My Best Friend's Brother (20 page)

It seemed he still thought I regret it.
I love him. He has to see that! It’s obvious.
My head fell into my hands.

Then our fingers locked. His expression was solemn. Something was on the tip of his tongue. When he did speak, he simply said, “Let’s go.”

We turned our skates in and got our deposit. We were then out the door, waving to Lilly and Gino in line at the smoothie stand. She looked
so
happy. I hadn’t seen her like that in so long. In a way, I was jealous.

I wanted him to hold my hand as we walked to his Jeep, but he didn’t. He just opened the door for me, I got in, and he shut it. He sat in his seat for a while, the heat blowing full blast. He rubbed his hands together and put them in front of the heater. “So, where to?”

I wanted to go back to our spot in the middle of nowhere. But I was too scared to say it. So I said nothing, and hoped he knew.

He put the car in gear and backed out of the parking spot.

We rode in silence until my house came into view. Not an off-road trail, but my house.

“This isn’t an off-road trail!” I blurted stupidly.

He looked at me. “I know. It’s your house.”

I put my head in my hands and whimpered.

“You said you have to go home…?” Luke reminded me.

I sighed. “Yeah.”

Luke put the Jeep in park. “Well, have a good night,” he whispered.

I waited for him to kiss me, or to walk me to my door. But he just sat there with his hand on the shifter, looking straight ahead, like the last two hours never even happened. I wanted to say “I love you.” I wanted to pathetically beg him to take me back

I wanted to tell him I knew the difference between my house and an off-road trail.

Before anything dumber could leave my mouth, my fingers gripped the cold door handle, and I looked at him, hopefully, one last time.

“Are you going to the dance tomorrow night?” he suddenly asked.

My heart jumped. “I don’t know.” I took my hand off the door handle, kind of hoping I wouldn’t have to leave.

“Oh,” he said. He leaned his head against the headrest and looked at me, though his glance was a bit low to be pointed at my face. Then he looked back into my eyes, took a deep breath, smiled softly, and said, “If you go, have fun, okay?”

With that, he put the car in reverse and waited for me to get out.

So I did.

~ ~ ~

I went straight to Sullivan’s room when I got in, because every other room was silent as night. From his room I heard those funny Yoshi sounds.

He sat in front of the television in denim shorts and a green tee shirt, playing a Super Mario game. When he heard me behind him he turned and said, “Hey.”

“Doesn’t this get boring after a while?” I asked.

He shrugged, looking back into the television. “Life sucks when you’re a thirteen-year-old loner. And Megan’s grounded.”

“I know how that feels.”
I wish I could meet his girlfriend, just to make sure she’s real.

He ignored me and kept playing, though he didn’t look like he was at his best; he lost three lives in two minutes.

My hands rose to my mouth—it was his birthday! “Happy Birthday!” I sat beside him and hoped he didn’t notice I’d just remembered. Up close, I saw that his face was tear-stained. He’d been crying. “Where is everyone?”

He sighed. “They went to a marriage counselor,” he said, “because they have to for the divorce. Or something like that.” He hit the pause button and looked at me. “They didn’t even remember my birthday.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t on purpose. They’re going through some tough times now.”

“Mom quit her job,” he uttered.

My mouth dropped. “What!”

“She quit, without notice. I think she’s professionally screwed.” He hugged his knees, still focused on me. “She cried for a very long time.”

I stared into oblivion. I was in shock. “Did you even go to school today?”

He shook his head no. “I’ve been up here since noon, when they both left. I’m missing school a lot lately.”

I wondered why they were seeing a counselor for that many hours. I thought maybe they were completing the divorce, but doesn’t that take time? Like months or years?

I rubbed his hair, making it static. “I’ll cook you something,” I offered.

“Lasagna?”

I smiled. “Lasagna.” He’s hopeless.

Who wants
lasagna
on their birthday, anyway? Aside from Garfield…

XIX

At ten-to-noon, I got out of bed, put on my bathrobe, and headed downstairs. I smelled an omelet. I was thrilled Dad decided to make some so late in the morning for lazy little me. But when I stepped into the kitchen, Dad wasn’t there—just Mom—in a white bathrobe herself, chewing on the pencil eraser, staring into a huge pile of papers spread out over half the table. More were scattered all over the floor. She looked at me awkwardly. “Hi,” she breathed. She got up and put my omelet and home fries on a plate, the plate on the table.

