Tight-Knit Family

Welcome to Falsettoland!

Two Hours Earlier

Dylan

For the past week and a half, people have been staring at the teenage boy on the streets of New York City, hiding out from his family problems in the pouring rain and not giving a damn. My phone lasted two days before running out of battery, and in those two days, I've gotten text after text from Emma, all of which I ignored. Emma was the last person I wanted to hear from right now.

"Dylan!" I heard someone yell from down the street.

Who was that and how the hell did they know my name? The voice didn't sound like anyone I know. I shrugged it off for a little bit, Dylan was a pretty common name, and I was in New York City. The Dylan this person was calling could've been anyone.

"Dylan!" the person said, again, kneeling down next to me and inspecting the dirt that gradually gathered on my body from the week I've been out here. My vision was too blurry from tears to focus on their face, but something about their aura seemed oddly familiar to me. Almost...comforting.

It suddenly hit me that I knew the person in front of me.

"Dad?" I asked, wiping some of the tears away with my sleeve. And there stood my adopted father in front of me, smiling sweetly at me and not moving a muscle. He was there for me, making sure I was okay. 

And that gesture meant more to me than anyone could ever tell. 

"Hey, Dylan. Your sister's waiting at Charlotte and Cordelia's house, she's worried sick about you. We all are." Dad said. He took my hand and said, "I know you're scared, and I know you're worried about your Papa and what's going to happen, but it's going to be okay. Papa and I are done, he moved out. You and Emma are under my custody now, okay?"

I nodded slowly, comprehending what Dad was telling me. In simpler terms, he was telling me I was safe. He was telling me it was okay.

"Ready to go home?" Dad asked, breaking me from my thoughts.

I thought about it a little bit, then I had my answer.

"Yeah. I was born ready."

__________

Dad rang the doorbell of Charlotte and Cordelia's house, and I stayed behind, standing next to a bush on the side of the house. I heard a sharp gasp from inside the house and a woman's voice saying "I got it!"

Emma. That was Emma.

Inching a little closer to Dad, I watched as Emma slowly creaked open the door and peeked out. 

"Dad?" Emma said, inviting him in and not yet realizing I was there. "Dad, what's going on, is everything alright?"

Not coming into the house just yet, Dad looked down at his feet which were firmly placed on the front steps. "It's about Dylan." he said softly.

Emma looked taken aback for a minute. "Is he okay?" she asked.

Dad looked to Emma, than the biggest smile appeared on his face, and an even bigger smile formed on my own. I ran into the house and threw myself onto my twin sister, sobbing into her hair.

"PICKLE!" Emma screamed, hugging me as tight as she could. She giggled and pulled away from me, looking into my eyes.

"Em, you know I hate that nickname, but I'll let it slide just for today. I missed you." I said.

Emma hugged me again and squealed, leaning on my shoulder. I kissed my sister's head as she said, "I missed you too, Pickle, God, I was so worried about you."

As Dad entered the house too and my entire family (minus Trina and Mendel, who knew where they were) had a cheerful reunion, a feeling of pride and happiness swelled through my body.

I was home. And I knew damn well I wasn't going anywhere.