Dizzy

Chapter 5

~Dylan~

I haven't talked to the sellout, a.k.a., my brother, since he dropped his crazy bomb about taking the plunge into...holy matrimony. I don't know why, but for some reason holy matrimony is easier to think than the M-word. It's still screwed up--like something old people do. Or boring people. Or lonely people... Not a guy in college who still has all his mental faculties. Hence, temporary insanity being the only option here.

Does he remember what happened to Dad after Mom was gone? Did college wipe out his memories and what we swore to one another? I don't get it. He'll end up just as broken as Dad. He's letting someone in just to risk losing them. It's not worth getting stomped on. That's what it feels like he's doing to me, letting his foot come down on my head over and over, by forgetting the pact we made. What about the Gibson Boys?

My fingers tighten on the steering wheel. I'm almost home, so I turn up the music, hoping it will help me clear my head before I see him. He's coming home for Christmas and bringing the old ball and chain with him. Guess a guy can't spend time with his real family alone anymore.

Honestly, I don't even know what to say when I see him. Part of me just wants to open the conversation with a punch to the head and hope it takes care of the insanity thing. Then we can skip the heart-to-heart altogether.

Maybe I can kidnap him. Drag his lame ass out of here and stage an intervention. We can go on the road and have fun, and he'll forget he ever wanted a life sentence with his fian... fianc... I can't even think the word.

"Damn." I pull into my driveway and kill the engine. I'm freaking out here, and it's kind of embarrassing. I think this girl is actually staying with us or something. We haven't really had any girls here for longer than a few hours since Mom's been gone. What if she starts running around the house with a towel on her head, yelling at Derrick to do this and that? And then he'll wake up tomorrow and she'll be gone.

Chill out, Dylan. This isn't me. I don't stress out like this. What's the point? That's what I need to try and remember now.

I climb the porch stairs. The door pulls open, and Derrick is standing there. He looks the same, just like me but older. Same black hair, same blue eyes, except mine are brighter. Girls always tell me I have nice, thick eyelashes, too. I don't know about that, but they seem to like it. So I'm cool with it.

"About time you got your slow ass home. And don't think I'm not pissed at you for ignoring my phone calls." Derrick holds out an arm. I sort of want to be an ass and ignore him now, too, but I don't. We give each other a half-hug before he moves out of the way to let me in. "I missed you, little brother."

I push my way inside. My face is hot. My whole body is hot.

"I missed you, little brother?" My brain is yelling at my mouth to shut up, but I've never been good at listening to that warning. "That's all you have to say after springing a wedding on me?"

Holy shit. I sound like parent. Or a spouse. Or a nutcase. Whatever it is, I don't sound like Dylan, but I don't care.

"Have you lost your mind? Or..." Damn! How did this not occur to me sooner? "You got her pregnant? You always made sure I had condoms. Wrap it or lack it remember? Forget how to use one, yourself?"

I'm lecturing my older brother. There is definitely something wrong with this picture. Again, my brain is screaming at me, but, dude... he got this girl pregnant?

Derrick holds up his hands and shakes his head. "Chill out, Dylan. You're giving me a headache. Come on. Let's go have a drink."

I follow my brother through the kitchen. He grabs two sodas out of the fridge, and then we head out to the back porch.