The Better Brother Page 17

  We planned to meet after Michael left work. He promised to pick me up around five-thirty. We’d grab some food and talk. It was a simple plan, but it was a plan nonetheless. So, when eight o’clock rolled around and I still hadn’t heard from him, my excitement turned to anger.

  I tried to call him three times in those three hours. His phone rang the first time, then sent me to voicemail. The next time, it went straight to voicemail. On the third try, I left him an angry message.

  “Michael,” I said. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you’re a world-class asshole for pulling this! I’ve been waiting for you for three hours! You haven’t even called or texted. At first, I was worried that something happened to you, but now I know you’re just a horrible person.”

  I hung up and threw my phone across the room. Without thinking, I grabbed my coat and my keys and hurried outside. A drive would clear my head and help me move past all this anger. As I climbed behind the wheel, I realized there was only one place I wanted to go. I put the car in drive and sped through town until I reached Michael’s property.

  All the lights were off in his house. His car was nowhere to be found. I thought about getting out anyway. Banging on the door would release some of my frustrations. Eventually, I just drove home, feeling defeated and miserable.

  How could he do this to me? After everything we’d already been through, for him to stand me up without so much as a text message was unforgivable. I couldn’t believe I’d let myself believe he was a good man. I pushed aside my worries and doubts to make things work between us. I was trying to forgive him for all the lies, and still, he couldn’t be bothered to show up.

  I was so angry that I could barely see straight. When I got back home, my phone was still sitting on the floor where I threw it. I grabbed it, frantically unlocking the screen to see if Michael called while I was gone. He didn’t. There was nothing but a blank screen staring back at me.

  I called him again. This time, I didn’t leave a message. I heard his voicemail pick up, and I hung up without a second thought. I called Andrea next. She, unlike Michael, answered on the second ring.

  “What’s up?” Andrea asked. “I thought tonight was your big date with Michael.”

  “He never showed,” I said.

  “What?”

  Andrea agreed to come over and spend the night with me. I didn’t want to be alone. If I was, I knew I’d spend all night obsessing over Michael. I’d already called him four times. The last thing I needed to do was blow up his phone even more, especially since he obviously didn’t want anything to do with me.

  When Andrea finally arrived, she immediately pulled me to the couch and made me tell her everything.

  “There’s not much to tell,” I said. “I called him last night to talk about things. It was a hard conversation, but it helped. I missed him, and he missed me. Or, so I thought.”

  “So, he just never showed up?” Andrea asked. “He didn’t call or text or—”

  “Nothing.” I shook my head. “I can’t believe I was so stupid. I should have known better than to trust him again.”

  “Did you try to call him?” Andrea asked.

  “Of course,” I said. “Four times.”

  “Are you sure he’s okay?” Andrea’s eyes narrowed nervously. I could tell she didn’t want to make me angry, but she had to ask the question.

  “I’m sure he’s fine,” I said with a sigh. “He probably just had second thoughts and bailed. I went by his house, but he wasn’t home. My guess is, he went to Dallas for the night. He’s probably up there drinking with Joshua or something equally disturbing.”

  “I can’t believe this…” Andrea trailed off, shaking her head in disgust. “I really thought he was a good guy. He seemed to care about you so much.”

  “They all do at first,” I said. “Then, they pull something like this, and we finally see who they really are.”

  Andrea nodded, but she didn’t seem convinced. If anything, she looked more skeptical than ever. When she opened her mouth to speak again, I gave her a warning look. I didn’t need anyone to defend Michael tonight. No explanation could possibly be good enough for what he did. After days of not speaking to each other, after lies and secrets, we were finally going to move forward. We were all set to start over and then he stood me up and ruined everything.

  “What should we do tonight?” Andrea asked. “Drinks? Food? Movies?”

  “All of the above,” I said. I smiled gratefully as Andrea sprang into action.