“Thanks,” I practically whispered. I sat and ate. After a while she seemed to forget I was there, so I asked, “What is that?”

She looked up. “I’m working on a genealogy chart. I have to complete this to get paid. How are you? I didn’t see you yesterday.”

“Did you quit your job?”

She took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes. Her hair looked stringy. “Yes, I did. I put in a resume at the museum this morning.”

“Where’s Dad?” I asked.

She pointed to the ceiling. “He’ll be down soon.”

I’d finished my omelet by the time he came down. He was smiling, dressed in gray jeans and a black shirt, manuscript in hand. To my shock, he bent down and kissed the top of her head. Then he grabbed himself some coffee. “So, no more divorce?”

Mom and Dad exchanged looks. “We’re going to give it another shot, with me around a bit more. That’s what the marriage counselor recommended. The sole reason for the divorce is my job, which I no longer have.” Mom smiled and shrugged. “Is that all right with you?”

I nodded, kind of happy, though I was still upset about the Jeep. So, counselors actually do things to
help
people? I’m impressed! “That’s great,” I said, pushing my empty plate aside.

Dad sat next to me. “Did you decide if you’re going to college?”

What, I had a choice? “Not sure yet.” I felt a bit intimidated.

Dad sighed. “Well, just make sure you make the right decision.” He raised his eyebrows and sipped his coffee, digging through his manuscript, spreading his work out over Mom’s. “If you want to be a writer, you should get a degree in
something
.”

“It’d be nice if you went to the same school as Luke, wouldn’t it? If he decides to go, that is.” Mom suggested, taking off her glasses. Dad gave her a look, picked up his coffee, kissed the top of my head and said,

“I have a date with my publisher in an hour. Have a good day, sweetie.”

“There’s a Halloween dance that starts at seven tonight. Can I stay out after eight?” I asked, just in case.

Dad stopped in his tracks and glanced at Mom. He looked at me briefly. “Be home by eleven.” Then he walked out.

I squealed merrily, but when my eyes met Mom’s, I grew serious.

“So what’s with you and Luke?” she asked, sipping her coffee. “Still together?”

“Yeah,” I said awkwardly. I thought I had an idea of how to patch things up.

She nodded and put her glasses back on.

My next topic made me a bit hesitant, but I wanted to see her reaction. “He asked me to move in with him after we graduate.”

She looked surprised. “Oh?”

I cleared my throat and looked at her. “What do you think?”

She glanced at me, then back down at her work. “It’s your call.” She shrugged. “You’re eighteen in February.”

I smiled. “Dad wouldn’t mind?”

She waved that thought off. “Your dad is just being a dad. It’s your life. Besides, your dad and I moved in together before we were married.”

I chuckled at Dad’s hypocrisy. And I was surprised that my mom was so cool with me and Luke.

Mom smiled. “Listen, I’m sorry about being so nasty over the phone…”

I realized just then it wasn’t her talking over the phone, but the stress. “It’s okay, Mom. I know you were just upset and stressed.”

“Thanks, sweetheart.”

Now if only Luke was still my boyfriend…

I sighed hopelessly, just as my cell phone vibrated. I answered it.

“It’s me,” Lilly said. “Can I come over?”

~ ~ ~

“Are you
going
?” Lilly whined. It was three o’clock, and we were sitting on my bedroom carpet, doing each other’s nails. She wore a hot pink sweater, bellbottom jeans, and was stretched out over my floor, barefoot. I wore my jeans and a dark gray shirt with a built in bra and plenty of padding.

“Probably not,” I muttered, squinting at her tiny toenails. “Why do you need pink toenails?” I asked. “It’s zero degrees out. It’s not like anyone will see them!”

She giggled. “You never know…”

I rolled my eyes. All she ever thought about was Gino. “Well, thanks for doing my nails,” I mumbled. I blew at her toenail to help the paint dry. “I don’t usually wear nail polish because I don’t want chemicals near my contacts.”

“You’re paranoid!”

“Perhaps.” I tightened the top on the nail polish bottle and looked at my fingernails. “It’s so cool that you had turquoise!”

After a few seconds she said, “Do you like Gino?”

