More Than Love (NG3)

19 - Secrets

Reed ran his fingers through his hair as he glanced at the time on the screen. At four-thirty on Friday, he wished he was driving north in a half an hour. He wasn't leaving the office at five, because he was behind on a deadline. Financial constraints closed the ice arena for the summer, so he couldn't release his stress on the rink.

He planned to drive to The Point, but not until morning. Instead, he had a date with his brothers and sister for dinner. Hopefully, they wouldn't embarrass him by bickering in the restaurant. First, he needed to finish his preliminary design on another vanilla office building.

At five-thirty, he watched his father stroll out. A whirlwind swirled in his brain. The workaholic left the office. He must have a date again. Reed was very familiar with Davis's pattern, but his father wasn't following his own game plan. His dates seem intermittent, which was not his M.O.

Feeling too frustrated, he shut down his computer and drove to his mother's house. Reed rapped at the backdoor before turning the doorknob. It had technically been his house. His bus stop was at the corner and he played at two of the houses on the street. Rarely did he invite neighborhood kids in. It was not like the cottage.

He entered the house, which was remarkably quiet, and called out. "Hello."

The driveway was full of cars, but no one responded. He followed the sound of the news in the family room to find his stepfather sitting in his recliner.

He looked up and pointed his face towards the stairs and yelled before he went back to the news.

"Marne, your son's here."

Reed watched his mother come down the stairs. She looked like a fifty-four-year-old mother should. She wore an oversized shirt to hide her expanded middle, and colored her hair to cover the gray, which she blamed randomly on each of her kids, including him. Her multiple chins made her neck look short and matched her round face, which smiled at him.

"Reed, the kids said you were meeting them."

"I couldn't work any longer, so. Are they here?"

She nodded. "They hide and only come out for meals."

"They should be working. It teaches responsibility."

She waved her hand. "You sound like Davis. Ron takes care of our family."

Reed didn't agree. Cayden and Payton were adults. Only Rylan was under eighteen.

She walked to the stairs and hollered. "REED'S HERE."

He heard doors slamming and footsteps above. Payton appeared first. She looked a lot like his mother when she was only his and married to Davis.

"Reedy!" She flung herself in his arms. He hugged her back.

Next were the boys. Cayden was a step ahead, but if he slowed, Rylan would barrel into him. The youngest was the tallest.

Cayden said, "Yo. I thought we said six-thirty?"

Reed shrugged. "I left earlier. We can go together."

Cayden said, "We'll take mom's car. Yours is too small."

Marnie drove a Honda Pilot with the third row. Reed didn't know why four warranted the monstrosity, but didn't argue.

Cayden drove, and he rode shotgun. No one talked. As they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, Cayden said, "It looks crowded."

Reed said, "I'll run in and check how long it will take."

As he approached the hostess stand, he scanned the bar area. His eyes stopped on his father's familiar profile. He was laughing and Reed froze. The hostess was glaring at Reed, but he shook his head and turned away. He couldn't stay. He couldn't watch his father with the girl who haunted his dreams.