Have You Met the Rowan Boys?

02 - Four is to One

The next night it was a BBQ in my backyard to celebrate my arrival. I suppose I should have been excited because I got to see all my old neighbors and get congratulated on college and what not, but seriously I would have preferred to be curled up in my bed reading The Hunger Games or something like that.

“Remember Mrs. Friar?” My mother appeared next to me with a balding woman. I blinked, blanching at the unrecognizable face but smiled and nodded anyway, taking the woman’s hand and warmly greeting her. My mom beamed appropriately while I chatted haphazardly with the old, almost cue-ball woman. 

It had been like this all night; talking to strangers I barely knew or didn’t even remember. It was an awkward feeling, not exactly remembering my childhood due to alcohol induced brain damage/not caring, but I chugged through like a trooper.

I felt as if that lovely woman I called my mom had ripped off my arm. She took me in her vice-grip and excused ourselves from Mrs. Friar’s talk about cats, breathing a sigh of relief as we broke out of the crowd that surrounded the grill.

“Lorie!” Mom greeted with such enthusiasm that it almost seemed obsessive. I stared at the new woman that looked like she had just arrived, carrying a dish of potato salad.  “You made it!”

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, Janice.” The woman beamed, looking 10 years younger by flashing her lovely white teeth. I stared at her blankly before gesturing to take the perfect-looking meal out of her hands. She smiled politely and shook her head. “The boys are still getting the rest from the counter. I’ll wait for them to congregate before setting everything down.” She finished, biting her lip in apology. I stood dumbfounded at the grace. “Anyway,” she laughed, “I’m Lorie, and you must Sanchi. I’ve heard a lot about you.” She beamed again, brighter than my mother after a bottle of wine.

“Nice to meet you.” I nodded politely, but smiling genuinely.

“Mom!” Came a girlish shriek from the side of my house. No one else seemed to notice it but myself and Lorie. “Presley’s being a butt-head!”

“Language, young lady!” Lorie shot back as a petite, blond teenage girl appeared beside her; looking flustered. She took one look at me and suddenly remembered the embarrassing arrival in my driveway and let her brows rise.

“Oh, Poes, this is the Smith’s oldest daughter, Sanchi.” Lorie patted her daughter on the shoulder and I looked pointedly at her. I was surprised Lorie knew who I was. I had already figured out her role in my suburban life; she was the mother of the seven children that lived next door to me. Now, if only the boys could appear suddenly I would have felt a lot better about my situation. “What are your brothers doing?”

“Fighting over who has to carry the Tuna Surprise. I’m pretty sure Philip will end up carrying it though, cause he had a deal with Patrick that if Pete ends up doing that thing again Patrick will tell Pippin to—I don’t know, mom.” She gasped. “But Presley put flour in my hair.

“Nonsense, you can’t even tell.” Lorie brightened. Poesy scowled.

“Mrs. Smith, where’s Xavier?” She suddenly asked and my lips quirked into a smirk.

“He’s with dad over near the grill.” I butted in and she looked at me for a moment, taking me in up and down before relaxing her eyes and thanking me, skimming off towards my stupid brother who was patting the burnt crisps of his shirt. 

“Honey, the boys are fighting again and I can’t stop them.” An older man appeared behind Lorie with a desperate face, clutching his wife’s sides to stay planted on the ground.

“Just leave them to battle it out for now. We’ll make them clean it up when we get home.” She sighed. “Kids, huh? You give up after a while.” She scoffed and mom laughed.