I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of things.”
He let out another gasp as he felt her freezing fingertips move slowly across his belly, tracing the lines of the scars as if they were things of wonder, as if they were worthy of her attention. Finally, he opened his eyes and stared at her for a moment, and he saw true wonder in her eyes, as if she was mesmerized by the sight of his body.
“I love you,” he whimpered, close to tears.
“I love you too,” she replied, still examining his scars. “I always have, and I always will.”
Leaning over, he tried to kiss her, but at that moment the light from a passing car briefly filled the room, and when it was gone there was no sign of Caitlin next to him on the sofa, so he started sobbing instead.
***
A few miles out of town, near the twisted old oak tree, a dark figure stood watching the distant lights. Arranged around the crown of his head were several sharp little sticks, like broken antlers.
IV
“He’s your brother,” Jane replied, following Jack across the kitchen. She watched as he opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk. “Can’t you just put up with him for a week or two?”
“You’d think,” he muttered, taking a swig.
“I swear,” she continued, “sometimes you and Beth act like Ben’s the devil. It’s been ages since you last saw him, maybe he’s changed in that time, maybe he’s mellowed just a little.” She paused for a moment, hoping against hope that he’d agree with her. “I know you’ve changed over the past nine years.”
“I’m sexier and smarter,” he replied, offering her some milk before setting the carton back in the fridge. “A little slimmer too.”
“You’re older and wiser,” she told him, “and more emotionally mature. You’re better at dealing with things, so if he’s better too, the pair of you could actually have a better relationship. Hell, maybe you could sit down and have a conversation with the guy instead of questioning him and acting like you think he’s up to something. Stop treating him like he’s a suspect in a story you’re writing for the paper, and start treating him like he’s your brother.”
“You really think it’s that easy?”
“I think it could be, if you work at it.”
He paused. “Well he’ll most likely be staying here,” he told her finally. “Better get the spare room ready.”
“What?”
“Where else do you think he’s gonna stay? With my mother? With Beth?” He smiled. “With my delightful father?”
“Well, he…” She paused, clearly caught off-guard. “I don’t know if him staying here is the best thing -”
“Because of the kids?”
“Because of…” Another pause, and it was clear she was struggling to come up with an answer that wouldn’t demolish her little speech about the importance of family. “Your mother could clear out her office and let him crash there,” she pointed out. “It might be more fun for her, she’s the one who really looks forward to his visits.”
“Ha,” Jack replied, stepping past her and heading to the door. “You were fine with him coming until you realized he’d be around the house, and now suddenly you’re worried.”
“I’m not worried, I just…”
He turned to her. “You don’t want him here.”
“I -”
“Good. ‘Cause neither do I.”
“Are you going to tell him that?”
“He’s not coming ‘til Monday. I’ve got time to figure something out.”
“An excuse?”
He nodded.
“And you think he won’t see through it?”
“All that matters is that he doesn’t stick around. It’s better for everyone that way. It’s better for the whole goddamn town.”
She stared at him for a moment, seeing the sense of deep unease in his eyes. “Jack, you don’t still think…” She paused. “I mean, you and Beth, I know you don’t talk about it much, but you don’t still think…” Her voice trailed off. “You can’t , Jack.”
He sighed.
“Jack?”
“I don’t
He let out another gasp as he felt her freezing fingertips move slowly across his belly, tracing the lines of the scars as if they were things of wonder, as if they were worthy of her attention. Finally, he opened his eyes and stared at her for a moment, and he saw true wonder in her eyes, as if she was mesmerized by the sight of his body.
“I love you,” he whimpered, close to tears.
“I love you too,” she replied, still examining his scars. “I always have, and I always will.”
Leaning over, he tried to kiss her, but at that moment the light from a passing car briefly filled the room, and when it was gone there was no sign of Caitlin next to him on the sofa, so he started sobbing instead.
***
A few miles out of town, near the twisted old oak tree, a dark figure stood watching the distant lights. Arranged around the crown of his head were several sharp little sticks, like broken antlers.
IV
“He’s your brother,” Jane replied, following Jack across the kitchen. She watched as he opened the fridge and took out a carton of milk. “Can’t you just put up with him for a week or two?”
“You’d think,” he muttered, taking a swig.
“I swear,” she continued, “sometimes you and Beth act like Ben’s the devil. It’s been ages since you last saw him, maybe he’s changed in that time, maybe he’s mellowed just a little.” She paused for a moment, hoping against hope that he’d agree with her. “I know you’ve changed over the past nine years.”
“I’m sexier and smarter,” he replied, offering her some milk before setting the carton back in the fridge. “A little slimmer too.”
“You’re older and wiser,” she told him, “and more emotionally mature. You’re better at dealing with things, so if he’s better too, the pair of you could actually have a better relationship. Hell, maybe you could sit down and have a conversation with the guy instead of questioning him and acting like you think he’s up to something. Stop treating him like he’s a suspect in a story you’re writing for the paper, and start treating him like he’s your brother.”
“You really think it’s that easy?”
“I think it could be, if you work at it.”
He paused. “Well he’ll most likely be staying here,” he told her finally. “Better get the spare room ready.”
“What?”
“Where else do you think he’s gonna stay? With my mother? With Beth?” He smiled. “With my delightful father?”
“Well, he…” She paused, clearly caught off-guard. “I don’t know if him staying here is the best thing -”
“Because of the kids?”
“Because of…” Another pause, and it was clear she was struggling to come up with an answer that wouldn’t demolish her little speech about the importance of family. “Your mother could clear out her office and let him crash there,” she pointed out. “It might be more fun for her, she’s the one who really looks forward to his visits.”
“Ha,” Jack replied, stepping past her and heading to the door. “You were fine with him coming until you realized he’d be around the house, and now suddenly you’re worried.”
“I’m not worried, I just…”
He turned to her. “You don’t want him here.”
“I -”
“Good. ‘Cause neither do I.”
“Are you going to tell him that?”
“He’s not coming ‘til Monday. I’ve got time to figure something out.”
“An excuse?”
He nodded.
“And you think he won’t see through it?”
“All that matters is that he doesn’t stick around. It’s better for everyone that way. It’s better for the whole goddamn town.”
She stared at him for a moment, seeing the sense of deep unease in his eyes. “Jack, you don’t still think…” She paused. “I mean, you and Beth, I know you don’t talk about it much, but you don’t still think…” Her voice trailed off. “You can’t , Jack.”
He sighed.
“Jack?”
“I don’t
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