I'm sorry it's been so long but I'm back now and I'm feeling a lot better so expect more chapters coming soon! Hope everyone is doing okay during these difficult times
SkyBell1272- To answer your questions, 1. You will find that out in the next few chapters, 2. Sadie is going to try to get Max to open up but he really won't, 3. They most likely will not for a long time since they have a lot of issues they need to resolve and they do not communicate very well (or at all) and we will see that it is indeed affecting Kai
Ryland's Pov
I've been trying to talk Max and Gabe into coming back on tour, I think Max will cave in and come but Gabe probably won't. He's been refusing my calls because he thinks Max put me up to calling him. I didn't even know they were fighting until I got a text from Gabe saying some not so nice things I tried asking Max about it but he just says it's a stupid fight that Gabe took the wrong way. "You look like you have to take a shit." Spencer said look at me with an eyebrow raised. "Do you have to-"
"No."
"Then why do you look like that?"
"Because I'm frustrated!" I yelled.
"About?"
"I'm trying to see if Max and Gabe or going to finish this fucking tour with us but they are fighting right now so I can't talk to them and you and Zach are fighting so I'm stuck trying to fix everything and work on a new album so sorry if I look like I have to take a dump." I muttered, Spencer sighed.
"I really thought Zach would've caved by now."
"Do you really think it's about caving? He wants you to stop doing drugs and get clean. That's why he's mad Spence."
"I mean I know that but I have no reason to get clean."
"Your health?"
"Don't care about it."
"Your family?"
"Don't have one."
"You have us." I said and was surprised to see a sad smile on his face.
"I know and I love you guys but you all have parents and siblings who love you- well most of you do," He said shrugging probably talking about Gabe. "And what do I have?"
"You had a girlfriend for a while, you know the one you brought to my wedding, what happened to her?"
"Everyone leaves me but it was probably for the best. Hopefully she's happy."
"Maybe you should call her if you miss her?"
"God no."
"Then how about a dating app? I can set it up for you." I said smiling.
"Knowing you, you'd probably choose the worst photo of me and make me sound like some hippy."
"Guilty." I chirped and Spencer laughed.
"Really Ry, I'm okay."
"No you aren't."
"I have you guys and that's enough."
"Why not try calling your parents then? Seeing how they are doing?"
"I haven't talked to them in years."
"That's-"
"Ryland really, I'm okay."
"Did you start again? Zach said he would give you three days before you started again."
"I haven't… Yet…"
"It's been almost a week i'm really proud of you Spence, even if you don't end up staying this way you really are trying and you've never made it this long even when you went to rehab you always left after four days so I'm proud you made it this far."
"T-Thanks Ry." He said he looked like he was going to keep talking but Zach came in and rolled his eyes when he saw Spencer he didn't say anything as he walked down the hallway and into the bathroom. "How do I make him talk to me?"
"I got this." I said patting his back and going towards the bathroom. "Zach we need to talk."
"Can I take a piss in peace? We have to leave in twenty minutes to make it to the airport so we can talk on the plane."
"We're talking now. I don't care what you say."
"You're bossy today." He mumbled and opened the door.
"I knew you weren't doing anything in there."
"And now you sound like a total dad."
"I am a dad and I guess I have to start being one to all of you."
"Wha- OUCH RYLAND WHAT THE FUCK!" He yelled as I grabbed his ear and started pulling him towards Spencer.
"I have had it up to here of all the fighting lately! So you two are not going to fucking move from this couch until you've made up, am I clear?"
"He's in total dad mode…" Spencer said. "Do you think if we pretend to make up he'll take us for ice cream?" He stage whispered.
"Maybe if we hug." Zach said back to him and they both laughed. "I-I'm sorry if it seemed like I was being a dick to you on purpose… At the start I wasn't mad but then I was and- I dunno I just want you to stop doing all this because I don't want to lose you, you're like a brother to me and I know how dangerous drugs are so I was pissed and I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry too… I really am still trying though… Not just because I want you to talk to me I know that lately I've been doing a lot and I know I shouldn't but sometimes it feels like I have nothing at all but I have everything I want but it still feels like I have nothing and I'm trying to fill empty holes inside me and I do that with drugs and alcohol but I really am trying."
