I would tell my family the news tonight. We were getting together for an event at my brother Nathan’s college. He was in his final year of law school and had his big debate this evening. I knew he felt a lot of pressure. It accounted for almost half his grade. He had been stressing over it for weeks. I promised I would be there to support him.
On the way home, I stopped by the dry cleaners with my coffee-stained suit and asked if there was any way to salvage it. The owner looked it over warily, running his hands over the expensive fabric, as if assessing if it was worth risking my business if something went wrong. He eventually agreed, taking the suit to the back of the shop. Something panged through me. Something like guilt. I probably should have offered to have Gabriella’s suit dry cleaned, but instead left her on the sidewalk after I suggested she couldn’t afford it. Dumbass.
I left the dry cleaners and headed home to my penthouse on the upper east side. The tires of my car squealed in the parking garage as I made the sharp turn up to the valet. I tossed the attendant my keys and strode for the elevator, still feeling like a million bucks. Hell, a billion bucks.
Upstairs, I took a hot shower and shaved before getting dressed. I opted for a pair of dark jeans, a black fitted tee, and a linen gray blazer. I tried dressing down a little, as the last time I showed up to a family event, my mother’s partner, Greg, pointed out how “prissy” I looked. His words, not mine. I rolled my eyes thinking about it before heading back out the door. I knew I would have to mentally prepare myself to deal with him on the drive to the college.
My relationship with Greg was okay at best. Often times it felt strained because he was my mother’s partner. They had been together for years. Going on over twenty years at this point. I guessed he never quite got over the fact that if he wanted my mother, he would have to have me too. I was about fourteen or so when they got together, so he got me in my prime teenageyears. I was an asshole, usually getting in trouble. I supposed I was acting out over my mom’s new boyfriend.
It’s not that she didn’t deserve happiness. She did. She had gone through a hell of a lot. I was just pissed off at the world, and decided to take it out on Greg. He was so easy to take it out on too, because he was no peach himself.
They had Nathan two years later. Even as an asshole teenager, I felt protective over him as soon as I met him in the hospital. I had been that way ever since. I sometimes felt like a father figure to him because of the large age difference between us, but he had a father. Greg. Maybe that was where a lot of our problems stemmed from, like we were stepping on each other’s toes.
My phone rang through the Bluetooth of my car. Nathan’s name flashed on the dash. I hit the accept button.
“What’s up, baby bro?” I asked cheerfully.
“Are you on your way?” I could hear the nerves in his voice.
“Five minutes out,” I assured him.
“Okay. Mom and my dad are second row on the right side of the auditorium. They’re saving you a seat.”
“Got it. Second row. Right side.”
There was silence on the other line.
“Nathan. You’ve got this,” I said firmly.
“I hope so,” he said softly.
“I know so. I’ll see you soon. I’ll be the one shouting from the second row.”
“Please don’t,” he groaned. I could tell he was smiling.
“See you soon,” I said in a sing-song voice before hanging up.
I knew he felt pressure to do his best tonight, especially when it came to me, since I was paying his way through law school. When he had gotten into a top New York school, my mother stressed about how she would be able to support him. I immediately jumped in to offer. It was pennies to me, and I knew my brother was hard-working. He had always been a book smart kid. I didn’t want him to lose out on the opportunity over money. It took some convincing, but he eventually accepted my offer. Greg wasn’t too thrilled about it. He told me I was overstepping.
Outside the auditorium, I found a parking spot in the back of the lot and jogged the length of the lot to the entrance. The students were beginning to file on stage and take their seats. I spotted Nathan and gave him an overhead wave, trying to get his attention. He saw me and gave me a tight-lipped smile. I thought he might throw up.
I squeezed past the packed row to where my mom and Greg were sitting. I gave my mom a hug and a kiss on the cheek and a curtnod to Greg before taking a seat next to my mom. A few minutes later, the debate began and we watched intently as Nathan practically destroyed his opponent at the podium. I knew he would crush it. I just wished he would have a little more faith in himself. He grinned over at us after the moderator brought the debate to a close, as his opponent stood internally berating himself.
It was a good day for the White boys.
Once everyone had filed off stage, we eagerly congratulated Nathan. I gave him a slap on the back, while Greg shook his hand firmly and my mom clutched his face with her hands proudly.
“How about we go to dinner?” offered Greg with a proud smile. “My treat.”
He emphasized the word “my” before shooting me a look. I rolled my eyes. I made an obscene amount of money compared to him, and would happily pay for dinner, but his pride wouldn’t allow it. I would let him have this one, just to not cause a scene. He was Nathan’s father, after all. He was always set out to prove he was the man of the family. Not me.
We met up at a steakhouse in Brooklyn where my mom and Greg lived. It wasn’t exactly the place I would take my brother to celebrate his big win, but I figured it was the nicest place Greg could afford. I could feel his eyes on me as we entered the steakhouse, as if waiting to see my opinions play over my face like a slideshow. I kept my face neutral, my lips pressed into a small smile as I looked around.
As we waited to be seated, a diner on their way out did a double-take in my direction. He whispered something to his date before coming over.
“You’re Chandler White, aren’t you?” he asked, eyeing me.
“I am.”
