged. Right now, he just wanted to talk with Miles. It had been too long. It felt good to be sitting next to his brother again, and he knew there were things he should say.
“Fine. But I refuse to let you be depressing during your trip. We’re going to have a good time. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve gotten over a lot of that stuff. It’s just a little odd driving back through this place.” Andrew looked out the passenger-side window as his brother pulled into a parking lot of a barn-like building. Outside the large barn doors was a large pig statue.
“I’m assuming this is a newer restaurant.” Andrew glanced over at his brother.
“Nah. Dude, this place has been around for years. You don’t remember George’s Bar?”
“Vaguely, I guess.” Andrew looked back at the building, trying to see if anything rang a bell. Nothing did.
“George’s used to be just a hole-in-the-wall bar, but then his son—yo
u may remember Lucas from high school—turned it into a bar and grill. The ‘grill’ part is the big difference. I come here a lot now.”
“Lucas? The guy who always threw the big parties?”
“Yep, that’s him. Now he’s part-owner of this joint. Dad is the other owner.”
“What?”
“Dad invested in this place with Lucas, to turn it from a nothing bar into one of the hottest spots in town. Plus, it’s right near the highway, so it’s always pretty busy.”
“Dad owns a restaurant?”
“Among other things.” Miles shrugged. “He’s been smart and made some good investments. It’s pretty cool.”
They entered the rustic building, and the smell of barbecue greeted them. A skinny high school-aged girl with stringy blonde hair quickly sat them at a booth toward the back.
“So, how are Mom and Dad doing these days? Outside of work, how are they holding up?” Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose. He spoke to his mom on occasion, but he hadn’t talked to his dad in a number of years. This week should be interesting.
“The same. They’re Mom and Dad.”
“I noticed there wasn’t a lot of food in the house.”
“They’re both so busy and hardly ever home.” Miles looked down at his menu. “I’m not at their place much. I see Dad at work all day, so I don’t feel like spending my evenings with him, but I know Mom keeps herself pretty busy too.”
Andrew decided to stick with a burger and fries. He slid his menu to the edge of the table. “How are you doing?”
Miles looked up at his brother. “I’m fine. I’ve been fine for years. It’s you who has everyone worried.”
“I don’t know what the big deal is.”
“Dude, you’ve spent the past decade plus acting like we’re not your family. It’s almost as if you decided one day to no longer be a Montgomery, which is insane.”
Andrew rubbed the several-days stubble on his chin as he tried to collect his thoughts. Miles would never understand what he’d gone through. How could he? Miles hadn’t killed someone he’d cared about. No one had known the depth of his feelings for Jessica.
“Well, you’re in luck. I think a few tours overseas will get anyone to forget their past and focus on the present. I saw several good friends get injured or killed over there.”
Miles eyes widened. “I didn’t want to bring it up, but you have to know that you scared Mom for the first ten years of your military service.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know terrorists would strike and a war would break out just months after I enlisted.” It was a line Andrew had used before. The September 11 attacks had occurred while he was still in training. Weeks later, he was sent over to Afghanistan for the first of several tours. “I should have done a better job at keeping in touch.”
“Yeah, you should have.”
“It wasn’t anything I wanted to talk about with my family. It wasn’t pretty over there, but we were doing a job that needed to be done, and getting revenge for what they did to our country.”
Andrew knew he needed to change the subject. Talking about his days in combat never led to anything good. Even though it had been years since his last tour overseas, the emotions were still raw. He’d seen things he would never forget. Images of dead friends would haunt him forever. It had been hard, but it had numbed the pain over what had happened to Jessica.
“How much longer are you in?” Miles asked.
“I’m not. I put in my papers just before I got your invite, but don’t tell Mom yet. I need to decide what I’m going to do next. I’ve got a couple of college courses under my belt. What about you? Did you ever go to college?” Andrew asked, although he felt silly for not already knowing the answer. Miles was his twin. He should have kept up with him over the years.
“Yeah. I have a degree in business. It seemed like a natural fit for me.” Miles took a drink of his water. “I can’t complain. I do well. Dad promoted me to vice president of Montgomery Industries three years ago.”
“That’s good.” Andrew leaned back in his seat.
An uncomfortable silence fell between them.
“Any chance you might consider moving back here?” Miles raised his eyebrows. “You know we all want you to come home. I personally know the hiring manager at Montgomery Industries, and I think I can get you hooked up.”
“I don’t know. Probably not.” Andrew shrugged, and started to pick at the calluses on his palm.