  She went into the kitchen to grab us each a beer. Then she ordered a pizza and fired up Netflix. We browsed through the movies for a long time, laughing at the ridiculous titles and storylines. After we finally chose a movie, the pizza arrived. We were each three beers in already.

  Drinking wasn’t the answer to all my problems, but for one night, it certainly helped numb the pain. Every time Michael popped into my head, I took a swig of my beer to push him away again. It wasn’t until Andrea and I were both drunk and full on pizza that I couldn’t fight the thoughts any longer.

  I saw his face in my head, smiling at me with those dark blue eyes locked on my face. He was walking toward me, his fingers outstretched. When he touched my face, I could have sworn he was real. It felt like he was in my living room, stroking my cheek and leaning in for a soft kiss. Our lips touched, and just like that, reality settled in around me.

  I shook my head and groaned as I laid back on the floor. Carpet fibers dug into the skin on my arms, but I didn’t care. My body was full of alcohol and misery. I barely felt a thing.

  Andrea laid down beside me and held my hand. The world spun around us, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before we both passed out. Still, I wasn’t ready to succumb to sleep. Not yet. There was still something I had to do while I felt courageous and bold.

  “I’m going to call him again,” I said. I sat up to search for my phone.

  “You already did that,” Andrea said. “Remember?”

  “Only when I was sober,” I said. “I haven’t drunk called him yet.”

  “That’s a good thing,” Andrea said. Her eyes swam as she tried to focus on my face. “Drunk calls are never a good idea, Jules.”

  “That’s not true,” I said firmly. “Alcohol makes you confident. Strong. I need to say some things to Michael while I still feel this way.”

  “You’re going to regret it,” Andrea said.

  “I won’t.”

  I didn’t know if Andrea was right or if I was, but I didn’t care. At that moment, I only had one thought running through my head: Michael. He needed to know just how badly he hurt me. He needed to know how badly he screwed up tonight. This, unlike everything else, was unforgivable. My heart was in pieces on the floor and, still, Michael hadn’t bothered to call me back or send me a text. I was done with him, and he needed to know that.

  “Oh look,” I said. “My phone.”

  I lunged across the floor to grab it. When I unlocked the screen, I noticed that my fingers felt heavy. What I didn’t remember was that I’d already drunk dialed Michael once that night. I didn’t leave a message, but I tried to call him while Andrea was in the bathroom. Now, though, I didn’t care if Andrea listened. I didn’t care if the whole world listened. I was calling Michael; consequences be damned.

  “Are you sure about this?” Andrea asked. She was still lying on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

  “I’m sure.”

  I dialed Michael’s number and pressed the phone clumsily to my ear. It went straight to voicemail. Michael’s deep voice filled my ears. My stomach tightened. Even his voice was sexy. I hated myself for thinking it, but I couldn’t help it.

  “Michael!” I said after the beep. “You still haven’t called me. What the fuck? After everything you’ve already put me through, you’re just going to stand me up? Is this a joke or something? Are you and Joshua sitting together at some bar, laughing at my expense? ‘Oh, that stupid Julie! She actually thought I would show up tonight
! What an idiot!’”

  I paused to hiccup. My throat burned from the remnants of the alcohol I drank that night, but I pressed on.

  “Well, I am an idiot,” I said. “I’m an idiot to believe that you ever cared about me. I thought you lied because you liked me, but you didn’t. You lied because you’re a liar and nothing more. You’re just a lying liar asshole like your brother, and I never want to see you again. Ever!”

  Andrea snorted beside me. She was right, I was starting to ramble. I sounded ridiculous, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t done yet.

  “Don’t call me,” I said. “Don’t come by. Don’t even try to see me. You lost your chance. I gave you a second chance, and you fucked it up, so just stay away from me. For good.”

  I hung up and immediately toppled over backward. Andrea laughed at my clumsiness, and soon, I was roaring with laughter right along with her. We rolled on the floor, both red in the face and beyond drunk. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized what I’d done.