"I know you are Spencie." Zach said and ruffled Spencer's hair.
"Should I leave you two alone? It seems like a really intimate moment." I joked trying to lighten the mood.
"And dad has gone and ruined it." Spencer said with a sigh.
"Oh, ha ha ha, really funny… If it wasn't for me acting like a dad you two wouldn't be talking so use my fatherly advice."
"You do realize that your "fatherly advice" was don't move from the fucking couch until we made up right? Because that doesn't seem real fatherly to me." Zach said.
"Yeah, if your going to give fatherly advice your supposed to-"
"Nope, I don't want to hear Spencer's take on fatherly advice." I said and Zach laughed.
"Yeah me either."
"Oh fuck off both of you." He said laughing and I sighed happily things were finally starting to get back to normal.
"Oh Ryland did you book a hotel yet?" Our next stop was in Shanghai and Zach promised to show me the best places to eat considering he lived there with his family before he moved back to the states to join our band.
"No not yet I haven't really looked up any good places to stay, why do you have a recommendation?"
"Yeah I do, you can stay with me." What did that mean?
Kayla's Pov
Willow loved the hula dancers she was running around the entire time trying to dance along with them and laughing when she would fall on her butt. She was currently holding onto Cambry's hand as we walked around the farmers market trying to find stuff for dinner tonight. I couldn't keep up with how fast Willow was walking so Cam took over for me. "Apple!" Willow yelled trying to reach up to grab an orange.
"No baby that's an orange, can you say orange?" Cambry said and Willow nodded.
"Orge!"
"She hates oranges." Cambry looked at me with an amused smile.
"She hates oranges?"
"Yeah, she'll throw them at your face if you try and feed her orange slices so usually Nugget has a feast."
"Nugget always has a feast when the kids eat."
"True." I said laughing.
"So are you going to ask?" She said quietly as she picked Willow up.
"Ask about what?"
"Max."
"I don't think it's my place to be asking questions." I said softly.
"Tha-"
"But if you're willing to talk about him then I do have some questions." She rolled her eyes.
"Fine, ask away." She said smiling.
"Do you still love him?" She stopped walking and her smile fell.
"I didn't expect that to be your first question."
"Do you?"
"He's dating your sister. I don't think it's right for me to answer that question."
"So the answer is yes?"
"No."
"The answer is no?"
"Kayla!"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry…"
"Part of me will always love him, the guys I dated before him treated me like shit it's what I was used to. Every man has treated me like shit including my own father, so it's what I expected all men to be like. Max wasn't any different. He took his anger out on me, sometimes in really cruel ways but he had a softness to him after he did those things he made me feel loved and that was the first time I ever experienced that. I know the main reason he was with me was because I looked like his mom and he liked to take his anger out on her through me but I guess I was doing the same thing, you know?"
"Because of your dad?"
"Yeah my dad used to beat the shit out of me so why not my boyfriend? That's how I always saw it but then I realized that Max wasn't the one in control of the situation. One word from me and Max stopped and put all my needs first, yeah he could be a monster sometimes but he was my everything for a really long time."
"Is that why you let him beat you before we left?"
"I knew you were going to bring that up."
"I just don't understand why you let him do that to you… You aren't his… Uh? What was it he used to call you?"
"His pet."
"Yeah totally not saying that… You aren't his sex slave anymore!"
"Jesus Kayla! Why don't you yell it for all the people in the market to hear?!" She whispered yelled to me, switching Willow to her other shoulder she was sound asleep.
"Sorry…"
"I told you why I did it."
"No you said that you knew he would never do it to Sadie and that he'd just continue to be a jerk."
"Not my exact words." She mumbled pointing at potatoes. "We need five, Kai and Willow can share."
"Your words more or less." I said as I looked through to find the best ones. "I'm just trying to understand better. You are my best friend Cam and I don't want to see you get hurt."
