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Show All the Variables & Other Love Stories 20 law, and a brother-in-law. Sheila's niece was the flower girl, her nephew the ring-bearer. There was no best man. Mom overheard Michaela ask me to get her a drink, and told me to find Brandon while I was at it. Mom had been the only one to honor the creed that the groom shouldn't see the bride before the holy hour, but her illusions of a classical wedding quickly deflated in the somber atmosphere. I found Brandon in Sheila's room, sitting on the bed, softly crying. I stood at the door, out of reach, and said, "Mom's looking for you." He wiped his nose with the cuff of his sleeve. "I can't believe you brought her here." "What are you doing today? You're getting married-to Sheila. Michaela cares about you and wanted to come," I snapped. The distance between us made me brave. "You got some stuff to sort out and not much time. Because you can't be married like this, hating me for Michaela." "I'm in love with her, and she doesn't want me anymore! Why? Because she likes my fucking gets-everything-he-wants brother! There's no baseball for Brandon Brackett, no, but my child will have a father. At least there's that." I'm telling you in that moment I saw my brother for the first time. I saw an idiot boy with the entire world before him walking the plank because everyone around him said it was the right thing to do. I felt a pure, pounding, spiteful rage toward him. I hit him. He stumbled back, shocked, and I hit him again square in the chest with two fists. He toppled over and I was on him, pinning him square to his back on Sheila's down |
