The Guy on the Right

by Kate Stewart

A loud boom sounds as Brenna lifts something into view just before the phone is knocked out of her hand, and I’m again staring at the ceiling.

  “Jesus Christ, no!” Theo says with a voice full of panic. “You guys are so dead!”

  Brenna’s face pops into view in front of where the phone sits on the floor. “I’ll steal your number from his phone and text you. We’ll set something up. Lunch and shopping?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Taunting laughter follows as Theo retrieves his phone and comes into view, looking perplexed.

  “What did they do to you?”

  “Locked me in the closet,” he’s breathless, and I can’t stop laughing.

  “Not funny.”

  “Sorry, poor baby.”

  “I’d have been much better off with brothers.”

  “Ouch, Teddy!” I hear from somewhere in the house.

  “Go straight back to hell, Satan!” Theo shrieks.

  “Alright guys, kids, it’s Christmas.”

  “Really, Dad?” Theo says panting. “Now you’re going to butt in?”

  “God, I love your family already.”

  “You can have them.” He shakes his head solemnly. “I should have called you from the car. You don’t have to go shopping with them.”

  “I want to. Sounds fun. They seem awesome.”

  “Give it a year or twenty.” He walks to his bedroom, and I demand he give me a tour. He does a slow sweep of his room. It’s clean, and it’s obvious the house is nice. There are vacuum indents in the carpet.

  “Big. Comfy.”

  “I like your bedroom better,” he says suggestively. “Or my other room.”

  He lays back on his bed, the phone hovering above his face.

  “I love this view.”

  “Yeah?” He says before playfully biting his lip. “What’s good about it?”

  I lift a brow.

  “Funny, I like it just the opposite.”

  “You weren’t saying that the other night.”

  “Should I shut my door so we can discuss this in more detail?”

  “Nah, my mom is in earshot.”

  “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m good now. Watching the sideshow with your sisters got me out of my headspace.”

  “Sure?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure. Hurry home…” I feel the blush creep up my face. “I mean back.”

  “Home,” he says. “I don’t live here anymore.”

  “Right.”

  “Don’t be embarrassed.”

  “I’m not.”

  “I’m ready to come home, to you.”

  “Okay.”

  “Merry Christmas, Laney.”

  “Merry Christmas, Houseman.”

  Theo

  Lying on my bed, in my new navy dress pants, collared shirt, and tie, I bounce my stress ball off the ceiling. I’ve never been so restless in my life. While I love my family, they are nowhere near as entertaining as the feisty brunette who’s taking up a majority of my thoughts, my time. Things moved fast after we got physical, and I had to convince myself on the drive giving us space would give me perspective. But at this point, it’s all I can do to keep from packing my car and making an excuse to head home. Nora crosses my thoughts, and I shake the image away of her tear-soaked confession.

  “It just happened.”

  It’s the only thing keeping me from making the drive. With Laney, I have to pace myself. I can’t let my heart rule my head. I’ve done that, and I have no intention of walking the plank again without ample reason to. But somewhere beneath all this caution is a white flag waving half-mast ready for me to simply give in. Laney isn’t Nora, and I can’t grudge one for the other’s mistake. But if I’m forced to live by experience, I can’t help but to weigh the risk. Laney has the ability to hurt me. But how much of myself do I want to invest in a woman who has to stand in the junk food aisle for ten minutes to make a simple decision. She’s unsure about everything, and who’s to say in a month or a day she won’t feel the same about me.

  Am I an asshole for thinking it?

  “Aww,” Courtney draws from the frame of my bedroom door, “look, Jamie, he’s daydreaming about his girlfriend.”

  I groan, throwing my arm over my eyes as I toss the ball in the direction of my door.

  “Can you two please go find some garland to strangle each other with?”

  “As much as I want to Freud you, little brother, we’ve got to go. Yuletide is calling, and Dad’s pacing downstairs.”

  “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  Jamie pries my arm from my face. “Come on, do your duty and you can come back here and sulk.”

