“If that’s Nick, do you want to come to The Dugout to watch the game tonight?” Brian asked from the other room.
Martin didn’t follow baseball, and he would need a tetanus shot before entering Brian’s favorite bar, and anyway, his brother didn’t want him to come. It was an excuse to keep an eye on him. Since Martin had come here, Brian was nervous leaving him alone at home. The first few weeks, it was reasonable; Martin had barely been able to dress or feed himself. Now, though, Brian’s attention was getting oppressive.
“I’ll pass.” He picked up the phone’s handset. “Hello?”
“Hey, Marty!” The woman’s voice was cheery, but the sound made Martin’s heart skip.
“Hi, Jess.”
There was a loud thump, like a body crashing to the floor. Martin stuck his head out into the hall and found Brian on the ground, groaning where he’d fallen off the couch. He flailed his arms like he was warding off a swarm of bees, his eyes turning desperate as they met Martin’s.
“How’s the job hunt going?” Jess asked.
“Pretty good. I’m working a few days a week at Dog Ears downtown.”
“That’s great!”
It wasn’t, but he appreciated her saying so.
There was a pause, and Martin waited for what he knew would come next.
“Is Brian there?”
Martin glanced to where Brian was still crouched on the floor. His older brother shook his head so violently it bounced off the side of the coffee table. He slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his shout.
“No. He’s at work.” Martin went back to the kitchen. Lying to his brother’s ex-wife had not been part of the agreement when he’d moved in.
“Oh.” Jess sounded disappointed. “Doesn’t he usually have the day off on Saturdays?”
And that right there was why lying was a bad idea. Lies had very short legs.
“Yes! Usually. But not today. Um. He got called in to cover for someone. He might be done, though, so don’t call the firehall, but then I think he said something about going to get some pizza for dinner.” On cue, his stomach growled.
“I called his cell too. He’s not picking up.”
“Maybe he’s driving? Shouldn’t talk and drive, you know?” Shouldn’t lie for the older brother who couldn’t even remember to buy the necessities of life, but Martin had always been loyal to a fault.
“I guess so.” Jess didn’t sound convinced.
“I’ll tell him you called?”
“Do you know if he got the letter from the lawyer?”
Martin gritted his teeth. Brian owed him more than a pizza over this.
“I’m not sure. I’ll get him to call you when he comes back, okay?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Jeez, Smarts.” Brian wrapped an arm around Martin’s head as he hung up and ground his knuckles into Martin’s scalp. “All those years of university and no one ever taught you how to be a better liar?”
“Get off!” Martin shoved at him.
“Oh come on! Lighten up!”
“Stop!” Martin stumbled back as Brian released him. Brian laughed, and Martin glared as he smoothed his hair back into place.
“You never did like it when I did that to you when we were growing up either.”