"I did it mostly because I knew he wouldn't do it to anyone else and when Max gets that way the only other thing he does is turn to drugs to help him forget all the shit that eats at him."
"It's not your responsibility too."
"I know." She said softly. "But, Max is happy… Probably more happier then he ever was with me and if I can help him stay happy then I will do what I can."
"Because you still love him." I finished for her.
"Like an idiot…"
"Cam-"
"It's okay, I don't have any false hope that he and I will ever be together. I love him but I hate him at the same time… It's the story of my life." She gave me a sad smile.
"What about Gabe?"
"Hm? Gabe?"
"You said you expected all men to treat you like shit but Gabe treats you like you're royalty."
"It wasn't always like that… When we were young he'd try to take most of the beatings from my dad even if it was something me or my mom did he'd always instigate a fight with our dad to try and get his attention away from us and on him he didn't like seeing us get beat. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't… After a while Gabe got distant he'd never hit me but he'd make me feel like shit tell me that if I just shut up he wouldn't have to get beat the way he does. I felt horrible when he said that so I went and yelled at my dad."
"That doesn't seem like a good idea."
"Yeah," She laughed. "He beat the shit out of me and broke my arm when I was in the hospital Gabe came in crying he said it was his fault but I made him promise to never take any more beatings for me, it wasn't his fault that I got in trouble so he shouldn't have to get hit for a mistake I made."
"Your dad is a piece of shit."
"Yeah he is but he's our dad and he's pretty much all we got," She shrugged. "Things are kinda rocky with my mom right now."
"Huh, why?"
"I don't know if you've met Parker but he used to be close friends with everyone in the band he was basically raised with me and Gabes. Our fathers are really good friends… He told my mom that I've been hanging out with some old friends I use to do drugs with and she's not happy with me right now."
"Are you?"
"I saw one of them once because I owed them money and Parker was there and ratted me out to my mom."
"Why does she care so much?" I asked but she shook her head as went to pay for the last little bit of stuff we had, I figured she wasn't going to answer me but once we were outside she turned towards me.
"Mom and I didn't talk much when I was on drugs she said that she couldn't be near me if I was going to throw my life away. We didn't talk for years until I came to her and begged her for help. She said no at first because I had tried the getting clean thing and that didn't work out but when I told her I was pregnant everything changed. She agreed to help me on one condition."
"Which was?"
"If I ever relapse she gets full custody of Kai."
"C-Can she even do that?"
"She said she talked to a lawyer and I had to sign some kind of contract but I was on so many things that I don't even remember what it said but I know that if I fuck up I lose Kai."
"But what about Max?"
"I honestly don't know maybe he could get custody but she'd make it hard."
"Does Max know this?"
"No… Max and I don't talk and when we do we fight so I try to not talk to him."
"Cambry-"
"I don't plan on doing drugs ever again so we're fine… Don't worry." That somehow made me worry even more.
Harlan's Pov
Uncle Gabe took Kai and I on the biggest adventure ever! We went on a boat but uncle Gabie called it a kayak. It seemed like a baby boat to me and we're not allowed to say the name anymore because Kai kept saying it wrong and I think it was a bad word because Gabie kept looking around apologizing every time Kai would say Kak. We were running by the water sometimes I had to slow down for Kai to catch up to him but when he noticed me going slower for him he'd glare at me so I'd start running again. "Can't get me!" I yelled looking back at Kai and he stuck his tongue out at me.
"Don't go too far you guys." Gabe said, I was surprised Forrest was sitting with him but he was scared of the kayaks so I think he had enough fun for one day, we didn't want to go home yet so Gabie was letting us run around the bay.
"We won't!" I yelled. Running towards the water but not enough in that we would get eaten by a sea lion, uncle Liam says that they look like real lions but they have flippers!
"Wai for me!" Kai screamed, I turned towards him ready to tell him I was waiting but he tripped over somebody sun bathing and started crying.
"Are you okay?" Gabe asked getting up from the towel.