  “Hurry up, boy sperm,” Courtney taps the door before taking her leave as Jamie lingers behind.

  “What?” I feel her stare as I lift to sit, grabbing my suit jacket.

  “You really like this one.”

  “Isn’t it obvious?”

  “Just be careful.”

  Jamie was the one who drove down when Nora dropped the bomb. For a week straight, she stayed at my side, mostly silent as I went through the motions. She’d played big brother, got me drunk for a couple of days while she cleaned out every piece of memorabilia from my life, and then forced me out of bed into the shower.

  “Not too careful. I want you to take the chance again, to be happy,” she says, a pensive expression flitting across her features. “I just don’t ever want to see you like that—”

  “I know. Don’t worry.”

  “Can’t help it.”

  “I got you something,” I say, changing the subject.

  “Oh yeah?” She lights up.

  I reach into my duffle and pull out the wrapped box. “It’s one more than I got Court and Brenna, so don’t rat me out, okay?”

  “You aren’t supposed to have a favorite,” she says with a light laugh.

  “I think that rule is for moms, and anyway look at your competition.”

  She nudges me. “Courtney loves you. Brenna too.”

  “I know. Just open it.”

  She rips off the paper with enthusiasm. “Oh my God.” She lifts the inscribed bar necklace and reads the scroll on both sides.

  “One side means word warrior and the other, seeker of justice,” I explain. I thought you could wear it your first day in court, you know, as a good luck charm.”

  “This is beautiful,” she says, choking up.

  “Don’t you dare cry.”

  “I can’t help it.” She hugs me tightly to her, and I hug her back. “This is everything. Thank you.”

  “I’m proud of you. You worked your ass off.”

  “You’re too cool, little brother.”

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “Merry Christmas, Teddy.” She pulls away and smiles. “Come on, before Dad has a coronary.”

  At the foot of the stairs, we’re greeted by my dad who gives us a dead stare while helping Mom into her coat. We go to the annual neighborhood Christmas party held at the clubhouse every year, but this year is different because one of Dad’s new golfing buddies, who he’s set on impressing, just moved into the neighborhood and mentioned stopping by. And Dad rarely misses an opportunity to showboat his family. We take the freezing walk to the clubhouse, my sisters’ heels clicking on the sidewalk as Courtney belts out “Jingle Bells” like she’s one of the wicked stepsisters. My mother sighs and leans over to my dad. “I’ll admit, I dropped that one.”

  “I knew it,” he replies dryly before they share a smile.

  “I heard that,” Courtney says. “I’m still an improvement from the boy sperm.”

  We enter the clubhouse, and as usual, it’s decked out. We live in one of the more exclusive neighborhoods in the Houston suburbs. My parents are socialites and make it their mission to keep their calendar full. This particular party they attend because of the few coveted awards—including best garden—passed out each year. They even give out ridiculous little glass trophies. Mom has won it twice, and I swe
ar she shines them once a day. The whole ritual is absurd, but we humor them because appearances are important to them, and they are genuinely proud of us. I think about Laney’s slice of peaceful heaven in the middle of nowhere compared to the industrial park I grew up in. It’s like night and day. We come from completely different worlds, and yet I’m comfortable in hers. I wonder if she would feel the same in mine.

  “There they are!”

  A few neighbors greet my parents as we offspring plaster on smiles.

  “And this is my son, Theo, and my daughter, Jamie. Jamie graduated last May and is with a new firm. She has her first day in court on Monday, and Theo is a junior at TGU. Music major.” My dad beams with pride as Jamie and I show our teeth for inspection like prized ponies.

  The man extends his hand, and I shake it.

  “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  He grins over at me. “Call me, Jim. And I was a Grand Man myself.”

  My father’s smile grows Grinchy big. “I didn’t know that.”

  Jim leans forward and claps me on the back. “Loved that school. Time of my life.” He gives me a knowing wink.

