simply run and hide. If this is my time of reckoning, so be it.
“Brian, that’s enough.” I ease the back door open and descend the concrete steps leading into the garden. Sobs are wracking every inch of Kelly’s body as she wilts beneath the ninety-degree heat. This isn’t good for her or the baby. I have to intervene.
Dragging a chair across the lawn, I arrange it beneath the voluminous folds of her dress. She leans heavily against me before her feet give way and she clutches my arm for support. She’s probably dehydrated. I better get her some water. I start retreating toward the house but Brian’s words slice through me.
“Don’t even think about going anywhere, Adam.” His voice is lethal. I’ve never heard him like this, like he’s capable of killing me right on the spot.
“Brian, she’s had enough. Can’t you see…?” I plead my case, but it’s falling on deaf ears.
“I don’t care what happens to her—or to you for that matter.” He kicks a flowerpot, sending shards of broken pottery sailing across the grass. “You’re as much to blame as she is.”
“Everything was settled, Brian. So why did you have to go and fuck it up?” Kelly interrupts and he shoots her a venomous glance.
“Maybe because I’m sick of covering for two people who don’t even give a shit about me.” Brian advances toward her, forcing me to place myself in front of him. He’s so worked up I don’t know what he’s capable of doing.
“But she has a point, man. Why go all the way to the ’I dos’ before calling it quits? Why the public spectacle?” I hold up my hands to ward him off, hoping he doesn’t tackle me in the process. He always whooped my ass when we were kids, and considering the state he’s in, he’ll probably have no problem doing it again.
“You think I enjoy being humiliated? You think I like being compared to my little brother?” The fury, the outrage, the hurt, has been seething inside of him for quite a while. Now it’s all just pouring out of him, unable to be contained. “Huh? Do you?”
“Of course not!” I stumble as he pushes roughly against my shoulders. He shoves me again before I have time to recover, and I fall to the ground as he kicks me in the stomach. I groan when his foot connects with my aching ribs.
“Brian, stop it!” Kelly screams at the top of her lungs, and I see his foot halt in mid-air.
“You know what? You’re not even worth it.” He grabs me by the hair, leering into my face. “And neither are you.” He glares at Kelly over my head before flinging me to the ground. He gestures at her, waving his outstretched arms in front of his body. “We’re through.” He spits in the dirt as if to seal the deal before marching away.
“Brian, wait!” Kelly runs after him as he stomps out of the garden, nearly tearing the gate off its hinges. “Come back. We can still work this out.” But he’s not even listening. His luggage is already lined up on the curb as he tosses his suitcases into the trunk, shutting it with a loud bang. She’s pleading with him hysterically, but he gets behind the wheel and guns the engine to drown out her protests. He peals away, leaving her standing on the sidewalk with tears streaming down her face.
Pitifully, she spins around, clutching her stomach and dragging the grass-stained hem of her dress. “Adam, what am I going to do? He won’t even talk to me.” She’s so distraught. I can’t help it. My heart goes out to her.
I lead her to the porch. Hours ago, it’s where I kissed her cousin, and I cringe to think that Katie’s no longer speaking to me. I lower Kelly onto the cushion of a comfortable recliner. She thanks me with her eyes as I position her out of the relentless sun. She’s sweating through her big, fluffy dress. She should really go inside and get some rest, but there are too many things we have to straighten out first.
“I think it’s over between the two of you,” I state bluntly. “I know my
“Brian, that’s enough.” I ease the back door open and descend the concrete steps leading into the garden. Sobs are wracking every inch of Kelly’s body as she wilts beneath the ninety-degree heat. This isn’t good for her or the baby. I have to intervene.
Dragging a chair across the lawn, I arrange it beneath the voluminous folds of her dress. She leans heavily against me before her feet give way and she clutches my arm for support. She’s probably dehydrated. I better get her some water. I start retreating toward the house but Brian’s words slice through me.
“Don’t even think about going anywhere, Adam.” His voice is lethal. I’ve never heard him like this, like he’s capable of killing me right on the spot.
“Brian, she’s had enough. Can’t you see…?” I plead my case, but it’s falling on deaf ears.
“I don’t care what happens to her—or to you for that matter.” He kicks a flowerpot, sending shards of broken pottery sailing across the grass. “You’re as much to blame as she is.”
“Everything was settled, Brian. So why did you have to go and fuck it up?” Kelly interrupts and he shoots her a venomous glance.
“Maybe because I’m sick of covering for two people who don’t even give a shit about me.” Brian advances toward her, forcing me to place myself in front of him. He’s so worked up I don’t know what he’s capable of doing.
“But she has a point, man. Why go all the way to the ’I dos’ before calling it quits? Why the public spectacle?” I hold up my hands to ward him off, hoping he doesn’t tackle me in the process. He always whooped my ass when we were kids, and considering the state he’s in, he’ll probably have no problem doing it again.
“You think I enjoy being humiliated? You think I like being compared to my little brother?” The fury, the outrage, the hurt, has been seething inside of him for quite a while. Now it’s all just pouring out of him, unable to be contained. “Huh? Do you?”
“Of course not!” I stumble as he pushes roughly against my shoulders. He shoves me again before I have time to recover, and I fall to the ground as he kicks me in the stomach. I groan when his foot connects with my aching ribs.
“Brian, stop it!” Kelly screams at the top of her lungs, and I see his foot halt in mid-air.
“You know what? You’re not even worth it.” He grabs me by the hair, leering into my face. “And neither are you.” He glares at Kelly over my head before flinging me to the ground. He gestures at her, waving his outstretched arms in front of his body. “We’re through.” He spits in the dirt as if to seal the deal before marching away.
“Brian, wait!” Kelly runs after him as he stomps out of the garden, nearly tearing the gate off its hinges. “Come back. We can still work this out.” But he’s not even listening. His luggage is already lined up on the curb as he tosses his suitcases into the trunk, shutting it with a loud bang. She’s pleading with him hysterically, but he gets behind the wheel and guns the engine to drown out her protests. He peals away, leaving her standing on the sidewalk with tears streaming down her face.
Pitifully, she spins around, clutching her stomach and dragging the grass-stained hem of her dress. “Adam, what am I going to do? He won’t even talk to me.” She’s so distraught. I can’t help it. My heart goes out to her.
I lead her to the porch. Hours ago, it’s where I kissed her cousin, and I cringe to think that Katie’s no longer speaking to me. I lower Kelly onto the cushion of a comfortable recliner. She thanks me with her eyes as I position her out of the relentless sun. She’s sweating through her big, fluffy dress. She should really go inside and get some rest, but there are too many things we have to straighten out first.
“I think it’s over between the two of you,” I state bluntly. “I know my
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