I grinned bashfully. “He’s not my type,” I lied. Translated that means, “He’s not a Greek god.”

She rolled her eyes. “Is anyone other than
my brother
your type?” She giggled and added, “I thought not.”

“Your brother’s smoking hot,” I blurted with an even bigger grin. “Too bad he’s your brother, huh?”

She stuck her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes. “
Gah!
I can’t hear you!”

I pulled her hands away from her head. She opened her eyes and looked at me. “I’m serious, Lilly! Do you notice how
every
girl in school looks at him? He’s a Greek god!”

She laughed. “I can assure you, Lukasz is
not
Greek!”

I giggled and cleared my throat. “So where is he?”

She shrugged. “No idea. He wasn’t home when I woke up this morning. Even asked Mom about him. He’s gone! But that’s not all that unusual, with him practicing like a mad man to be an Olympic champion and all.” She looked up from her toenails. “We all think he’s nuts, by the way.”

I chuckled.

“Dad got him a personal trainer, you know. He meets with him twice a week now. Lukasz won’t let me meet him, though. I’m thinking it’s because the guy’s hot! My mom saw him, but she won’t say.”

I wiggled my nose at the nail polish scent in the air. “Does your mom hate me?”

“
Why
?”

“Because she walked in on us when we were all fighting and she overheard… you know!”

Lilly waved her hand at me. “Don’t worry about it.”

Like
that
made me feel any better! I love her mother. And I don’t care
what
Luke says, what woman would like a girl who did it with her son?

“I’m telling you, if
I
don’t care,
she
won’t care. This isn’t the Middle Ages. And just think, when you guys get married, we’ll be related!”

“
Married?
”

She nodded, blowing at her fingernails. “That’s what I said.
Married
. You and that ‘hot’ brother of mine! You know, tie the knot? Get hitched? Walk down the aisle?” She rolled her eyes.

“Like that’s gonna happen… especially now!”

“Hey, if you told me a month ago that you’d lose it to my brother, I would’ve said the same thing! So you never know!” She shrugged and moved her nails into the light. “Wow, they glitter!” Brief silence. “You’re going to make it, then?”

“
I don’t know
,” I whined.

“Well, if you
do
make it, I will be the Bride of Frankenstein, and you know who my groom will be!”

Gino was certainly big enough to be Frankenstein. He had a long forehead, too. And here I thought she’d be going as a pink princess!

“It’s gonna be
so
much fun, before, and maybe even
after!
” She laughed wickedly. “I’m kind of nervous about it, but I definitely think he’s the one!” She got to her feet. “Okay, so I better get out of here and buy my costume, and my groom’s costume, too! We put them on layaway the other night.” I got to my feet and she gave me a hug. “Try to come, okay?”

I nodded. That meant I too had to buy a costume. Of course, I like the idea of buying
more than one!

“Maybe we could have a slumber party tonight at my house!” She grinned. “Like we could double date and watch a movie. Then we could make the boys sleep in the doghouse!”

“You don’t have a dog,” I mentioned.

She sighed wistfully. “Yeah, I should get one someday, so I can get a doghouse. I think I’ll paint it hot pink! Anyway, ask your mom! It’ll kick butt if you can sleep over.”

“I’ll ask,” I said doubtfully.

She stepped back. “And tell that brother of mine he can’t hide his fixation with you any longer!” She winked—it was
so
familiar!

I broke into a grin. “Sure, Lilly,” I said as she walked out the door, “say what you may.”

Then I got a costume idea!

“It’s true!” she hollered as I followed her down the stairs. “I’m telling you, all he does is
mope
. It’s worse than when he first arrived home from the airport, single and bored. It’s worse by, like, one thousand percent! He’s absolutely worthless, I tell you!”

~ ~ ~

Luckily Dad got home at 4:45. The second he came in, I practically jumped on him. “Dad, can I have the keys,
please
?” I couldn’t ask Mom for her keys, because she left at around 3:30 to drop her paperwork off at the office. I doubted she’d let me drive anyway.

So I gave Dad a puppy dog look, put my hands together and pleaded. He stood in the doorway, his hair spiked up, his eyes focused on me.

“I’ll be
very
careful,” I promised, “if you let me drive your car.”

He laughed, took his shoes off, and walked over to the couch. “I don’t know about that, sweetie.”