by J. M. Lamp
“So,” Nathan says, “how’s work going, Cod?”
“Good,” he says. “Besides getting attacked last week.”
Nathan looks up from his menu and says, “What?”
“I was leaving work and someone hit me from behind.”
“Did they catch the guy?”
“No,” he says.
“We checked all the security tapes,” I say, “but you can’t make out his face.”
“That’s just this city for you,” Cody says. He focuses in on his menu and coughs. “So, what are you doing here?”
“I’m checking things out,” Nathan says. “I’m trying to decide on which neighborhood to live in and how close it is to work.”
“So,” Cody says, “it’s a work thing?”
“I got a job offer to help train some fighters here,” he says. “I wasn’t going to take it, but moving closer to you seemed like a good idea.”
I don’t see an asshole sitting in front of me when Nathan talks. I know what an asshole sounds like, and Nathan isn’t one.
“I figured maybe you were going to fight again yourself.”
“I haven’t fought in years,” he says. “Not since…”
Cody looks up at Nathan and Nathan looks away.
“So, you were you a trainer in Texas then?” I ask him, trying to break the tension.
“Yes,” he says. “To be honest, Texas is hot and I also wanted to see what it was like on the opposite end of the country. Chicago seems nice.”
“It’s dangerous,” Cody says. “I’m sure you’ll have your fair share of people wanting to fight.”
“I won’t be training any professionals or anything. Just some people looking to get their start in MMA and then I’ll mostly just be teaching people how to defend themselves in general.”
“When are you officially going to be up here?” Cody asks him.
“After Thanksgiving,” he says.
Cody nods and looks back down to his menu. Nathan looks over at me, smiles, and then looks back down at his menu as well.
I almost want to laugh from how awkward I feel right now, but that probably wouldn’t be a good idea and Cody wouldn’t appreciate it.
“So,” Nathan says, “what do you do, Ethan?”
“I do security stuff for different companies around the city. It’s pretty boring, but I’m good at it and it pays really well.”
“I should give you the name of the gym I’m going to be working at,” he says. “The security is awful there. He doesn’t have any sort of system.”
“What gym is it?” I ask.
“McIntyre’s,” he says and I freeze.
“What?” Cody says.
“It’s down on—“
“Fourth and Hudson,” Cody says, “I know. My friend owns that gym. I go to the gym to workout.”
“I didn’t know you—“
“Of course you didn’t,” Cody says. “You don’t know anything about me because you haven’t talked to me in years. You just now starting talking to me again because you just so happen to be moving here and now, you’re going to be working where I spend a good part of my week.”
Cody puts his jacket on, laughs, and says, “This was a bad idea. I can’t…I can’t be here right now.”
“Cody,” I say.
“Let me out, Ethan.”
I get up and watch him as he storms down the walkway and out the front door. I close my eyes and sigh, sitting back down in the booth.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “He’s still recovering from last week and—“
“It’s me,” Nathan says. “He hates me, I know. He has a right to be. I abandoned him and I know he’ll never forgive me for everything.”
“He will,” I say. “Eventually.”
“There’s a lot that he doesn’t know,” he says. “A lot about me and my past and things that I’m not proud of. I have answers to all of his questions and I’m just too ashamed to give them to him.”
Nathan closes his eyes and looks away as a tear makes it’s way down his cheek. He looks over at me and smiles and says, “I just want my brother back.”
“You’ll have him back,” I say. “Trust me. I’ll talk to him.”
“Don’t tell him what I just said,” he says. “Please.”
“I won’t,” I say. “It was nice to meet you, finally.” I get out of the booth and shake his hand again. “I’m gonna go talk him down and I’ll see you again soon.”
“I’m glad Cody has you, Ethan,” he says. “If I never see you again, it was nice to meet you too.”
***
“I just think you got a little too excited is all,” I say, shutting the car door and making my way into the apartment complex. “And I think there’s more to your brother than you might know. Maybe he has reasons for everything that has happened.”
“Then why doesn’t he tell me?” he says. He unlocks the door and throws the keys on the table. They slide off and onto the floor, but he ignores them and goes straight to the fridge. “I’m done talking about it.”
“Cody, you—“
“Done, Ethan,” he says. “What do you want for dinner?”
“I don’t care,” I say, sighing.
I want to tell him what Nathan told me, but I know what Nathan is thinking: he doesn’t want Cody to come to him because he feels bad. Nathan wants Cody to talk to him because Cody wants to and not out of guilt.
“We could just go back out,” I say. “Have dinner just the two of us. It is Saturday night, after all.”
“Yeah,” he says, closing the fridge.
“Unless you want cereal or something?”
“Shut up,” he says. He rolls his eyes and a hint of a smile crosses his face as he grabs the keys off the floor and makes his way out the front door.
***
“You’re gonna have to talk to him eventually,” I say, twirling my fork around my spaghetti.
“Ethan,” he says, raising his eyebrows.
