Accordance (Significance #2)(19)

“Have you and Peter ever had a fight?”
She giggled and pressed me harder to her.
“Of course, honey. When you’ve been married as long as I have, you’ll have quite a few fights under your belt. You learn to fight. We’re not human, we have a lot of the same mundane issues but for the most part, we’re different in just about everything we do. We fight in a construction way. Heated talking can be very useful.”
“I agree,” I said and nodded, remembering the conversation Caleb and I had after I got back.
“Caleb is very protective of you; even more so than Peter was with me. It’s very endearing to watch. If he’s hard sometimes, Maggie, it’s just because he loves you. Maybe the reason his protectiveness is so fierce is because you are the Visionary and it is ingrained in him to protect that. It is instinct for him. Rely on it.”
“I will,” I promised and scratched Bella’s head.
That dog was very serene for a puppy.
“Alright, I guess we can head back unless you want to stay out here longer?”
“No. I’m ready. Thank you.”
We walked back up the beach in easy comfortable silence as Bella waddled between us. One we reached the back yard of the beach house I stopped Rachel with a hand on her arm and hugged her tight as Bella took off toward the house.“Thank you, really. You helped me more than you know.”
“I’ll always be here for you. I know it’s strange to you but we love you. And someday, you’ll learn to love us too, Maggie,” she said sweetly.
“I already do,” I whispered.
“Ah,” she gasped. “Maggie. You don’t know what that means to me.”
I felt Caleb watching us and peeked up to see him standing in the bay windows with a proud little smile quirking his lips. He was happy to see his mother and me getting along, getting to know each other, let alone embracing.
“Alright, let’s eat, dear,” Rachel said bringing me back around.
“Ok, yeah. I’m starving.
~ Nine ~
Everyone was already seated either at the table or bar by the time we washed up and came to the kitchen. I avoided Bish’s gaze, not out of spite, but out of exhaustion. I didn’t know if I could handle anymore of his disappointment tonight. I did see, however, that he and Jen were seated across from each other.
Caleb tried to ask me about what had happened with Bish, seeing me thinking about it, but I assured him I was fine now, thanks to his mother.
As I sat in the chair that was left empty next to Caleb I saw Bish and Jen both doing that little gaze dance. When she looked up, he looked up, then they both looked away and vice versa. I was concerned and knew Caleb was even more than I was. He didn’t want his sister hurt and I didn’t want my brother hurt so we were on the same page. Though I thought it would be nice if Bish found someone and Jen, the sweetest sister I’d ever met, would be perfect for him.
I felt Caleb mentally balk beside me. I glanced at him quickly.
I said ‘would be’, not I’m gonna hook them up. I know it’s impossible, I just hate to see them unhappy and it’s pretty clear they’re attracted to each other.
Yeah, pretty clear. But it’s impossible and better to not even entertain the idea of it. It’d just hurt them worse in the end.
I know. You know any single girls in their twenties that would go for Bish?
Sure, I know plenty. But would Bish go for it? He doesn’t seem to be attracted to anything that walks, talks, eats or breathes except my sister.
I laughed and then covered my mouth with my hand to cover it and faked choking on a piece of steak. Caleb was trying not to laugh beside me. I guess it was obvious to the Aces what was going on because I saw Peter shaking his head in amusement.
After dinner, Peter and Rachel were ready for bed. Everyone was jetlagged and Caleb was supposed to be heading to practice. Only two days left until his show with Metal Petals. So, that left Bish and Kyle and I to our own devices. Bish and Kyle’s devices were Xbox. So I decided to take Caleb up on his offer to watch him practice. 
We left after a short explanation about where we were going.
“I miss your bike,” I said in the Jeep. “The Jeep’s nice, but there’s something about that bike.”
“I hear ya. I miss her too.”
“Her?” I laughed. “Don’t tell me your bike has a name?”
“What?” he said incredulously. “As a matter of fact, I do have a name for her. I’m glad Lolita’s not here to hear you make fun of her.”
I laughed harder as we pulled into a massive three story beach house, right on the beach.
“If they’re so loaded, why does Zeke’s brother work at the pizza place?” I asked.
