Page 17 of We Thought We Knew It All
“Come on, bro.” I stuck my head out of the kitchen. “I haven’t changed that much.”
“Right.” He laughed. “Jackson can just have yours then.”
I ran out, Liam right on my heels. “Colby McCoy, don’t you dare. That boy does not need caffeine.”
“Gotcha.” Colby grinned.
I slugged him in the shoulder and took the bag of bagels from him as he bent to pick up Declan.
“Jacks,” I yelled. “Your bus will be outside any minute.”
“Can’t uncle Colby take me?” he whined, appearing from his room.
“Sorry, bud. I have to get to work.” Colby patted him on the head.
“Lunch.” I handed Jackson a brown paper bag. “Backpack?”
“Right here.” The bus could be heard pulling up to the stop a few doors down.
“Bye, sweetie.” I kissed the top of his head and rushed him out, watching until he reached the bus. Turning back to my brother, I asked, “Just a drive-by then?”
“Sorry.” He shrugged, setting Declan back down and taking the bag to pull out a bagel. “They have me working crazy hours right now. I didn’t get out of there until close to midnight last night.”
“That sucks.”
Liam and Declan, who had already eaten, went back to playing.
“Yeah, I just wanted to check in with you. This week is going to be nuts.” He sat down with a sigh. “I wish I could be around to help you settle in more.”
“We’re fine.” I took my place beside him. “And we’re here for good now so when the craziness is over, we’ll be around.”
“I know.” He patted my hand with a smile. “Jamie texted me last night.”
“Oh?” I played with the hem of my shirt, hoping he bought the nonchalant act, because that was what it was. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him since sending that text.
“He wanted to hang, but I didn’t see it until it was too late and now I’ll be busy all day today too.”
“Why do you think he’s here?”
Colby looked at me in surprise. “His father just died.”
“But would he really take leave for that? I mean, he didn’t exactly love the man.”
“No, but he loved his brother. He loved you.”
“And you,” I said, hoping to gloss over the last thing he said.
“I’m probably the one person he doesn’t need to redeem himself with, so he definitely isn’t here for me.”
“But he cut you out too. Why don’t you hate him?”
Colby sighed, glancing down at the boys. “I guess I understand why he did it. He didn’t stop responding to me until the email where I told him you were engaged and pregnant. I think that’s when he decided to cut the cord to the past. You guys went through so much together. I guess he thought you’d be there when he was done finding himself.”
“Finding himself,” I snorted. “Whatever.”
“Anyway.” He pushed himself up from the couch. “I’ll take Liam and Declan to day-care. Unlike Jackson’s school, it’s on my way.”
“Thanks.”
