Page 57 of Our Broken Pieces
“Thank you, princess.”
My brother looks between us, and my mother smiles as she begins to eat. We might just pull this off.
My father walks into the living room around seven, finally driving in from the city. We’re all playing gin around the coffee table, laughing, sharing stories. My brother has made it his mission to tell Gigi all the embarrassing things I did from ages five to ten.
Gigi notices my father first. “Hey, Mr. Holt!”
He loosens his tie. “Gigi. Good to see you boys made it.”
“Did you work today?” my brother asks. He only comes into town a couple times a year, yet my father decided to go into the office. We didn’t have anything important going on today, I know that for a fact, so there was no good reason for him not to be here when my brother arrived.
“Had some loose ends to tie up.”
“There’s a plate for you from dinner in the oven. Should still be warm if you’re hungry.”
“Thank you, Claire. If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to change out of this suit.”
He walks out of the room, up the stairs to my parent’s room. My brother sighs, going back to our card game.
“He isn’t a man of many words, is he?” Gigi observes.
My mom lays a card down. “He probably just needs to decompress from the workday and the drive.”
Gigi nods and knocks. We all groan that we lost while she beams as she lays down her cards.
My father eventually came back downstairs to join us. He didn’t talk much, tablet in his lap. We finished playing cards and were ready to go to bed shortly after. Gigi heads to our room and I go to the kitchen to get water for us. I grab two bottles from the fridge as my brother comes into the room.
“Gigi’s nice. I like her for you.”
I take a drink. “She’s a sweet girl.”
“You’re more affectionate with her than I’ve seen you with other women.”
I shrug. “I haven’t liked a woman like her before. It’s easy with her.” Somehow, the words actually feel true. It is easy with her.
“It isn’t real, is it?”
My eyes dart to his. “How the fuck do you know that?”
“Too fast, perfect timing for dad’s request. Close friend turned girlfriend? Easy for me to figure that one out.”
I run a hand down my face. “Is it obvious? Do you think Dad will realize what we’re doing?”
“Nah, you two are pretty convincing. Plus, I don’t think Dad cares who it is, as long as you get married.”
I pause for a moment. “We might be believable because it might not be entirely fake for me.”
He grins. “I was hoping you would say that. Even with all the signs saying it isn’t real, I do see you have feelings for her. I’m happy for you. I know you have trouble letting people in.”
I nod, leaning on the counter. “It’s not going to go any further than our deal, though. I won’t let it. She deserves a man who isn’t so damaged.”
“What are you talking about, Marcus?”
“The shit we went through as kids. It sticks with you. I’m not even sure I want kids; she should be with a man she can have a family with. A man that can easily be open and happy.”
“Marcus, listen to me. You have to let the shit with Dad go. You need to talk with someone. I did, and I’m able to function normally in relationships now. You deserve love. You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy. That could be Gigi.”
My brother’s words sit uneasily in the pit of my stomach. He and I understand each other so well because we lived through the same shit. Only now, he’s coming out the other side of it, while I’m still stuck in the past.
