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“No.”
“Buck, please.”
“No, absolutely not.”
Rarely did Buck shut down one of his sister’s wishes. He tried to keep things on an even keel with her, especially since her return from Boston and all the upheaval that entire situation brought to both of them, not even remotely adding in everyone else involved, even tangentially.
But this request was not about to happen.
“It’s just one dinner.”
Buck sighed, thankful that this conversation was taking place on the phone and not in person so she couldn’t see him pacing and ready to throw something at a wall. “That’s what you said last time, and look what happened.”
“Look, I wouldn’t even have asked. But Jee is insisting that you come. She wants all of her family at her first birthday party, not just Howie and I. Hen and Karen already said they were coming! Why is this such a big deal?”
Buck looked across his loft to Eddie cooking in his kitchen and Christopher camped out at his table with homework spread out across it. It was a Buckley-Diaz family night, the one night that they ask for no interruptions from the others outside of emergencies, and once again it was being broken. Eddie gave him an inquisitive look which Buck returned with a firm head shake.
“Because I’d rather never spend another moment in the same room, let alone the same conversation with our parents. It will inevitably turn into a fight, which Jee doesn’t deserve. And you shouldn’t have to spend your daughter’s birthday party refereeing when one of them says something out of line, which will happen.” He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I’ll drop off Jee’s present early, before the parental units arrive and give her all the love I can.”
“Evan…” There was a hesitation in Maddie’s voice, which was the only thing keeping him from snapping at her using his birth name. Again. “You might not be able to avoid them.”
Let it be known that Evan Buckley could read through the lines whenever his dear sister danced around them. “Tell me they’re only here for a few weeks. Tell me they didn’t-”
“They just signed a lease on an apartment in our building. They just want to be closer to us in their-”
Buck didn’t let her finish. He just ended the call and stormed onto the balcony, waiting for the door to shut before letting out a litany of swears that would probably have made his old SEALs instructors blush. Or be proud. Depended on the day.
Eddie was kind enough to give him a moment to calm down before stepping outside.
“I take it this has to do with the SOS text I just got from Chim?”
Buck scoffed, looking out over his little corner of the city. “Depends. What did he say?”
Eddie came and stood next to him. “That you and Maddie had a disagreement and that I should step in and mediate.” He glanced at his phone. “Also that I’m invited to Jee’s birthday with Chris and I’m to drag you along.”
The younger firefighter rolled his eyes. “Try it. You won’t like the results,” he said sarcastically.
“What happened?”
“Mom and Dad are going to be at Jee’s party. I said no, I wasn’t coming.”
Eddie nodded. “Not unreasonable. You’ve told her before. And it’s probably a good idea since you all can’t be in the same room without wanting to argue. If we ignore the conversation at the 118.”
“That was called laying ground rules. We all agreed that day that we would keep separate. Either they have forgotten that and are insisting on my presence, or Maddie is hoping that the year-long separation will have mended fences.” He shook his head. “I never wanted to be in the same state as them again. And yet, here we are.”
Eddie blinked. “Don’t tell me.”
Buck nodded. “I think I need to move. They have my address. And they’re moving into Chim and Maddie’s building.” He paused. “Well, will be, I think. I hung up at that point.”
“I’ll go to the party,” Eddie decided. “I’ll bring your present and get Chim to agree on a time for him to bring Jee to my place. You can stay with me once we know when they cross state lines and hang out with Chris.”
Both men stood in silence for a moment, letting the sounds of traffic echo up. “You’d give up a day with Chris to go and suffer with my family,” Buck asked.
The other man nodded. “Sure. You’d do the same for me. Besides, maybe I can get some of that lasagna out of you for this.”
The deadpan response drew a quick and startled laugh out of Buck. “Of course! Sacrificing yourself just for lasagna. At least we know attempt number three worked.”
“Come on.” Eddie tugged at Buck’s arm. “Before dinner burns. I’ll handle them, you handle Christopher’s history homework.”
Both men retreated back inside, easily returning to the calmness of a Buckley-Diaz evening, pushing the issues to another time. Besides, it was family time.