Julia stared at her best friend crying into her steering wheel. She wanted to reach out and hug her, but something told her not too. After a while Rose looked at her and mumbled, "Mhmm."
Julia cupped her ear like an old woman who couldn't hear. "Come again, what was that?"
Rose sat up and wiped her face. "I didn't say nothing."
"Double negative."
"What?"
"What you just said was a double negative so that means you did say something."
Rose blew out a breath, "Why is it every time I say anything the McMullen bunch is trying to analyze it."
Julia laughed and shrugged, "I don't know maybe because both of our parents are Psychologists or maybe because double negatives are improper grammar and I'm just trying to help you out."
Rose laughed and leaned her head onto the head rest. "You always make me laugh when I don't want to."
Julia cocked her head to the side. "You may not want to, but you need too."
"True."
Julia flipped her phone around in her hands trying to figure out the right way to approach the not spoken situation. She looked over at Rose and leaned her head back. Fuck it. Here goes.
"Sooo, uhm I know you don't want to talk about it but what happened between you and Liam?"
Rose groaned and closed her eyes. "You right I don't want to talk about it."
"You know normally I would let that slide but this situation is bothering me, and you owe me an explanation Roe."
Rose smirked, "You and Earnest should have been twins you know?"
Julia waved her hand in the air dismissing anything unrelated, "Don't try to change the subject. You know ever since you got accepted into medical school you've been different. You went a whole year without talking to me and three years without seeing or speaking to the family who gave you everything you could possibly ask for. Like I'm trying to be understanding but this shit not adding up. Either you explain this to me now or you cut ties with me."
"Wow, cut ties huh?"
"Fucking right!" Julia rubbed her temples. She was done babying Rose's feelings. "For two years I have given you chance after chance to tell me what happened and now I'm just fed up."
"You wanna know? You really wanna know?"
"Yes, I wanna know!"
"I fucked Liam."
Shock floored Julia. Pieces of information were now coming together. "You, you slept with my brother and didn't tell me!" She was now yelling but not from anger. Some part of her knew that Rose and Liam had some type of connection but the fact that Rose hid them from her was appalling.
"Really, you wanted me to tell you I slept with your brother?"
Julia shrugged her shoulder, "Well now that you mention it, yeah no."
"I thought so."
Julia pointed at her, "But that still doesn't explain why you went AWOL."
"Uhm okay remember when we had that going away party for Liam?"
Julia nodded. "Yeah that's when you and Courtney got to fighting? You had beat her ass for putting her hands on you. I bet she won't do that again."
Rose laughed, "So, the reason me and Courtney fought was because she found out me and Liam were sleeping together."
"Wait, so was yall together, together or just sleeping with each other? " Rose didn't say anything. Julia hollered, "Really though? He was in a whole relationship."
"In my defense he lied to me. Liam swore, he had broken up with Courtney. And when she showed up to the party I was confused. I asked him about it and he said he had no clue why she was there so I asked her. One thing led to another. So, after we fought, and Liam left with Courtney I was hurt and didn't know what to do. I saw moving to Maryland as an excellent opportunity to start over and it killed me not to talk to you. I swear!"
Julia didn't know what to say. "I haven't forgiven you yet but why not talk to us?"
After a moment Julia realized why. "Wait don't tell me you thought we were going to choose Courtney over you?"
Rose shrugged, "I didn't know what to think. I figured everybody knew that the reason me and Courtney fought was because I was sleeping with Liam."
Julia burst out laughing, "Roe I swear you are dumb sometimes. Do you not know that my whole family has been trying to play matchmaker with the two of you for a long time?"
"I kno- "
Julia cut her off. "No, you don't know because if you did, you wouldn't have ghosted us, giving Courtney the chance to weasel her ass back into my brother's life."
Now it was Rose's turn to be speechless.
Minutes passed by before she spoke again. "What happened between Liam and me is over. He used me and broke my heart so I'm not going down that road again."
Julia let her seat back and propped her legs up on the dashboard. "I completely understand, plus you in a happy relationship with Howard, right?"
Rose paused but agreed. "Right."
Julia laughed, "Once again I call bullshit."
Rose laughed as well. "And you are full of shit."
"So are you. Also, you are going to have to face the situation and explain to everybody why you ghosted."
