Taking a drink, Andrew pulls a face at the harsh liquor. He didn't drink very often, but today he needed it. It had been a week since he agreed to have another child with his wife, and she has stopped talking about it since.
"So what exactly did she say," Marcus asks, swishing his cup around.
"God, I don't even want to repeat it," Andrew says, resting his forehead on the back of his hand.
"It couldn't be that bad, man."
Andrew sighs. He finishes off his cup, then slides it away from him.
"This may not be bad to you, but it's like being covered in tiny cuts then being thrown in lemon juice to me."
"Yo, that bad?"
"She said, 'we're finally having a baby together,' which hurt. But the real salt in the wound was when she added, 'we'll have a whole family now'."
Marcus stares for a second, and Andrew sighs again.
"Both your sister and my mother both talk about have another baby like Jewel and I don't already have a child together."
"You don't?"
"Thanks, I needed to hear it straight out for the fifteenth time."
When the bartender passes by, Andrew orders two shots of tequila. Marcus sits in silence, then realization hits. He curses under his breath.
"Fuck, yo, I'm sorry. I didn't think."
"No, it's not like I haven't been with her since she was four months or anything. Or that she's had my last name since she was six months. Or even that she has legally been my daughter for four years."
"I see what you mean now. It would suck to have something like that thrown in your face, even if it is unintentional. I don't think sis means any harm by it."
"Doesn't make it hurt any less."
He drinks both shots back to back. Marcus pats him on the back. Andrew puts his head down on the counter, sucks in a deep breath then sits up straight again.
"Being an outsider in my own home, I might as well..."
"Might as well what?"
Andrew shakes his head. "Nothing."
"Bro, talk to me."
Andrew shakes his head again, waving his hand dismissively. Marcus tightens his lips, then takes a drink. He knew his brother-in-law had, episodes, and wanted to make sure this wasn't one of them.
"I'm fine. I'm overreacting, it's nothing."
"Why don't you just tell her?"
"Because she won't understand. Your sister," he laughs as he covers his face, "she's all rainbows and sunshine, and just... wouldn't get it."
YOU ARE READING
Read To Me
Short StoryThey were apart for four years, Jewel and Andrew. Both coping in different way, Andrew with his music, and Jewel with work. At least that's what she told him; he believed her until he found an old notebook tucked into the back of their closet. The p...