"Oh I'm so sorry." A lady sat up, she was really pretty with long brown hair and shiny brown eyes she looked like one of those people on those posters you see in the mall for girl stuff. "Is your son okay?" She asked as Kai crawled towards uncle Gabie crying.
"Um, yeah…" He said scratching his head. "He's okay." He picked him up and patted his back. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he?"
"No," She laughed. "I'm fine."
"Uncle Gabie, can Kai still play or do we have to go home?" I asked. she looked at me and smiled.
"Gabie?" She asked and uncle Gabie blushed.
"Um, Gabriel but everyone calls me Gabe."
"Or Gabie?"
"Ha," He blushed even more. "Um, y-yeah I mean if you want…"
"I'm Alaula." She stuck out her hand for him to shake. "I really am sorry I made your son cry."
"No." He said and then seemed to realize he said no because he shook his head. "He's my nephew not my son and he's okay really…" He set Kai down and patted his head. "Go on you can go play." He ran to me while Gabe seemed to forget Kai and I were here, all his attention was on her.
"K, do you think uncle Gabie likes her?" I whispered to him. I don't know if Kai understood what I meant but he nodded so I decided it was our job to help him. "When I tap on your back you say please, okay? Make it cute." He nodded excitedly.
"Uncle Gabie! Kai and I are hungry!" He frowned looking at the girl and then back to us.
"Okay we can-"
"Do you want to come with us?" I asked and tapped Kai on the back.
"Peas?" He asked and batted his eyes pouting his bottom lip. He was really good at that! Next time I want something from mommy or daddy I will have to have Kai with me.
"That was adorable." She said softly and looked at Gabe. "I don't mind as long as that's okay with your uncle."
"Oh.." He said rubbing the back of his neck.
"My treat for making this adorable one cry?" He nodded.
"S-Sure…"
Daddy always says that uncle Logan was bad at flirting but I don't think he's ever seen uncle Gabie flirt because it's just as bad! We were sitting in a small restaurant a little away from where we just were and the entire time Gabe was stuttering and messing up words. Was that how people acted when they liked someone? Daddy doesn't act that way with mommy or maybe he did before I knew them. "What do you guys want to eat?" Gabe asked.
"Bakon!" Kai yelled.
"No buddy no bacon."
"Baon!" Kai yelled again, jumping up his chair.
"Kaiser, no." He pouted. "Don't make that face with me, it doesn't work." He moved his pout from Gabe to the girl and her face softened.
"It's working on me." She whispered to Gabe.
"What's your name?" I asked her as Gabe and Kai continued to argue about bacon.
"I'm Alaula."
"Wow, that's pretty. I'm Harlan! Do you live in Hawaii?"
"Yeah, born and raised."
"That's so cool! Do you know how to do the fire thing or hula dance?" I asked and Gabe looked at me.
"Harlan, that's rude to ask someone just because they live here." He said softly.
"Oh… I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude…"
"It's okay sweetie," She said smiling. "I can hula but unfortunately I don't know how to poi."
"I'm really sorry if he-" Gabe said but she was shaking her head smiling.
"Really it's fine, you know what," She said to me and Kai. "My brother actually knows how to do that with fire."
"Real?" I asked.
"Yeah he's what people call a fire knife dancer."
"I want to see!" I yelled.
"I see!" Kai yelled too.
"Can we pretty pretty please uncle Gabie?"
"Peas una Ga!" Alaula was smiling at us looking at Gabe for his answer.
"Uhm I'd have to ask your moms if that's okay but if they say yes I don't see why not… If that's okay with you." He said to Alaula quietly.
"I would really like that and maybe we can get dinner after?" She said and Gabe smiled.
"Yeah, I-I'd really like that."
"Are you two going to kiss?" I asked and they both blushed turning away from each other. Whoops...
