Ozzy walks up behind him. “You fixed two fence boards and complained for an hour.”
“That’s called emotional labor,” Guy says.
Miller laughs, and Lindsey goes to him, slipping under his arm when he holds it out for her.
I expect Penn to come to me, and a part of me wants him to, but another part is terrified he will.
Before either of us can move, a truck pulls up the driveway with pizza boxes stacked in the passenger seat. Ozzy steps off the porch and meets the driver.
Guy sits up. “Please tell me that’s food.”
Ozzy takes the boxes and gives the driver a nod. “It’s food.”
“Bless you,” Guy says.
We all move inside, and for a while, everyone is busy grabbing plates, napkins, and drinks. Ozzy ordered enough pizza to feed an army, which is good since the Brody men eat like they haven’t seen food in a week.
I take a seat beside Lindsey at the dining room table. Penn sits across from me, and even though I can feel him watching me, I keep my attention on my plate.
The room is loud with everyone talking at once. There is laughter, jokes, and ribbing, and it all starts to feel normal.
Then Ozzy stands at the end of the table, and the room quiets almost immediately.
Ozzy looks uncomfortable, like he’d rather be doing just about anything else, but he clears his throat and looks around at all of us. “I’m not good at this kind of thing.”
Guy grins. “We know.”
Ozzy points at him. “Shut up.”
Everyone laughs, but it fades quickly when Ozzy’s expression turns serious.
“I know I’ve been distant lately,” he says. “More than lately, probably. Losing Valerie…” He stops and looks down for asecond before forcing himself to continue. “Losing her changed me. I know that I’ve pushed people away, and I’ve used this ranch as an excuse to be alone.”
No one says anything. I think we’re all surprised. In all the time I’ve known Ozzy, he’s always kept to himself.
He looks toward his brothers, then his sister, then the rest of us. “But if losing her taught me anything, it’s that you hold on to the love you still have. You don’t waste it. You don’t take it for granted. You don’t assume the people you love will always be standing there waiting for you.”
His eyes land on Penn, and he gives him a knowing nod.
Ozzy clears his throat again. “So thank you for coming today. Thank you for helping. And thank you for always being here for me, even when I haven’t made it easy.”
The room is quiet for another second, and then Skyler sniffles. “Oh, Ozzy.”
He gives her a warning look. “Don’t you dare cry.”
She sobs. “I’m pregnant. I cry when commercials are sad.”
Zach wraps an arm around her shoulders and kisses the side of her head.
Logan lifts his drink. “We love you, brother.”
Miller nods. “Always.”
Guy raises his slice of pizza. “And I forgive you for making me work.”
Ozzy shakes his head, but there’s almost a smile on his face.
Everyone starts talking again, softer this time, and I stare down at my plate because Ozzy’s words are stuck in my head.You hold on to the one you love.
