“A middle manager who has a beautiful, successful husband who just came outta nowhere and makes Chris look kinda pathetic in comparison.”
Blake sighed.
He was going to have to come clean.
“You were right about Rusty,” Blake said. “I mean… not that he’s not beautiful and successful, he’s definitely both of those things, but… he’s not my husband. I mean,technicallyhe is, but… we got married when I was on vacation and we didn’t know it was legal until now. I’m not sure it ever was, for him, until they changed the law in Australia. I don’t know how marriage law works. Anyway… we are faking it. Kinda.”
“Everyone heard you guys having sex,” Megan said. “Gross, by the way,” she added with a wry smile.
Blake laughed. “We weren’t faking that, but I’m guessing you don’t want the gory details of my sex life. Anyway, point is, you’re not marrying Chris because you think he’s impressive, are you? Because I won’t let you do that.”
Megan shook her head. “I know you can’t see what I see in him, but I love him. We justgeteach other. I know he seems boring, and he kinda is, but he makes me laugh, and he’s so kind, and we have these amazing conversations that I’ve never been able to have with anyone else. He reallylistens, y’know?”
“I know,” Blake said, thinking back to the times he’d thought that about Rusty.
Rusty had listened. Even when it wasn’t really important. He paid attention.
Blake knew what that felt like, and he wanted that for his sister.
“Rusty says he’s beige. But if he’s beige, then you’re this amazing hot pink color, and that’s a good combination,” Blake said. “He’ll make you more vibrant, and you’ll give him depth. I think that’s all you can ask for in a marriage.”
“What color are you?” Megan asked.
“Denim blue,” Blake said. “Still kinda boring, but more casually.”
“And Rusty is, like, rust-colored, yeah?”
Blake hadn’t intended to take the metaphor this seriously, but he was interested in where it was going. “Definitely some kind of orange, yeah.”
Megan nodded. “Good combo,” she said.
The loose floorboard in the hall creaked, making both of them look over at the doorway. Rusty appeared in it a moment later.
Blake got the feeling he’d been hovering outside for a while.
“Go wash your face and fix your makeup,” Blake said to Megan. “I’ll work this out, promise. I think… I think maybe I’ve been mad at you for a long time, and I could stand to be a better brother.”
“I could stand to be a better sister,” Megan said, smiling the tiniest, but warmest smile Blake ever remembered seeing on her. She stood, then spat in her hand and held it out to Blake.
“Friends?” she offered.
This seemed a whole lot more genuine than last time. Blake spat in his hand as well, slapping it into hers and squeezing firmly.
“Friends,” he said. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” Megan responded, heading out of the kitchen and toward the stairs.
Rusty made his way into the kitchen, sitting down in the spot Megan had just left.
“How long were you listening?” Blake asked, positive now that hehadbeen hovering.
Probably not on purpose. He wouldn’t have wanted to interrupt their conversation.
“Long enough to learn that I’m beautiful and successful.” Rusty grinned at him. “And that we’ve got some kind of problem.”
“The band isn’t coming,” Blake said. “There were some crossed wires about the date.”
Rusty shifted in his chair, frowning. The light from the window fell on the side of his head, making the stray hairs glow like a halo.
