The Reed and Hughes kids have never known life without each other. They'd all been intertwined since before they were even born. Kennedy may be a bit more intertwined with Jack than the rest of the kids. There's a certain bond with your first crush...
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kennedyr55d: it's gonna be a long hot summer
Tagged: lhughes_06
h011andreed: so devastated to be a real adult :( kennedyr55d: we won't miss you! orlacavanreed: Play nice please kennedyr55d: sorry ma
jackhughes: cuz i'm here kennedyr55d: LMAOOOO @lhughes_06 lhughes_06: Noooo way
trevorzegras: Summer of dumb and dumber kennedyr55d: says dumbest
* * * * *
"Honestly, Jack," I say. "That was the lamest comment I've ever seen in my life."
Jack smiles and shakes his head. "You realize I could kick you out?"
"But then we'd have to figure out a custody schedule for Luke between here and my parents' lake house."
"He's old enough to choose."
"Hm... Big house with just me and him versus big house with you, him, Quinny, and any other guests that may pop up?" I shrug. "I think I'd be winning."
"Winning what?" Luke asks. He pulls his lawn chair to be closer to me than Jack. We're sitting outside just... soaking in the sun I guess. I gesture to Luke's clear side-taking, making his brother laugh. He frowns and looks between me and Jack a few times. "What?"
"Nothing, man," Jack says.
"You guys are annoying."
It's something Luke has probably said a million times over since he learned the word 'annoying'. Probably felt it before he even knew the words. That's just me thinking of our mothers' favorite story to tell people about me and Jack "taunting" him all the time when he was one, I was two, and Jack was three.
There's some messed up fate thing around us. I don't know how to describe it properly. My mom met Ellen Hughes in college. They bonded almost instantly once they met. But the best part in my opinion is the fact that they had multiple chances where they could have met before they even did. Seriously, there are pictures of my mom and her other friends with El in the background. They call me ridiculous but I think they were destined to be friends and kept messing it up until it happened.
My parents only met because they were introduced to each other by the Hughes'. A little bit later my older brother Patton would be born in 1998, Quinn following the next year. Holland a year after him. Jack in 2001. Me in 2002, exactly 424 days after him. 424 days after me, Luke was born.
"Relax," I say, putting a hand on Luke's knee. "We were discussing who would get custody of you if I were to be barred from the house."
Jack's eyes glimpse down to Luke's knee and back up to me.
"Like you're my parents getting a divorce?" Luke says.
I hiss in a breath. "There's been something we've been meaning to tell you."
