Page 11 of Crave

“Shut your fucking mouth.” Troy takes a menacing step towards Jake. Instead of backing away, Jake takes another step towards his brother.

“What the hell is going on here?” Josh Clark comes running into the dining room with his wife and Luke following behind him. He gets in the middle of Jake, Troy, and Tracy.

“Did you know about this, Dad?” Jake asks, pointing in the direction of Tracy’s stomach, which she’s holding onto protectively. If there was ever any doubt about her being pregnant, there’s none now.

“Tracy, why the hell didn’t you just stay home?” Mrs. Clark asks, exasperated.

“I wanted my wife here, Mother. That’s why she didn’t stay home.”

“Enough, Lillian. Troy’s allowed to bring his wife around. Jacob, let it go, Son.”

“Did you know, Dad? Answer the question. And you, Mother? Did you know too?”

“Can we have one function without you ruining it, Jake? Not everything in life is about you. If they wanted to share the news with you, they would have. Just shut the fuck up for once.” Luke is now standing next to his father, ready to face off with Jake.

I should leave. I should go into the coat closet, get my jacket and purse, and walk the hell out of here and never look back, but I can’t.

“You’ve made your feelings about me clear, Luke. Watch out, Troy. Tracy might move on to Luke next. Mother, you watch out too because then she’ll have no one else to get but Dad.”

“Jake, that’s enough,” his mother said. “Tracy, go home. Please.”

“Or Jake can just leave,” Luke says. “He’s the only one here that has a problem."

“He’s not the only one,” I think I hear Mrs. Clark say under her breath.

“We’ll leave. It’s always about Jake’s feelings around here.” Troy takes Tracy’s hand and starts to walk away.

“Why are you so damn bitter, Jake? It’s been five years. Are you going to spend the rest of your life making ours a living hell?” Tracy walks away from Troy to stand in front of Jake.

“You two are the victims now? That’s not how I remember it.”

“And you’re never going to let us forget it, are you?” Troy asks. “You’ll never forgive us.”

“Her? Never.” Jake points a finger at Tracy. “You? You know what you need to do if you want my forgiveness.”

“I’m never going to do that, Jacob.”

“What is he talking about, Troy? What the hell did he ask you to do?” Tracy asks her husband, who only shakes his head at her, almost as if he’s physically incapable of voicing Jake’s demand. “Wow, Jake,” Tracy says, turning her attention back to him. “I can imagine how you dangled forgiveness in front of your brother, you selfish, self-absorbed bastard. You’d break up our family? You’d let your nephew grow up in a broken home because you’re so bitter? That’s too bad for you because that’s never going to happen. I’m not goinganywhere.” She walks over, wraps her arm around Troy’s waist, staking her claim.

“That’s cute, Tracy. I love how you found your backbone, but remember what I told you five years ago. You’ll haveallof him only ifIlet you.”

“When the hell did this happen?” Troy asks, moving away from Tracy and getting in Jake’s face.

“What’s the matter, Troy? The wife is keeping secrets from you?” Jake taunts his brother.

“I can’t do this anymore, Troy. Everything that involves Jake is a nightmare. He ruined Christmas and now this. I’m done. If you want to visit your family, I won’t stop you, but you’ll have to do it without me. Jake’s made our lives impossible. I can’t even have a relationship with my mother-in-law because of him,” Tracy spews.

“Don’t you dare blame my son for that. You need to look in the mirror, Tracy. My boys were fine before you came along. You’re the one who’s destroyed this family. Don’t you ever speak Jake’s name again.”

“Lillian, that’s enough,” Josh says.

“It’s enough when I say it is, Josh. Don’t you shush me!”

“I’m the reason why you have no relationship with my mother? No,you’rethe reason. It’s because you’re a whore.” The word is barely out of Jake’s mouth before Troy shoves him. Jake shoves him back, and Luke tries to get in the middle, only to be pushed out of the way by Troy.

“Josh, stop this!” someone yells, but it’s too late. Troy throws a punch and Jake stumble back a few steps.

Unable to believe what I’m seeing, I cover my mouth with both hands, silencing my gasp.

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