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Chapter 5

Blast from the past

Tobias' pov

I close the door to my room behind me, shaking my head from side to side. Have you ever seen so much Christmas junk in your life? I mean talk about over fucking kill.

I walk down the stairs, making yet another notation about the creeks in the stairs. I am recommending at this point that we go ahead with the normal overhaul remodel. It's comical really. This whole thing. No matter what I recommend, I know my father will do exactly what he wants, what he always does… bulldoze it and rebuild, making this place look exactly like our other several properties. Which once again, strikes me as odd when it comes to this place. His normal is the hotter locations, sexier and more driven for the single life. This place is cold, cozy, more nature driven for families and couples.

"Holy Crap!" Someone shouts from one of the tables. Fuck, it's too early for this shit. Wait, I know that voice… I glance towards the direction where it came from. Holy fucking shit… what are the odds? The voice belongs to none other than Zeke Pedrad. I haven't seen him since we graduated high school.

The whole room goes quiet, glancing between me and Zeke. Shauna, who is sitting down, smiles widely as she stands from her seat. "Look, what the cat dragged in!" He says, as he walks towards me, smiling. "My man Four!" Zeke screams out, as he and I hug it out. Four. Shit I havent been called that since back in the day.

"Zeke! God, it's been years!" I say, my right hand on his shoulder, holding him back to get a better vision of what the years have done to him. He looks good for an aging fuck. Happy. "How's it going?" I ask, suddenly dying to catch up. He is obviously still with Shauna, happy no doubt as I glance at the kids at the table. No doubt who they belong to. No one has ears like Zeke… Well no one until now that is.

"It's going great, man!" He answers, glancing back at his family at the table. "I never thought in a million years… You would come out to a place like this." Zeke comments, teasingly.

"Yeah. No shit." I say, bringing me back to reality. Sure Chicago gets cold, but nothing compared to out here. I remember all the times the team would be cracking jokes about me, all because of my lack of excitement for the cold and snow. Shit just thinking about it, makes my balls shrink.

"Come on, bro, I'm sure everyone is dying to see you," he says, with pride in his eyes. He gestured for me to follow him back to the table.

Shauna is the first one to stand and greet me. Wrapping her arms around me tightly, as she says, "hello, Four. Good to see you." She says, sweeter that I deserve.

"You too, Shauna," I say, returning her smile.

"Four, my bro from another mother… how the fuck are you doing?" Uriah says, as he wraps one arm around my shoulders. Unfortunately that doesn't last long as both Shauna and Marlene both frown and smack him behind the head. The two kids that sit in their chairs, all "oooo" at Uriah for saying a bad word.

"Uriah, watch your language, there are little ears listening." Shauna scolds.

"Ouch! Shoot, okay. Sorry…" Uriah cries out.

"Hi, Four." Marlene laughs.

"Hey, Marlene." I greet back. Not surprised by the warmth of her welcome. I know it's no one's fault other than my own on why it's been years since we all saw each other.

"And who? Are these two little strangers at the table?" I joke, gesturing to the two little people sitting smiling at the grownups around them.

"This is… our son Joseph and our daughter Annabell," Shauna answers, playing with her daughter's long brown hair. "Kids, say hello." Shauna encourages. They both wave, saying "Hello" at the same time.

"So what brought the famous Four to Prior Valley?" Shauna asks.

"Shauna!" Hana scolds. "Mind your manners."

"Yes, ma'am." Shauna says, rolling her eyes and purposely sounding more like what her kids would sound like vs an adult.

"Four, my boy." Hana cries out, she pushes Shauna to the side so she can get close enough to wrap me in her arms. I am reminded of so many times she embraced me like this. So many nights she cuddled me, comforted me when no one else would. Although I never told her exactly what was happening at home, I know on some level she knew. She always sent me home with food that I could easily hide and that didn't need to be refrigerated or heated to eat. Always hugged me tighter and longer than necessary and always made sure I knew I had a place at her house. No matter what. It was comforting, knowing that I had an escape route, even if I dared to never use it. After all, confirming her suspicions would have landed my dad in jail… He was all I had left. In my adolescent eyes at that time… a dad was better than no dad.

"Hana…" I sigh, wishing I didn't have to let her go. But I finally did, noticing the new wrinkles near her eyes and the rest of her hair that was still brown has now turned gray.

"Where have you been? You stopped calling." She says, her voice sounding more like a scolding mother than my best friend's mom.

"I've been busy," I answer, ashamed of myself.

"Too busy to call… or visit…. It's been what… six years." She continues. "How's your father?" She asks, finally giving in.

"He's good. Business is booming," I answer.

"I see. Well hopefully it won't take you another six years to call again." She says, turning back around towards the others. "I think I will check on Natalie in the kitchen." She says, giving me one last glance before turning and walking towards the kitchen. Natalie? Natalie Prior? Why would she be checking on her?

"So Four, out with it… why are you here?" Shauna asks, getting right to business. Speaking of business, I remember the promise I made to Natalie yesterday. She was so adamant about me not saying the truth about me being here.

"Just a vacation… needing to get away.. You know work has been really hectic," I answer. Shauna gives me the stink eye, as if she knows I'm lying, She always did know me best.

"Is that really the reason?" She asks, her eyes boring into mine.

"Yeah. Of course," I answer.

"He, who doesn't like to travel and take vacations… took a vacation?" She asks, raising her right eyebrow in question.

"What are you guys doing here?" I counteract.

"Are you kidding bro? Don't you remember me talking about this place? My folks always brought Uriah and I out here for the whole winter break." Zeke says, chiming in. I nod, I do remember that. I remember his mom sending me home with plenty of food to hide for the whole two weeks. I couldn't wait for them to come back and tell me all about the girl in the snow. She always seemed so fascinating to me, like an Angel.

Something off in the distance distracts her from my lies. She turns her head slightly, as she smiles and waves off to the distance.

"Tris!" Zeke calls out waving for Tris to come over. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Of course they would know Tris. I turn just in time to see her blushing as she carefully maneuvers around tables and chairs to get to us.

"Good morning guys." She greets, smiling at everyone. I can see how exhausted she truly is by the bags under her eyes.

"Tris. Do you remember my homeboy Four? I used to tell you about him back in the day?" Zeke asks, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. What the fuck, Zeke?

"Oh yeah… wasn't he named after a number?" She asks, teasingly. I roll my eyes, unable to fight it any longer. Like I haven't heard that before.

"Yeah." Zeke says, laughing at my amusement. "Well, here he is… Four this is Tris. Tris this is Four." He says, gesturing between us.

"You're Four?" She asks, with bewilderment on her face.

"I used to be," I answer, vaguely. "Wait… You're the friend they always talked about?" I ask, finally catching up.

"She sure is. Our life would have been miserable if it wasn't for her." Uriah jumps in, wrapping Tris' shoulder from the other side. At this point Tris is the meat between two sandwich breads, being squished.

"Excuse me." Marlene says, acting offensively.

"Yeah and what are we? Chopped liver?" Shauna says, chiming in offensively.

"You know what I mean, baby. Tris was like that younger sister from another mother…" Zeke says, saving his ass.

"Hey, here's an idea. Tris, Four, why don't you guys come hang out with us today?" Uriah asks.

"Shit. That would be epic." Zeke says, approving of the idea. Although I would love nothing more.. I really should work.

"Yeah. come on. Just for a few hours." Uriah whines, when he sees the rejection on my face. I know he is going to make it harder to say no to. Uriah is the one that will refuse to give up, once he sets his mind to something. Fuck!

Revised by: FDFobsessed