The Next Door Boys (32 page)

Jaron walked me home, and I took half of a pill. I wondered what time I'd wake up the next day. I could feel my body thicken and get heavy. I relaxed into it.

thirty

When I opened my eyes, Brian sat on the floor in my room.

“Your brother got bored. He and Megan took Nathan to the park.” He looked up from his notebook.

“You guys really need to understand that I'm just sleeping. I don't need to be watched. Besides, it's kind of unnerving waking up with someone in your room.” I slowly sat up and rested my heavy body on my arms. I looked at Brian for a moment. Why was he in here instead of in the living room? Had Jaron been in here all night? “I don't snore or talk or anything, do I?”

“No,” he smiled. “I try not to watch you. It's too private. Your brother just wanted to make sure someone was here when you woke up.”

“Hm.” I felt thick and slow, just like I always did when waking up after a sleeping pill.

“How are you?”

“I don't know. What time is it?” I rubbed my hands over my face a few times.

“Around noon.”

“I guess it could be worse.” I ran my hands through my hair. I'd fallen asleep with curls in it, and it felt crazy. I pulled it to one side and tried to twist it together. “How bad is it?” I let it all go and ran my hands through it again.

“It's a mess, but in a good way.”

“Whatever.” There was no good way to be a mess.

“Your mail came. Megan brought it in.” He handed me two envelopes. One from my parents and the other from Joseph. It felt something like a shot of excitement straight to my chest.

“This is from my brother.” I held up the envelope.

“Jaron?” Brian asked, confused.

I shook my head.

“Joseph?”

I nodded and tore open the letter.

“I'll leave you.” Brian started to stand.

“No, stay.” I waved my hand so he'd sit back down. I pulled it out and started to read. The letter was a big deal. I'd never gotten more than a signed card. I read it out loud.

Dear Leigh,

I've gotten all your letters. I just wanted you to know that. I didn't read most of them until last week. My wife had twins. Yeah, I'm mar- ried. Her name is Lori. We've been together for a while, and she's amazing. Anyway, I sat there the other day looking at those two babies, and I hoped that they'd always have one another, you know? So, I was just thinking about you and Jaron. I just want you to know that my disagreement was with Mom and Dad, not you guys. I was eighteen and thought I knew everything about everything. Sometimes when you start down a certain path, it's hard to go back.

So, I sat down a few days ago and read your letters—all of them. They used to be scattered around, but Lori put them all in a box. Whenever we'd get another one from you, she'd just put it in the box with the rest. I'm embarrassed now that I didn't read them as soon as I got them. I was shocked when I got your letter that said you had cancer. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. I checked the dates on the most recent ones and was relieved to see that you'd sent one not long ago.

Lori and I have been together for about five years. We got married last year, and our twins are a boy and a girl, Jack and Layla. We live in downtown Portland. I'm an architect at a small firm here that I really love.

It may be silly of me—or stubborn, I'm not sure which, but I'm not ready to talk to anyone else yet. You're welcome to pass along any news from my end that you like—or not, if you'd rather not. It doesn't matter to me either way.

I'm sorry that I haven't been a part of your life.

Joe

“He's married.” I looked up at Brian with a smile on my face.

“And you're an aunt.”

I laughed. “I can't wait to tell Jaron.”

“I'm glad for you two. I know your brother misses him.” Brian looked as excited as I felt, a large grin on his face.

“I have too, but not as much. I didn't know him as well when he left.” I paused for a minute. What a crazy couple of days for me. All the excitement and then disappointment from Noah and then the first real letter from Joseph I'd ever gotten. “Is it weird that after taking what feels like huge steps backward, I'm finally at a good starting point again?”

“Not at all.” He shook his head. “You're amazing, Leigh.”

I laughed again, still feeling the excitement of Joseph's letter. “Far from it. I feel like a mess in a million different ways. One can be taken care of with a shower, and the rest of it… I don't know.”

“You did the right thing.” Brian sat back against the wall.

“But it still hurts.” I looked down at my feet on the bed. My decision to say “no” to Noah was made even worse knowing I could have spared both of us if I'd been more careful—prayerful.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered. He stood up then. “Let me know if you need anything. I'll get out of here so you can enjoy your shower.”

“Thanks, Brian. You're a good friend.” I couldn't believe how much watching over me he'd done, and he'd never made me feel bad about it.

“See ya.” One corner of his mouth pulled up, but he looked sad.

I wanted to know what Brian was thinking, but he stepped out of my room and outside before I had a chance to formulate a question. I picked up the letter and read it again, bringing back the excitement I'd felt a few moments ago.

“Ready for dinner?” Jaron asked as he poked his head in the door. “I have a chocolate shake for you.”

“Yep.” I stood up from the couch. “Come on in.”

I must have had an odd smile on my face. His eyes narrowed at me in suspicion. “What's going on?” I hadn't told him about Joseph's letter yet.

“You're getting married.” I smiled.

“I know that part.” He sat at the table and pulled out two burgers and two large cartons of fries from a bag.

