The Wheeler Effect ✸ Brooke Maddox

FOUR

      WHEELER RAN DOWN THE STAIRS OF HIS HOUSE ONCE HE HEARD THE front door open and his older brother start shouting if anyone was home. Dax, his older brother, was a sophomore in college. It was rare when he would come back home, so Kip was always excited when he would come over. Even though he usually goes over to the frat house whenever they threw a party. Which happened to be every other week. Except, Kip didn't go to every single one. Only the ones that his brother didn't invite him to. Mainly because he knew that if Dax didn't invite him, then it would be a killer party.

      As soon as Wheeler heard his brother's voice echo in the empty house, he leapt off the few remaining steps and landed on the heels of his feet. Once he regained his balance, he sprinted over to his older brother and just as he was about to tackle him, Dax turned around to reveal a small white kitten in his arms.

      Kip stopped in his tracks and looked at his brother confused.

      Dax looked up from the kitten in his arms and at his younger brother, saying,"Don't tell mom."

      "Why the hell do you even have the lil dude in the first place?" Kip asked as he took slow steps over to his brother, reaching out his hand cautiously to pet the animal.

      "Long story short, I lost a bet."

      "What kind of bet involves a kitten?" Wheeler questioned in confusion.

      "Only the good ones," Dax then scratched behind the kittens ear, and it purred,"but the thing is, we can't have any animals in the frat house."

      "Why?"

      "Last time there was a house pet in the frat house, it ended up being breakfast the next morning." The older Wheeler replied, bending down and placing the kitten on the wood floor.

      A grimace came from Kip as he bent down and pet the kitten as he rubbed up against his leg. He didn't ask what happened. Mainly because he didn't want to know.

      The Wheeler boys looked nothing alike. Dax had light, curly brown hair while Kip's was dark and straight. Dax had bright blue eyes and was tall and full of muscle. Kip, on the other hand, had honey brown eyes and was a a bit shorter than his brother and thin. Despite their physical differences, they were still brothers nonetheless. Kip stood back up, his hands on his hops as he looked at Dax. His eyes darted back and forth from him and the kitten, who was still rubbing up against his leg.

      "I think he likes you," Dax smiled.

      "I'm not keeping your cat!" Kip exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air for emphasis.

      "Kip, please!" Dax whined. "It's just a kitten!"

      "I don't care how cute the little guy is, I can't keep him here." Kip argued, not wanting to come home from school one day and finding little kittens underneath his pillow because his brothers cat got the neighbors cat pregnant.

      "Then who else can I ask? You're the only one I can trust, and I'm sure as hell not going to ask cousin Duncan." Dax explained, leaning against the counter. A sigh passed his lips as he looked at his brother.

      Suddenly, Kip's eyes lit up and he raised his finger in the air. "I know someone who just so happens to be a cat lover." Dax looked at him as if to tell him to continue. "And that person is Brooke,"

      Dax sighed again,"You're still on her?"

      Kip nodded.

      "How long has it been?" His brother asks. "Three, four years?"