Jay's Loelife Ch. 24

****

The next morning, Loren reveals his plan, one scene at a time. The premise of the day is that I'm rubbing it in my brothers' faces. Easy enough.

I eat breakfast with the trophy next to me while my brothers glare at me from the other side of the table.

Then it's air hockey; me and Lombardi against them. We win.

Naptime is me and Lombardi on the giant sectional, wrapped in a giant comforter, while my brothers are curled up on the lounge chair together, sharing only a small blanket that barely covers their bodies.

The whole day is full of fun stuff like this.

The last scene is the three of us cuddled into bed with the Lombardi between us just before the lights go out.

With the content out of the way, we spend the rest of the evening outside, drinking beers around the heated patio.

Wanting to savor the night and not tarnish the day we've had, I decide to give my brothers until breakfast. Then we're going to talk.

They come downstairs to a feast. I watch silently as they eat. Once finished, I clean their plates. Loren looks between us. He casually gets up and heads like he's gonna get up and walk out of here.

I point to his chair. "Sit."

He gives an awkward and tense smile, then slowly sits down. By now, my brothers know something is up. They watch with much concern as I take my time putting the dishes in the dishwasher. Finally, after making them sweat a bit, I sit down with my elbows on the table.

I look at my brothers. "It's been brought to my attention that we have something to talk about," I say. "Something pertaining to the three of us having very different experiences with our parents?"

Their eyes dart to Loren with a what the fuck expression. Loren shakes his head quickly. No man, not me.

Absolutely yes him.

"I'd like to be filled in on this. I'd also like to know why it was never brought to my attention. I thought we were close."

"We are close," Derek rushes in. He gets it from Mom. Always needing to get rid of the conflict.

"Then can someone fill me in?"

Taylor looks uncomfortable but takes the metaphorical baton, anyway. He runs his palms nervously over the counter. "Okay, so, here's the thing. We never said anything before because it's only not that big of a deal. But, yeah, you got treated differently, better, than Derek and I."

I want to challenge what Taylor is saying. We haven't been treated differently. Loren shakes his head, stopping me from interjecting. Just listen.

I take a breath and bite my tongue. "How exactly was I treated differently?"

Taylor looks to Derek for help. Derek nods and looks at me. "You can do no wrong. You are the prodigy, the firstborn. As a kid, you got to pick everything. What camp you trained at, what traveling team you played for, what college you attended. You basically wrote the map. We didn't get the same choices. We got to do what Jay did," Derek explains. "We got full ride scholarships to great colleges, but we went to Denver because that's where you went and that's where Mom and Dad wanted us to go."

"Did you tell Mom and Dad you didn't want to? They would've listened--" Loren's glare shuts me up. I slouch forward. "Sorry."

"We have always lived our lives in your shadow. And I'm not complaining. There were some serious positive outcomes, but it's exhausting. We know you had better draft stats and a bigger contract. We don't need the reminder. Honestly, no one cares but Dad."

"Yea, and when we're home, everything we do is based around you," Taylor adds. "The food we eat is because it's your favorite or because you requested it. We eat at the restaurants you mention and we vacation where you want to go."

"And don't get us started on our significant others--" Derek says with an eye roll.

My chest tightens. Everything inside of me wants to scream. I look at Loren. He's watching me, willing me to keep calm.

I look back at my brothers. I don't get it. "Mom and Dad like Danielle and Niki..." They have to. The alternative is that the life I knew is a lie.

"Sure," Derek says with a sarcastic nod. "But Mom never invited them to cook like she did day one with Loren..."

"Honestly, that part doesn't bother me," Taylor says. "I know the only reason she asked Loren is because--"

The table rattles and Taylor flinches.

"The only reason she asked Loren is because...?" I repeat, coaxing the truth. I point at Derek. "And don't kick him this time."

"Because Mom and Dad know Loren changes everything. You haven't been home much since you started dating and that isn't about to change. If they want you, they have to go through him." He points to Loren.

"Mom was talking about me moving back once I retire," I tell them, recalling dinner. "She got upset when she found out that wasn't happening"

"Yeah, I'm sure the next time we get together, she'll be extra buttery to Loren."

"Uhhh..." Loren says, interjecting himself into the conversation with an awkward laugh. "I don't think that's going to happen."

I smile at his tomato red face.

"Why not?" Taylor asks. "Of course she will."

"Mom and Dad may have walked in on me blowing Loren on this very kitchen island."

"They what!?!" Derek yells, pushing off the counter like it's on fire.

"You don't have much to worry about, Taylor, on the other hand--" I eye the counter with a seductive look, remembering exactly what took place.

"Oh man!" he cries. Taylor scoots his barstool back and holds his arms in front of him like they're contaminated.

