My Backstage Boyfriend | teen fiction

act 1, scene 14 - homecoming pt. 2

As soon as I heard the car door slam, I bolted down the steps. Randy was barking madly at the door and I moved him out of the way so I could run outside.

"Harvey!" I cried, jumping up into my big brother's arms. He held me tight and swung me around.

He had gained a little weight since he left for school and his stubble had grown out a little, but other than that he was the same. He looked so professional in his Northwestern hoodie, beaming with new experiences and knowledge.

"Hey kiddo, I missed you too." I didn't realize how different things would be at home with him gone and how much I'd want him back. Even his weird older boy smell was a welcome comfort now.

Even though we'd squabble from time to time, it was nice to have an older brother. Some who had to look out for you and had to be your friend, no matter what. I couldn't stop myself from hugging him again.

"Did you check on the turkey while I was gone, Penny?" My mom asked as she got out of the passenger seat. My parents had been too excited to see their beloved son to only send one of them to get him from the airport.

"Yes Mom, and Emmy said they'll be over around six o' clock." It was too expensive for Emmy and her massive family to travel over the breaks. Luckily, we were home this holiday and invited them to share it with us. "Though she said she and Celia will be over around three to help set up and cook."

"Wonderful, and have you heard from Aunt Lois at all? I tried calling her this morning." My mom and her sister were very different people.

My mom was a "get-shit-done", go to college, get a job, have a family type of person. Aunt Lois was a "drop-everything-after-high-school-and-move-to-Hawaii" type of person. I loved how free spirited she was, but it made planning around holidays especially difficult.

"No, sorry." She looked let down. "It's okay, Mom. I'm sure she'll be here." She gave me a little smile, trying to mask her sad eyes, and headed in to check on the cooking. My dad trailed in behind her, leaving me and Harvey in the front yard by ourselves.

I watched him as he crossed the lawn to pick up a football I didn't even know we had and toss it to me. Miraculously, I caught it and we started throwing it back and forth.

"So, Emmy's coming over?" He asked, skirting around the fact that he really wanted to know if her sister would be coming.

"Yeah, Celia is too." I winked.

"Hey, hey, hey. What's that about?" He glared at me.

"What's what about?" I said innocently.

"Your little eye spasm there, thinking you're all sly... Insinuating things..."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm not insinuating anything." I winked again.

"Well, speaking of," He took a turn to wink at me. "Any boys been in your life lately?" I felt the heat rush up to my face and fingertips. I wasn't exactly sure why I was so embarrassed. Before he had gone away to school, Harvey and I had been pretty close and open about our lives. "You're blushing! Is it Nick? I bet it's Nick."

"Shh!" I rushed over to tackle him. "You don't have to tell the whole neighborhood, you rat."

"It's about time, Penny! His brother and I have been betting on it since you guys were in Kindergarten."

"God, Harvey, you're so weird. Why couldn't you have been a normal brother?" I teased him, half joking half serious. It was almost embarrassing to have a sibling so invested in your life.

"If anything about your life was normal, you'd be bored out of your mind, little sis."

---

We were setting the table for thanksgiving. Emmy was helping me lay out the silverware. My parents were in the kitchen trying to make sure everything stayed hot. My dad's parents were en route. Aunt Lois had finally called. After her flight out of Hawaii was delayed, she had finally made it state-side and was in an Uber from the airport.

Celia had been MIA for a while. The van had been commandeered by their parents for the day, so it wasn't as if she could have gone anywhere. When I asked Emmy she guessed that she may have walked to the nearby 7-11 to pick up ice or something.

"Penny, could you go get your brother?" My dad called to me. Harvey had disappeared to do about three months worth of absolutely rank laundry (he apparently had only done two batches while he was away.

I left Emmy downstairs and clambered up. His door still had his old decorations; there was a pennant with his name he had made in kindergarten and a "NO PARKING" sign I suspected was stolen.

Not thinking to knock, I opened it up to great horror. Him. Celia. Naked. Very inappropriate. R-rated scene. My eyes were burning, I couldn't unsee it! The expression on their faces was of complete horror.

I let out a little yelp and slammed the door shut, just as I heard Aunt Lois coming in the front.

Well, this was going to be an interesting Thanksgiving.