Page 35 of Brooke
“God, she really is scary when she gets her shot, isn’t she?” Dean whispered.
Thea only nodded, her sweetheart-shaped face tense.
Axel lifted a hand to his lips, hiding his amusement, and Brooke wondered if it was meant as a challenge to Madison.
“I don’t know about Axel, but the rest of us all have a challenging parent or two,” Madison began with a short and humorless laugh. “But my question is this: if this difficultparent or two could turn into the parent of your dreams by being hit by a car and being in a coma for a year, would you pray to the Universe for it to happen?”
Thea sucked in her breath. “Oh. My. God! She gets you every time…”
“Cold, Madison,” Sawyer said with another audible Frenchboff.“But I will divulge the naked truth. Yes, I would ask for that. Absolutely.”
“I might even be the one driving the car,” Kyle joked before holding up his hands. “Kidding. Mostly.”
“Nice. We’re going with vicious honesty.” Dean threaded his hands behind his head, considering. “I’d be down for it. Especially since my father wouldn’t be hitting anyone anymore. The whole event would be doing the world a favor. Thea?”
“My parents aren’t bad people,” she began in a strained voice, her face a mask of agony.
“Oh, Thea, come on, they’ve never supported you,” Brooke said before Dean shot her a look. “Sorry. I am not prejudicing answers.”
Thea twisted her hands as if confessing to a holy man. “Okay, yes, because it would make them happier, I think. I also wouldn’t dread them coming to my wedding because I know they will complain and hate every single thing about me and my new life. Maybe even Jean Luc, which makes me want to cry. There, I said it. Now I should probably take a drink.”
Dean pushed her glass of white wine out of her reach. “Save it for the next question. Who wants to answer next? Brooke?”
“You know my answer.” She could feel the inner rage at her mother rise up, hot and undeniable. “Totally.”
“That leaves Axel.” Madison cracked her knuckles. “What’s it to be?”
His deep sigh was like a tree creaking in the wind. “Thetemptation to punish and eviscerate a parent who harmed us is something I’ve grappled with, but I have to say no on this one. I would not have become the man I am were my parents different than they are.”
A few people groaned.
Madison slapped her hand to her forehead. “Jesus! He’s almost too good to be true.”
Brooke wanted to applaud Axel for his perspective while sinking lower in her chair. She wasn’t far enough away from her mother’s abandonment to think like that. Truthfully, she wondered if she’d ever want to be. Her desire for her mother to get her just deserts had never gone away.
“Let’s pick again,” Dean said, becoming the MC of the kebab drawing.
The next few questions went along the same path. People brought out their zingers. Axel was the only one who chose to answer every single one.
“It’s incredible,” Sawyer mused, tracing the rim of his brandy snifter. “Axel’s answers are like reading philosophy.”
The man in question frowned then, quite massively. “My honesty is not meant to make anyone think I am more enlightened. I grapple with the same human impulses that everyone does.”
“Nice try,” Madison commented, feeding Pierre another almond, “but you seem to grapple with them better than most.”
“Perhaps because in the end I’ve learned fighting with myself wastes energy, happiness, and years of my life.” His muscles were a little stiff now.
Brooke wondered at the change. In fact, she wanted to put her hand on his arm and assure him.
“Wise,” Sawyer noted, pushing up his spectacles. “Totally cool. Shall we draw again?”
Dean did his duty, and Axel lifted his short stick. “Seems my turn to ask the question.”
Brooke sent him an assuring smile. He did not return it.
“Let us pretend there are gods, like the ones of old,” he said, his baritone voice inviting, “and one of them visits you. He tells you that you can have the love of your dreams, greater than any you’ve ever imagined. For Dean and Thea, that would be their intendeds. But in exchange, you must give him your right arm as well as your right eye.”
Thea sucked in her breath as Dean winced. Brooke’s heart began to race. Sawyer’s exhale was shaky while Kyle and Madison turned mute.
