Page 38 of Love Never Happens with your Brother’s Best Friend

I sling on my backpack and walk away, ending the conversation. Brodie follows.

The afternoon is hot. The down-hill zigzags eventually give way to level ground. We walk out of trees and into a grassy meadow full of knee-high wildflowers. The track follows the bank of the river which slows and flows in an easy eddying current. Soon we’re at the swimming hole we used to come to when we were kids. I dump my pack in the full bright sunshine.

“Do you want to swim?” I turn to Brodie and smile. “Or have you had enough of getting wet today?” I’m already peeling off my t-shirt.

He doesn’t answer but drops his pack and within seconds his shirt is on the ground and he’s messily untying his laces and struggling to kick off his boots.

“Last one in’s a fruit cake,” he yells as he hops along the bank throwing a sock over his shoulder.

Brodie runs, and jumps straight in, making a big splash and whooping in the fresh cold water. I watch him strike out for the opposite bank then I dive into the middle of the deep pool. No one else is around. The water is wonderfully refreshing after being so hot on the trail. I float on my back looking straight up at the clear blue sky.

Brodie has found the rope swing and howls as he launches himself out over the river.

“Whoa! Watch out!” he yells as he lets go and splashes down close by. I tread water as he surfaces in front of me.

“Remember when we used to come here on our bikes after school?” Brodie says, pushing back his soaking fringe out of his eyes.

“Yeah. We were wild back then, weren’t we?”

I climb out, grabbing the tail of the rope swing. I whoop as I run and jump, holding on tight, then I let go, splashing down in the river beside Brodie. He laughs and sloshes my face when I come up for air.

We swim and float around then, shivering, I say, “I need to warm up. Race you back to the bank.”

Brodie beats me and is already standing on the grass when I get to the river’s edge. I hold up my hand and he pulls me out of the water as if I weigh nothing at all. We flop down, side-by-side, breathless from exertion. My skin is cold with goosebumps.

“Remember the last time we were here?” I say relaxing my head back and closing my eyes as the water droplets evaporate in the sun’s warmth. “We all came down here after the last day of school that summer.”

“Oh yeah. I couldn’t wait for school to end,” says Brodie.

“Yeah. Me too…” I roll onto my stomach. The grass tickles. I watch a red ladybird climb up a stem as I pluck a white daisy and twirl it between my fingers.

“That was the last day I saw you,” Brodie says, lying on his back with an arm covering his eyes. “Before I went away.”

I shield my eyes and look across at Brodie. His taught tanned torso glistens in the sunlight beside me. I want to touch his skin. The thought makes me shiver.

“Yep.” I pluck another daisy. The ladybird has flown away. “But it wasn’t the last day that I saw you.”

“What do you mean?” Brodie rolls onto his side and studies my face quizzically. He sighs. “I came to your house to tell you about my scholarship. Dylan was there. Your mom and dad. They were really happy for me. And I remember you were there and… That was the last time we saw each other, I think… Wasn’t it?”

“Well, that was the last time you saw me.”

“No. Really. What do you mean?” Brodie fixes me with a questioning gaze. “Rita. Stop talking in riddles.”

“Okay. Well. A couple of years ago, I was at a party in New York, The Electric Room. Some designer sportswear label or something. I forget. Anyway…” I breathe and take a minute. Three daisies make a triangle of green stems and white petals on the grass beside my hand. “It was cool. I’m there with my friends. And we’re at the bar. It’s a fun party.” Brodie sits up and listens closely. “There’s a DJ. People are dancing and having fun. Then, I just happen to look up across the bar and I see you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And I am so happy to see you, Brodie.” I sit up and hug my knees into my chest. “I almost run over to say hi.”

“Rita. We were at the same party in New York. And you didn’t come over to say hi? Why the heck not?”

“I didn’t because…” I sigh. “I didn’t because you’re with some girls.”

“Sounds about right... No wait. Stop. Just a minute.” Brodie looks at me as if he is figuring something out. “You were at that party and didn’t say hi because I was with some other people? That’s crazy.”

“Brodie you were flirting and stuff. You were having a great time. Lapping up the attention. You looked as if you were in your element. You were making jokes, and the girls were mesmerized by you.”

“But I still don’t understand why you didn’t come over, Rita.”

---