Drake wasn't a huge meatloaf fan. Especially when it came to his mother's. And ever since Josh's foot resembled it, he couldn't stomach it at all, but now he was going to get another reason to leave it on his plate untouched. His mother was about to make an announcement that, to her, was wonderful news.
"Guess what?" said Audrey, clearly happy about whatever she had to say.
"What is it?" asked Walter, not sure why his wife would be this excited.
"A letter came from Aiden today. It's always wonderful to hear from him."
"I'm sure it is," Walter replied.
Drake pushed his mashed potatoes around with his fork. What was Mr. Perfect up to now? Had he excelled at Harvard and graduated already? Was he going to be the legal advisor to the president? Or was he somehow going to help the pope with something? Drake knew he was getting ridiculous with his thoughts, but he really didn't think he cared to hear what his mother was going to say. Little did he know, he was going to hate what his mother had to say.
"He says things are going well at Harvard," Audrey continued. "His grades have been so high, and everyone likes him so much. He has quite the gang of friends."
Drake stopped listening to Audrey talk about Aiden. He didn't care. He didn't want to care. So what if Aiden was the top of his class wherever he went? So what if he was going to be a lawyer? Drake began to use his fork and knife to shape his mashed potatoes to keep his mind from what his mother was saying. However, he did look up when he heard the words, "coming home for Christmas."
"What?" Drake asked, startled.
"Aiden's coming home this Christmas!" Audrey said with glee. "Isn't it wonderful, Drake? Your big brother's coming home."
"Yeah, wonderful," said Drake. He still didn't care, but he had also completely lost his appetite. He had been waiting for dessert, but now even that seemed unappealing.
"That will be nice," said Walter. "Josh and I haven't met him yet."
"I know," said Audrey. "It's a shame he was too busy at the time of the wedding."
Drake frowned. That's right. Aiden hadn't even been at his own mother's wedding. Not that Drake himself had been thrilled at first that his mom was marrying Walter, but at least he'd been there. Aiden said he had too much going on to come home for a wedding. Really. What was more important? And how could their mom have forgiven him that easily for it?
"Megan, you haven't seen him in a long time either," Audrey continued. "Won't it be nice to see him again?"
"I guess so, Mom," said Megan. She'd been watching Drake mess around with his food. She knew he didn't like meatloaf, but he wasn't one to leave everything else on his plate untouched.
"Well, we're going to have to get everything ready. He'll be here in two days," Audrey said. "We should probably give him the guest bedroom. I wouldn't want him to have to sleep on the boys' couch."
Drake put his fork down. He was done now. It irritated him that his mother was willing to do all this for Aiden. He hadn't been at her wedding. He'd never met her new husband or step-son. He'd never visited or written to Megan. All they got was a letter once in a while saying how his grades were and how many friends he had. Audrey was excited whenever mail came from him. Drake didn't give a damn. Megan didn't seem to either, but she had never really known Aiden very well.
Drake slipped out of his chair and headed upstairs. His mother wouldn't notice. She was too busy saying how wonderful it was that Mr. Perfect was going to come home in two days. Let her have her perfect son. Drake had other things to do. Like practice with the choir. Anything was better than being home with Aiden. He'd much rather put up with Hewitt.
He debated about picking up his guitar or turning on the television. He finally settled on the television and turned on OR. He switched the channel to whatever mindless non-reality show was on the so called Music Television.
Drake was fifteen minutes into a rerun of Celebrities Under Water when Josh came upstairs.
"Hey," said Josh. "We wondered why you left."
"I wasn't hungry," Drake replied.
"Not hungry? You were complaining about how Mom wouldn't let you eat before dinner."
"So?"
"So what's up?"
"Nothing."
"Drake," Josh sighed. "Are you still bummed about having to carol with the choir and having to be in the holiday pageant?"
"Oh, I'm past being bummed about that, Josh. Way past that."
"Then what's the matter?"
"You don't get it do you?"
"No. You haven't really given me anything to 'get.'"
Drake stared at Josh.
"Why don't you explain?" Josh offered.
"Don't you get it? When did I leave the table?"
"After Mom announced that Aiden was coming home in two days."
"Now was that so hard?" Drake asked.
"Why would you be upset about your brother coming home?"
"He's never been there, Josh. He's always been away. I haven't seen him since he went away to college, and actually, I'm fine with that."
"Why? Don't you miss him?"
"Nope. Would you miss the brother who didn't go to your mother's wedding?"
"He was busy..."
"Yeah, right. Too busy to go to his own mother's wedding? I don't think so, Josh."
"Well, maybe he..."
"Josh, he didn't want to go to the wedding. He just had something to do with his friends that he didn't want to cancel. He's never really cared. He just acts like it. And Mom treats him like a perfect angel for it."
"Drake, no one's perfect."
"You're right. So why does he act like he is?"
"Don't you think you're being a little over..."
"No. I don't care what happens to him. If he wants to walk out and forget about everybody, that's his business. I'm not going to sit around and wait for him to come home. So what if he's coming home for Christmas? That's what you're supposed to do, and it's the first time he's done it in years."
"Why are you so bitter toward your older brother?"
"Huh. Some brother. No, Josh. He wasn't at Mom and Dad's wedding. I just can't take that."
"Mom just sounds so happy. I don't know why..."
"She's giving him the guest bedroom, Josh. You didn't get that when you moved in, remember? You slept on the couch until we moved the drumset out and moved your bed here."
"Wasn't the guest bedroom his to begin with? And I didn't mind the couch. I'm family."
"He's supposed to be too, isn't he? No, we used to share a room. The drumset came in soon after he moved out."
"Why?"
"Does it matter why? Scottie had just got a brand new set at the time, and he wanted somewhere to put the old one, so the drums were here for a while. The old bed just got moved out of the room."
"Oh. Well, he's going to be in the guestroom like it or not."
"I never said I didn't like it. I'd rather not sleep in the same room as him."
"Why not?" Josh asked.
"You wouldn't understand," said Drake. "You were an only child before Walter married Mom. Sometimes brothers can drive you nuts when the age difference is just right."
"You've both grown up since then, though..."
"Trust me, Josh, I just don't want to deal with it. I spent my whole life dealing with him before he moved out. I'm not going to say I miss the guy who missed my mom's wedding."
"All right," said Josh. "I can't make you change your mind. I suppose you do have a point. Although, I wonder what he was doing the day of Mom and Dad's wedding."
"It doesn't matter," Drake replied. "The point is, he wasn't there. They got married in the summer. He had no excuse."
"If you say so," Josh responded.
"Just forget it. I've got to go practice with the band. These pageant and caroling rehearsals are really messing with our schedule."
With that, Drake grabbed his guitar and headed out the door. Josh stared after Drake wondering exactly what it was that had kept Aiden from their parents' wedding. Could it be as Drake said, or had he had a good reason? Josh shrugged and switched on his GameSphere. There was no point in digging deeper into the matter. It had happened, and it was over. Audrey apparently didn't seem to mind and neither did Walter. Josh would make his judgement when he met Aiden.
