Chapter 47

ATLANTA, Arthur was in a great mood on the way to their parent's house to pick up Taylor.

He could care less now about the audition.

He wouldn’t forgive his dad, but it was only another thing to add to all his father-grievances.

Despite that, though, he was glad he came home. It was funny. He had never really missed his sisters when he was in London, but now that he was with them….

Well, he was just really happy to be with them. He should visit more.

Or better yet. What if the two of them moved to London?

Their father would have a stroke. That's the first thing that would happen.

The other thing that lifted Arthur's mood was talking to Keith. Truth be told, it was the first substantial conversation he had had with one of the ghosts. Prior to that, he didn't have much to brag about. There was the cold, awkward conversation with Grandma Cornelia. Then sometimes Bernard's sister would briefly chat with him.

But with Keith....

Well, it was the first time he had actually connected with a ghost. Joked with one.

It was all kinds of thrilling.

He had been brave enough to share his pathetic feelings with Zoe. To his sort-of surprise, she was very understanding. "You know what's funny. I felt the same way about gay people. I kept reading about them and seeing them on TV. But I never knew any in real life."

Arthur laughed.

"Then this guy in my class admitted to all of us he was gay. I was so excited—like I was meeting a celebrity."

Arthur decided to toy with her. "That's a bit offensive, Zoe."

She looked at him, stung. "I'm sorry."

He felt bad. He couldn’t go on with it. "I'm joking."

"Oh," she sighed with relief.

"So was this before I came out?"

"A few years before."

"So I bet you were thrilled when you got a gay in your own family."

She smiled. "Totally."

They turned down their parent's street.

"Did you ever suspect?"

"No. You were always going on and on about Alyssa Milano."

"Overcompensating," he explained. "But I do find her attractive."

"I do too," Zoe said. "And I'm not a lesbian."

"It's not always black and white," he said as she pulled into the driveway.

 *** 

They rang the doorbell.

Their father answered. He greeted them with his usual charming enthusiasm. "Taylor's getting ready. She'll be down soon. Why don't you guys come in and sit down."

Arthur and Zoe followed their dad into the living room.

He offered them drinks.

No, thanks.

Their mother appeared. She gave Zoe and him kisses on the cheek.

"Are you going out tonight?" Zoe asked.

"Just out to dinner," she said.

"Have a seat," their father said."I want to know about the big audition."

Zoe gave Arthur a quick look. He wasn’t sure how to interpret it. Was she saying, Don't start a fight? Or was she saying, I give you my full permission to attack?

He decided to be calm yet honest. "The part I thought I was auditioning for was already cast." He wanted his father to be apologetic and/or surprised.

Instead his father provided a wry smile, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "That's the acting business for you. It's incredibly competitive."

Arthur realized then that he absolutely hated his father, and he always would no matter how many lifetimes they had together. If the roles were reversed, and Arthur was the dad in their relationship, he would drown the hideous piece of infant shit in the bathtub. 

He started remembering their past. He could actually see Bessie. She was an annoying know-it-all who took every opportunity to show off."

"Arthur, are you okay?" It was his mother. He looked at her. He hated her as well. She had never been a good mother to him, always taking their father's side. And why? She couldn’t love him. It was all about the money. She liked getting expensive gifts."

"Arthur?" Now it was Zoe getting up his ass. She was no better than their father when it came down to it. How many times had he wanted her on his side?  She could never stand up for herself. She could never stand up for him. And she just sat there watching Taylor starve herself to death." 

"Arthur!"

 He suddenly felt very dizzy. He might be sick.

"What's going on?" It was Taylor. He looked up and started trembling.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked."Why’s his nose bleeding?"

He reached up and touched the skin underneath his nose. He felt the wetness and then looked at his hand. It was full of blood.

"Oh my God, Arthur."

"I'll go get some Kleenex," their mother said. She rushed to the bathroom and came back with a handful of tissues.

He thanked her and held them to his nose.

"Pinch your nose and lean forward," Zoe said.

"Are you okay?" their dad asked. "You looked like you were about to pass out."

"I'm fine," Arthur said. But he wasn’t sure if he was."

Continue to Chapter Forty-Eight

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