Page 70 of Restored Dreams

When Hank and Midge arrive, I’m the only one nursing a beer as my brother doesn’t drink, and Lily and Midge can’t. I’m a little perturbed to discover Midge knew Lily was pregnant weeks before me. I thought Lily and I were sharing some big news together.

“Seems I’m the last to know,” I mutter, lifting my beer to swallow down my irritation along with the cool liquid.

“Don’t be upset,” Midge admonishes. “It wasn’t my place to tell you. I just nudged you in the right direction.”

“How so?” I look at my sister-in-law as I lean against the counter-less cabinet. We’re gathered in the kitchen despite the disarray. Midge and Lily sit at the table that needs to be replaced while Hank stands behind his wife, leaning on the back of her chair.

“I told you Lily was sick. Remember, I saw her at the doctor’s office. I figured if you worried about her, you’d go see her, and her being sick was a good excuse. Not that you needed an excuse but…”

“You needed a kick in the ass,” my brother adds, finishing his wife’s thought. Lily giggles.

“So that’s how it happened?” Midge is noticeably more pregnant than Lily, but I smile inside, knowing my brother and I will have children the same age this time around. I’ll also have someone to commiserate with me as we’ll be two old guys with young kids.

“Speaking of how things happened.” Lily clears her throat. “How is it that Brut and I ended up together at the beach house?”

“Oh, about that.” Hank coughs, and I watch as my brother swipes his fingers through his hair before he answers. “I own it.”

“What?” I snap, my irritation level rising at another thing I seem to be the last to learn.

“When I learned I had some money, and my wife wouldn’t let me invest in her business…” His hand comes to Midge’s shoulder. “I wanted to buy something. Something I could own alone.” Hank’s eyes drift to the side. He technically doesn’t own the garage. He just works at it. When he went through his rock star years, and his rock bottom phase, decisions needed to be made, and Hank had to be removed as an owner. He gladly gave it up when our pop died and the will left the place in equal shares to both of us. I’ve offered over and over to make him a partner, no financial transaction needed, but he doesn’t want it.

“Anyway, I thought rental property might be a good investment. I found the place, made an offer, and took possession around July. You and Lily were our first and only tenants so far.”

“How did I get involved?” Lily questions, looking at Midge.

“When Hank first looked at the property, you had mentioned wanting a vacation. It was around the time of our wedding dinner.” The mention reminds me Lily made the cupcakes for their celebration but declined the invitation to attend the meal. “I simply suggested the location, and you seemed eager to go. Hank had already decided to hire a property manager as the place is too far away for us to manage. You were our first customer.”

A thought occurs. “You made Lily pay.” I’m pissed and realize I’ll be paying my brother for Lily’s share. She was obviously bamboozled a bit, and I don’t want her paying for things when we are family. Or will be. This reminds me of my purpose in inviting Hank and Midge to dinner.

“Actually, the money’s in an escrow account. We planned to give it back to Lily.” Midge looks sheepishly at Lily and reaches for her hand. “I’m sorry we’ve held the money for so long. We were waiting for the right time to come clean.” Her eyes shift up to her husband and back.

“It was a romantic thought,” Lily says, surprising me, and my lips twist in a smile I don’t feel. I’m still reeling a little from the deviousness and the lack of information.

“Don’t be upset. Seems keeping things from one another runs in the family.” My head shoots up to meet my brother’s gaze. He’s watching me, and I know what he’s suggesting. I kept from him the knowledge of his money. It’s a long story.

“Well, speaking of sharing things, then,” I preface. “Lily and I have other news.” Lily’s head comes up while Midge’s swings in my direction. I notice she’s still holding Lily’s hand. “Lily and I would like you to be witnesses for us. We’re getting married.”

Something crosses Midge’s face, but Hank presses back from the chair he leans on. “Congratulations, man. That’s amazing.” Hank rounds the table and comes for me. A strapping bear hug embraces me, and Hank pounds on my back forcefully.

“When is the wedding?” Midge asks, still not moving from her chair.

“We’re going to the courthouse, like you did,” Lily says, her voice off, quiet and hesitant.

“But we’ll have a wedding after the baby,” I assure. Lily and I discussed this. Insurance purposes. Proper birth certificate. She knows it’s important to me that I do things right this time and take care of her, take care of the baby. She agrees a full wedding can come later.

“How did you ask her to marry you?” Midge inquires, which I find rather strange, personal, and none of her damn business.

“In the tub,” Lily says, her face pinking.

“How romantic,” Hank says dryly.

“Well, it might have been,” Midge suggests, and her face flushes as well. “Bathrooms can be.” I don’t want to know more details, but I notice Lily’s head lowers, her eyes stuck on Midge’s hand still holding hers. I catch Hank glancing back at his wife, and I decide this is one story they can keep from me.

“We’d love to be witnesses,” Midge offers, her smile tight until she looks at Lily. Something transpires between the two women, and Lily nods. Maybe this is some strange both-pregnant-voodoo, and I decide to ignore it.

“I’ll go check the meat.” I set my empty beer on the table and head for the back door. Suddenly, I need some air.

“I’ll go with you,” Hank says, following behind me into the yard. We’re barely outside before my brother lays into me. “What the fuck, man?”