He shrugged. "I am a waiter, Mia." He confirmed adamantly. "Now stop pestering me about my career. I know it's a bullshit job. But I'm working on it. When I'm out of this mess, I promise I'll go to college and study business and, you know, really change my life."
"How long will that take?" I asked, staring at him long and hard. I knew Andy could do it. He was intelligent. He had very good marks back in high school, jumping grades and everything. He even landed himself a scholarship. If only certain shit didn't happen with Uncle Herbert, destroying his self-esteem, then he would have been a college graduate by now and working in a proper company, earning a steady living. Maybe even with a nice girl to settle down with.
"I don't know. Maybe another three to four years," he said.
I smiled at him. "Are you looking forward to it?"
He looked a little lost at my question. He glanced away, and I saw the slight panic in his eyes. "I... I don't know."
I frowned. Surely, he must be looking forward to a better future?
"You do want to leave this type of life, right?" I glanced around the place, and thought actually, this was quite nice. The room, I meant.
I used that to encourage him. "Imagine this as your own place and not Matt's."
He smiled. "Yeah. That bastard. I'm going to get me a place like this myself, just to show him I can do it. Just to show him I mean business."
I laughed. "That would be so wonderful, Andy. You'll have a room for me when I come to visit, yeah?"
He pulled me into his arms and chuckled. "Are you kidding me? Visiting? No way. You're staying with me, sis. Once I get to that stage, you'll quit that pathetic job of yours and will be living with me."
I snorted. "What about your girlfriend or wife or whatever?"
I watched him closely and saw the dark look in his eyes again. "I'm not interested in that, Mia."
I licked my lips and nodded. "I guess you want to get your life sorted out first. I understand. I'd do the same. It's easier, isn't it?"
He sighed. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm never going to get me a wife. Or a girlfriend for that matter."
"Huh?" I sat up and stared at him.
"Do you hate me, Mia?" he asked, desperation in his voice.
My heart ached for him. I didn't know what he meant, but regardless of what it was, I'd always support him.
"I'd never hate you, Andy. You're my brother," I said, hugging him tight.
He stroked my back and nodded. "Thanks, sis. You're awesome." He leaned back and frowned. "And why the hell are you wearing such a big shirt?"
I smiled and shrugged. "Would you believe me if I told you a very tiny canine destroyed most of my clothes I brought along with me? Followed by a humongous canine who likes to rip my clothes for fun?"
He blinked and then burst out laughing. "What the hell!" He continued laughing merrily, and I loved that. I loved it when he laughed with such abandonment, as if he didn't have a care in the world. In a way, it signified to me that life for him was good, and I was happy and relieved.
Once he managed to stop, he said, "We have the worst of luck, eh? You and I?"
I agreed by nodding.
Andy stood. "Come on. Take that off. I'll lend you my shirt. At least we're pretty close in size."
"No, that's okay," I said, blushing. The reason I didn't want to take off the shirt was because of the bruises on my body, and also, I couldn't bear to part with James's shirt. I'd come to like it so very much.
Andy caught my wrist and pulled me up to him. "We're siblings, Mia. I know we're not the same gender, but what the heck? Better you wear my shirt than that humongous thing. It looks like you're drowning in it."
It was true. I looked ridiculous. I burst out laughing. "You're right."
"See?" Andy confirmed. Then he led me around the coffee table toward the walk-in-wardrobe on the other side nearer the bathroom and bed.
Inside, I gasped at how immaculate the place was. Expensive, sleek suits, shirts, and pants hung neatly on the hangers. Ties were folded and placed in their slots. Gosh. Talk about a neat freak. Everything was clean and sleek and just so OCD.
"Wow! It's very immaculate in here," I commented.
"I keep my side nice and tidy, too" Andy said, drawing my attention to him. "You know me."
Yes, I knew my brother. He liked his place clean and tidy, like me. But not to the extreme like this, and I knew it was Matt. I should call him Matt the clean freak! Or Matt the control freak! Matt the OCD freak!
"But, you know, sometimes I mess it up just to piss him off," he said, a hint of teasing in his voice. "And it really pissed him off." I noted he was shuddering slightly, and a smile crept across his lips.
"What type of relationship do you have with Matt?" I couldn't help asking. They were sharing a place and a wardrobe. And Matt certainly did not treat Andy like his friend.
James and Matt? Yes, they were definitely friends. But not Andy with Matt. There was something else, deeper and weirder, between the two that I couldn't put my finger on.
I watched Andy as his hands paused on one of the shirts. There was a long silence, as though he were struggling with the answer himself.
I felt uncomfortable. I loved Andy, but his relationships with other people were his business, not mine. I felt like I'd just overstepped my boundary and worked to rectify myself.
"I'm sorry, Andy. You don't need to answer that question."
"No," he said quietly. "That's not it." Another pause and then, "I don't know. I don't know what our relationship is."
He sighed deeply and unhooked that particular shirt. It was a light-blue and-dark gray checked shirt. He handed it to me and then proceeded to find me a pair of jeans.
"Andy, no need for the jeans. Just the shirt will do."
He glanced at me and shook his head. "With that short dress, you're way too tempting for those lousy
men on the streets, Mia. You don't understand men. You're too innocent, living in such a small town where no one knows you exist. I was innocent, too. Until I came here."
He grabbed a pair of jeans from a slot in the corner and handed them over to me. "Here, change."
I took the offered pants and nodded. "Okay. Thanks, Andy."
He chuckled. "No problem."
I began to undo the button as he turned. He was about to head out the door when he stopped in his tracks and just stared at me. He looked sick.
"What's wrong?" I asked. "Andy?"
He didn't say a word, just grabbed my wrist and pealed the material of my shirt over my chest.
"What the hell?" he swore, his eyes dark.
I was confused and turned my eyes to look down at myself. There was a dark bruise on my chest and lower, too, still covered by the shirt. Shit! I thought in dread. I knew this would happen. I knew Andy would react when he saw the bruises.
Oh, when we had been living under Uncle Herbert's reign, he'd seen enough bruises on me to last both our lives. That was why he'd vowed to protect me, whatever may come, even putting himself in the firing line. That was why he never wanted to see another bruise on me ever again.
Andy undid the rest of the buttons and took the shirt off me. With only my bra on, he twisted me around to examine me closely. I was more than a little shocked by his aggressive treatment.
"Andy! What the hell are you doing?"
He growled. "How the hell did you get all these bruises?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Well, what could I tell him? That I'd gotten those bite marks and bruises from James during our lovemaking sessions? No way!
"Mia? Tell me who the fuck hurt you!" He demanded.
I bit my lip and stammered, "No one hurt me, Andy. It's fine."
He raked his hand through his hair in frustration. "Fuck me!"
I was pissed, too. "Andy, you never use that type of language."