“Their parents think if they work part time their senior year of high school it’ll teach them restraint and responsibility. But they kinda botch the plan when he’s wearing his new Jordan’s and driving his brand new Lexus while he’s delivering pizzas.”
I smiled and nodded in understanding.
We parked on the street and walked into the garage. I could already hear them practicing. Caleb pulled my arm.
“Wait. Now, you remember Zeke. He’s zealous. He might even act all stupid around you and I’ll stop him but just don’t listen to half the things they say, ok?”
Really, they are a bunch of spoiled college drop-outs who think they can just do whatever they want. He’s been my friend for years and we’re helping each other out.
“I understand. I won’t jump the gun on the judgment. And I’ll be quiet.”
“You don’t have to be quiet just...ok, yeah. It’s probably better for you that way.”
I laughed and shook the sand from my shoes before we went inside.
“I’m fine. I’ll still love you after this, I promise.”
He grinned.
“That’s my girl. And you better shut everyone out before we go in. I’d just spend the whole time busting heads if I knew what they were really thinking about you,” he said in a low voice.
I just smirked and shook my head, then focused on Caleb.
When we entered the garage and I couldn’t say anything even if I wanted to. They had Marshall Speaker stacks lined up along the back wall. There were two Zilgdan drum kits, drummers involved. The floor was carpeted as were the walls with a plush sea blue. The band was there, five of them, and Zeke in all his tacky rock star glory was there in the middle, no shirt and no shoes. I wondered if he ever wore any.
“Caleb, it’s about freaking time, mate!”
“Sorry, the family flew in unexpectedly.”
“Really? Well, tell Jen I said hello why don’t you. That little kitten still single?”
Caleb groaned.
“Dude, shut up.” He pulled me to him and pointed me to a leather couch in the corner. “You remember Maggie?”
“Of course,” Zeke looked at me and winked. “You just don’t forget someone with a sweet wholesome name like Maggie.”
“Here are the rest of the guys,” Caleb went down the line but I knew I wouldn’t remember their names, “and this is Maggie.”
“Hello, Maggie. You coming to sing back-up? You can sit on my lap?” one of the drummers said and smiled cockily as everyone else laughed.
Well, almost everyone.
“Enough. And on with practice,” Caleb barked and rubbed his hands together, flexing his fingers.
He picked up a green bass and strummed it a few times before Zeke began making all these weird noises as he warmed up his voice. He just sounded demented. He shook himself out and blew his lips. Then he stood very still and spoke.“I’m ready.”
And Caleb opened with a bass line.
I watched his fingers with fascination. He was fast and good; focused. Zeke grabbed the microphone and draped a purple scarf around his neck as he belted out their rocked out rendition of ‘25 or 6 to 4’ by Chicago and then ‘Seven Nation Army’ by White Stripes. They played many originals as well. I was in awe at the lack of understanding I had as to what any of the songs were about.
During one such song, Caleb glanced over at me and smiled. He kept playing flawlessly as he locked his blue eyes to mine and did one of those slow spreading, heart fluttering, and dimple inducing smiles. Then he winked. I could only stand there in awe. He was wearing some rugged jeans with flip flops and a plain white t-shirt. His hair was a mussed mess of curls and he’d gotten even more tanned since we’d been there. It made me bite my lip when I remembered that that beautiful creature belonged to me.
If possible, his smile got wider and he sent me a mental picture of him kissing me senseless on the porch swing buried in white cushions. It was no longer a vision, it was a memory. My mouth opened slightly in surprise and I scolded him with my eyes for doing that now. Right then. He laughed silently and winked once more before turning back to Zeke who was coming to shimmy with the bass.
After about two hours, they had played through and fussed with each other about the other’s messing up enough. I tried to hide my smile. What a bunch of girls! Zeke was constantly dabbing his face with a lime green hand towel and getting chilled water from the mini-fridge all the while yelling at the others for dragging or not ‘feeling the music’.
He was nuts.
“So, Maggie,” one of the drummers said as he passed me and stopped by the door. “Where are you from?”
“Tennessee.”
“Ah, so that’s where Caleb met you. I thought you were just his little beach bunny.”