I Promise (A Connor McDonough Fan Fiction)

XVIII

To knock, to ring the doorbell, or to back out? I'm pondering on whether I should accept this dinner that Uncle Mark was offering me. I don't know how to talk to them because it's been so long. I wouldn't want their family dinner to be all awkward just because of me. I know the boys are barely home because of their career in music, same with Uncle Mark because he's always at the hospital and this might be one of their precious family dinner that I'm intruding. I can just leave this lab coat here at the porch, ring the doorbell then make a run for it but then my parents raised me better than that.

Just as I was about to press the doorbell, the door opened. I guess there's no backing out now. “Hi, how can I help you?” I looked up to see Toby standing by the door.

“Uh, Hi, Toby.” I waved and smiled awkwardly as my grip on Uncle Mark's lab coat became tighter because of how nervous I was.

“Who are you? Are you some kind of deranged fan or something? Because if you are, I'm not Toby.” He asked, worry and panic visible all over his face. I'm gonna have to ask him about that later. Maybe some people managed to crash into their house over the four years.

“Don't you remember me?” I asked, hopeful that he would catch on.

He took some time before he realized, “Meg?!” I nodded and he tackled me in a hug. “OH MY GOSH! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“I missed you too, little guy – who's not so little anymore.” I laughed as I hugged him back. “Wow, Tobes! You're taller than me already!”

“I was taller than you ever since.” He stated. He had a point there.

“Yeah, don't push it.” I retorted. “I'm trying to do the whole it's-been-so-long-since-i-last-saw-you-and-a-lot-has-changed routine and it wouldn't hurt if you just went with it, right?”

He laughed then said, “Some things really just don't change.” I think that statement had a double meaning to it. First being that my attitude and personality hasn't changed at all, or second being that our height gap didn't really change. He gave me a quick hug again. “Come in!”

Toby guided me going in the door and to their living room. Their house hadn't changed at all. It's still the same house from four years back that I knew like the back of my hand. Except some furnitures changed like the cream couch they had at the living room is now similar to the black one Connor had in his bedroom.. or maybe they just switched it? There were also more frames hanging on the walls and displayed on the tables and shelves around the living room. I took a look around the room and observed every single frame containing different memories. Some were just like how I remembered them from my last visit here and some frames were added and some were removed.

Most were pictures of the boys from when they were little up until now, then there were pictures of the whole band, some complete family pictures during Christmas day and New Year's, and then there was one picture that made me smile. It was a picture of me and the boys of Before You Exit. It was taken before I went on tour with them. I was on Connor's back, kissing his cheek as he made a goofy face for the camera. Riley and Toby were on each side of Connor and they were looking and pointing at us, making a disgusted face. Then Braiden and Thomas were seated on the floor, making a thumbs up and smiling wide. It was pretty funny.