Page 21 of Take Me Slowly: part 2
"I don't see them dragging you back either," I said quietly.
Did he really need to throw my arthritis in my face every chance he got? It shattered my dreams and turned my life upside down. Yes, I could still paint and draw, but they weren't my first loves. My sculptures were everything to me until I couldn't make them any more. Now, that part of me felt hollow. Ironic, given where we were.
"I'm not going back," Brooks said. He leaned back in his chair and slumped as though defeated. He sat that way for a moment or two before rallying and sitting up straight again. Typical of him; he never let anything get him down for long. Even if taking a moment to wallow was healthy.
"I know you hated university," I said. "You always seemed miserable, but I didn't think you wanted my…"
"Pity? No I didn't. I don't now. I fucking hated every minute of it. It felt like a prison sentence." His mouth twisted.
"What do you want to do with the rest of your life?" Riley asked. He seemed sympathetic, but not pitying. Ready to be a sounding board if Brooks wanted one.
"I don't fucking know," Brooks said, ending the sentence on a sigh. He glanced over at me before pushing his chair back and hurrying away, the door shutting behind him.
"He seems nice," Riley said with a touch of sarcasm. "No offence, but your parents seem like assholes."
I laughed softly. "They have their moments." I was starting to see that more and more. I always thought Brooks was the golden child, but now I thought about it, he was the one who was held up as a model to me. He was right, he was expected to do everything perfectly, and conform to whatever they wanted him to be. He grew up under the weight of their expectations. I supposed I was lucky I didn't. The disinterest sucked, but the pressure would have been heavy as hell.
"I wish we talked about this sooner," I said, looking back at the closed door. "We could have helped each other." Instead, we'd gone through it more or less alone. Resenting each other while we could have cried on each other's shoulders. Or more.
"Just guessing, but he doesn't seem like the chatty type," Riley said. "I don't think opening up to you, or anyone, was something he planned on doing. He must have had enough for it to come out now."
I swore under my breath. "You're right. I didn't even think to ask if anything had happened."
"He didn't give you a chance," Connor said. "If he wants to open up, he will."
"What Connor said," Riley agreed. "In my lifetime of experience with temperamental assholes, give him time to cool down."
Connor cut him a look. "Lifetime of being one too."
"Also that," Riley agreed. "I'm not as temperamental as you or him. Or Josiah, for that matter. He puts the mood in moody."
"Can you blame him?" I asked. "I'd be moody too if everyone treated me the way they treated him."
Riley took my hand. "It sounds to me like that's exactly what happened. You were both treated like outsiders. Like you weren't wanted. Josiah's was, I don't know, on a bigger scale, but it amounts to the same thing. People were shitty to you and to him. You didn't deserve that."
"Neither did he," I said, giving Riley a watery smile. "Neither did Brooks. I'm starting to think I should set up a support group instead of a gallery. Basket Cases Anonymous."
"That doesn't sound very anonymous," Riley said. "But if you do that, can I come? I have plenty of issues myself."
"Like what?" Connor looked at him doubtfully.
"I'm painfully shy," Riley said, pretending to look innocent.
"You're full of shit," Connor told him.
Riley pointed a finger at him. "That, right there. I'm scarred for life."
Connor rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Anyway, Riley and I were talking."
"Okay," I said slowly. "Should I be worried? All of the administration for work is up to date." I didn't think this was about me working for them.
"Shame, I would have liked to punish you with my hand on your ass," Connor said. "No, we were talking about you doing a DNA test."
I blinked a couple of times. It took a few moments for my brain to catch up with what he was saying and the implications.
"I thought you said it wasn't possible for me to be…" I lowered my voice. "Coral Clarke."
"I'm not sure it is." He creased his brow. "But we could rule it out."
