Vincent Kinsington

I parked in my spot of the six car garage. My brother's space was empty. At least he wasn't there yet. It did appear that both my mom and dad were home. My heart began to beat in erratic spurts. It became difficult to breathe. I rubbed the palm of my hand over my heart.

"It's okay," I whispered to myself. "Don't have a panic attack." My hands trembled. I tilted my head back against the headrest of my seat as I became light headed. "It's okay. Don't let them see you like this." I took in a labored breath.

My breathing slowly evened, my shaking hands calmed, my heartbeat became steady. I clenched my jaw tightly. I could have a panic attack later. Not that I could control when they came on, but I had always managed to get myself to a private area when they came. I hadn't told anyone about them. Not even Alex. My family would use it against me if they knew.

I left the garage, ignored the circular driveway that led to the front of the house and took the path around back. The large backyard was landscaped to match the wooded area surrounding it. A mix of pines, oaks and aspens. The house sat on a tall hill overlooking the city.

The leaves hadn't started to change yet, but they would soon. The sun was beginning to set. The shadow of the sky was beginning to chase after the sun. Stars were beginning to twinkle in the east while red and orange streaks painted the west.

I stopped. I came to the back hoping I'd avoid any family, but my father sat at the wooden table on the patio. He watched the sunset in silence. I almost turned and went back to the front, but he saw me.

"Hello, father," I said politely because I would be scolded later by my mom if I didn't. He had dark brown hair that matched his dark brown eyes. He blinked at me and then turned his attention back to the sunset.

My mom came out from the sliding glass door with two flutes of white wine in her hands. She didn't notice me yet. She put one flute next to my dad's hand on the table. She took a sip from the other one as she sat next to my dad.

He murmured something to her. She turned slightly in her chair to look at me. She immediately put her hand over my dad's. The muscles in his jaw clenched tight. She always touched him more when I was around and he always touched her less. It was the opposite when they thought I wasn't there.

My mom had the same medium brown hair as I did, but she had cornflower blue eyes. My eyes were the golden brown shade of a tiger's eye stone. No one in the family had my unique colored eyes.

"Hello, mother," I said politely.

"Did you say hello to your father?" she asked. I nodded. "Go in and say hello to your grandmother. She's upstairs."

I didn't linger. I went in through the sliding glass door my mom just exited. The constriction around my heart eased immediately when I was no longer in their presence.

I stopped in the large kitchen before I headed up stairs. Priscilla and Theresa were busy with dinner. Roasted duck, asparagus, fresh rolls. They both smiled when they saw me. Theresa put down the brush she used to glaze the tops of the hot rolls. Priscilla put down the hollandaise sauce. They both hugged me at the same time.

"You need to come more often," Priscilla said. "We miss you."

"Next time you come," Theresa said, "I'll prepare your favorite."

"My dad doesn't like sliders," I said.

"Well, he doesn't need to know we make them for you," Priscilla said.

I pulled away from the two of them. I wished they were my aunts. I snatched a roll before either of them could stop me.

"Hey!" Theresa called after me, but she had a smile on her face so I knew she wasn't serious.

"I need to see my grandmother," I said to them. Then I shoved the entire roll in my mouth as I left the kitchen. Luckily no one was around to see it.

I swallowed the last bit of it as I reached the top stair. I took a left and went down the long hallway until I reached the last door. I knocked softly, but didn't wait for an answer before I slowly opened the door.

"Grandma?" I peeked my head in first. She smiled when she saw me and the wrinkles that I had come to love adorned her face. Her white hair was pulled up neatly in a bun on top of her head. She sat in her favorite chair in front of her bed as she watched the big screen t.v. She watched a game show.

"My Vinny," she called out to me and wriggled her fingers for me to come to her.

I went inside quietly and closed the door behind me, but as soon as the door was closed I rushed to her side and knelt by her feet. I hugged her legs - she wore a nice light pink pants suit - and put my head on her lap. She chuckled and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"How's the University?"

"Fine."

"How are your classes? Easy? Hard?"

"They're fine, grandma."

"And do you still like living by yourself? You're always welcome to come back home you know. Your bedroom is waiting for you."

I scoffed before I could stop myself. She sighed and patted the top of my head before removing her hand. I didn't let go of her legs.

"What do you know about this girl Aiden is bringing home?" she asked.

"She seems nice and genuine," I lied. Well, maybe it wasn't a lie. I hadn't met her.