“I was thinking of inviting Hadley and Ian over for Thanksgiving,” I say. “Unless you’re mad at him now.”
“Ian doesn’t know about my brother,” he says.
“How?” I ask him. “He’s your best friend.”
“We just don’t talk about stuff like that.”
“I see.”
“That’s fine, though,” he says. “I’ll cook.”
“Good,” I say. “Hadley can’t cook worth shit and you know how well I do.”
“What about the others?”
“We had one together last year, but El and Will are going to Will’s sister’s house and Sam, for reasons I still don’t understand, is going back home with his sister for their family one.”
“What about your family?” he asks me.
“Hadley is coming.”
“Your mom and dad.”
“I haven’t had a Thanksgiving with them since before I graduated high school.”
“Why?”
“If we can’t talk about your brother,” I say, “then we aren’t talking about my family drama, either.”
“Yours is a tad different from mine,” he says.
“Yeah,” I say. “My reasoning is that my family doesn’t support who I am. Yours is because you’re stubborn and won’t talk to your brother.”
“Stubborn,” he says, laying his fork down on his plate.
“I just think there is more going on than what you know about him. If you want a relationship with your brother, then I think you should talk to him. I don’t want a relationship with my parents. I may regret that later, but right now, I don’t give a shit.”
He doesn’t say anything and continues eating his food.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I didn’t mean to piss you off.”
“You didn’t,” he says.
“Yes, I did.”
“It’s fine,” he says. “I’m just being stubborn.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cody
“Y OU’RE DOING IT WRONG,” Carrie says, g
rabbing the turkey baster out of my hand.
“Fine,” I say, laughing.
“Hey,” Ethan says, as he walks in the room and sets the bag of groceries down on the table.
“Get everything?” I ask him.
“I think so,” he says. He kisses me on the cheek and I edge away moving over to the groceries. He doesn’t say anything and starts setting the table.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Yep,” he says.
He finishes setting the table and goes into the living room.
“What’s with the tension?” Carrie whispers to me.
“It’s nothing,” I say.
“You guys have been weird for a few days now,” she says. “Usually you’re all over each other and now you barely speak.”
“Just not seeing eye to eye on some things.”
She goes back to the turkey and I look over at Ethan who is flipping through the channels on the TV. I know he means well with the whole Nathan thing, but it still bothers me that he’s trying to make it seem like nothing when he doesn’t understand the way I feel about it fully.
I make my way over to the couch and sit down beside him. He doesn’t look my way, or move in general, as I lay my arm against the couch behind him.
“What time is Hadley getting here?” I ask him.
“Soon,” he says.
“Cool.”
He goes to get off the couch and I grab his arm and pull him back down to me. He doesn’t look at me and closes his eyes as I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him into me.
“I’m sorry I pulled away from you,” I say.
“I’m used to it lately.”
“I’m confused about what to do with Nathan and I’m taking it out on you. I’m sorry for that.”
“It’s OK,” he says.
“No,” I say, turning his face towards me, “it’s not. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he says, laughing. “We’ll make up later.” He points towards the front door and in walks Hadley and Ian.
“Heeeey,” Hadley says, sitting down a bottle of wine on the table.
“Don’t you two just look adorable,” Ethan says, making his way off the couch and hugging Hadley.
“Hey, bud,” I say, shaking Ian’s hand.
“Thanks for the invite,” he says.
“Of course,” I say. “You’re always welcome.” Ian still doesn’t know about Nathan and I don’t know if I should even bring it up or not.
“Hi,” Carrie says, extending her hand out to Hadley, “I’m Carrie. Glad to finally meet you.”
“You too,” Hadley says, smiling. “It’s nice to have another girl around and not just a room full of sausages.”
“Really?” Ethan says. “Must you be so disgusting?”
“Shut up,” she says, punching Ethan in the shoulder.
“I agree,” Carrie says. “Sausage is great, but one is plenty for me.”
“Jesus,” I say. “I think everything is close to being done.”
“Just a little longer on the turkey,” Carrie says.
We make our way to the living room and sit around the coffee table. I sit in the recliner and Ethan sits on my lap, so Hadley and Ian can sit on the couch.
“So,” Ethan says, placing his hands over his knee, “are you two official or just having fun?”
“We’re getting to know each other, Ethan,” Hadley says.
“I see,” Ethan says.
“Just trying to take things slow,” Ian says.
“Whatever works,” Ethan says.
“What he means,” I say, “is that he think it is fantastic and he hopes it works out.”
“Yeah,” Ethan says. “Is that not what I said?”
***
“Three brothers and four sisters?” Hadley says in amazement. “Jesus, all I have is Ethan and I can barely handle that some days.”
“I’m jealous of you guys, honestly,” Carrie says. “I’m not close to any of them. Which, that’s probably a lot of me being stupid, but it’s also hard being the youngest and then trying to get close to one of them when they’re all already paired off.”
“Do any of them live around here?” Hadley asks.
