Page 41 of My Hunger, Your Soul

As I’m packing my bag, my cell phone rings. My brother, Chase.

“Hi, Chase, how are you?”

“I’m good. Sorry I haven't been in touch recently,” he says.

“No, that's fine. It's been pretty hectic here.”

“I won’t keep you long, I just wanted to tell you that we are flying into New York tomorrow evening, so wanted to see if we can meet up? Noah has booked us into a hotel not far from you.”

“That sounds great. I can't wait to see you. Call me when you get to the hotel, and I will find somewhere for us to meet.”

“I’m so excited. I’ve missed you, Ty.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

“Who are you talking to?” Ivan asks in the doorway behind me.

“My brother, Chase.”

“Who’s that?” Chase then asks down the phone.

“A friend, Ivan. He works for the client I told you about.”

“The gangsters? Tyler, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I promise. Listen, I gotta go, but I’ll speak to you tomorrow. Have a safe flight,” I say while watching Ivan, who is watching me.

“Okay, Goodnight Tyler.”

“Goodnight.”

“You never mentioned a brother?” Ivan says.

“You’ve never asked anything about me.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not really, we’ve been preoccupied, I guess. Anyway, I didn’t think it’d be something you cared about.”

“I don’t. But it's interesting. His name is Chase?”

“Yeah. He was a therapist back in Seattle, but now he’s travelling the world with his husband, Noah. They fly in for a couple of days tomorrow.”

“Invite him to the bar.”

“Are you for real? Why would I invite them there?”

“Because I want to meet him. Are you ashamed of me, Ty?” Ivan says, but not in a hurt way. It's laced with sarcasm as he knows he’s annoying me, the sly grin as he approaches me makes me both angry and screaming inside like an excited teenager.

“He doesn’t know about me. With men.”

“So. He’s married to a guy, I doubt he’ll care.”

“I know, but I…your family aren’t…normal. How do I explain it to him?”

“You don’t. Chill out, Ty. It’s just a drink at the bar and your brother needs to meet your man.”

“My man?”

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