“You’re right. You’re so much better than him in every way. Can I have mycraneback?”
“Now was that so hard?” Keith asked in a condescending manner, grinning as he replacedthebird.
It might seem that his assessment of our little brother’s state of mind back then was overly harsh, but then you wouldn’t know the full story. Jakewasa mess, and no one, not even he,deniedit.
“I guess it goes to show what finding love can do for aperson.”
“I guess,”hesaid.
“Youguess?”
“I mean, come on, Emma. You have to give credit where credit’s due. Casey might have changed Jake for the better, but we both know whosavedhim.”
Ishrugged.
Keith shook his head. “You never give her any credit,doyou?”
“I know what Mom did for him,” I said. “I don’t need youremindingme.”
Keith put his hands up in submission, my snappy tone not escaping him. “Forget I saidanything.”
I realized I was being too sensitive, but even after all these years, the subject of Jake’s kidnapping and the horrific aftermath still had adverse affects on me. Although I loved my mother to death and credited her with keeping our family intact, she and I had a complicated relationship, one that could not be explained in a simplistic exchange with mybrother.
The great thing about Keith was that he didn’t linger too long on deep thoughts. In fact, the minute he detected my shifting mood, he changed the subject by walking over to my couch and picking up a glove with little spikes on it. One brow arched in question as he held it up and made spanking motions with it. “Do I evenwantto know what this isusedfor?”
“It’s to prevent hairballs,”Isaid.
The blank look on his face forced me to clarify. “ForCynthia.”
“Oh, right,” he said, grinning mischievously as he elongated my cat’s name. “Cyn-thi-a.”
Keith tossed the offending glove back where it came from. “Where is that sexually disoriented cat of yours,anyway?”
“He’s still in the closet, Ithink.”
“I don’tdoubtit.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. “No, literally. I was going through myclothes.”
“Oh,good.”
I tensed, glaring at my brother. “What doesthatmean?”
His eyes expanded as he realized his mistake. “Nothing. I didn’t sayanything.”
“Yes, you did. You don’t like myclothes?”
“They’refine.”
“Fine?” My voice rose inaccusation.
Keith grimaced when he realized he wasn’t getting out of the shitstorm he’d just created. “Maybe they’re a tad bland,isall.”
“Bland? Well, duh… I wear scrubsallday.”
“Actually, Em, your scrubs are the best part of your wardrobe. I was talking about everything else. I mean, you’ve got a decent body – for a sister, I guess – but you dress like a schoolteacher,” he said, before adding, “…and not the Van Halen ‘hot forteacher’kind.”
“Thanks for clarifying.” I offered up my most menacingscowl.
