Page 56 of Two Minutes for Holding

“You’ll see.” He smiled as he held my coat for me to slip into.

After our afternoon romp, we’d showered and then got ready to go out for dinner. I sat in the passenger’s seat as he drove through Vancouver, finally turning into an area I recognized.

“Wait, where are we going?” I asked again, this time knowing full well where he was headed.

“Well, Lorelai called, and she and your mom wanted to have us for dinner.”

Anger flooded me. This felt like a bit of a setup. Neither of them had called and spoken to me. Instead, they talked to Clay.

“No way. I told you, I’m not stepping foot in my brother’s house until he apologizes, and I don’t want you to go in there. He’s apt to kill you.”

“Look, we are going to be adults about this. We’ve been invited to have dinner with Dylan, Aurora, Candance, and Phil, and your mom, Lorelai, and Knox. He’ll behave. He will have too many witnesses otherwise.” Clay chuckled.

“You don’t get it. I want him to be the bigger person and to accept things for what they are. I want him to apologize to me. I won’t go begging him for an apology. He was absolutely awful to me and look at what he’s done to you.”

“That is what we all want. So that is what this night is all about,” Clay said, pulling into their driveway.

I sat there staring at the house, anger coursing through me. I didn’t move as Clay climbed out of the car, nor when he opened the door. Instead, I waited until he placed his hand inside, waiting for me to take it, but when I didn’t, he cleared his throat.

“Peyton, come on,” he said. “Let’s be an adult. This will pass over.”

“You’re impossible,” I muttered as I reluctantly undid my seatbelt and climbed out of the car. We walked up the walkway to the door, where Clay rang the bell. It was only a couple of moments before the door was opened and Lorelai smiled.

“Come in, you two. Don’t worry, the big bad ogre isn’t here yet.” She winked as we both stepped inside.

Immediately, she wrapped her arms around me, giving me an enormous hug.

“I’m so glad you came,” she whispered. “I’m sorry my other half is such an ass.”

“No need for you to apologize. I know what my brother can be like.”

“Well, things are going to be remedied tonight,” she said, taking my coat along with Clay’s. “Come on in. Dylan called. Aurora isn’t feeling great, so they are staying home, but Candace and Phil are in the kitchen with Reese.” She winked.

Clay didn’t wait. He placed his hand on my lower back and guided me to the kitchen where, the moment my mother saw me, she came right over and wrapped her arms around me.

“Darling, how are you feeling?” she questioned.

“Fine, Mom, don’t make a fuss, please.”

Mom hugged me again and then shook her head, turning to Clay. “Hey, Clay. I’m glad you got her here.”

“Of course,” he said, hugging Mom quickly and then letting her go.

“Your eye is looking much better,” she added. “I can’t believe my son actually did this to you.”

“If you think that is bad, you should see his right side,” I muttered.

Mom looked at me and then back at Clay. “What did he do?” she questioned.

“Don’t worry about it. That remedy you gave me worked wonders. I’ve had so many black eyes and nothing has ever worked as well as what you gave me. I’ll try it on my ribs.”

“I’m glad it worked well for you,” Mom said, smiling. “I’d like to see your ribs though.”

“No need, really. It’s almost healed.”

I shook my head as I watched Clay shake hands with who I imagined was Lorelai’s brother Phil before he turned and introduced us.

“Hey, Peyton, nice to finally meet you,” Phil added, coming over and pulling me in for a hug, then he turned to his wife and introduced me.

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