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“Well, we’re all quite impressed that you’ve not lost your medical knowledge, and we saw the article. Dad would like you to come home and finish your last year. Sadly, you’d have to repeat the full year, but you could rush through with your intelligence. And you’ll be interning under me at the hospital,” Daryl said as if he was giving me the world.
“Not interested,” I replied bluntly and moved to open the door.
“What do you mean?” Daryl asked, aghast.
I looked at my brother, the spitting image of my dad. Not just in looks. Daryl wore an expensive suit, gold cufflinks, and a tie pin. His tie was knotted with precision and on his feet were Italian-made loafers. His hair was cropped close to his skull, and I shuddered. That could have been me. A mini clone of our father.
“I’ve already signed into college,” I answered, and Daryl puffed up.
Of course, he’d immediately think that I was going to medical school.
“Why didn’t you say so? Which college are you attending? I’m sure father can ensure you’re treated okay, as your due.” Daryl smiled benevolently at me.
“I’m going to train to be a vet,” I replied with more than a hint of smugness in my voice. Daryl blinked as my words sank in. Then he laughed.
“That’s a good joke,” Daryl finally spoke.
Aurora tightened her arm around my waist. Her nose was wrinkled up, and she didn’t seem impressed.
“That wasn’t a joke. Klutz is going to college to become a veterinarian. Then he’s buying a partnership with a local vet and working there,” Aurora added.
Daryl turned to her, and his arrogance was in full force.
“Knowing what you do for a living, I suggest you let the adults speak. Running scams may mean you’re successful, but I can assure you, you are nothing to my family,” Daryl said. Aurora shrugged as if she didn’t care about his opinion, and the look on her face backed that theory.
“Do not talk to my future wife that way. And for your information, Aurora Victoria is the real deal. And yes, I am attending college to study to be a vet. I enjoy working with animals, and that’s what I’m gonna do,” I growled. That small childish part inside of me that we all contain clapped his hands in glee at the horror on Daryl’s face.
“Jacon, that is a waste of your talents. You could earn a fortune working with the hospital,” Daryl expressed, his nose up in the air.
“Oh, I have money thanks to Dad, the prison, cops, and my former state. Wrongful arrest soon gets swept away when it becomes public. People pay highly for that,” I sneered, and Daryl grimaced.
“Klutz,” Aurora whispered, squeezing my waist.
“Why does the girl keep calling you Klutz?” Daryl demanded, his anger showing.
“Because that’s the name I go by,” I replied, kissing Aurora’s head.
“Because you are so damn clumsy,” Daryl said, thinking he was getting a dig in.
“Totally, and Aurora loves it. Go home and tell father I want nothing to do with him or the rest of the family. You all sucked up to him and became little robots. I’m my own man. Take a good look at yourself. You’re a clone of him.”
My words must have stung because Daryl unleashed his temper. “And look at you. Covered in tattoos, shacked up with a fraud who scams people of their hard-earned money and residing in a hovel. And wasting your talent on animals when you could live the life!”
“Don’t you see? I am living the life. The one I chose. Now get the fuck out before I put you out.”
“When you arrive home, a massive shock will await you. Someone very close to you is sick of your betrayals. Your life going forward will be miserable and lonely. And your father will favour your next eldest brother because of what you’ll discover tonight. I see only one chance for you, and I think you are too arrogant to take it. I pity your emptiness and pain in the future because you will reach out to Klutz again, and the damage will be too great,” Aurora declared with her distant eyes.
“This? This is what you’re staying for?” Daryl spoke angrily before turning on his heel. “I feel for you, brother.” Daryl stormed out of the house, and I watched as he got in his brand-new Mercedes and screeched away.
“Was that stuff true?” I asked Aurora as I shut the door.
“Yes. I clearly saw his wife packing suitcases for her and two children. He’s going home to an empty house. He has one chance for a decent life, but I can’t see him taking it.” Sadness tinged Aurora’s voice, and I hugged her close.
Aurora
Klutz said little for the next few hours, falling into a sullen silence. I know his brother’s appearance had given him a shock. I was surprised that Daryl hadn’t asked how Klutz was doing. Nope, just criticised Klutz’s choices before storming off. In his future, I saw a lot of regret and loneliness, but his pride would stop him from reaching out. That was his choice.
He was his clumsy self, but even more so now. And at the end of a fraught hour, I snuck out and called Calamity to see if he could collect him. I was so scared he’d get hurt badly, and I knew that his accident-prone self was vulnerable right now because of Daryl’s surprise appearance and his father’s letter. Calamity arrived, and before Klutz could argue, Calam had pushed him out the door for a ride to the Hills and back. I hoped the fresh air would clear the cobwebs from Klutz’s mind.
