Page 79 of Silver Brewer

“Is there a time limit on these things?” Billy finally lowers to a chair opposite me, reminding me of what my sister said a few weeks ago. Billy and I both married our high school sweethearts for different reasons. Billy had stars in his eyes over Rachel. They were that image of a perfect couple: Homecoming king and queen, most likely to live here forever. He wanted to have sex with her, and she held out until their wedding night.

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

“Look, I’m not the man to offer advice about love.” He scoffs. “But I’d have to say if the timing is right now, there’s nothing wrong with acting on it.” This is Billy’s philosophy on life. Since his wife left, he’s been living in the moment, screwing just about everything crossing his path for the past sixteen years. He’s out of control, but he’s my brother, and I love him.

“I just don’t know.”

“What don’t you know? I already told you that if you make her happy, you’ll be happy. If she wants the baby, accept the baby.” His voice lowers as he speaks, and he turns a little ashen.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I gotta thing…but we aren’t talking about me.”

“Did you get someone pregnant?” I sit up a little straighter.

“Not exactly,” he says lowering his head and squeezing his hands together. Then his elbows hit his thighs, and he covers his face with his hands.

“What did you do?” I hiss.

“I… I’m a father.”

“To who?”

“She’s sixteen.”

“You got a sixteen-year-old pregnant? What the fuck?” I feel a little sick to my stomach.

“That’s how it happened.” He chuckles. “And I mean the child is sixteen, not the mother, dumbass.”

“William Forrest,” I reprimand. “This isn’t a joke.”

“Do I look like I’m laughing?” He lowers his hands from his face.

He doesn’t, actually. He looks sick to his stomach. “How? When? What? Who?”

“It’s a long story, so let’s finish yours first,” he says. On that note, Charlie enters the room. He smiles big and bright at me.

“Man, the memories in here.” He chuckles. “What are you two doing back here?”

“Hiding out,” Billy mutters.

“Billy’s a dad,” I reply.

“What the fuck, Giant?” Billy snorts, looking up to glare at me.

“What the hell?” Charlie asks, staring down at our brother.

“It’s a long story, okay, and we’re in here for Giant, not me. He’s the one questioning if he wants to be a dad again.”

“I am not.”

“Who did you get pregnant?” Charlie asks, turning on me.

“No one. Letty adopted a baby.”

And damn Charlie, he smiles. “Well, alright.” Charlie knows the details as I’ve already spoken to him about the legality of adopting in Georgia, should I convince Letty to move here.

“She can’t leave Illinois for six months.” I stare at my brother, but he doesn’t acknowledge the concern in my voice.