Before Rose started whining, Julia held up her hand.
"Shut up and suck it up. You can start with Earnest because I think you hurt his feelings, you know he is sensitive."
Rose looked out the window, "Yeah, yeah."

John McMullen grunted as he made his way down the hall to Liam's room. He hadn't seen his eldest son in a few months and now that everybody was under one roof again he was not going to have a repeat of the fiasco that happened years ago. He would not lose his god daughter again because his son wanted to have his cake and eat it too. Rubbing a hand through his thinning hair which was now more gray than black, he opened the door not bothering to knock.
Liam grinned, "Do you ever knock man."
John let out a deep laugh , pulling his son into a bear hug. "I've missed you boy. Been a long time since I had all yall back here. I dont think I have ever seen Margie so happy."
Liam smiled, "Yeah it has been a minute. I was just about to come down, you didn't have to come get me."
John grunted as he sat down on Liam's bed, his old bones refusing to move as smoothly as they once did. It didn't help over the years he had picked up some weight. He patted the spot beside him, "Sit down son we need to have a talk before you go down stairs."
"Dad before you start, I already know what you're gonna say. I promise you I will keep Courtney in check."
"I dont give a damn about Courtney. I care about you and Rose. I know something happened between you two and I don't need the details. I just want the two of you to work it out. That's all that i ask."
Nodding in agreement, Liam jumped up, "I got you Dad, now let's go downstairs and enjoy this gumbo I've been smelling. I'm hungrier than a mother-"
"Watch your mouth boy. Now help me up off this low ass bed, you know ever since the accident my legs ain't what they used to be."
While helping his dad up, his phone started vibrating. He ignored it and went downstairs, he grinned when he heard his mom yelling at Earnest. That boy stayed in trouble. He walked around the house hugging and speaking to all his cousins, when he didn't see Rose nor Julia he frowned. Seeing his mom leave the kitchen he stopped her, "Aye where JuJu and Roe?"
She shook her head, "Julia outside calming down Rose cause you brother decided he wanted to be judge and jury."
Liam rubbed the back of his neck. Damn. Maybe I can sneak out the backdoor and see if I need to interfere or not.
Liam snuck out and walked around the house catching the end of his sister and Rose's conversation. At first, he only listened because he wanted to know what was wrong with Rose but when Julia started questioning her about why she left he couldn't help but to eavesdrop. He wanted answers too even though he knew he probably was the reason.
Guilt was a permanent friend in his mind. Some days he wished he could go back and never get in the car with Courtney, but he knew she couldn't drive with the condition that her eye was in. Bad thing about it he never got to explain to Rose what really happened. Now years have passed and what's the first thing he does when he sees her. Lie to her about breaking up with Courtney again. Fucking idiot!
Before he could berate himself, his phone started vibrating. He looked at the caller ID and groaned. Please God don't let this girl pull up to this house right now. Liam looked over to see Julia and Rose getting out of the car and heading towards the house. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that they had gone inside.
He unlocked his phone and called Courtney back. She answered the phone immediately.
"Hey baby! Why didn't you answer the phone when I called you?"
Liam told the truth vaguely, "I was avoiding somebody."
"Who?"
"Nobody important. What's up?"
"I was letting you know I was about to come over and spend some time with you and the family."
Liam rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think that is a good idea."
"And why not?"
"Rose is back."
"WHAT!"
Liam held the phone away from his face and pressed the speaker button.
"You know she still lives here."
"Don't she have her own fucking family to stay with. Why is she still staying with yall?"
"It's complicated Courtney."
"Well unfucking complicate it then."
"Watch your mouth. I don't want to deal with this tonight. I'll see you tomorrow aight?"
Before she could even say anything back he hung up the phone and put it on silent. Liam walked to his car and got in. He let the seat all the way back and cut on the radio. Old school music erased all his problems until some of the songs brought back buried memories making Liam rub his eyes with his palms trying erase the visuals.
No longer able to fight it he cut off the radio and leaned back remembering the times him and Rose used to sit in his car and talk all night. Some of those late-night talks turned into him and her in the backseat. Liam would blow softly on her neck causing her to giggle while she rubbed his head and played with his ear.
Liam smiled and turned off his car. He climbed out and went into the house ready to rekindle what Rose said she would never do again.