Page 43 of Knocked Up By the Grump

Emily stands quietly beside me, caught in the crossfire between her brother and me. I can see the conflict in her eyes, torn between her growing affection for me and her loyalty to Chris. Her distress is evident, and I can't help but feel responsible for putting her in this difficult position. My heart aches at the thought of causing tension between two people I care deeply about.

Moments later, Ben unexpectedly enters with a bottle of whiskey and a box of cigars.

“Hey, guys!” he calls out with a joyful tone.

When Ben’s foot kicks a discarded poker chip on the deck, he raises an eyebrow. He glances up at Emily and I, and cocks his head to the side.

“Uhm,” he says, “Does this mean that poker night is canceled?”

Chapter twenty-five

Emily

I'd just witnessed my worst nightmare come to life before my eyes. The suffocating tension in the air and the strained silence between us only add to the weight of the situation. My heart races and my thoughts race even faster, desperately searching for a way to bridge the gap between my brother and me.

I turn to Alex, still stunned by what just happened. He puts a comforting arm around me and asks with concern, "Emily, are you okay?"

I stand there, my mind racing, struggling to process the whirlwind of emotions that have just swept over me. Alex's arm around my shoulders offers some comfort in the sea of confusion.

I finally manage to find my voice, though it comes out in stuttered, fragmented words.

“I... I need to go after my brother,” I stammer, my voice trembling.

“Guys? What’s going on?”

Ben's voice cuts through the charged atmosphere, and I realize we're not alone at this moment. Still, my attention remains locked on Alex. When our eyes meet, there's an unspoken understanding between us, a connection that transcends words. We're both caught in the grip of emotions, and it's like nothing else matters in this fleeting moment.

“Go after him,” Alex assures me. “He's your brother.”

With a quick move, I plant a kiss on Alex’s cheek. Without further ado, I spring off the yacht, my heart pounding as I rush to look for my brother.

“Wait, what was that…” I hear Ben calling to Alex as I step onto the dock.

I run with a slight smirk as I picture Alex scrambling to find the right words to say.

As I hurry down the dock, the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the wooden floorboards echoes in my ears. Each step I take feels like a pounding drumbeat. I can't help but feel a pang of guilt and sadness for the lies and hurt I've caused my brother. But I know I must confront the truth and mend what's been broken.

I recall the countless times Chris and I have shared secrets and stories on this very dock, gazing out at the horizon and dreaming of adventures yet to come. Now, I find myself racing down the same path to face the consequences of my actions, and it's a bitter pill to swallow.

Arriving at the familiar sight of my brother's yacht, my heart clenches with relief. On the deck, I spot Chris standing. I call out to him, my voice trembling with a blend of urgency and remorse.

“Chris!” I cry out, my voice carrying across the marina.

Instead of a warm greeting or a sign of acknowledgment, his response is sharp and biting.

“Leave me alone!” he yells down at me, his words laced with anger and frustration. His rejection stings like a fresh wound, astark reminder of the chasm that has grown between us in such a short span of time.

Tears well up in my eyes, but I can't bring myself to leave. With a deep breath, I wait, hoping he will calm down and talk. He's ten years older, but we've always been so close, and I have to believe we can talk this out.

But before I can say another word, I hear the dull roar of the engine.

I gasp.

“Hey!” I call out, “What are you doing?”

As Chris begins to depart, my desperation mounts. I can't let him sail away, not like this. I call out to him with all the strength in my voice, my pleas cutting through the fading daylight.

“Chris, wait!” I shout in despair.

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