“I’m serious. Maybe you should think about moving back. I’d sure like to have my brother here again. Then Mom and Dad would have someone else to focus on besides me.”
“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”
“Do you still sketch?” Miles asked as he grabbed a handful of warm peanuts from the metal container at the end of the table.
“A little. Do you still ride horses?”
“Yep. At least once a week.” Miles reached for more peanuts. “How about you?”
“No. I’ve spent the past few years living in California.”
“Then I guess you probably shouldn’t move back here. There’s little I can think of for you to do,” Miles said as he peeled back the shell and popped the peanut into his mouth.
Andrew softly chuckled. “What about you?”
“What about me?” Miles leaned back in his seat and took a deep breath.
“How’s work?” Andrew continued. Over the years, he’d thought a lot about calling Miles, just to check in and see how things were going, but after several minutes of thinking about it, he would somehow talk himself out of making the call.
“Oh, it’s good. Busy. Dad loves to bust my chops, but our businesses are all doing really well, so you won’t hear any complaining from me. We could definitely use some help.”
“I’m sure he does.”
“He misses you too.”
“How do you know that? He could easily have picked up a phone and called, but he didn’t.”
“Neither did you.” Miles took a sip of his drink. A tense moment of silence lingered between them. “Now, let’s change the subject before you piss me off.”
Miles had become more like their father—a little rough around the edges, but still loyal to family.
“Tell me about your fiancée.” Andrew agreed it was good to get off the subject of their parents. That was still a tough point.
Miles’s face lit up, and he slapped his palms on the table. “Nice transition. Anne is good. She’s simple. She teaches elementary school kids, so she tends to be a little goofy herself.”
“Where did you guys meet?”
“Well, apparently, we all went to school together.” Miles’s face softened as he began to talk more about his fiancée.
“What’s her last name?”
“Nichols.”
“Hmm. I don’t remember her.”
“Well, I didn’t either. But, really, I’m not sure how I missed her in high school. She’s pretty hot.”
The young waitress returned with a large tray of food. The burger was almost twice the normal size. Andrew’s stomach growled as he eyed the mammoth slab of cooked beef.
“Wow, that’s huge,” he said, stating the obvious.
“That’s what we’re known for,” the waitress said as she walked away from the table.
“So, did you know Cassie and Warren got hitched a few years back?” Miles said as he took a bite of his burger. A chunk of greasy meat slid down his chin.
“Nope. Good for them. I think Warren always had a crush on her,” Andrew said. “Do they have any kids?”
“They have three. Can you believe that? Warren and Cassie have three kids. Let that sink in.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s quite the tribe. Cassie has settled down a bit, but she’s still pretty crazy. Warren’s no better, and their kids are completely wild.”
Andrew wasn’t surprised to hear that Cassie and Warren had gotten married. Everyone else had seemed to move forward with life, while he had been trying t
o run from his.
“I can only imagine.”
Miles laughed. “It’s good to have you home, even if I still want to punch you in the face for abandoning us for the past fifteen years.”
“Thanks. It feels good to be here. It’s almost surreal, as if time just kind of stood still here in Sable Falls.”
“Nah, there are some things that have changed. You’ll see. We’ve grown to be a little cooler.”
They finished up their meals and then headed back to their parents’ house. Two vehicles were parked in the driveway when they returned.
“Looks like they’re home,” Miles said matter-of-factly as he pulled his truck to a stop.
“Yeah. I guess it’s time for me to face the music and talk to Dad.”
“Yep. I have to talk with him daily, so it’s really not a big deal. He’s still a good guy, Andrew. He’s just Dad, and even though he may not show it, I know he’s pretty happy about having you home. I overheard him talking to Mom the other day. He had a smile on his face. It’s something I haven’t seen in a long time. So, don’t screw this up.”
Andrew took a deep breath, opened the truck door, and climbed out. The front door swung open just as he got to the bottom step. Standing in the doorway were his mother and father. They looked the same, only a little bit older.
Andrew gave a slow wave. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.”
Chapter Eight
“Did you enjoy lunch?” His father leaned against the doorway. He looked exhausted—more tired than Andrew ever recalled Wayne Montgomery looking—but maybe that was just his father’s age getting the better of him.
“Yes, sir.” He nodded.
A wave of different emotions rushed through him as the realization hit him that it had been fifteen years since he’d last seen his parents. One second it seemed like time had flown by, but in the next, the reality set in that it had been a really long time.
Andrew’s mother wrapped her arms around his thick neck. It was good to feel her touch again, and he leaned in to reciprocate the hug.
Stay Forever Page 4