You Are Ours

Chapter 50

N   I   C   H   O   L   A   S

THREE YEARS AGO

WALKING INTO the living room, I roll the red sleeves of my shirt up to my elbows, knowing full well that tonight we'll be in a hot sweaty club. Even though we'll be in the VIP area, I don't want the feeling of being hot and sweaty all night. The living room is covered in blue balloons, banners and cards, all curtsey of my mother going overboard for her youngest baby's birthday. Not to mention the huge stack of pancakes this morning - if only you could of seen how over the top she gets when it's Noah's birthday.

"Now Nicholas," my mom scolds as she walks into the room, holding a vase full of white roses and placing them on the table - her new favourite flower of the month. The whole damn house is covered in them, no matter where you turn, there on full display is a vase full of white roses. "I know it's Nathan's birthday, but as his older brothers I expect both you and Noah to not let him get too 'fucked up'. I don't want a repeat of his 21st," she says with air quotes and then pointing her manicured finger at me.

"I didn't do that," I smile innocently, trying to hide the smirk on my lips.

"Maybe not, but your responsible for how far gone he was for his 2oth birthday, underage no less. My god, all three of you was worse for wear the morning after," she says rolling her eyes.

"He bet me he could drink me under the table, not my fault he can't handle tequila!" I scoff with a laugh.

"Nicholas Daniel Greyson," she's says and I shut my eyes, hearing the name Daniel. That name hasn't been said in this house for almost 15 years. I hate that I'm named after him; for years I've been looking into changing it legally, I mean my brothers and I changed our last name I should be able to change my middle name too. I just haven't gotten round to doing it yet.

"Please don't call me by his name, mom," I say annoyed, walking away from her.

"I'm sorry, I-I forgot," she says embarrassed, circling the coffee table and standing next to me, her hand gently squeezing my arm as her head tilts to the side. Not in a patronising way, but in a motherly way, "have you thought about what you want to change it to?"

"Your my mom, you name me," I say to her with the smallest of smiles.

"Your a adult now Nic, you can change it to whatever you like."

"I want you to pick a name mom, I trust you," I say and peck her cheek.

Her eyes are warm, grey stormy eyes staring back at me with love and a warm smile quirks on my lips. I love this woman more than anything in the world and even after all the shit I put her and my brothers through, she's still one of the most important people in my life. She's stood by me through the toughest of times in my life, although she feels guilty about the earlier years and that was not her fault whatsoever. I could pick any name, any name in any book, but I would feel better about it if my mum picked it for me, almost like it's symbolic in a way.

"How about we all pick a name and draw from a hat," Nat says walking into the living room, a crisp white t-shirt stretched over his muscled torso. I swear he's getting bigger every year and only doing it so that he gets bigger than me.

"Because knowing you and Noah, you'll pick something like dickhead or moody ass," I say rolling my eyes.

"I was thinking more along the lines of stubborn asshole or how about dipshit?"

"It maybe your birthday, but don't push your luck with me Nat."

"Boys," mom warns with a light chuckle then crossing the living room and picking up her purse from the couch. "I swear all my grey hairs come from all of you bickering like kids, you should of grown out of this foolishness by now," she says, whaking the back of both of our heads playfully. "Sometimes I wish you all were girls, or at least one of you," she chuckles as we both rub the spot she just hit. "Listen... I know it's your birthday Nat, but please, please don't get completely wasted tonight. I would like all of us to be alive for tomorrow."