Page 15 of Brother to Brother

I backed out from under the hood and fixed my younger brother with a hard glare, “I’m supposed to be happy?”

“Well, yeah. A little… aren’t you?” he asked.

“You dumb shit, she wasGrind’swoman and shows up here withGrind’skid on her hip, doesn’t know a fuckin’ thing about the fact our brother’s dead, I break it to her the worst fuckin’ way possible, I’m sleeping on mycouch, hemorrhaging cash I can’t afford if I want to get out of that shithole apartment – I’m responsible for two other people whoreallydon’t need to be living in that shithole apartment with me… good Christ.” I put my hands on my hips and let my eyes grab some garage floor so I didn’t have to look at my shithead brother. The urge to punch him was a strong one. “What in the absolute fuck do I have to be happy about with this situation?” I demanded.

“You know, that’s your problem Arch. You aren’teverhappy with anything, Bro. Grind is gone and Mel ishere, you should give it a go, man.”

“Man, fuck you! Because you’re sounding an awful lot like I should be grateful Grinder’sgone.”

“I didn’t say that, Asshole. You’re just taking it that way. I’m just saying let’s hear it for second chances. Man, I loved Grinder just as much as you or Nox but he was a fuckingassholesometimes. Just likeyouare. Except Grinder’s kind of asshole left that woman alone when she needed aman.I’m just sayin’ you have a chance tobethat man and it’s good you’re stepping up.”

My brother’s caramel brown eyes blazed at me, and he ran a hand over his short, light, tawny hair; back and forth, like he was trying to dust a bothersome insect off his head. Trouble was, that insect was me right this minute, and I hated that fuckin’ feeling out of the little twerp. Especially when Grind and I had changed his and Nox’s shitty fuckin’ diapers the first couple of years.

“Ain’t no one else,tostep up. I been cleaning up after all three of you fuckers a long time, this time is no exception.”

Rush grunted, “Man sometimes you’re a real fuckin’ douche you know that?” he demanded.

“Go back to your fuckin’ bay and quit bothering me,” I demanded right back.

He didn’t talk to me the rest of the day, which suited me just fine. Around noon-thirty, Melody pulled up with Noah in his car seat in the back. I gritted my teeth, and glanced over at Rush who gave me a dirty look. I glared at him and walked out to the car, as she cranked down the window.

“What’re you doing here?” I demanded.

“Fulfilling my end of the bargain,” she said handing me a sack out the window. Noah eyed me from the back seat, and when he caught me lookin’ at him he grinned.

“Unca Atcha!” he said and held out his arms.

“Hey, boy,” I said in return.

Melody gave me a cool look, as I looked in the bag, likely still pissy about this morning and me taking off with the kid squalling like he was. There was a sandwich and a thing of what looked like soup in the bottom of the bag.

“Better eat it while it’s still hot,” she said absently as she returned Rush’s wave.

“Thought I told you not to bother,” I said.

“You also told me it was my job to clean and keep you fed in exchange for staying, so which is it, Archer? Am I supposed to feed you or not bother?” she asked and sighed. I frowned. She looked fuckin’ tired, her blonde hair in a lank ponytail, wisps escaping and hanging in her eyes. Her tee shirt had stains on it and her jeans were wrinkled. She was a far cry from the girl I knew in Arizona. Now she had the etched in marks of a stressed out, frazzled mom.

“What’s for dinner?” I asked her.

“I don’t know yet, I hadn’t gotten that far. Noah’s been a challenge today.”

“What have you done?” I asked and she sighed crossly, but answered the question.

“Managed to get to a second hand store, picked up some cooking utensils and dishes, made you lunch and brought it here. I plan on stopping into a diner or two looking for help, I have waitressing experience. I was going to head back, put Noah down for a nap, fill those applications out, and get dinner started.”

“Busy day,” I said dryly. She didn’t say anything back. “I’ll let you go,” I said finally when the silence stretched too long between us.

She nodded, and said, “Can I impose upon you to watch Noah for a bit tonight so I can get a shower?”

I blinked,she hadn’t showered since she got here?I nodded finally when my brain caught up and got with the program, “Yeah, sure.”

“Thank you, I’d better leave. I’d rather you not get in trouble with your boss,” she uttered.

“Not likely, he’s the club’s V.P.” I said with a shrug.

“Good to know,” she murmured, “See you later.”

“Yeah, later,” I said and knocked on her roof, I called out to Noah while she shifted it into reverse, “See you later, Little Man!”

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