Love Without Boundaries - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Twenty-One
The last day at home was already here. In a way, Preston was happy, but he was also sad to be leaving his mom. The last month was not enough time to spend with her, but he was glad the month was over. His father hadn’t made it easy on him; he was still not talking to him and was still ignoring him.
His father wasn’t the only one not talking to him; Robert hadn’t spoken to him ever since the disagreement with Grant. He was going to ask Ann Marie if she had talked to him and to see if he was all right. Preston had left Robert so many messages and he had not returned one. Preston knew Robert had every right to be angry with him; he should have just told Grant there and then that they had been hanging out. If he had just told him, he wouldn’t be ignoring him. Preston placed his last bag in the car; he and Ann Marie were leaving soon.
Xavier had taken off yesterday, so it was just going to be the two of them on the long drive to the college. Preston shut the trunk and went back inside to say bye to his mom. He found her in the kitchen; she was packing them some food for them to eat along the way. Her eyes were glossy and red; she had been crying all night and this morning. She was taking it hard and the fight between her and his dad hadn’t stopped, but intensified. Preston felt bad because he was the reason she was crying all the time. He wished he could do something to make her feel better.
“Hey mom, are you alright?” Preston took over placing the last items of food in the cooler.
“Oh it’s nothing for you to be worrying about honey.” She reassured him.  “So are you and Ann Marie all set to get on the road, you have quite a long drive ahead of you?”
“Yes mom, I’m just waiting for Ann Marie, I think she is on the phone with Robbie.”
“Ok honey; is there anything else you need?”
“No mom, but I just want you to know I’m happy that you’re my mom. I know that this past month has not been easy and I hope with me gone you and dad can stop fighting. I hate to see you two so unhappy.”  She pulled him into her arms and cried.
“Preston, I’m going to miss you. This month wasn’t long enough for me to spend with you and I’m sorry your dad is being a jerk right now. I just wish he would just get over it and see you’re still his son. Nothing has changed about you; you’re still our baby boy. Like I told you before don’t worry so much about your dad and me. We will work this out ok.”
“Ok mom, I’ll take your word for it.” He gave his mom one tight squeeze before he let go. He was going to miss her and his dad. He hoped with him gone his dad will finally come around and accept him for who he is.
“Ok I’m ready to go when you are.” Ann Marie said as she walked into the kitchen. She took one look at Preston and her aunts red, watery eyes before her own started to water.
“Dang it why must you two cry, you know how I get when I see people crying.” Preston and his mom just laughed at her as they pulled her into a big hug.
“Oh come on Ann Marie, I won’t  see you two until thanksgiving. I think I have every right to shed a few tears here and there.”
“I know Aunt Erin, I’m going to miss you too and don’t worry I’ll be sure to look after Preston.”
“Hey I’m old enough to take care of myself.” Preston exclaimed.
“Of course you are honey, but it’s a new place and you have your cousins there to help you. I don’t need to worry about how you’re doing. So don’t feel like I don’t think you can look after yourself.”
“I know mom, did anyone ever tell you worry too much?”
“Yes your dad did, the first year you were gone I wasn’t able to sleep a wink. I worried that you didn’t like it there and wanted to come home, but you were too scared to tell us.”
“What made you stop worrying?”
“When you would call or write to me, I could hear and see how happy you were there.”
“Thanks mom, I really was happy there. It gave me a chance to do what I wanted to do and I think it helped me improve my writing skills.”
“Oh honey you’re a great writer back then just like you are now and I know you could have gone to NYU; but I’m glad you chose to go to FSU so you could be closer to home.”
“I miss you all too much and wanted to be closer to everyone.”
“Plus his boyfriend just happens to go to FSU too.” Ann Marie added.
“Ha ha ha very funny, remember I didn’t meet him until after I said I was going there.”
“I am just kidding with you Preston, but hey I’m really glad you did decided to go to the same college with us.”
“I know and yes it was a plus when I found out Grant was going there also.”
“Ha I knew it! Well Aunt Erin I think it’s about time to go.”
“Ok yeah we should really get on the road if we want to get there early. Mom I will miss you and I’ll call you as soon as I get settled in.”
“Ok honey, be careful out there on the road and I want to hear from both of you by tonight.” Erin pulled them in for one more hug before they headed out the door. She watched them walk out of the house and get in the car. She was going to miss having them around the house all the time. Nevertheless, it was time for them to go; they couldn’t stay at home all the time. They needed to go their own way, she was just glad they had each other.
They had a long drive ahead of them; it was the perfect chance for Preston to ask Ann Marie about Robert. He just wanted to know that he isn’t mad anymore and that he missed hanging out with him.
“So hey, um Grant tried to call Robert to apologize and he wouldn’t pick up. Did you tell him it was going to be Grant calling him?”
“Oh really, hum I did tell him. I just guess he didn’t want to hear Grant out. He is still mad about what happen. But if you want I can call him and I guess you could apologize to him for Grant being a jerk.”
“Ok that will work; you can call him when we stop for gas since somebody forgot to fill up before we left.” Preston noticed the gas gauge was almost to empty. The one thing he told Ann Marie to take care of and she forgets to fill up the car.