Max's Pov
How do I always manage to fuck up? I was sleeping when Cambry called me yesterday and now she won't answer no matter how many fucking times I try and call her back. I was really at the end of my rope with her but I knew I deserved all the shit she was giving me right now so I couldn't really complain. Sadie had taken the kids out to see some of her college friends that live here in New York so I had time to myself. I was watching a movie when my phone chimed. I was hoping it was Cambry or Gabe but it was surprisingly Rafe.
Rafa: Are you coming home for the 4th of july party?
Max: Yeah I am but aren't you in Italy?
Rafa: Coming home with papa he said I could stay but I want to spend time with you and meet Kai for the first time
That's right... I forgot he hasn't gotten to meet him yet. Hell dad and papa still really haven't gotten to meet him for real.
Max: Is Rylie coming?
Rafa: Nah she's lame t-.-t
Rafa: Are you staying at the house? Or hotel?
Max: At the house so I can spend time with you pops and Kai
Rafe didn't respond so I tried to find something else to fill my time. I really should just take Ryland's advice and go back on tour, Sadie was right and the kids will be fine if I go. Right? I sighed internally and fell back onto the couch. If I wasn't such an asshole right now i'd be bothering Gabe but I knew he wouldn't answer me. I could call Ryland but they were probably at an airport or already on the plane. I could've gone with Sadie but I didn't want to fake being cheerful about living in New York I just wanted- I don't know what the fuck I want- I just want something.
I ended up in the music room playing the guitar going over the songs Gabe and I did before the move, he decided to do the rest on his own, another way I'm an asshole? Probably. God New York is making me mopey Max again. If only the guys could see me... My phone chimed. I figured it was Rafe finally answering me so I didn't pick it up until a few minutes later when two more chimes came back to back.
Cambry: Kai wants to talk to you but I am not going to get his hopes up again by calling you so you have five minutes to answer
Cambry: Seriously...?
Cambry: You are a piece of shit
Max: I still have a minute left to answer
Max: I want to talk to him
She didn't answer me for ten fucking minutes...
Max: Now who's the piece of shit?
I knew I shouldn't have sent that but I was pissed off and we were both already mad at each other so it didn't really matter in the long run.
Cambry: Still you
I was in the middle of typing when my phone rang with a FaceTime call. I quickly answered and smiled when I saw Kai's big dark blue eyes right up against the camera.
"Daady!" He yelled.
"Hey Kai, what are you doing?" He moved a little bit away from the camera and sat down on the floor in front of a couch and smiled at me.
"Jus hom."
"You just got home?" He nodded. "Oh? What did you do?"
"I wa on ka!" What?
"Eh, what?"
"A kayak uncle Max!" Harlan yelled and jumped on the couch right above Kai and looked at me. "We went kayaking with uncle Gabie and then we played on the beach or uh I don't remember what it's called but it's like a beach and then we went and ate but the only thing Kai wanted to eat was bacon!" He said laughing and Kai nodded his head.
"Bak good!" He screamed.
"Did you get to eat bacon?"
"Yep!"
"What are you doing now?"
"No tin," He said shrugging. "I pay if Har an Foest and..." He said tapping his chin. "And maaa yell me."
"Mama yelled at you?"
"Yeah..." He said sadly.
"Why?" He said something way too fast for me to understand. I don't know if he knew I couldn't understand but he tapped on Harlan and pointed at the phone.
"Cammie yelled at him for being bad."
"Why was he bad?"
"He wanted to talk to you but Cammie said no because you didn't answer the phone so he started hitting her and uncle Gabie."
"Oh..."
"So he's in trouble and has to take a nap after he hangs up with you."
"I no trob!" Kai said, frowning.
"Yes you are." Harlan mumbled, Kai turned around and slapped his arm.
"No not!" He screamed.
"Kaiser Magnus Thompson-Bane!" Cambry yelled and Kai burst into tears as she grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry but he has to go Max."
"Okay can I call him lat-" She hung up and the screen showed my last message I typed out, I sighed and deleted it. We need to get better at talking for Kai's sake.
Sadie and the kids came home a few hours later when I was making dinner they ran past me yelling that they were starving. "How'd today go?" Sadie asked, putting the car seat down wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Good, talked to Kai for a little bit and my brother."