“Just wanted to spend some time with you, that's all.” I shrugged. “You must be getting excited.” I grabbed a handful of Jaron's fries before sitting down across from him.

He nodded. “I am so… there just aren't words. Megan is amazing, I love her so much.”

“I'm glad for you,” I paused. Jaron peered in bag number two. I wondered what could possibly be left. “I got a letter from Joseph.”

“What?” Jaron's head whipped toward me.

“It came today while I was sleeping in.” I started to laugh a little.

“What does it say?” He leaned toward me.

“Read it.” I reached behind me and picked it off the counter.

Jaron pulled it out of the envelope with as much enthusiasm as I had earlier and read through it quickly.

“This is great.” He looked up at me. “Guess your perseverance paid off, huh?”

“Yeah, I mean, it's a start, right? You and I have a niece and nephew!”

“Wow, I hadn't even thought of that.”

“I know. I'm debating whether to tell Mom and Dad.”

“Yeah, that's a hard one.” Jaron sat back then.

“I think I should, maybe just Mom. It's been a long time since we had a nice talk. I haven't been as patient with her as I should be.” I really hated to admit that.

“I think she understands.” He rested his hands on the table.

“Even if she does, it's not really fair.” I'd done more than my share of eye rolling over Mom's phone calls, but she was just worried. I felt bad, and it seemed as if all it would take was a phone call to make both of us feel better.

Jaron shrugged. “How are you doing?”

“What, after Noah?” I took a sip of my shake.

“Yeah.” He glanced back to the table and moved my food toward me.

“I don't know. I should have been more careful I guess. I'm just hopelessly stupid about boys.” I let a breath out.

“You're never hopeless.”

“Said like a true brother.” I took another small bite of fries.

When I walked out of my apartment in shorts, Julie and Megan already occupied lounge chairs, soaking up sun.

“Can I join you?” I asked.

“Of course.” Julie didn't move, her hands comfortably rested on her large stomach.

I slid into my own chair and threw my feet up, kicking my flip-flops off as I sat. “Megan?”

“Yeah?” She looked over at me, shielding her eyes from the sun.

“I'm sorry for being a pain in the butt, and I'm glad you're marrying my brother. I can't imagine anyone more perfect for him.” I needed her to know that before I forgot to say something.

“Wow. Thank you, Leigh. When he first asked, I was worried you wouldn't approve.” She shifted her weight to face me.

Her comment made me realize how quiet and moody I'd probably been. “Not possible.”

I closed my eyes under my sunglasses. “You know something lame?”

“What?” Julie asked, still not moving. If she hadn't spoken I would have guessed she was napping.

“I spent all those hours on my dress, and I realized that I have no one to take me to the ball at the end of the year.” It was a shame. I'd considered going by myself since asking someone would put me right back into a position with a man that I didn't want to be in—involved on any level other than friend or brother.

“Oh man, I didn't even think about that!” Megan sat up.

“Yeah, well, we all know who you're going with.” I smirked.

“Make Brian take you,” Julie said as she tilted her chin toward the boys in the shade on the porch.

“Make me do what?” Brian called across the yard.

“You have to take Leigh to the Masquerade Ball!” Julie shouted. “Stuart and I would love to have Nathan, so you have no reason not to go!”

“Julie,” I whispered. “This isn't his kind of thing, and now he'll do it just because he wants to be nice.”

He walked over and stopped next to my chair. “So, Leigh. There's something I've been meaning to ask you.” He tried to shuffle his feet and look all shy about it, but he smiled his easy, friendly smile.

I knew in that moment that he'd take me and be nice about the whole thing. “There's this big dance at the end of the year? I was hoping maybe you'd go with me?” He was doing a good job of not laughing, considering how wide his smile had gotten.

“Hmm… I don't know…” I felt a little bit like the girl who goes to prom with her cousin, but I'd get over it. “Well, we need to match, which means I need your measurements.”

He stopped shuffling. “Do I have to wear a jacket? This spring is killing me, it's so hot.”

“You did spend a year in the desert, am I right?”

“Yep. And I got enough heat to last five lifetimes.” He chuckled once.

“I'm going Victorian, can you handle that?” I shaded my hand over my glasses so I could see him better.

“What does that mean?” He sat down on the edge of the chair next to me.

How to explain… “Think the new Sherlock Holmes movie, the one with Robert Downey.”

“You mean the one with Rachel McAdams.” He winked. “That's cool. I'm Sherlock right? Not Watson?”

“Yeah, whatever, you're Sherlock.” I flopped back in my chair.

“Do I get to carry a gun?” He wagged his eyebrows.

“Oh my gosh. You are such a boy.” I pushed his leg with my foot as he stood back up.

“Maybe I'll find a cane with a sword in it.” He smiled.

“Great, and then Nathan will have a new toy when you decide you can part with it.”

“Okay, I'm outta this sun. I don't know how you girls stand it.” He turned and started back to the shade of the Rileys’ porch.

“Thanks, Brian,” I hollered after him. I felt stupid, but I'd take it. I'd worked way too hard on my dress not to wear it.