  I nod uneasily because I get the same vibe from him that I do from Troy. And from the looks of him and his wife, he’s kept his playboy appetite. He’s got an arrogant type of confidence that only goes along with a lifetime of getting his way.

  I play along with the humdrum of the conversation with my thoughts never two blinks away from Laney. We make our rounds until our parents get caught up in gossip and we’re stuck chugging spiked nog on the sidelines.

  “Maybe we can make a run for it,” Brenna says with a sigh.

  My mother looks over at us right at that moment and narrows her eyes.

  “I think we’re bugged,” Jamie says. “The woman knows everything as it happens.”

  “We are,” Courtney confirms. “No doubt. We’re bugged. She’s been doing it since we were young. She just knows.”

  “Drink up, Dad’s doing that laugh.”

  “Oh God, not the laugh.”

  We all groan when we see him toss his head back and cackle like a hyena.

  “Shit,” Courtney says. “I can’t believe we share DNA.”

  “They are such fakes sometimes,” Brenna says as she lifts her phone, the three of them simultaneously doing duck lips before the flash goes off.

  “Good one, it’s going up.” The girls weigh in on the picture and nod in approval.

  “Oh, I almost forgot, this coworker was telling me about this crazy couple yesterday, she said they’re hilarious.” Brenna taps on her phone with the speed of a magician. “My real life,” she frowns, searching her thoughts as I choke on my eggnog. “Crap, I forget the name. My Realest life. That’s it.”

  “We should go make the rounds,” I suggest holding out a plate of sugar cookies to the three of them like bait. Look, sugar. Sugar.

  Courtney is the only one to take it.

  Resorting to the phone slap tactic, I’m stopped with my own man slap to the shoulder.

  “So, you’re a fighting Ranger?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As if my dad can smell blood in the water, he saunters over to join us.

  “I’ve got a few buddies left out that way, maybe we should make a trip down there soon.” He nods towards his wife, who only bobs her head in agreement. It might be wrong for me to assume she’s arm candy, but it’s the only conclusion I can draw when my mom prompts her for conversation, and she gives nothing but short, clipped answers. She’s probably bored and enduring this party like the rest of us. I can’t help but to think of what a change in dynamic it would be if Laney were standing here. For the next half hour, I’m forced to listen to Jim’s Grand Man stories. My father can’t get a word in edgewise and watches me intently. I have no desire to impress this man, but I do respect Dad enough to be polite and indulge his bullshit.

  “Course I had to get the hell out of there,” he drains the last of his drink. “Not much to entertain there but the school.”

  “Oh, he’s entertained,” Courtney spouts.

  My mother sighs in annoyance and eyes Courtney in warning.

  Jim catches on because…Courtney. “Ahh, yeah. Can’t argue with that type of distraction. Just make sure to avoid the noose,” he says, “if you know what I mean. It will only slow you down.”

  It’s official, I’m staring at Troy’s future.

  “He’s got a good head on his shoulders,” my dad interjects with genuine pride.

  Jim smiles, and it gives me pause. “Well, we have to head over to Chrissy’s parents for dessert. They’re holding our son hostage.” He pulls out his business card, and I read the bold print and look back at Jim’s profile.

  Jim exchanges pleasantries with my parents, and my mother elbows me to speak up when it’s my turn. Blood pulses at my temple as I nod and grit out a goodbye before I get another sound clap on the shoulder.

  “Call me if you need something to get you on your feet. Us Grand Men have to stick together.”

  When the door closes behind them, my parents head back into the party as Jamie eyes me while I slip out the front door. I catch them down the stone path of the clubhouse.

  “Your daughter is beautiful.”

  He pauses on the sidewalk, and they both turn to look at me in surprise.

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Your daughter. She’s beautiful, devastatingly so. She lights up every room she walks into.”

  I shove my hands in my pockets to ward off the cold. “She’s smart, outspoken, and can be a handful, but she can handle herself in any situation.”

