AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, buddy. You know Dad loves you. Sometimes people fall out of love, and it’s better for everyone if they aren’t together anymore. It wasn’t about you. It was about Mom and Dad.”
“So he didn’t replace me?”
I wanted to drive over there and lay into my old man and ask him how the fuck he slept at night, knowing that my baby brother was having all these self-doubts and confusing feelings.
“I haven’t spoken to him in a while, bud. I don’t know who the woman and kid are. But it sounds like he might have a new girlfriend, and that’s okay.”
“Does that mean Mom’s getting a new boyfriend? Will we get a new brother or sister? I’m not sharing my room. I’m not—”
“Okay, buddy, slow down. Take a breath. I don’t think Mom is getting a new boyfriend. But one day, she might. And if she does, she’ll always talk to you about it first because Mom loves you, Scottie. She loves you so damn much, just like me.”
“I love you too, you know,” he said. “I know I’m not always good at showing it, but I do. You’re my best friend, Mason brother.”
“You’re my best friend, too, Scottie.”
“You didn’t say it.” His voice turned quiet, and my chest tightened.
“You’re my best friend, too, Scottie brother.”
“Have you seen Harper?”
“What?”
“Harper? You go to college together, right? Did you see her? Did she look pretty? What was she wearing?”
Yeah, I saw her. Guilt slammed into me. If Scottie ever found out I railed the fuck out of her, he’d probably never forgive me.
“I… shit, it’s early for this, kid.”
“I know, but I have to wait until Wednesday to see her again. Can you send me a photo—”
“Hold up, bud. That is not okay. You can’t take photos of someone and send them to other people. We don’t do that.”
He went quiet, tension stretching over the line.
“I’m not scolding you, buddy. I’m just telling you—”
“It’s not appropriate, yeah, I know.” He released a long sigh full of frustration and pre-teen angst. “I wish I was more like you, Mase. I hate that I don’t understand stuff and get stuff wrong all the time. It sucks hairy donkey balls.”
“Scottie, come on!”
Damn, this kid was going to send me to an early grave. Especially if Mom caught him saying this shit.
“What? You say it all the time.”
“I…” He had me there. “How about try not saying it where Mom might overhear, yeah? And never in school. Or at the center. Or around any figures of authority.”
“Fine,” he huffed. “I’ll only say it around you.”
“I can live with that.” I smiled.
“Ugh. It’s school soon. I hate school.”
“I know you do. But school is important, and you’re good at it, Scottie.”
“I’m good at math,” he corrected. “I hate English and all that other stuff.”
I chuckled, wishing I was there to noogie him. “You’ve got this. Mom and I are right behind you. And a new week means…”
