“I apologized for Arryn, Everett,” I say, “I did what I had to do.”
“Sure, you did,” He scoffs.
“This isn’t even about me,” I retort, “It’s about Vanessa.”
“Yeah?” Rett jerks his chin, “Then why is she leaving with your son and not sticking by you? Maybe it’s because she knows you’ll pretend to be around but when things get tough, you’ll disappear.”
“I’ll get her,” Arryn says from the doorway and it’s then I notice everyone has cleared out of the room.
I nod subtly and turn back to my brother, “I’m sorry, okay?” With a sigh, I drop to the couch and hold my head in my hand, “There’s so much to fix, and I don’t even know how to anymore.”
Porcelain crunches under his feet as he crosses the room. He doesn’t give me some wise answer or even a snarky comment, instead his hand lands on my shoulder in a brotherly gesture before he says, “Fuck, Maya is going to kill us.”
I look up, wincing at the state of the living room.
“Damn straight she’s gonna kill both of you idiots,” Torin crosses his arms, “next time you wanna fuck each other up, how about you go do it in the back yard where the dogs belong.”
“I’m too pretty to fight in the dirt,” Rett says seriously, “just tell your pretty wife to move all the valuables.”
“Watch it,” Torin warns, “I have no problem finishing what Kolt started.”
Rett chuckles, “So serious.”
“Clean up this mess, Maya and Arryn have gone to get Vanessa. It’s hardly a good impression of what we’re like,” Torin tells us both off, “You gotta sort your shit out, Kolt, before you lose her permanently.”
“I’m trying!” I defend.
“Not hard enough.” Torin dismisses. “Clean up.”
It’s hard to remember I’m supposed to be the eldest when Torin goes and acts like that.
Rett and I manage to clean up the living room, collecting the shards of porcelain from the carpet by the time the girls come back with Vanessa. They’re laughing about something but when Vanessa sees me, the smile drops from her face and her eyes turn down.
Fuck.
“Can I talk to you?” I ask, forgetting the mess in favor of my girl.
“I’ve got him!” Maya immediately plucks Ethan from her arms.
With a nod, she turns and heads back into the cold and I follow.
It’s cold, the sky full of tumbling grey clouds that promise more snow. The water laps at the shore, foamy and white while gulls squawk over the waves. There are no boats out in the bay, and the huts that line the shore are closed, shutters down and bolted to fight the wind that constantly batters them. Vanessa tucks her coat closer, tucking her face into the neckline before she turns to me.
“You’re bruised,” She points out.
“Hardly a surprise,” I say, “Rett has a mean right hook.”
“I can only imagine what it was like with you three growing up,” She laughs lightly, “How many busted noses and split lips there were.”
“I lost count,” I agree, “We always fought as kids, ever since their dad took me in and made me one of them.”
She nods, “It’s good to see you all together, though.”
“Why did you leave?” I ask.
“It’s a lot,” She admits, “And then you got in a fight with your brother, and everyone was asking questions.”
“It didn’t exactly turn out the way I hoped,” I agree, “It was supposed to be relaxing.”