"You finally got to talk to Kai? That's great."
"Yeah..."
"What's wrong?"
"He got in trouble and I can't help but wonder if it's my fault he's acting like that."
"What do you mean?"
"It's nothing. I'm probably over thinking, how was your day?"
"Great!" She said, smiling, turning away to check on Empire who was sound asleep. "I had no idea my main group of college friends all moved out here like two years ago, we kinda drifted apart after school just following each other on social media and what not." She shrugged. "But it was so good to see them and guess what! One of them has kids around DJ and Rosie's age so we set up a playdate and I think I can have them help me with the clothing line."
"That's great baby." I said trying to sound enthusiastic but I guess it didn't work because she looked at me frowning.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Max?"
"Nothing is wrong Sadie just didn't have a good day I guess, but I am glad you found some people to help with the line, I talked to Ry a few days ago and he wants to buy a place here too kinda like the one we have back in Cali."
"Oh that would be good, a real place to work instead of just using an empty room."
"Mhmm."
"One of my friends, Chelsea, her husband is really into music and cars and stuff, you two should hang out. Maybe making some friends here will help you feel a little better."
"Are you setting up a playdate for me now?" I joked.
She laughed. "If you want to call it that then yes," She kissed my cheek. "You and him could take all the kids out to the park or a show or something."
"I'll think about it." She sighed but didn't push it.
"Are we still having dinner with your grandparents tomorrow?"
"Yeah they are really excited to see their great-grandchildren so much so that my grandma didn't even ask what I wanted to eat but what the kids wanted to eat I'm starting to wonder if that's how my dad felt when Rylie, Rafe, and I would always demand spaghetti every single time we were with them or they came to visit us."
"Now you'll be stuck with tacos every time your grandparents want to have dinner."
"Eh could be worse."
"You're right, I should tell DJ to say he wants a full roasted ham."
"I will vomit on you if you do that to me." She rolled her eyes.
Empire woke up the second I went back to cooking. Sadie took over so I could change him and get his bottle ready since I haven't really seen him at all today and I missed the little dude. "DADDY!" DJ screamed running into Empire's room dragging a stuffed animal behind him. "Daddy!"
"What's wrong?" I asked as I fixed Emp's onesie.
"Rosie stole this from me! And now she says it's hers and not mine." He whined holding up the stuffed animal.
"It's just a stuffed bear Player don't you have fifty of them?"
"But daddy! Uncle Spencer got it for me when I was on tour with you, he wonned it for me not for Rosie."
"It's just won bud, and I'll talk to Rosie so she knows not to take it okay?"
"Okay but she can still play with it alright? She just can't kidnap him like that."
"Alright." I said, patting his head. "Did you have fun with mommy?"
"Yeah! I met new friends and had ice cream."
"Seems like a pretty good day."
"Yep!"
"Come on, dinner should be ready." I picked up Empire and grabbed DJ's hand.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah Player?"
"When can we see uncle Spencer, uncle Zach, uncle Ryland, and Uncle Gabe?"
"It won't be for a while but maybe after the tour is over, we can spend a few weeks in LA while we record the new album."
"What's that mean?" He asked.
"Rosie, come on dinner time." I yelled.
"Oka!" She yelled running out of her room following behind DJ.
"It just means that we're going to be making new music soon."
"Oh! Can I come with you?"
"I'll ask but I don't see why not."
"Me too?" Rosie asked.
"You don't even know what we're talking about Rosie." DJ muttered.
"I do." She said carefully going down the steps holding onto the side railing taking one step slowly at a time. I let go of DJ's hand and carefully swooped her up with one arm she patted Empire's head. "Hi baby." She said in a high pitched squeaky voice that always made him laugh.
"Daddy me too!" DJ said from a few steps above us just as I turned he leapt from the step to my back.
"Daniel!" Sadie yelled glaring from downstairs. "What if he didn't catch you or he dropped your brother or sister?"