  It wasn’t funny. Nothing about this situation was humorous and, yet, laughter was the only thing that kept me glued together that night. Andrea and I both passed out at around the same time, curling up on my living room floor and letting the alcohol lull us into a deep sleep.

  The next morning, my head was spinning. My stomach felt like a pit of burning lava. I stumbled into the bathroom and pulled the door closed behind me. Andrea was still asleep, so I jumped in the shower and tried to wash off the memory of last night. If I could have stayed there all day, just letting the warm water drip over my skin, I would have.

  But about twenty minutes later, Andrea called out to me from the hallway. She had to leave for work, so I turned off the shower and let her use the bathroom. We said a quick goodbye, but I wasn’t ready for her to leave.

  “Thank you for coming over,” I said. “I’m not sure I could have survived last night without you.”

  “You can survive anything, Julie,” Andrea said firmly. “Anything.”

  She squeezed my arm and jumped in her car. I stood in my front yard until she turned the corner and disappeared.

  CHAPTER 30

  Michael

  Around three in the morning, Sheila and I saw Josh. He’d been out of surgery for a few hours, but they wanted to observe him for a while. We stayed in the waiting room, talking and sipping coffee to stay awake. It wasn’t an easy night. Not only were we both worried about Josh, but things between us were tense and uncomfortable.

  My biological mother was nice, much nicer than I had imagined her. When I was a kid, I pictured someone mean. Cold. I thought she was the kind of woman who just wasn’t meant to be a mom. It turns out, I was wrong. Sheila was warm and nurturing. When we finally went back to see Josh, she immediately sprang into action. She smoothed out his sheets and brushed back his hair. She fluffed his pillow and sat inches away from his bed, holding his hand until the sun came up.

  “You should get home,” Sheila said around seven the next morning.

  “I’m okay here,” I said. “I want to be here when he wakes up.”

  “It could be a couple of days,” Sheila said. “The doctors say he’s going to be just fine, Michael. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

  I nodded but still didn’t move. The idea of leaving before Josh opened his eyes just didn’t feel right.

  “We were fighting,” I said weakly. “Before his accident. We’ve been fighting.”

  “About what?” Sheila asked kindly.

  “A girl,” I said. “Julie? Did you ever meet her?”

  “Yeah.” Sheila smiled. “I always liked Julie.”

  “Me too…” I trailed off, suddenly afraid that Sheila might judge me for dating my brother’s ex-girlfriend.

  “Oh,” Sheila said. “So, you two were together?”

  “Yes,” I said. “I know it sounds bad, but—”

  “Hey,” Sheila said with a laugh. “Joshua broke up with her. She’s fair game as far as I’m concerned.”

  I laughed with relief. We’d only just met, and I didn’t want to get on Sheila’s bad side already. I felt better knowing that she didn’t care if I dated Julie, but my stomach was still tied in knots.

  My brother was lying unconscious in a hospital bed after being in surgery all night. He was broken and injured. He would be okay, but his recovery was going to be hard. I wanted to be there for him but, after everything, I knew he hated me.

  It was amazing how immediately my anger disappeared the night before. The second I found out about Josh’s accident, it was like everything else just vanished. I didn’t care that he tried to sabotage my relationship with Julie. I didn’t care about all the horrible things he said to her about me. All I could think about was whether he would survive. I hated myself for fighting with him, for not making things right before his accident.

  “He’ll forgive you,” Sheila said wisely. “You’re brothers. That’s what brothers do. You fight.”

  “We’ve never fought like this,” I said.

  “Because you didn’t grow up together,” Sheila said sadly. “And that’s my fault. You and Josh missed out on so many years together. I’m sorry for that.”

  “It’s okay,” I said quickly. “I wasn’t saying that—”

  “I know,” Sheila said. “But it’s the truth. You and Josh are just catching up. You’re building a relationship and it’s hard. You’re bound to fight, but you’ll make it better. You’ll both forgive each other, and everything will be fine.”

