“I hope we get to meet him some day. The kid. Our nephew. We are uncles! Do you believe that? It’s fuckin’ crazy. Leah said she remembers him looking just like Aidan when he was born. A Doherty with green eyes,” Tristian continued.
I drank my coffee, trying to cover my face with the cup.
Tristian tried to catch my eye.
“You okay there? You’re drinking that thing like you need a punch in the gut.”
“Yeah, maybe I do,” I groaned.
“What the fuck is going on with you? I thought it was just the girl and not being able to bang her. You did that last night, right? What’s eating you now?”
My mouth tasted bitter from the coffee and I chucked the paper cup into the sink.
“I just don’t get why Aidan has to go ruin it for himself by bringing a kid into the picture. Isn’t his life fine the way it is now?”
I spoke harshly. Even I heard it in my own voice. Tristian heard it too and he put down his coffee cup.
“You have a problem with Aidan’s kid?” he asked, and it sounded more like an accusation.
“I don’t have a fuckin’ problem with his kid,” I snapped, walking away. Tristian followed me out of the kitchen.
“What is your problem then?”
“I’m just making an observation.”
“So you’re saying our brother would be better off staying out of his lost son’s life?”
“A son who hasn’t known of his existence all this while. Yeah.”
“You don’t think either of them would have anything to add to each other’s lives?” Tristian continued.
He followed me around the house while I put on my jacket and then walked in circles—because I didn’t actually have a purpose.
“That is not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“Nothing. I’m saying nothing. I have nothing to say!” I shouted in frustration.
Tristian narrowed his eyes at me.
“This is about the thing, isn’t it?”
“What thing? Whatever. No. This isn’t about anything.”
Tristian grabbed my shoulder and tried to shake me like he was trying to get me to confess. I yanked myself away from him. I knew what he was trying to get at.
“What the fuck?” I growled.
“Just admit it. You’re still not over it. No matter what fuckin’ happens or how much time passes, you’re not going to get over it,” he said.
“We have to leave. Dad’s expecting to see us in his office soon,” I said.
I tried to brush past him to the front door, but Tristian caught my arm again.
“I’m talking to you!” he shouted.
“And I’m telling you to drop it!” I shouted back. “Get your hands off me.”
He did that because he knew I’d throw him off me if I had to. It wasn’t worth a fight. Not a physical one anyway.
“When are you going to forgive yourself, Brendan?” he asked as I went up to the door.
“You want to stay here or are you coming with me?” I asked.
“You’re going to spend the rest of your life avoiding every child in the world and living in guilt because of something that happened when you were a kid yourself. When none of it was your fault. It was not your responsibility!”
I didn’t want to hear any more so I walked out of the door.
Why couldn’t he just leave it in the past? Why was he bringing it up now?
“Just talk about it, Brendan. For fuck’s sake. If you don’t want to talk about it with me—I get it. But just tell someone else. You need to get it off your chest.”
I stopped and turned to face my brother. I could feel the heat rising up my neck and forming a pool on my forehead. It felt like my head was going to burst.
“I don’t ever want to talk about it with anyone. Ever. So shut the fuck up or get out,” I growled.
Thirteen
Rosalie
It seemed like everything was going wrong. First it was Brendan making a sudden appearance in my life, next it was that creepy guy seemingly following me to work…and then, Jim telling me that my hours were going to be cut.
I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve any of this. It felt like the whole universe was ganging up against me and I didn’t know why. What would I have to do to make it right again?
I had a late night shift at the bar again and I wasn’t looking forward to having to interact with Rocky. I was sure he looked forward to giving me an earful for all the ways I’d disappointed him.
Nina had called at the last minute to say that she couldn’t make it that night, so I had to drop Davey off at my mom’s first. At least I knew he would be happier being around family, even though I couldn’t be with him myself.
Rocky rolled his eyes when I walked into the bar.
“I wasn’t sure if you would be gracing us with your presence,” he snarled when I joined him behind the counter.
“What are you talking about? It’s not like I’ve quit. I still need this job,” I replied.
He snickered at me like I tried to be funny.
“Well, you’re not acting like you need this job.”
“You’re the one who is handing my address out like candy to anyone who asks. That’s a violation of my privacy. You could be putting my life in danger!” I snapped.
“Your friend threatened me. He made a scene,” Rocky said. He got defensive pretty quick.
“And instead of calling security on him and throwing him out, you just gave him what he wanted.”
I resented Rocky for sharing my address with Brendan. I still regretted the fact that he was at my apartment the previous night. That he had bumped into Davey. I felt guilty because I wasn’t able to resist him.
Rocky mixed a cocktail