"Hmmm. We'll see."

We grew quiet as we watched the game show together. I didn't really enjoy it, I just wanted to be near the one person in the house who didn't hate me. "When are you going to bring someone home?" she asked quietly.

"Never," I replied equally quiet.

"Now that saddens me," she said. "I want to met the person you fall in love with. I hope you can trust me enough to introduce me to them someday."

"I'm not going to fall in love, Grandma. Real love doesn't exist. My parent's relationship proves that."

"I loved your grandpa," she said.

"You met before you had money," I said. "Money changes people. Everyone I've ever dated only did so because they knew I was rich."

"Not everyone is like that," she said.

"According to mom and dad they are," I said. "And according to everyone else I've met. Just face the facts grandma that your relationship was an anomaly."

"I really hope you'll met someone who will prove you wrong," grandma said, "and when you do, bring them home to meet me. Whether it is a male or female."

I finally pulled away from her and looked up at her face. "There are so many things wrong with that statement," I said. She couldn't know I was bi. I hadn't told anyone except Alex and he would never tell anyone. I had been very careful to only date girls even though there had been a few boys I had been attracted to. Aiden could never find out. My father could never find out.

"Okay, okay," she said. "I'm just saying I want you to love and whoever it is, I want to meet them."

"You can't ever mention the possibility of me bringing home a boy to Aiden or dad," I said.

"Don't worry," she said. "I know them. I won't."

I nodded. I hugged her legs and put my head on her lap again.

"There is something else," she said. Her tone very serious. I pulled away to look into her face. "There on my nightstand." She pointed to a yellow slip of paper. I stood and retrieved it for her, but when I handed it to her she refused it. "It's for you," she said.

"It's a phone number," I said. There was no name with it, just the number.

"It's his number," she said.

"His who?"

"HIS."

I knew who she meant. I tried to hand it to her. "I don't want it."

She smiled and seemed to relax a little. I hadn't realized she was tense until then.

"Thank you," she said, "but take it anyway."

"I will never contact him," I said.

"He might try to contact you now that you are an adult and on your own," she said. "Save his number in your phone so you will know not to answer it."

I hesitated a moment. I had no plans to ever talk to him and if Grandma was right and he did try to call me, I would answer if I didn't know it was him. I saved his number in my phone. Then I tore the paper into tiny pieces and threw it in her trash next to her nightstand.

I went back and sat on the floor next to her chair. Her hand was soft, but wrinkled as I took it in mine. That was the moment Aiden decided to burst into the room. There was a woman with him with black hair that was pulled back. Her skin was a beautiful mocha. Her eyes were a rich brown. She wore a simple, but expensive white dress, ruby earrings with a matching necklace and bracelet. I immediately stood. She smiled kindly at me and I immediately liked her. She was too good for my brother.

"My favorite grandma," Aiden said. He went to Grandma and bent to hug her.

"Your only grandma," Grandma replied with a small chuckle.

"This is Jasmine," Aiden said. He released Grandma and took Jasmine's hand to pull her closer.

"Hello Mrs. Kensington," she said. She extended a well-manicured hand to my grandma. Grandma took it, but instead of shaking it, she used it to help herself up. Jasmine was quick to step closer to her and help her up further by grabbing the back of her arm with her free hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Jasmine," Grandma said. "I'm glad I finally get to meet one of my grandsons's girlfriends."

"I'm the first they ever brought home?" Jasmine seemed genuinely surprised by this. It wasn't a secret my brother liked to date.

"Yes," Grandma said. "Let's go eat. I'm starving." She patted Jasmine's hand which she still held and the two of them led the way out.

"You must be Vincent," Jasmine said over her shoulder.

"Yes," I said as Aiden and I followed them through the hallway. "It's nice to meet you. Aiden has told me great things about you," I lied.

Aiden nodded slightly in approval.

"He's told me many great things about you too," Jasmine said as we reached the top of the stairs.

I looked at my brother a little surprised he talked about me at all, but not surprised that he would lie. He smirked at me in that annoying way.

Grandma exaggerated her frailty as Jasmine helped her down the stairs. She was loving the attention. Grandma could take these stairs two at a time and not have any problems.

Mom and dad were sitting at the dining room table. They stood when we entered.

"I see you found her," my mom said to Jasmine.

"Yes, thank you," Jasmine replied.

We all found our spots at the table. Unfortunately for me, that put me right beside Aiden. Dinner started with the usual small talk, asking Jasmine about her schooling and parents, how she met Aiden, etc.

