Page 46 of Filtration Play
Ollie snorted and unlocked his car parked along the side of the street. “Dunno. Pretty sure I’d need to be paid for it to be a career. I’m just enjoying myself.” He hopped into the driver’s seat and put the keys in the ignition. The engine rumbled to life.
“I would like accolades for not back seat parenting right now, even though you’re practically inviting me to.” Julian slid into the passenger’s side.
Ollie shook his head as he set off down the street toward Dad’s place. “Kind of tough to back seat parent when you’re in the front.”
“Smartass.”
“Always been.” Warmth settled over him at the back and forth between him and Julian, at the way his brother tried. With Luke and Ames studying in farther away colleges and Izzy wrapped up heavily in work, once he’d moved out, he’d grown closer to Jules and Dad. Being on his own had helped soothe a lot of the rebellion that had percolated under his veins when he’d been a teenager.
“That’s the truth,” Jules said. “Did you tell Luke, Izzy, and Ames about…you know…”
“My very bisexual ass?”
“Ah, so only the ass?”
“Nah.” He wasn’t nervous about coming out to them in the slightest. He was pretty sure most of his family had an inkling. “I’ll mention it tonight so you don’t explode.”
“Why not tell us earlier?” Julian asked. The question held more resonance now with more time to simmer on it.
The truth was he hid a lot from the family.
Only Dad knew about the cutting. Well, Dad and now Fin.
And it wasn’t until Fin had called his shit out that he’d fully realized it. The reason he hadn’t told them, especially Jules, about his bisexuality, about his cutting, about a horde of issues that had stacked up until he was getting suspended from school.
Because he’d spent his whole existence believing he was a burden.
Until it became written in his coding, imprinted on his very DNA.
The truths he’d been holding back bubbled to the surface, but he wasn’t ready to share those with his brother. Maybe he could start small, though. One step forward.
“The crew at Whipped is great.” He clutched the steering wheel a little tighter.
“And Fin?” Julian asked in his knowing older brother tone.
“Really great,” he said, his voice hoarse. “They’ve been transparent about everything from the start. Not sure how long we’ll be hanging out after the photo shoots wrap.” The thought of all that brilliant energy winking out of his life lobbed him hard in the chest. As if once the excuse dried, they’d ditch. Even if that didn’t seem the slightest like the person he was getting to know.
Julian squeezed his shoulder. “Coming from someone who pined after the impossible, I’ll be hoping for you.”
His eyes stung at Julian’s support. He’d been in the midst of his senior year of high school, fights with the football team, and finding out he had diabetes when Julian and Cal had first gotten together. However, he’d been aware Julian had a crush on Cal from the moment he started working at Tabletop Tavern. Despite Cal being married with a kid at the time. They’d beaten the odds and claimed the sort of love Mom and Dad had shared.
Except that felt right for Julian, who was kind, who’d taken years out of his life to care for him and Ames.
Leftovers like him didn’t get happily ever afters.
However, he also hadn’t gotten anywhere keeping everyone at a distance either.
Dad’s house came into view, and warmth flooded him. A few cars were already parked in the lot, and Ollie recognized all of them because he’d done diagnostic work on most of them. It had turned into a holiday tradition when everyone came home, and while he occasionallygrumbled, he didn’t mind getting to take care of his siblings in the best way he could.
“Looks like we’re the last to arrive,” Jules said.
“Good. Means I can make the announcement once and let the frenzy begin.”
Julian shook his head, though a grin tugged at his lips. “Let’s go.” He hopped out of the car and headed up the drive before Ollie had even turned the ignition off. Someone was antsy to see everyone.
Ollie stepped out and ran his fingers through his hair. Unless he ended up in a straight-passing relationship, he’d be coming out for the rest of his life anyway. Might as well get the practice in.
Julian had gotten inside but left the front door ajar, and as Ollie stepped in, Amelia threw herself at him.