“Oh my god I said I was sorry I forgot if you’re going to whine about it, I’ll just take over driving duties then.”
“Oh believe me you’re helping me with the driving once we find a place to put gas.”
“Fine whatever, oh hey look there is a town coming up.”
“Good I don’t think we could have gone farther.” Preston took the exit and drove up to the first gas station they came across.
“Call Robert and you are filling up while I talk to him since you were supposed to do it before we left anyway.”
“Whatever; here and get me something sweet to eat.” Ann Marie said as she tossed him her phone to call Robert. Preston waits until he was out of earshot from Ann Marie before he dialed. He waited for Robert to answer; it rang four times before he picked up.
“Hey babe I thought you weren’t going to be in until much later?”
“Um hey Robert this is Preston.”
“Oh sorry I thought you were Ann Marie. Why are you using her phone and what do you want?” Robert said coldly.
“Well hello to you too, look I just wanted to apologize for the way Grant acted towards you. I’m also sorry I didn’t stand up for you, as a true friend should. I’m using Ann Marie’s phone since you haven’t been returning any of my messages. By the way you’re at fault also for not telling Ann Marie that we knew each other before hand.” Preston waited for Robert to say something, but silence is all he could hear. For all he knew Robert could have just left him talking to himself.
“Apology accepted. The reason I didn’t answer when you called was because I was so angry, and I didn’t want to say something I was going to regret. I just wanted some time to blow off some steam. I just haven’t been having a good week and the reason I didn’t tell Ann Marie is that I wanted to give you a chance to tell Grant first. He looks like the jealous type, besides I told her already. She thinks it is weird that we met that day and is happy we got along. I take it you two are closer then you let on?”
“Yeah we are closer, we basically grew up together. It’s nice to hear from you again and again I’m sorry for the way Grant behaved.”
“It’s ok, besides I might have over reacted too. Well anyway, I’m going to let you go I have some things I need to take care of before classes start. I was thinking that Friday night we should all get together and hangout, but of course without the fights.”
“Sounds great just tell me where and what time.”
“My place at seven and I guess you could bring Grant, but only if he is going to behave himself. I will not tolerate arguing in my home.”
“Ok I’ll be sure to tell him that and I’ll tell Ann Marie also. Well until then, goodbye Robert.”
“Bye Preston, see you later.” Preston hung up the phone and smiled, he was glad to have his friend back. He just hoped that Grant wouldn’t act like a jerk.
After Preston paid for the gas and got Ann Marie’s snacks, he went back to the car. Ann Marie was sitting in the driver seat and was not looking to happy. Preston got in the passenger seat and put on his seat belt.
“Here’s your candy you wanted.” Preston handed her the candy. She snatched it out of his hand.
“It took you long enough, what you do make it yourself?”
“Um no, sorry I was on the phone with Robert longer then I thought I was going to be.”
“Ok sure, so you two knew each other before I introduced you two at dinner. That is just so crazy that y’all met like that.”
“I know tell me about it, oh by the way Robert wants us all to hang out together tomorrow night.”
“Ok great maybe we can do this without people flipping out like last time. Therefore, you have to keep your boy in line. So far he has been the reason they get into an argument.”
“Yes I know I’ll tell him, now come let’s go. I want to get the good side of the dorm room that I have to share.”
“Oh god I remember that, do you know who your roommate is and what type of person he is? We don’t need you to end up with someone who is homophobic.”
“Tell me about, well from what I was able to find out he is a cool guy and doesn’t seem to have a problem sharing a dorm with someone who is gay.”
“Oh that’s great, what his name is?”
“It’s Noah Collins.”
“Well maybe you two will get along and who knows become great friends.”
“Well I hope so, could use some new friends. Don’t want to have to just depend on y’all for company.”
“Yes you need friends of your own; I’m going to be too busy showing Robbie’s family friend around campus. Just what I want, waste my free time that I could be spending with my boyfriend instead of showing some girl around campus;  which I don’t even know very well.” Preston knew she was talking about Vera and from Ann Marie’s tone she didn’t like her very much either.
“You don’t like Vera do you?”
“Oh you met Vera I see and no I don’t. I just get the feeling she likes him as more than a friend and that he might feel something for her also.”
“You’re just being paranoid again and if you don’t stop it you’re going to end up pushing him away with your craziness.”
“I know I’m trying.”
“Ok good I don’t want to have to choose between family and a friend, now excuse me I need to call Grant to let him know what we are doing tomorrow night.” Ann Marie watched how happy Preston looked on the phone whenever he talked to Grant. She could only imagine how happy Grant was when he talked to Preston. She just wished that Robbie could just for once be that excited to talk to her or to be with her. She knew she shouldn’t push him and she should just give him the time he needs in order get some of the affection she wants. She just couldn’t get the nagging feeling out of her head that there is someone else and that Robbie is thinking about that person whenever he is with her. She knew that she needs to stop bring paranoid or end up losing Robbie, then she would only have herself to blame.