Switchverse: Part X, or, Off To The Races
Andy’s wedding is in Chicago, on a Sunday, in the morning, with a sort of luncheon party planned after and a mid-afternoon ‘rehearsal’ before, even though the couple is very determined to defy traditions - Saturday will be a horror movie marathon, out of nostalgia for a dying genre, and Sunday will be drinks and ancient video games and instruments and jam sessions.
The group of guys formerly known as My Chemical Romance decide to make a vacation of it, heading out on Friday after school to hang out with Pete and whatever artists off his label are already in town.
That’s how Theo spends his afternoon; helping Jamia pack for Frank, guarding the sweets, piling into a car with Bob and Jack.
They’re barely past the end of the street when Jack turns and bends close to ask, level and very serious, “What do you think of 2way?”
Theo considers, aware of his mother on his other side in the backseat. “He’s bright,” he finally settles on, “and creative. For all that he’s shy.”
Jack dipped her chin, already expecting that. “And Eliza?”
“She’s supremely tolerant,” Theo says, instead of asking why she wants to know. “She works very hard and she plays very well.”
Jack presses once more, “And in a relationship?”
Theo can hear his mother’s massive amusement in her silence, because she can hear every word, though Frank and Bob have been keeping up a steady stream of mild taunts and teases up front.
He says, “She has shown more kindness to him in the last month than anyone else in years. She can make him smile, which is rare enough. And he appreciates her as much as she deserves.”
Jack scrutinizes him for a few too many seconds, and then backs away and sits up straight. “That’s how you see them, then.”
“Yes,” Theo affirms, and then he waits for an explanation for the interrogation.
Jack very pointedly ignores him the rest of the way to the airport, though, and when he risks a look at his mother she’s simply smiling at the world on the other side of the window, arms up to touch fingers to the tattoo on Frank’s neck.
--
Because the seating was arranged more than a week ago, Theo, Audrey, and Derek share a row of three. Audrey takes the window because she enjoys the rush of the ground away from the wing.
They sit in silence, which excludes Theo but neither of them. They made their peace on the second day of the fight, which has left Theo alone but at least regained him a ride home from school.
Derek sits in between them, rubbing his neck as he reads from his vidscreen, occasionally nodding or refusing with his eyes still moving across words.
Theo writes, slow and halting, stopping every few sentences to look at Audrey’s ear, her face turned away, outlined in the sunset they’re chasing. The pressurized air of the cabin forces itself against Theo’s ears, almost painful.
After more than an hour, Theo pushes his work away and whispers to Derek, “Could I reach past you?”
Without looking up, Derek leans his chair back abruptly. Behind him, Gerard squawks as his knees catch the brunt of it.
Audrey tenses up and doesn’t turn around. Her shoulders hitch closer and she clenches her jaw.
Theo ends up mostly sprawled in Derek’s lap to murmur, “I’m sorry. Your business is your own. If you like Nate, that’s your prerogative, and I will respect your choices without voicing any negative opinion.”
Audrey sighs, and turns to him with a thin, relieved smile. “Okay, Theo,” she whispers, and faces the window again.
Derek rights the back of his seat and blocks her from view, still focused on reading about the elasticity of certain ribs and other bones. He says, “Yeah. She’s done being angry. She’s tired.” He drops one hand over Theo’s and squeezes his fingers.
Audrey leans around Derek, and the fingers squeeze again to confirm who’s sentiment the fingers express. “Hey. So. What do you want to bet that Bronx Wentz will cry when he sees Jack?”
“Out of joy or fear?” Derek asks.
“Fear.”
“It’s foolish to bet against,” Theo declares.
He and Audrey smile at each other, and they’re better.
--
They all come off the plane - except Ray’s posse, since the little kids’ school lets out too late for the flight - and meet up with Joe, Joe’s serious-long-term-but-we’re-not-engaged girlfriend, Tina, and Pete and Patrick and Bronx and Jeremy.
(Bronx does get a little misty right around the time he bashfully hugs Jack. She allows him three seconds to cling before she pulls away and pats his head. She’s taller than him, which is hilarious, and he keeps trying and failing to hold her hand.)
Everyone gets rides with everyone else. Joe and Tina are going to hang around another half an hour and wait for the Toros, Patrick takes Bob and Frank and Jamia, Pete takes Mikey and Alicia and Gerard and Lyn-z, and all the kids go with Bronx and Jeremy.
Apparently, Bronx has convinced his parents that he and Jeremy drove in separate cars, but that’s a lie. They have five seats for seven people.
“I’ll share my seat with Jack,” Bronx volunteers with a put-upon and resigned grin.
Jeremy says, “You’re driving, B.M.W.”
“I can fit her between my legs. Haven’t you ever heard of road-”
Jack, standing behind him, does something complicated with his elbow and his face and his car and he squeaks.
“…Cuddling?” he wheezes, when she lets him stand up.
Audrey offers, “Between me and Theo and Derek, we can take up the space of two, if we try?” She’s already climbing in and waving to invite the others.
Jeremy says, “Shotgun. But I’m willing to share.”
2way raises his hand. “I’m small.”
Jack says, “Sit in the backseat with your sister.”
So, in the end, Jack and Jeremy and Bronx sit up front, and Audrey and Derek and Theo and 2way sit in back.
Theo sends 2way a short message: A shame Eliza isn’t here; you could sit in her lap.
2way receives it, flushes, glares at him a foot away, and vengefully types back: just cause my sisters in yours asshole
Theo reads it and raises one eyebrow at him and moves his leg, making Audrey lean more heavily into his shoulder than Derek’s.
Ahead of them, Bronx whines that he can see Jeremy’s hands wandering.