"Don't worry, it's been cleaned thoroughly. For Mom and Dad's sake."

Taylor starts cracking up. "What exactly happened?"

"Well, I put Loren on the counter and started sucking his--"

Taylor covers his ears and closes his eyes. "I didn't mean details!"

I roll my eyes. "Mom and dad walked in while I was--" I clear my throat. "Mom screamed. Dad got awkward. Loren drove off like he stole my virginity. It was the most uncomfortable parental visit, ever."

"You guys took the term Island Blowjob very literally."

"Speaking of island, after Loren left, I called him and he said he moved to Mexico. That's how terrible the whole thing was.

Derek looks at me like I'm an idiot. "Where the hell do you think Mexico is?"

I wave him off. "You know what I mean."

Taylor looks at Loren with a giant grin. "Mexico, huh?"

"There was nothing keeping me here."

Derek grins, then nods approvingly. "I doubt it will turn the tables in our favor, but it sure makes me feel better." He looks at Loren and bites his cheek to keep from laughing. "Can I be there when you finally see my parents again? I just think it would be good for morale."

My entire life was shattered and now they're joking with Loren like it's nothing.

"Hey, we've never blamed you or held it against you," Taylor says. "An easy life is all you've ever known. That's why we never said anything."

"It's not always been easy. I don't know why you say that."

Derek rolls his eyes. "It's awesome that everyone loves you, that the media and the fans think so highly of you, but for every light, there is a shadow. You were the golden player in college, drafted to a great team where you became a franchise player. You have your pick of endorsements and media narratives. Even being out was easy for you. I don't think you realize it's not like that for everyone else."

I slouch in my chair. "You guys make me feel like an ignorant asshole."

"You're not," Derek assures me. "Not at all. That's why everyone loves you, but it wouldn't hurt for you to be aware. I think you could do good if you saw the world around you for what it is."

"Maybe have our back with Mom and Dad."

"I do! Or--I thought I did. I will, I promise. I will do whatever I can. Man, I really wish you guys told me this stuff a long time ago. You say it's not a big deal, but it clearly is. While you guys felt I didn't have your backs, you lived a whole life behind mine."

"For a long time we didn't realize things weren't fair. It's just how it was. By the time we were old enough to understand, it didn't seem worth causing drama. And for the record, we don't hate Mom and Dad. We lucked out compared to so many, but that doesn't mean we haven't gone through our own shit. No family is perfect."

That brings up a whole other issue. I slide my hand over Loren's thigh and pout. "I'm sorry for trying to push my parents on you. I wanted you to have what I had, but I missed the mark on that, too."

He leans forward, his muscles flexing as he shifts his elbows on the countertop. He could tell me to shove it up my ass, but he smiles softly instead. "Whatever relationship I have with your parents will be unique to them and me. I was never going to have what you had."

"I just want you to have everything."

Loren smiles and squeezes my leg. "I do have everything."

"Oh barf," Taylor gags. "Are you going to blow him now? If so, we're leaving. I was traumatized enough taking those nudies."

Loren's jaw drops. "Taylor took those nudes?"

"I wasn't technically nude," I say. "Besides, you had that snake of a photographer take your nudes."

"Hey now. I thought he was professional. He took sexy pictures for Justin Timberlake. And like you said, they weren't full nudes. He never saw my--" he eyes his crotch like no one here knows what he's talking about.

"He sure wanted to see your--" Taylor says, also eyeing Loren's crotch.

I throw my hands up. "Can no one say penis?"

Loren eyes my crotch and smirks. "Penis doesn't do some people justice, not when they're hung like a clydes--"

Derek and Taylor run out of the room with their hands over their ears. "Stop talking! STOP TALKING!"

****

"Pack your bags," Loren says. Then he tosses me bags that are already packed and ready to go. "We're going to Denver."

After my brothers went home, Loren and I went on a two-week getaway to Canada. Loren snowboarded and I watched. Once we got home, Loren turned around and left again. He's been traveling a ton, wrapping up some contracts from last year. He also flew to check out some merchandise manufacturers with Isaac, Cole, and Corey.

Of all the quick getaways, Denver was the last place I expected. I'm excited, though. I love Denver and I love that Loren's excited about Denver.

Loren's on his phone most of the flight, answering DM's and working. Halfway to Denver, he puts his phone down and looks at me.

"Things went well with your brothers, yeah? You guys are working past all that crap?"

I nod. It went well. The situation might suck but my brothers don't. There is so much love and respect between us, I'm not sure anything could break it.

If anything, we're closer than ever. Happy with my answer, Loren goes back to his phone. A minute later, he puts it down, again. He looks at me, his dark eyes raw and vulnerable.

"I think I want to find my brother."

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