Finding Finley ✔

16

When I park my jeep in the parking lot I'm relieved to see that Darby's car is no where to be seen. 

I run up the stairs and use my key to let myself in to Kit and Ellie's apartment. When I enter, I see the two of them huddled together at the kitchen table looking at Ellie's laptop, looking at whatever is on the screen as if it's the most interesting thing they've ever seen.

They don't seem to have heard me enter so I clear my throat to make myself known and they both snap their heads up simultaneously, their faces falling when they see me standing before them.  

Whatever weird thing they have going on right now, I don't have time for. 

"Kit, did you get a text from our dad?"  I walk over to join them at the table. I've calmed down a lot after receiving the message, but I'm still bubbling with anger at the nerve of it all.

Ellie closes the laptop as soon as I took a step in their direction. I give her a questioning look but she shrugs in return, not offering an explanation. 

"Why would I get a text from him?" I turn my attention to Kit, but I notice Ellie's eyes dart to the hallway that lead to the master bedroom in my peripheral. 

Something weird is happening here. 

I pull up the text  on my phone and hand it to Kit, watching as his eyes scan the screen and his jaw clenches before he handing the phone back to me. 

Ellie extends her hand and I pass my phone to her. 

"Why the hell would mom give him your number?" Kit voices the same question that I myself thought on the way over. 

"I don't know. I was going to ask her at Sunday dinner. But-"

"What relationship is there to reconcile? He had the chance to do this exact thing two years ago and he didn't. Instead he acted like you two were just dropping by for a visit and everything was fine. Are we supposed to believe that he-"

"Ellie." I cut her off mid rant. Ellie could go on and on about how horrible our dad is and how he doesn't deserve to even cross our minds. She's always been that way, always been so protective of the both of us on this particular topic. I think it has a lot to do with her finding me drunk and rambling about our dad a few years ago and then when she actual met him, it wasn't a pleasant encounter. It could also stem from her own broken relationship with her dad. 

"She's right, Finn." 

"I know she's right. I never said she wasn't, all I asked was if you got a text too." I'm annoyed. I know they are both probably thinking that I'm falling for my dad's text and hoping that he's being sincere this time. I don't blame them for thinking that, I did exactly that a couple of years ago and it's not like I handled him showing up on the Fourth of July very well. 

What they don't know though, is that for the past week and a half I've been angry and on edge most days. They don't know that I run twice as much now because I need to clear my head every time I'm alone with my thoughts. They don't understand that I'm not falling for anyone's shit anymore, I'm done being the nice guy all the time. Something has been unlocked inside of me and I don't know how to put it back in it's place - or if I even want to.

"Are you going to reply?" Ellie asks, standing up and walking towards the counter to get her own phone from her purse.

"No. I don't have anything to say. I don't want a relationship with him. I don't even want an apology anymore. I'm so sick of people lying to me and making up excuses, guys." As I'm talking, I notice Kit glance down the hallway. What is back there? 

"Have you talked to Darby?" he asks as Ellie takes her seat at the table once more.

That's a little unexpected.

They both have their eyes on me. "Why would I have talked to Darby? I just told you that I'm tired of people lying to me and making up excuses." 

"Maybe she'll tell you the truth though." 

Why are they taking her side all of a sudden? They know that Darby used me and lied to me, they know I don't want to talk to her or see her. 

"What truth is there left to be told? She already told me she has a boyfriend and that she won't break up with him. That's all the truth I need from her. She texts me every day asking me to hear her out, and I don't know how long it's going to take her to realize that I want nothing to do with her. We've talked about this you guys, why are you bringing it up again?" 

Before they can answer, Ellie's phone begins to ring. While she excuses herself and goes to the other side of the room to take the call, Kit looks as if he wants to tell me something.One look and a shake of the head from Ellie though and his face goes back to neutral. 

Ellie ends her call and turns to Kit. "Jake and Maci are downstairs waiting for us," then she turns to me, "We're going to go grab dinner, do you want to come?"

"Sure." For the time being we all seem to have a silent agreement to put this conversation on hold, both the part about Darby and the part about our dad.

We all stand and a look passes between Kit and Ellie. "Okay what is going on here? You two have been acting weird since I walked through the door." 

Once again, they look at each other.

"Nothing is going on here, Finn. Maybe you're the one being weird." Ellie starts to walk backwards, making a face at me as she makes her way towards the bedroom. "You guys go ahead and go downstairs, I'll be right there."

Kit doesn't hesitate, he starts walking towards the door, dragging me with him. 

Once we're in the hallway I stop walking and look at my identical brother, his eyes avoiding mine. "You guys are being weird, it's not me." 

"Finn, I think you should talk to Darby." He runs his hands through his hair and I know that's the same way I look every night when I do the same, while reminding myself of the reasons I shouldn't talk to Darby.

"Why? Why do you suddenly think that I should talk to her? Yesterday you were agreeing that I'm better off without her."

We start to walk towards the stairs, Ellie still inside the apartment. "Because I think it's important to hear her side of the story. You know, get closure and all that." 

I've been telling myself the same thing, but every time I find myself reaching for my phone I eventually find my way back to the anger I felt the morning I read that damn text. 

Maybe Kit is right though, maybe closure is what I need to finally stop thinking about the things that either anger me or fill me with panic. 

"You got lucky with Ellie, Kit." I mean it. Ellie came into Kit's life just in time, and I've always been jealous of how good they are together and how good they are for each other. Ellie brought something to Kit's life that no one else could have and I could never thank her enough for basically saving my brother's life. Kit would have never went to have the surgery that saved his life if it wasn't for Ellie, and if Kit hadn't had the surgery, he probably wouldn't be here today. 

I've been Kit and Ellie's number one fan since I saw him drooling over her the first day of our senior year, and every day since I'm more and more sure that they aren't meant for anyone else. 

Kit's serious expression fades at the mention of his wife and a soft smile spreads across his face. "Yeah, I really did."

Once we make it to the parking lot, we all agree to take my jeep to the restaurant so that we can all five fit comfortably in one vehicle. 

Ten minutes later, Ellie comes running across the lot and climbs into the backseat, "Okay, lets go!"