Say something.
Say something.
“Did you hear me?”
“Is he okay?” I manage.
He sighs with relief. “Yes. He is. His short-term memory is vague, the doctor said it’ll probably return. But at this stage, he doesn’t remember much about the day of the assault.”
Convenient.
“Does he look tall?”Super question.
“What do you mean? Where are you? I’ll come get you, and we can visit him together. I’m sure he’s sorry for fighting your date. I’m sure we can work this out.”
My eyes begin to well up.
“We can work this out,” Dad pleads, his voice desperate, tone almost too gentle.
One.
“Be a family again.”
Two.
“He loves you, Blesk.”
Three.
Don’t flinch.
Something suddenly brushes my arm. I jump. Clutching my heart, I whirl around wide-eyed to find Konnor with his hands held up in surrender.
“Woah, Duch.” He ducks his head, staring straight into my eyes. “What’s going on?”
My dad’s voice comes through the phone, which is now at my side. “Blesk?”
Konnor’s eyes drop to the phone in my fist, then lift to my face, then narrow on the phone. He grabs it. I gasp when he snatches it from me, but I don’t try to stop him. He ends the call, then holds down the power button until the screen goes black.
Konnor pulls me against him, kisses my temple, and rests his cheek against my forehead. “Tell me.”
I wrap my arms around his waist, scrunching his shirt in my fists behind his back, burying my face in the fabric. “That was my... my dad,” I stammer. “Erik is awake.”
I’m not sure why I’m tearing up. I’m not sure why my hands are shaking. I’m not sure why I don’t want to see my brother at all. The thought makes me feel frozen. Like I might… disappear. “I have to tell my dad.”
He pushes me out in front of him. “Tell him what?”
Pressing in, I rest my cheek on his chest again, hiding against his warm body. “All of it. Everything.”
He pushes me back once more, his hands gripping my arms, intent on holding my gaze through this. “What if he doesn’t believe you, Duch?”
I blink. “I think he will.”
“Are you going to seehim?”
“My dad says he doesn’t remember much, but his memories may come back.”
“And then what?” Konnor’s tone drops, darkens. “Do you try to work things out? Try to be siblings again? Accept his apologies. They’ll come; he’ll get in your head again. What if your dad wants you to try being amiable for him? You just forgive him, pretend it never happened? Is that what you’re thinking? Please tell me that’s not what you’re fucking thinking.”