I ignored most of the conversation. I learned enough to know that she was definitely too good for my brother.

"Vincent."

I looked across my brother to Jasmine when she addressed me. I quickly swallowed the piece of asparagus that was in my mouth.

"I heard you went to highschool with my cousin," she said.

"Who is your cousin?" I asked.

"Trevon."

"Yes, I did. How is he doing?"

He was attending college in a neighboring state and of course I knew how he was doing, but it was polite to ask.

"Good. He recently came home one weekend with a boyfriend." Jasmine studied my parents and grandma carefully.

"We heard," my mom said easily. "I'm glad we live in a more tolerant age."

"Me too," my brother said. "He is my little brother's friend and I was proud of him when I heard."

I couldn't help it. I rolled my eyes. My mom frowned at me, but no one else had noticed me.

"Vincent's best friend is gay," Aiden said. He placed a hand on my shoulder as he said it. I stiffened. Was he really using Alex to make him look better in front of his date? After everything he said about Alex?

"Trevon told me about him I believe," Jasmine said. "Alex right? Trevon said Alex was the one who inspired him to come out as bi."

This whole thing was starting to make me feel sick, but especially Aiden's hand that was still on my shoulder. It was heavy and it burned. I couldn't find my voice to answer Jasmine. I just wanted to get away from Aiden as soon as possible. Aiden's heavy foot shifted over mine and he put as much force as he could into it crushing my foot. I quickly moved my foot out from underneath his.

"Yes," I said. "Alex."

I wanted to talk about anything else but my best friend. His name shouldn't be uttered by anyone in this family other than my grandma.

My phone vibrated. I took it out of my pocket to see who was calling. My dad scowled at me, but at this moment I didn't care. I needed a moment to get away from all of them.

"I need to take this," I said as I looked at the name on my screen.

My father waved a dismissive hand in my direction before turning his attention back to Jasmine.

I got out of there as soon as I could. I stepped out into the backyard from the sliding glass doors, took a breath and answered.

"Hey, Alex."

"Hi," Alex said. His quiet voice always had a soothing quality to it. "Did I call at a bad time?"

"No. The perfect time. Gave me an excuse to get away from a family dinner."

"Oh," he said with complete understanding. "I'm at a family dinner too, but I'm sure mine is more pleasant."

"Yes. Your mom is definitely not my family. I'd rather be at your family dinner."

"Maybe," Alex said, "except Mateo is here too."

My hand tightened around the phone. I couldn't find my voice to answer. Alex must have sensed it because he moved on.

"Speaking of, Mateo is having a party tomorrow night after his soccer game. He wanted me to invite you. He is hoping you will come and see his sincerity."

I had nothing to say to that. At least nothing that Alex would like.

"So...will you come?"

"I'll come," I said. It might just be the opportunity I needed to break them up. Somehow. Things were moving too fast if Alex was already introducing Mateo to his mother.

"And you'll be civil and give him a chance, right?"

"I'll come," was all I said.

"Vinny..."

"I can't trust him," I said. "And I'm afraid you are trusting him too quickly."

Alex sighed heavily into the phone. "Fine. Just come. He'll prove you wrong eventually."

I doubted it.

We ended the call and I walked back into the dining room. As soon as I saw my family sitting there, I knew I couldn't stay any longer.

"Sorry," I said. "I've got to go. Something happened with Alex."

"An emergency?" my mom asked and she stood as she showed false concern.

"He'll be okay," I said without going into too much detail about my fake excuse. I hugged grandma before I turned to Jasmine. "It was nice to meet you. I hope to see you again soon." But if you are smart you will run away from this family as fast as you can. I hoped she got my telepathic message.

"Is it a similar incident as to what happened in highschool?" Aiden asked.

I stopped dead in my spot. It took everything I had in that moment not to turn around and beat my older brother to a bloody pulp.

"I was so proud of my brother then," Aiden went on. "Alex was too timid to do anything so Vincent handled it himself. It's too bad Alex refused to press charges though. It was..."

"It's impolite to talk about other people's affairs," my mother said sternly.

"Oh. Of course. I'm sorry, Jasmine."

I didn't wait to hear anything more from Aiden. I walked out the front door. My hands shook with rage. I got to my car quickly. Once inside I breathed out until my hands stopped shaking. Then I pulled out of the driveway and headed home.

I was not going to allow a repeat of what happened in highschool.