Suddenly feeling guilty, I nudged my brother’s arm with my own. “Sorry for the sucker punch,” I said, also a little proud of how hard I’d fought him. He was still my big brother, after all. He chuckled a little and rubbed his jaw.
“You nailed me,” he said, still not ready to look me in the eye. He looked down, and we were quiet for what felt like a full minute. “I deserved it.”
Knowing the best thing I could do at this point was to leave my brother alone, I stood to my feet and patted his shoulder with my hand. “Yeah, you did. But I’m still sorry,” I said, then I left him there with his thoughts.
Nolan helped me clean up the scratches and cuts on my face in the bathroom upstairs, never asking for details. I was pretty sure she’d heard more than I wanted her to, but she didn’t seem fazed by any of it. By the time we made it downstairs, Jason had left my father’s office and was now sitting outside on the back patio alone. A few of my father’s friends joined him as the afternoon wore on, and by evening, he was talking and smiling again. But I had a feeling he was still chewing on my father’s message, and I could tell it had affected him, saddened him. And it made me sad, too.
Dad got a fire going as the sun set, and everyone had finally gathered on the sofas, chairs, and floor in the living room. It was gift exchange time—Dad’s tradition was always that everyone brings a gift fit for anyone in the room, and we all take turns picking and stealing, sort of like a white elephant gift party, but with things you’d actually want. Last year I ended up with a hundred bucks.
Before we started drawing numbers, Rosie walked around and handed everyone a glass of champagne. I gave her a funny look when she handed a glass to Nolan and me, and she just smiled, and told me to wait to drink it. “Your father wants to make a toast,” she said, moving on to serve the rest of the guests. Nolan and I just shrugged at each other and leaned back into the sofa to wait for everyone else.
Dad cleared his throat when everyone had been served, somehow able to make a noise loud enough to quiet the entire room. “I know, I know. Buck wants to talk more, you’re all rolling your eyes,” my dad joked, and everyone chuckled fondly. My dad could be long-winded when he wanted to be. “I promise, though, I’ll keep this short. I have some important things to say on this day. A day that has always been about family to me,” my dad turned to look at Jason, and then to me, raising his glass a little.
“You see? I’m a blessed man. I have had wonderful success in life, yes,” he said, turning with his arms out, acknowledging the giant house we were all sitting in. “But I think we can all agree…it’s family that makes everything worth anything on this earth. Family. Jason? Reed? I love you both more than the air I breathe. You two are my life and soul, and the most important things I’ve ever done. And you have always loved your old dad, no matter how much of a pain in the ass I might be. Whether I’m riding your ass about throwing the ball with more speed to get more distance…or nagging you about meeting with the lawyers to close the deal on our latest dealership—you just smile, and nod, and do these crazy things I ask because you love me, and you trust me. And I can’t tell you how much that means to your old man,” my dad was getting a little choked up, so he took a small sip of his drink, raising his glass a little and laughing. “Ha, that’s good stuff. Almost done, I swear.”
“Well, I’m asking you both to trust me…just one more time. You see, I’ve gone and done something a little crazy. But it’s really all about family, so I’m hoping you’ll be okay with it when I tell you,” I looked at Jason as my father spoke, and we both made eye contact, shrugging, and wondering where the hell our dad was going with all of this. “Well…I guess that’s enough beating around the bush. Rosie and I are getting married.”
The room erupted in clapping, hoots and hollering, as everyone stood at once and collapsed on Rosie and my father, hugging them and congratulating them on their news. Nolan looked at me, her eyes wide with shock. “Did you know about this?” she asked.
“Not a clue!” I said, my own eyes unable to blink, but a smile stretching my face. My father started tapping on the side of his glass, getting everyone’s attention again.
“Hold on, hold on everyone. We’re not going anywhere. You can tackle us in a few minutes,” Dad laughed, his full bellied laugh, the kind he did when he was truly happy. “Reed? Jason? I hope you two are okay with this. I wanted to talk to you about it first, but it just never seemed to be the right time…and well…Rosie, she’s always been family. And over the last few years, what started as a beautiful friendship, became the deepest love of my life,” my dad said, turning to Rosie and grabbing her hand with his, squeezing it and bringing it to his lips to kiss it. “When it’s right. It’s just right.”