Page 112 of On My Side
There’s no guarantee a relationship won’t end, and sometimes, it’s best they do. That’s not what he needs to hear right now.
“If she breaks up with you, you’ll be heartbroken.” I say simply. “You’ll grieve and it’ll hurt like hell, and you’ll be okay.”
Leo sniffs and swipes at his nose with the back of his wrist. “You’re supposed to promise she won’t break up with me.”
“I’m not going to tell you what you want to hear, Leo. Not if I don’t know it’s true. That won’t help anything.”
He narrows his eyes. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask with a laugh.
“Itmeansthat’s exactly what you do. You’re the optimist, the one who says the cup is half full when the rest of us are convinced it’s half empty.”
I’m taken aback by his words, but I shouldn’t be. He’s right, Ihavealways told people what they want to hear, whether it’s true or not.
“I’m turning over a new leaf,” I say slowly. “I’m trying this thing where I don’t jump through hoops to make everyone happy, and seeing if I’m still worthwhile if I’m not a show pony.”
“Are you kidding me?!” Leo looks absolutely horrified by my words. “We don’t like you because you tell us what we want to hear. We love you because you’re one of us. One of the best ofus, as much as it pains me to say. You could provide nothing and guess what? You’d still be my favorite big brother.”
“I’m your only big brother,” I remind him.
He ignores this. “Why do you love people? Because of what they do for you, or because their presence in your life is a fucking delight?”
“Whose existence is a fucking delight?” I stand and turn to see my dad leaning against the door frame.
“This pretty boy here,” Leo coos, squishing my cheeks between his hands from behind.
“Please don’t call me that,” I beg, words muffled by Leo’s squishing. That just became my new favorite phrase, but only when Audrey uses it.
“Leo, can I talk to your brother alone for a second?” Dad asks, stepping further into the room.
“Oooooh. Pretty boy’s in trouble,” Leo teases, finally freeing my cheeks from his imprisonment.
“Iwillkick your ass,” I warn.
He scoffs. “No, you won’t.”
“I’ll ask Nic to kick your ass.”
“Okay, well, that’s uncalled for,” Leo stammers, face paling.
“Boys,” Dad says in the warning voice I haven’t heard in a good decade. “Be nice to your brother.”
“Sorry,” Leo and I mumble unenthusiastically.
Once Leo leaves, Dad smirks at me. “He’s a little shit, isn’t he?”
I laugh. “Youcannotjust be realizing this about him.”
“Eh,” Dad says, stepping around me and sitting on the edge of the bed. He pats the mattress next to him, motioning for me to sit beside him. “I think you’ll realize soon enough you have a blind spot when it comes to your kids.”
I eye him suspiciously as I sit. “What does that mean? You mean like my students?”
“No. I mean you look at that girl the same way I look at you.” My face must adequately communicate my confusion, because Dad continues. “Piper. You look at Piper the same way I look at you and your siblings.”
My throat is thick with emotion and I find myself staring at my hands. “Is that a bad thing?” I wonder.
“No,” Dad says quickly. “I think it’s a really good thing. I’m proud of you, you seem happy, and you deserve that.”