"Sorry mommy... Sorry daddy..."
"As if I would drop one of them." I joked but she didn't seem to think it was funny.
"Come on dinners ready."
Ryland's Pov
When we landed in Shanghai I was incredibly tired and hungry, I knew I should've taken dad's offer of flying out earlier with him and just crashing in his hotel but no I wanted to stay with my friends. "Dude don't mope, it ain't cute on you." Tyler said.
"Suck my dick." I muttered.
"I'm so telling your wife." Marcus said laughing.
"I'm too tired to argue with you two." I yawned.
"Are you guys staying at The Puli too?" Tyler asked.
"Um no I have no idea where I'm staying Zach said he knew a place so I'm going with him."
"Oh okay, we'll see you guys later then we're most likely going to crash the second we get into our room."
"See yah." I said and waited for Zach who was talking to someone. "What about you Spence?"
"Umm... I figured hopefully wherever Zach picked would be good enough because I was too lazy to find a place... Amongst other things." Usually if we didn't want to book hotel rooms ourselves our manager Bryan would do it but he's been busy talking to the producers of our new show so we've been leaving him alone lately.
"Alright let's-" Zach started but stopped when he saw Spencer with me. "Aren't you going to The Puli? It's the hotel I recommended to you, Tyler, and Marcus."
"So here's the thing..." He said scratching the back of his head. "I spent a lot of money on a car that's being shipped to my house soon but I forgot that I sent Gabe the money for the yacht so my bank thinks my card has been stolen and it's frozen right now even though I called and said it was me trying to buy stupid shit I don't need! And plus the hotel you recommended is really fucking expensive."
"Fine you can come but you will follow my rules." Zach grumbled.
What the fuck did that mean?
I must've fallen asleep in the car because one second I was just getting inside a taxi and the next Spencer is shaking me awake. "I hate you so much." I grumbled as he yanked me out. I looked around expecting to see fancy hotels but we were in a neighborhood of really nice houses. "Um Zach where are we?"
"My house."
"You own a house? In Shanghai?" Spencer asked.
"Are you forgetting that I moved here when I was like twelve? And didn't move back to the states until I was twenty?"
"But I didn't know you had a whole ass house!" Spencer said and I couldn't blame him. I was pretty shocked as well. Zach honestly didn't talk much about his life here.
"Nobody ever asked me." He said, shrugging and unlocking the front door. "Take your shoes off." He said once we were inside.
"So is that your only rule?" Spencer asked.
"There are only a few rules. One, don't do drugs inside my house." He looked at Spencer. "Two, don't bring any women back to my house." His eyes were still on Spencer. "Three, don't touch things that look breakable." He looked at me this time so I shot him a smile. "And lastly don't go in the room upstairs that has the stars all over the door."
"Why?" Spence and I asked in unison.
"It was Kenzie's room and I haven't been in it since-" He stopped and shook his head. "Just, don't go in there you can go anywhere else but just... Not there." We nodded and followed him into a different room. He walked to the far corner where there seemed to be some sort of table with pictures and candles. Zach sighed and moved a picture from the wall onto the table and lit some candles and said something softly in chinese.
"Should we ask?" Spencer whispered to me.
"I can hear you guys..." Zach said and motioned for us to come over on the table was a picture of an elderly woman, a man that looked a lot like Jem, and women, and the picture he moved to the table was Kenzie. "A long time ago it was customary to make an altar for your elders after they passed away... Now it's not so much a thing that every chinese family does but dad has always had this in our house no matter where we lived. My great grandparents," He said pointing out the elderly couple. "My grandparents," He said, running his hand over the picture of his grandmother, Jem's mom. "And Kenzie..."
"Are you okay?" Spencer asked.
"Y-Yeah I'm fine... If I ever take you to my Ke house you will see what a traditional altar looks like. They are very very traditional. You would think it was the 70's."
"We don't speak Mandarian though I think that would be a problem... Right?" Spencer said and Zach nodded.
"Yeah probably and I'd have to brush up on how to address my relatives." He sighed Spencer and I looked at each other.
