Page 39 of Worlds Collide

“The sprinklers are acting up again.”

“I still think it’s stupid that you put grass out here,” I mumble as I walk into the kitchen where it smells like Derek’s ragu sauce. Fuck yeah, I love Derek’s lasagna.

“We wanted a yard.”

“The whole property is a yard,” I point out.

“Shut up,” he grumbles.

“Where’s Hawk?” I ask easily and only think about my words when Derek’s eyebrows rise. I decide not to correct myself. It doesn’t mean anything that I didn’t say Birdie.

“He was just getting changed when I went out a few minutes ago.”

“Okay.” I nod, and mention my presents so we can move past this quickly. “Thanks for my new tennis shoes, I love them.”

“I knew you would. You’re becoming a master at tennis so you should have the master’s shoes.”

I scoff. “Hardly, but thanks anyway.”

“Oh, did you like my present too?” I hear from behind me and Hawk comes in with his hair still dripping.

“Of course I loved your present, those outfits are awesome, and you nailed the frame for the wedding photo.”

“Yeah,” he agrees excitedly. “I saw it the other day and thought it would go perfectly with the dark wood of all the furniture you picked out.”

“It does. It’s already on my dresser.” I nod, and nod again at Derek when he offers me a Coke. “Can you tell me where you got it so I can get more for downstairs?”

“Sure, it’s a little place in town. Artisanal something...” He trails off and looks to the side. “I’ll try to find the receipt.”

“I’ll just text you the instructions for how to get there,” Derek says helpfully. Knowing my brother and his very ADHD brain, there’s no way that ticket still exists, let alone that he’ll find it.

“Yeah, that’s a better idea.” Hawk snorts and moves around Derek to get himself something to drink too.

And I... don’t know what to say. Talking about decor and stores isn’t really talking, at least it never has been with Hawk.What are we supposed to talk about? Well maybe I could ask Derek about?—

“So what’s the deal with CJ?” Derek asks distractedly as he looks inside the oven. Hawk turns quickly to look at me then away, as Derek keeps talking. “It’s so shitty that he got outed like that. Hopefully he’s okay.”

“Uh, yeah.”Not thanks to me, he’s not.“And there’s no deal.”

“But—” Derek looks up at me, confused frown firmly on his face.

“How much longer, Dee?” Hawk interrupts him loudly.

I scowl at my brother, then decide to just leave it. Clearly, talking about anything that has to do with me when anyone else is around is something he just never wants to do, so I turn around and get busy looking for silverware and plates.

“The Warriors looked good on Sunday,” I say amiably when we’re all settled down to eat. “And everyone made a fuss about your new last name.”

Deedee snorts. “It’s a badass last name. I don’t care if that means the whole world knows we got married. And yeah, we’ve got a few kinks to work out, but AJ killed it, didn’t he?”

“Uh-huh,” I agree.

“Do you think you’ll come to a few games this season?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” I smile at my—well I don’t know if I can still call him my best friend. He hasn’t really been that since he became my brother’s boyfriend and then his husband. I love Derek, of course I do, but I can’t complain to him about Birdie anymore, can I?

And I definitely won’t be confiding in him about what’s been happening with CJ. He would maybe deck me, or call up his buddy Adam to do the job. I’m definitely never going to another of their group events ever again.

“Tristan wants to know if we’re planning on releasing the new album in the next year,” I say, trying to start a normal conversation with my brother. In answer, he drops his fork and keeps his head lowered. I let out a big breath and give him a minute to decide if he wants to say something or not. When the minute passes though, and he’s still not speaking, I give up. “We don’t have to make the album with Mom’s songs, Birdie,” I say in a soft voice. It feels good to once more be filled with tenderness when I’m talking to him. Maybe it’s all fixed now?

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