Chapter 11
"We had the right to know." Aaron finally broke the silence that was near deafening.
"You did," Eliot agreed as he stretched in his chair trying to expel the heavy discomfort that had settled. "but it wasn't my place to tell you and I shouldn't have said anything now."
"You still haven't said much of anything!" Sarah disagreed. "I found out yesterday that Dad threw you out and now this! What else have you been keeping from us, ...from me?"
"He threw you out?" Aaron was completely disbelieving.
"None of that matters anymore, we're good and that's all that's important." Eliot hated himself when he had to lie and squirm his way out of questions that they deserved answers to.
"How can you say it doesn't matter! I listened to Sarah cry herself to sleep for months, I hated you for being so selfish and leaving us behind! They let us believe that and we've never been the same!" Aaron once again rose from his chair mad that Eliot didn't seem to care about the damage their relationship had taken because of that lie.
"Aaron I'm sorry." Eliot really did mean it and he knew the three of them would never be as close as they once were but he couldn't change what had happened.
"But that's the point Eliot, you're sorry for something that wasn't your fault. We placed all that on you when we should have been pissed at mom and dad." Sarah turned straight to Eliot with watery eyes, she felt extremely guilty.
"Where would we all be if that hadn't happened? Where would you be right now?" Aaron asked as he walked past Nate and leaned on the back of the chair Sarah was sitting on.
"Listen to me," Eliot made direct eye contact being completely serious. "We are exactly where we're supposed to be. Sarah you're livin' your dream, all you ever wanted was a family and you've got it. Aaron what did you always tell me when I asked what you were doin' with your life?"
"That I was gonna be my own boss." Aaron relented seeing where his brother was going.
"And look how close you are to reaching that goal with Ashlee, so you two promise me something. I want all of us to drop this right now, dwelling on it hasn't done any good and it's about time we leave all that in the past where it belongs. Got it?" Eliot himself knew he should have dropped it a long time ago but with how personal it was he had been blinded by pure anger. Now that everything had been hashed though he was hoping to follow his own advice.
"What about you though?" Sarah wondered as she tried to calm herself.
"I've never wanted anything more than ta' watch you two succeed and be happy." Eliot stood pulling Aaron closer and Sarah from her chair.
"You're right." Aaron agreed.
"Promise" Sarah whispered almost childishly.
"Good" He pulled them both into a hug not sure how things would go but happy that for the first time in years he felt none of the barriers that had been built between them. "Now you go get your girl and ask her what you should have months ago." Eliot gave Aaron a shove in the right direction. As he placed a kiss to Sarahs cheek he whispered, "Things are going to happen how they will so don't waste your time worrying over things beyond your control. You forget about everything else right now and just be happy with your family and if you want to fix things between you and mom then I'll support you in that, just don't go looking for a place to blame it's a waste of your effort."
Sarah pulled back nodding her agreement. "I'm just going to go check on everyone upstairs."
"Alright" Eliot let her leave hearing the silent request for a moment of space.
Nate had been silently debating himself on whether to stay or not and had almost left deciding to give them privacy when he was frozen to his spot by Aarons question. Where would Eliot be had he been allowed to continue living with his parents?
Would he have taken the same path or would he have stayed with his siblings and continued his education?
Would he be the Eliot Spencer he came to love despite all the secrecy and flaws or would he be an Eliot Spencer that had his own ranch with a cute little wife and a yard full of kids?
"What ya' thinking about?" Eliot had turned around expecting curious eyes or questions, not for Nate to look completely spaced out and in his own little world.
"You" Nate pulled himself from his thoughts and to Eliot.
"What about me?" Eliot turned and started gathering things deciding to clear the table.
"You really didn't have any dreams of your own? No goals or ambitions?" Nate too picked up the dishes he had used as he followed Eliot to the kitchen.
"One, but it's unobtainable in the long run."
"And that would be?" Nate was skeptical of the way Eliot had nearly shrugged it off as he leaned against the counter.
"Survival. No one can survive forever and for every today we have there's a tomorrow that will follow it and eventually one of those tomorrows will be my last."
"Really, you never wanted to be a cowboy or maybe a firefighter?" Of course Eliot had already resigned himself to death, he knew Eliot believed he deserved it but he had plans to make him change his mind.
"I spent most of the summer when I was eight pretending to be an indian." Eliot laughed, he didn't know what Nate had been expecting but men like him couldn't afford to have pipe dreams.
"I should have known, it's very fitting. You'd be like what, head chief?" Nate claimed the spot right next to him, sides touching. He enjoyed how they could be in each others company for hours and not be at a loss for words, yet they had barely shared anything, well up until now.
"I'd be a warrior." Eliot offered with a sense of humored cockiness.
Nate turned the tiniest grabbing Eliots hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "You are a warrior, you're my warrior."
"Eliot!" Sarahs voice broke the moment and Nate hurriedly pulled back preventing the kiss he would have received but was plesently surprised when Eliot pulled him back with the hand he had been holding.
"Eliot" Nate breathed pressing against his chest and breaking the kiss that Eliot was intent on deepening. Sarah was searching for her brother and this would not be the best way to find them.
"Not telling her is one thing but openly hiding is another Nate. You told me to do whatever made me happy and at the moment that's you. I'm not ashamed of you and I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not for Sarahs benefit, Aaron took it in stride and if she can't then that's her problem." Eliot leaned in once again annoyed that Nate backed up.
"You told your brother?" He was shocked and he wasn't even sure if it was in a good or bad way.
"No, he stumbled onto it but it's actually not bothering me as much as I thought it would." Eliot shrugged as he reached out to pull Nate back.
"Why didn't you deny it?" He knew Eliot had a hell of a poker face, he wouldn't be alive if he didn't.
"We've had a pact going since Aaron was three that we don't lie to each other. Secrets cause trouble and I don't want that for us so I try my best to stick to the pact, I don't lie to them unless it's absolutely necessary and I have no other choice." Eliot found himself laughing as Sarah once again yelled, was she even looking?
"Well I think the night's been exciting enough for the poor girl without you throwing us on top." So he might have been buying himself some time as well but so what.
"I don't plan on saying anything tonight. I just wanted you to know that I'm willing to open up for you, that I'd be willing to risk some rocky water with my family for you. If you're willing to be that vulnerable with me than maybe the third time really will be the charm." Nate was about to ask what he meant by that when Sarah interrupted.
"Eliot I've been calling you!"
"Well I don't know how you didn't find us if you were actually looking." Eliot turned back to the sink ignoring their questioning eyes, soon enough they would both get answers.
"I just wanted to let you know Aaron left." She moved out of the way as Nate excused himself with the pretence of clearing the rest of the table.
Eliot nodded not turning away from the dishes he had started. "What was it you told me we needed to talk about yesterday?" She remembered vaguely but was to distracted with everything else to bother asking until right now.
"It'll hold until next year." As he grabbed a towel he turned to Sarah, "but I think it's time for me and Nate to get going."
"At least stay for pie." Sarah pouted.
"We'd love too." Nate answered putting the last of the dishes on the counter.
"Nate-" Eliot began to protest but was cut off.
"I want pie and I know for a fact you wont leave without me."
"I think I like you." Sarah smiled pulling Nate with her out of the kitchen.
"Great" Eliot grumbled as he turned back around to finish the task he had started. The last thing he needed was for Sarah and Nate to get cozy and start tag teaming him.
E/N: I had fun writing this though it took FOREVER for some reason, hope you enjoyed reading!