"You mean your aunts and uncles and cousins? There you go, just helped you brush up!"
"Uh I guess that's true but as I said it's very traditional which means they don't use grandma and aunt and uncle."
"What the fuck do they use then?"
"Do you really want a crash course?"
"I mean it seems like a lot so let's just say Henry, you don't just say this is my little brother?"
"Okay so Henry would be dìdi, Kenzie is mèimei and if either of them were talking about me it would be gēge."
"And you have to do that for every single family member?"
"Yes."
"So if your mom had a sister?"
"Older or younger?" Zach asked.
"Younger?"
"Āyí."
"Alright that's enough! My head is spinning already." Zach laughed.
Although I don't know why you didn't say my mom's brother considering she has one."
"Since when does your mom have a brother?"
"Since she was a child? They are only a year or two apart although I've never met him."
"Why not?"
"He went crazy when mom was sixteen or maybe seventeen and got sent to a mental health facility."
"And he's just been there ever since?" I asked.
"Uh not sure mom and her brother used to talk for about a year or so after he went there but then he just stopped answering her calls and never returned her letters so if he ever got out," He shrugged. "We wouldn't have known."
"Do you know why he went crazy?"
"Dad told me once but-" My phone started ringing. I knew it was Kayla. I forgot to tell her we landed so she was probably worried about me. "I don't remember the story very well, he told me when I was young." Zach pointed to a sliding door. "You can go outside if you want or upstairs."
"Thanks." I said going outside and answering the call. "Hey baby."
"Hey... Did you forget about me? Or fall asleep?"
"No, I was talking with Zach and Spence. I'm sorry my love."
"Oh it's okay I was just worried but I figured if you didn't answer you'd be asleep."
"How was your day?"
"Good, guess what your son did?" She didn't sound mad kind of amused so I knew it wasn't anything too bad.
"Got really good at surfing?"
"No, well yes but not what I was talking about." She laughed.
"What did he do?"
"He and Kai got Gabe a date."
"Really?"
"Yeah, Gabe said they were excellent wingmen, we went to a luau and got to meet her and Gabe was adorable. He kept blushing whenever she'd complement him."
"You know your giving me the perfect reason to make fun of him right now, right?"
"Don't you dare! He was so sweet!"
"Please stop calling my best friend adorable and sweet."
"Oh is somebody jealous?"
"I trust them around you, I know they'd never do anything."
"I trust them too, this little boy tried to give Willow a flower tonight told me she was very pretty and I thought Gabe was going to throw this tiny child into the ocean."
"It's what I would've done." I muttered bitterly.
"Yeah I know."
"Back to Gabe finally having a date, was she nice?"
"Yeah she was really nice she told the kids a bunch of stories and helped them do a hula. It was so cute. We're actually all going out tomorrow."
"You, Gabe, Cambry, and Gabes date?"
"No me, Cambry, and Gabe's date." I burst out laughing. "They had their date after the luau. Most of the time the three of us were talking and hanging out that Gabe just played with the kids."
"What time is it for you?"
"Almost ten at night."
"Is Gabe back yet?"
"Nope, although I don't really expect to see him until tomorrow. Cambry was already making fun of him."
"I should text him."
"No! He'll know I told you and he promised to buy me chocolate cake tomorrow so don't you dare ruin that for me or me and your son will be very mad at you."
"Okay, okay, I can't go making my little Legend mad can I?"
"But you can make your wife mad?"
"Meh."
"I'll remember that."
"Why is he buying you cake?" I asked, trying not to sound jealous.
"He said that when he took the kids out for lunch they had cake for dessert and it was amazing, then Harlan was saying how it was the best cake he ever had. I started crying because I wanted some so he promised to get me cake tomorrow."
"You're adorable." I said softly.
"Shut up..." She muttered.
"Are the kids asleep?"
"Yeah, Willow fell asleep with all the puppies in her bed so I had to leave the door open just in case they wanted to get out."
"I miss you guys."
"We miss you too Ry."