  “You really think so?” I asked.

  “I do,” Sheila said. “But for now, you need to go home and get some rest. You’re exhausted.”

  I nodded but still didn’t move. My eyes returned to Josh’s sleeping face. What if he woke up and I was gone?

  “I’ll call you if anything changes,” Sheila said. “I promise.”

  I nodded again and, this time, I left. I walked slowly down the hallway. It wasn’t until I reached my car that I realized my phone was dead. I hadn’t brought a charger with me to the hospital and, until that morning, I didn’t bother to look at my phone.

  My thoughts turned to Julie as I drove toward home. I knew she was confused and probably hurt, but I didn’t have a choice last night. My brother was in critical condition. I had to get to the hospital. I wanted to call her, but then Sheila appeared. I came face to face with my biological mother for the first time in my life. I didn’t know how to act or what to think.

  Still, I felt guilty as I sped down the highway. I wanted to go straight to Julie’s house, but I was too tired to think. I let my body go on autopilot. It wasn’t until I pulled into my driveway that I realized where I was.

  “Home sweet home,” I said under my breath.

  With a groan, I pushed open my car door and stumbled inside. I plugged my phone in on my bedside table and laid down while it charged. My entire body was begging for sleep, but my brain had other ideas. I couldn’t stop thinking long enough to let my eyes fall shut.

  Five minutes later, my phone clicked on. Immediately, it began to buzz with all my missed notifications. I rolled over to see six missed calls from Julie and two voicemails. My stomach tightened as I pressed my phone to my ear to listen.

  “Michael,” Julie said. Her voice was full of emotion, but I could tell she was trying to control herself. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you’re a world-class asshole for pulling this! I’ve been waiting for you for three hours! You haven’t even called or texted. At first, I was worried that something happened to you, but now I know you’re just a horrible person.”

  My heart sank when I heard those words, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected. She would be fine once I explained everything. She would understand.

  I kept my phone pressed to my ear while Julie’s second message began to play. From the first word she spoke, my hopes were dashed.

  “Michael!” she practically screamed my name into the phone. I could feel her anger as if she were standing right beside me. “You sti
ll haven’t called me. What the fuck? After everything you’ve already put me through, you’re just going to stand me up? Is this a joke or something? Are you and Joshua sitting together at some bar, laughing at my expense? ‘Oh, that stupid Julie! She actually thought I would show up tonight! What an idiot!’”

  She paused to hiccup, and I realized she’d been drinking.

  “Well, I am an idiot,” she said. “I’m an idiot to believe that you ever cared about me. I thought you lied because you liked me, but you didn’t. You lied because you’re a liar and nothing more. You’re just a lying liar asshole, just like your brother, and I never want to see you again. Ever! Don’t call me. Don’t come by. Don’t even try to see me. You lost your chance. I gave you a second chance, and you fucked it up, so just stay away from me. For good.”

  By the time I was done listening to her messages, I was sitting bolt upright in bed. I called her back with shaking hands. She didn’t answer. The second time I tried, she sent me to voicemail. Finally, on the third try, she picked up.

  “Stop calling me,” she said. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

  “Julie,” I said. “Please, just let me explain what happened.”

  “There’s nothing to explain,” she snapped. “Leave me the hell alone.”

  She hung up. I closed my eyes and cursed myself for not calling her sooner. How could I have been so stupid? I hurt her so badly that now, she wouldn’t even listen to my explanation.

  As tired as I was, I knew I couldn’t wait. I jumped out of bed and ran to my car. I sped through town until I reached Julie’s house. My head was racing as I ran up to her front door. I knocked, hard and fast.

  I could hear Julie moving around inside, and when I peered through the glass, I saw what was unmistakably her shadow. She didn’t come near the door, so I knocked again. And again. Still, nothing. I was beginning to lose hope when I realized that, if I left, that would be the end. I’d never get another chance.