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7
Ryder
“Ryder, Rick,” murmurs Chrissy. Her usually carefree tone sounds miserable as she calls out to us from the bathroom.
“Are you okay, babe?” my brother asks, his voice etched with concern. We glance at one another and move toward the bathroom. Inside the marble space, Chrissy is hunched over the toilet, her entire body curled against the porcelain throne. She looks pale, and even a bit sweaty.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my heart racing at the pitiful image before me.
But Chrissy merely shakes her head.
“Either I have the world’s worst stomach bug or it’s food-poisoning,” she moans pathetically. “Don’t come any closer. I don’t want to get you sick if it’s a bug.”
Of course neither Rick nor I listen to this instruction. Instead, my brother grabs a washcloth and dampens it while I stroke Chrissy’s back gently.
“You weren’t feeling so good after that burger last night,” I remind her gently. “Maybe that’s the culprit?”
She nods slightly, her body shaking as she sits in front of the toilet. Rick places the cool cloth on the back of her neck. “There you go, love,” he husks with concern. Chrissy looks up at each of us gratefully and then sighs.
“I don’t think I can make it to the lunch with your dad today. I’m really sorry because I was looking forward to meeting Fred.” Tears spring into her eyes, but I shush her.
“Don’t even worry about it,” I stroke her pale cheek in a gesture of comfort. “It’s nothing.”
“You’ll have another chance to meet our dad,” Rick assures her. “Besides, maybe it’ll be good for Ryder and me to talk to him first anyways. Fred’s an understanding guy, but we have a lot to put on him, to say the least. We won’t cancel because of this little bump in the road.”
The beautiful woman smiles, even if she’s looking a bit green. “You shouldn’t cancel on your dad. I’m going to be fine. I’m just a little under the weather, and I’m sure I’ll feel better once I lie down for a bit.”
I glance at my brother. Rick’s face is concerned, but we nod. After all, it’s just a bug, right?
“All right,” he says. “But call us immediately if you start to feel worse.”
Chrissy laughs although it comes out as a bit of a croak. “I can’t imagine feeling worse, but I promise to call if I need you.” Hearing her gentle tone eases my nerves ever so slightly.
“We better get going then,” I say as I plant a gentle kiss on Chrissy’s forehead. “Text us to let us know how you’re doing, okay? We’ll come straight back if you need us.” She nods, and I hesitate only a moment more before exiting the bathroom.
A few minutes later, my brother and I are out the door and headed to the main strip of downtown Sheridan. I don’t love leaving Chrissy in such a state, but Rick and I need to see our father and talk to him about our unique relationship – especially before he hears about it from someone else.
After all, Fred’s getting up there in age, and we want to be sure to break the news gently. I think he suspects that Rick and I have shared women before, but he’s never asked directly about it, nor have we confirmed any suspicions. But this time, the relationship is real and we need to address it with our father.
As we make our way down the main drag toward the restaurant, I take in the eccentricities that make up my hometown. Sheridan is a charming little place, filled with a funky cast of characters, some cranky, others friendly. Many of them have known Rick and me for most of our lives, and astonishingly, seem to remember us from when we were boys too.
As we pass by a local café, we wave to Bess Cartwright, who recently married our friends Ben and Brandon. It’s comforting to know we’re not the only threesome in town because it means Sheridan is reasonably open-minded. At least its citizens won’t treat us as pariahs because my brother and I happen to adore the same woman.
“Have you seen how big Melanie’s gotten?” Rick asks with a shake of his head. He’s talking about Bess’s two year old daughter. “She looks just like her fathers, and I don’t usually say this, but that’s one cute kid.”
“You ever think about having children?” I ask my brother in a casual tone. I’m somewhat surprised that I’ve never asked him about kids before, but then again, we’ve never met a woman who was worth the commitment.
Rick runs a hand through his thick black hair as he considers. “Yeah, I think with the right woman, I would love to be a dad.”
I nod, agreeing with this assessment.
“You think Chrissy could be the right one?”
My twin turns to me, his blue eyes serious.
