Fix You ~Completed~

Act Sixty-Six

I honestly wasn't sure what I expected Eddie's childhood home to look like. Maybe a split level with blue siding and a yard that was kept up just enough to avoid being labeled as crappy. Maybe a mailbox with the address printed in peeling stickers across the face. Maybe a tree or two out front Eddie fell out of when his parents weren't paying attention and nearly broke his leg.

I knew I wasn't picturing a two level house with a four car garage, a lawn so pristine that made me wonder how grass could be so green, rows of neatly trimmed hedges, and a freaking mailbox with the word HAN and the address painted across it with little colored handprints of each member of the family below that.

Yeah, I was aware beforehand that Eddie grew up in better conditions than I did, but I never expected him to come from such a nice place. His family was in a good position, financially and with each other. I could tell by the way he talked about his brother and his parents he adored them, and I had no doubt they felt the same way.

When we came to a stop in the awkwardly long driveway, Gale was the first one out, shouting that he had to tell Georgie everything before Eddie or I could stop him. We took our time in getting out of the car. Our ginger buddy was already inside the house before our feet even hit the pavement.

"Are you gonna stay here or with Gale's family?" Eddie brought up when he popped open the back of his truck to reveal our luggage. I yanked my bags out, giving him a look that said You really need to ask? At that point, I wasn't sure if I could sleep without Eddie next to me. "Silly me. C'mon, sweetie."

I tried not to gawk too much when he brought me inside their house. They had a little entrance where there was a long strip for coats to be hung upon and a set-up for shoes. My family had no entrance; there was a crappy coat-rack my mom got from a thrift store and a rug right when you came through the front door into the living room and that was it.

Ale was nowhere to be seen and that worried me.

"I bet they're out back," Eddie muttered, gesturing for me to put down my bags.

I followed him through a casual living room with a television that fit above a fireplace. "Snazzy," I commented with a giggle, reaching out to poke him in the arm. Eddie grinned, muttering a quick whatever and taking my hand.

He wanted his parents to know about us. I still couldn't get over that!

A sliding door led outside onto a deck I could tell was a recent build. It looked out at a lawn just as beautiful as the one out front. The green was so bright it reminded me of Jimmy's eyes.

"There's my little bro-bro!" a voice exclaimed. Soon, Eddie was knocked out of my grasp by an ecstatic curly haired man, maybe five years older than us. He hung onto Ed for dear life, shaking the taller boy playfully. "Eddie-Bear, I missed you! Why on earth didn't you come home for Easter?"

"You didn't come home for Easter either, Georgie," he chuckled, lacing his arms tightly around his waist and squeezing. "I missed you too, a little."

I backed away, giving them space, and looked around aimlessly. At the edge of the deck was a table where four adults and a grinning ginger boy were gathered. It appeared they were in the middle of a card game. Poker, maybe? Honestly, I never played a card game in my life and I didn't know what was and wasn't poker.

"Lem, come here!" Gale called, waving me over. I hesitantly stepped away from Eddie, mentally preparing myself for this. It was Gale and Eddie's parents. They were the two best people I'd ever met. Their parents would be okay too, right? "Guys, I'd love to introduce you to our little buddy, Clem Tate! Bow, dude."

I didn't bow. I felt too nauseated to bow.

Gale reached out and gently pulled me over to him, wrapping one arm around my neck and ruffling my hair playfully. "He's our precious boy," he went on, noting my nerves. "Our baby cupcake. Our blonde angel."