  “Excuse me, but are you talking about Elai—”

  “She’s got an addiction to junk food and an odd taste in idols, but it should come as no surprise to you that they’re all women.”

  He stands stunned as he reads my hostile expression.

  “She could probably run a mile in her boots on the beach without breaking a sweat. She’s pure country, and I’m positive that won’t ever change. She’s a pessimist with an optimistic heart, and I am falling madly in love with her.”

  I study his profile as it changes from shock to remorse.

  “She’s my favorite person in the world, and I can’t imagine not knowing her. I can’t imagine having the chance to know her and throwing it away.”

  I take an aggressive step forward and catch his eager gaze. He clearly wants more but is too much of a coward to ask.

  “She’s going to graduate soon, and I’m going to do my damnedest to be the man in her life. You don’t deserve to know any of this. But you deserve to regret your decision.”

  “So, she’s—”

  “Better off.” I pull his card from my pocket, rip it in half and toss in on the sidewalk between us. “Sorry, Jim. I’m just not your kind of Grand Man.”

  I retreat back to the party and shut the door behind me. I expect to be met with the hostile eyes of my parents; instead, I’m met with three pairs of surprised eyes.

  “This is you?” Courtney says lifting her phone. “Fifty-six thousand followers? Are you fucking serious?”

  Brenna snatches the phone away from her. “I can’t believe this is you, you’re famous!”

  I snort. “We are not famous.”

  She walks up to me and shoves the phone in my face. “Fifty-six thousand people are watching your every move, Theo.”

  I shrug. “It’s just a school project for Laney.”

  “A school project that’s got the two of you trending as the couple to watch in 2019.”

  I try to ignore the small swell of pride I feel for her, for us. For what started out as a friendship and has turned into the most amazing thing to happen to me.

  “Seriously, Theo?” Jamie asks with a little hurt in her voice. “Why would you keep this from us?”

  “I think that’s obvious,” I take a step back as they circle me like vultures.

  “Well, you’re screwed now, little brother. We’re definitely coming fo
r a visit.

  “Bet it up, punk, she’s our new best friend.”

  “I still can’t believe this is you, boy sperm.”

  Grannism—Not all men are created equal. Half of them were created due to God’s sense of humor.

  Laney

  It’s my first ever White Christmas, and some part of me believes the credit belongs to Gran. The view of the trees from the porch is spectacular. Mom and I bundle up under the blanket on the wicker couch sipping hot cocoa mixed with coffee while watching the snow fall.

  It’s more ice than snow at this point, but equally as beautiful. Before I was serving coffee to the masses, gathering on the porch for morning coffee was Mom, Gran’s, and my routine. Then Mom took a second shift, Gran got sick, I got the barista job, and our routine changed. It had to. I didn’t like it. None of us did. There are times in your life where change is welcome, but this isn’t one of them. Because for the first time in months, I’m completely at peace sitting next to my mother.

  “Wow,” she says, admiring our view. Stretching out a newly unwrapped off-brand Ugg, I appreciate my own view. She places a hand on my candy cane covered thigh.

  “You like them?”

  “I love them so much. Thank you, Santa.” I kiss her cheek.

  “You know your Gran would always stand guard while I put all your stuff together. If you so much as moved in your sleep, she would come running down the hall demanding I pack up and wait. As soon as I did, we’d peek in to see you were fast asleep. Drove me insane, but she did not want you to find out about Santa.”

  I grin. “Sounds like her.”

  “She said not to ever ruin a kid’s magic. There’s not enough of it in the world anymore.”

  “I agree.”

  “But I think this is pretty magical.”

  “I was thinking it could be her.”

  Mom’s lips quiver. “Maybe it is.”

  “I think it is, Momma,” I take her hand in mine and squeeze it.

  Mom lifts a tear from beneath her eyes and nods. “Let’s not cry. Let’s smile for her today.”

  “Yeah. I’m with you.”

  “So, you seem happy these days.”

  “I am.”

  She smiles and bumps shoulders with me.