It’s always a little awkward being left with Ella without Dad here, because three weeks ago these people were strangers to me. And now I’m supposed to think of them as my second family, as people I’m supposed to feel comfortable around. I don’t, so the only thing I can do is pretend. “Okay,” I agree. “Is Tyler home yet?”
I haven’t seen him since the party on Saturday. As soon as Tiffani hauled his wasted ass into someone’s car to go home, I left too. There was no point forcing myself to stay when there was nothing worth staying for. So I came home, climbed into bed, and fell asleep before Dad and Ella even got home. I don’t know if they noticed the raging party across the street, but if they did, they certainly didn’t mention it the next day. They only questioned me about Tyler’s whereabouts, so I had to tell them that he spent the night at Tiffani’s. Ella’s expression did contort slightly.
“Yes,” she answers now, while she clinks dishes together in the sink. “He came home late last night. I think he’s still sleeping.”
I didn’t hear him come in, and I’m surprised that he even did. He must have spent the entire day at Tiffani’s place trying to recover from the hangover that he most definitely suffered through. Maybe today I’ll finally get the chance to talk to him about what happened on Saturday. I can’t go on ignoring it. It’s not something that can be forgotten about.
“Is he coming to the parade with us?” I ask as casually as I possibly can, because I don’t want to appear too concerned about him. I can’t even begin to imagine how Dad and Ella would react if they knew. So I act nonchalant as I sit myself down next to Chase.
“I don’t think so,” Ella says. She pulls the plug out of the sink and dries her hands on a small towel as she turns to face me. “I think I’m just going to let him sleep.”
The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. I didn’t expect it to be so early, but I have twenty minutes to get ready before I head off with Ella and my two stepbrothers, leaving the third at home, asleep in the room next door to mine. I try not to think about him too much.
Instead, I focus on trying to spy a parking spot with Ella, but it’s close to impossible. The streets are packed with cars and people and stalls on every corner selling American flags. We end up parking nine blocks away, walking the distance to Main Street. It’s completely closed off for the event as the public lines the sidewalk with flags and painted faces. The four of us find a spot to stand nearer to the end of the street, but we have a great view when the parade finally reaches us. There are horses and marching bands and vintage cop cars and giant posters and fire trucks and street performers and floats, and by the end of it all, I’m sick of the colors red, blue, and white. But it’s a nice start to the day, nonetheless, and it gives me a two-hour insight into how Santa Monica celebrates the momentous occasion. But I still think Portland has a much better Fourth of July vibe to it, and I can’t help but wish I was there instead, back home with my mom and Amelia, getting ready to head down to the edge of the river to listen to a whole bunch of different bands perform.
The traffic is crawling slowly at the end of the parade, so Ella decides to wait around downtown for it to clear. We kill time by going for lunch at a small café. Chase trails his flag along behind him, and I look like an adopted child: Ella and the boys are blond; I’m dark brunette.
“Did your dad tell you about the fireworks tonight?” Ella asks me once we finish ordering sandwiches, folding her arms on the table as she smiles over at me.
“Yeah,” I say. “Where’s Culver City?”
“Around twenty minutes away. This city hasn’t done fireworks since 1991,” she says, shaking her head in pity, “so we normally go out to Marina del Rey, but they’re not putting on a display this year. We’ve heard the Culver City fireworks are great though. A lot of people are heading down there tonight.”
“Is Tyler going?” Once I say it, I glance down. Maybe I’m being too obvious, so I quickly rephrase the question. “I mean, we’re all going, right?”
“Of course. Are you excited, Chase?” She grins down at him in a warm, proud sort of way. As Chase nods back enthusiastically, I realize I’ve never noticed her look at Tyler in such a way, and it suddenly makes me feel unsettled and, somehow, sad. He’s just a reckless kid who makes it impossible to be proud of him. I wish he wasn’t like that.
After I pick at my lunch and we visit a few stores, we eventually head back to the house midafternoon. Tyler’s awake by now. I know because I can hear him moving around his room; there’s a constant rhythm of footsteps. It’s like he’s pacing back and forth.
I decide to make a start on getting ready for tonight’s events, so I grab a shower and hang around my room for a while, comparing outfits and waiting for my hair to dry. I even play some music, and I’m waiting for Tyler to knock on the wall again and tell me to turn it down, but there’s nothing but silence on his end.