“No,” Carrie says, “they’re pretty spread out. A few are still in Wisconsin where my parents are. A couple of them are in Nevada. One is in California. There’s one in Texas I think and then…Idaho.”
“Idaho?” Ethan says.
“Idaho,” Carrie says, laughing.
“Speaking of Texas,” Ian says, “I had no idea you had a brother, Cod.”
“Oh,” I say, “yeah. I heard he was going to be working at your gym.”
“Yeah,” he says. “Is that cool? I mean if you don’t want him around there then I can find him something else locally.”
“No,” I say, “it’s fine.”
“Okay,” he says. “He’s a really nice guy. He stopped by the day after you guys had dinner. He had nothing but good things to say. I couldn’t believe who he was when he told me.”
“We…don’t really talk,” I say.
“Oh?” Ian says.
“But, seriously,” I say, “it’s fine.”
“I hope you guys like leftovers,” Ethan says. “We don’t eat anything more than once.”
I make my way out to the balcony after dinner and lean my elbows on the porch railing. I feel like I’m going to vomit from all the food I’ve consumed and all I want to do is stay out here and not feel so confined inside the apartment.
The sliding-glass door opens behind me and Ian leans on the railing beside me.
“You want to tell me the story with your brother?” he says.
“Last week was the first time I had seen him in years. The first time since he left once he graduated. He’s been in Texas ever since.”
“And you just haven’t talked?”
“There’s more to it,” I say, “but it’s not important. He was a good fighter when he did fight. I’m sure he’ll do a good job training.”
“You’re sure it’s cool, him working there? I don’t want to make things weird for you.”
“Really,” I say, “it’s fine.”
“Well, this is cool, though, right? Him moving up here and you guys can talk again?”
“I’m not so sure,” I say.
“Look,” he says, “I have no idea what went on with you two, but take it from me, if he was to leave this earth tomorrow, you would regret it. Maybe there’s something that can be saved there, is all I mean.”
“So,” I say smiling, “just taking things slow, huh?”
“I’m still trying to figure her out,” he says, laughing. “She’s a lot like Carrie, and that scares me. I was a kid when I was with Carrie and I wasn’t ready for something real. So I don’t want to mess things up with Hadley.”
“Thanksgiving with her is a pretty good start to not messing it up I’d say.”
“I don’t have anybody special, anyway, so it was nice to come,” he says.
“So,” I say, “did my brother say why he came here?”
“You,” he says. “He told me when I first met him that his brother lived in the city and he wanted to be closer to him. I had no idea it was you until he told me after the fact. I think he thought he wasn’t gonna get the job because of what happened to him, but I don’t judge people. It’s who we are now that matters, not who we used to be.”
“Because of what happened to him?”
“With the injury and the drugs,” he says.
I lose my breath and look at him surprised.
He raises his eyebrows and says, “Why do I get the feeling that I wasn’t supposed to say that?”
***
Everyone leaves and I do the dishes while Ethan helps Carrie take stuff out to her car. Carrie is going on a trip for a few days to get away from work and school and I get Ethan all to myself tonight.
“Today has been so long,” Ethan says, shutting the door behind him.
“We should find a way
to properly wind down then,” I say. I dry my hands as he wraps his hands around my waist.
“I’m sorry for pushing,” he says.
“It’s OK,” I say. “Maybe there is more to it then we know.”
“I don’t know,” he says. “I’m gonna go shower.”
He makes his way to the bathroom and once I hear the shower start running, I make my way into the bathroom, as well. I sit my clothes in a pile beside his and walk closer to the curtain. I pull it back and Ethan is leaning against the side of the shower, drenching his head in the hot water.
He looks over at me and smiles as I put my hands on his hips and bring him closer into me. I kiss him on the lips as he puts his fingers in my hair. I make my way from his mouth to his neck and he puts his hand on my head, burying me deeper into him.
I grab a washcloth from behind him and lather it with body wash. He flips around and I run it along his neck, down his back and between his cheeks. I kneel down and run the washcloth up his legs, into his thighs, and flip him around. I run it down his stomach and he moans once I make my way to his cock. I let it fall to the floor and grab a hold of his cock, rubbing the tip with my thumb.
He grabs a hold of it and smiles as he gently smacks it against my lips. I take it in my mouth and swing his hips to the side as he leans against the wall of the shower. He stand on one leg and sets the other on the edge of the bathtub as he motions his hips back and forth, thrusting himself deeper and deeper into my mouth. I play with myself a little, moving with the motions of his hips, as he digs his hands in my hair and lets out an ‘oh fuuuck’.
“I’m close,” he says. He speeds up his thrusting and I speed up my jerking as his legs start to buckle and he comes in my mouth. I come all over the bathtub floor and lie back as he lies down in my lap and wraps his hands around my neck.
“Never a dull orgasm with you,” he says, resting his head under my chin.
“Never.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ethan
“I DIDN’T KNOW CODY WAS A December baby,” Elliot says, putting the chips in the cart.
“I didn’t either,” I say. “He didn’t even tell me.”