Page 50 of Thunder

I notice my sister instantly near the head of the table as we walk into the dining area. Kavan is sitting next to her while Yasmin sits all dolled up next to him. I tense, causing Bradley to hold me tighter to him.

“This is about to be hell,” I mumble, and I hear Lorenzo chuckle behind us, which is just weird in itself.

He spent all my teen years acting as if I didn’t exist.

“Alright, we can now eat,” Dad says as he pulls out a chair and guides Mama into it.

“What is she doing here?” Rachel sneers, and Mama snaps, “Your sister is home for dinner, so shut up if you don’t have anything nice to say!”

Rachel gasps while my mouth parts in shock, and Bradley murmurs, “Remember, I’ll stab myself,” in my ear, and I act on reflex as I elbow him again, causing him to chuckle. Rachel's eyes fly his way, and I watch as they travel to my boyfriend's cut, and both her and Yasmin sit up straighter.

I narrow my eyes at them both. Never mind Bradley joking about hurting himself, if they don’t stop eyeing him, I’ll stab them!

As if feeling my anger, Bradley kisses my head and I calm slightly.

“Rachel, Yasmin, I’d like for you to meet your sister’s partner, Thunder,” Dad introduces as Bradley pushes me forward, “Kavan, you two have already met…”

Dad smiles as I slowly take a seat next to my mama, while Bradley takes a seat next to me, and my brother sits next to him, again shocking me that he is so far away from his wife.

I feel like I’m in a different universe, none of this makes sense, I was expecting to be treated like dirt.

“How uh, did you and my sister meet?” Lorenzo asks, breaking the tense silence and I look at the plate before me, my mind running in circles.

“I had a meeting with Dr. Thomas because I had nerve damage,” Bradley says, and Rachel jumps in, “Oh, so you ran into the cleaner?”

I roll my eyes because seriously?

Bradley growls and I slowly lift my head and lock eyes with Rachel’s. She smirks like she has one up on me, like everyone around this table doesn’t know what I actually do.

I think maybe it’s time I put her down a peg or two because this is getting boring now.

I mention, “I’m a surgical resident, Rachel, and you know this. You saw me save a police officer while you were trying to drop Sammie off with me at the beginning of my twenty-four-hour shift,” I tilt my head as her cheeks redden, “I think maybe it’s time you stop lying about my profession. Because right now, I’m the only one at this table that can help you if a knife ends up in your hand.”

Bradley snorts but coughs to cover it as Rachel's mouth parts in shock, the insinuation clear as day.

“Is it true you did Thunder's surgery?” Mama asks instead of snapping at me, and I swear, tonight is not going how I thought it would.

I thought Rachel would say something, then I’d bite as I did and my mama would lose it, yet she’s- damn, is she proud of me?

“I did,” I say softly, “I was the only intern that was given the opportunity. Now, Bradley’s president, who is an ER physician, is fighting Dr. Thomas to have me on his team, which is an honor.”

Her eyes tear up, but they soon harden when Yasmin spits, “Why do you call him Bradley instead of Thunder?”

I look her way and raise an eyebrow at her clear jealousy. Her face is red with anger as her eyes keep darting to my boyfriend which is pathetic considering her husband is right there and Dad answers, “Because he’s claimed her, and only old ladies can call a brother their given name, meaning you don’t.”

“Claimed her?” Rachel scoffs, “I find that hard to believe.”

Bradley doesn’t reply to her, instead, he lifts his left hand and shows off his ring finger, and both my sister and Yasmin gasp while Lorenzo mentions, “Just so you know, Thunder, there are no takebacks. She’s your problem now, and goodness help you if you read her diary.”

I glare at my brother and remind him, “You didn’t just read my diary, Lo. You told the boy I had a crush on that I wrote love letters to him in it. I was the laughingstock of the school, and you didn’t even go to that school!”

Lorenzo grins wide, not one bit sorry, and I can’t help my instinct. I grab a green bean off my plate that Mama has just put on there and throw it at the idiot. He catches it in his mouth, and I huff while Dad laughs his ass off.

“I don’t know why you’re still upset over it, I mean, I know I stopped speaking to you, but you got your revenge,” he says, “Remember?”

I blink, then frown and murmur, “No, I didn’t, I didn’t speak to you for a month and when I finally got over the betrayal and embarrassment you shoved me when I tried to speak to you.”

“Scottie,” he chuckles tensely, his eyes holding confusion, “you smashed my guitar. It’s why I pulled away from you. I get I hurt you, but that guitar was the only thing I had that was mine…”