Page 61 of Watch Over Me

Then, Robert spoke up.

"He's right, you know? We should all be grateful and instead you throw things in his face you have no idea about."

Eddie turned to his brother, but Robert was staring at their father with a clenched jaw, challenging him in a way he'd never done before, at least not with Eddie there to see.

"He wasn't kidnapped because of his work," Robert went on, "but because of his connection to me. So if you want to blame someone other than the kidnappers, blame me."

Shaking his head, Eddie opened his mouth to protest, but both their mother and Rebecca spoke up first with a clear "No!".

"No one's blaming you," their mother added firmly as she glanced between Robert and her husband. "We didn't know you were involved, so we assumed—"

"Maybe we should all do less assuming around here," Robert cut in, finally breaking his stare-down with their father to turn to her. "We tend to think we know more than we actually do. That's definitely a family trait that only Eddie seems to have been saved from."

When his brother looked at him, Eddie didn't know what to say, but Robert wasn't done yet.

"I had a lot of time to think this week, and I realized I hadn't been fair to you. I didn't respect your judgment enough, and for that, I'm sincerely sorry. I will do better in the future."

Eddie stared at him, wide-eyed, before managing a small nod. He definitely hadn't expected his brother to back him up or apologize, but he would gladly take it.

Maybe Robert had indeed learned to see things at least a bit differently. Maybe the two of them had a chance to understand each other better from now on.

Eddie wasn't willing to give the rest of the family the same benefit of the doubt again, not after tonight.

Not after the week he had.

He was through proving anything to anyone.

"Thanks," he told Robert. "I appreciate that. But I'm truly done for today. I'll see myself out."

Walking out of that room felt good. Freeing. At some point over the last several years, he'd resigned himself to the fact that his family was not going to change and he needed to get used to it.

He was done with that, though. There were some things he was no longer willing to keep quiet about.

To his surprise, Robert appeared in the hallway right as he was about to open the front door.

"Wait for me." His brother quickened his pace. "I'll drive you home."

Eddie shook his head. "You don't have to leave on myaccount."

"Don't worry about it." Robert put on his coat without a backward glance. "And I know I don't have to. I want to. Come on, let's go."

As he followed his brother to the car, Eddie hid his grin in the collar of his jacket. He might've waited a long time for someone in the family to speak out for him, but now he finally got his wish.

It felt good to have his brother on his side.

Still, Eddie hesitated before telling Robert not to drive him home and giving him James's address instead. He and James had decided to spend half the weekend at Eddie's place and the other half, after the family dinner, at James's. And while Eddie wouldn't change those plans for anybody, he was still wary about Robert's reaction.

But his brother surprised him yet again.

"Is it serious?" he asked as they left their parents' driveway.

Unable to stop himself, Eddie smiled down at his lap. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good." Robert stared ahead at the road. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks."

Eddie turned his head toward the window and grinned at the streets they were passing for most of the way, enjoying the surprisingly comfortable silence.

---