Page 12 of Back to You

“It’s work she didn’t finish in class,” Michelle said, giving her daughter the hairy eyeball. “If you said you did it, I’m trusting you, kiddo.”

“What’s for dinner?” Riley said, hopping up on one of the stools at the kitchen island.

“Salmon and quinoa salad with veggies.”

Riley gave her uncle a disgruntled stare. “What’s quinoa?”

“You’ll like it.” Meaning you’ll eat it either way.

“Okay.” And with that she was off and running again.

“Oh, to have the energy of an 8-year-old,” he mused.

“So, anything new with Ethan?” Michelle asked delicately.

“Same old thing. I got home from Marcus’s show last night and he was passed out on the couch with the TV going. I left him there.”

“Brandon, you could at least have woken the man up to go to bed.”

He paused in mixing the salad dressing. He knew he could have woken Ethan, he’d known last night. But something in him just wasn’t ready to face Ethan. There was too much to be said, and he felt like once he popped the cork on that particular bottle, all of the resentment and disappointment he’d been feeling lately would erupt and drown them both.

Brandon just acknowledged his sister with a grunt, continuing to put the finishing touches on dinner.

He heard his phone chime in his pocket and pulled it out to read the text.

Ethan: Hey, I’m taking tomorrow off. Want to stay home and do nothing with me?

Brandon stood stock-still, reading and re-reading the message. An actual day off? Like, the whole day? Who was this and what had they done with his Ethan?

“What?” said Michelle. He passed her the phone so she could read the message.

“Huh. Well, that’s encouraging!”

“He’s been body snatched.”

“There’s the positive, optimistic brother I love.” Michelle began typing before he could grab the phone back.

“Damn it, Michelle …”

“Relax.” She paused in her typing, then laughed. He rounded the island to read over her shoulder.

Brandon: I’d love to! That sounds amazing!

Ethan: Hi Michelle

Brandon laughed too. Gotta love a man who knew you well. Michelle went back to typing and Brandon just let it go. Lord knows Michelle would do whatever she wanted regardless of his thoughts on the matter.

Brandon: What up, jackass?

Ethan: I love you too, Michelle

Brandon: You done fucked up.

Ethan: I know. I’m trying to fix it. Is he there?

Brandon: Yeah, hang on …

Brandon: Okay, it’s me

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