The Inevitable

We head out to greet them, and maybe it’s brotherly intuition, but something feels off… tense… between them.

“You’re back early,” Sierra says when we get out to the living room.

Blakely eyes me curiously.

“I didn’t spend the night,” I tell her, wrapping my arm around Sierra. “Just brought breakfast over. I hope that’s okay.”

“This is just as much Sierra’s home as it is mine,” Blakely says with a forced smile plastered on her face. “Of course, you’re welcome here.”

There’s a knock on the door, and Keegan answers it. “Yeah?” he asks, his voice filled with contempt.

“I’m here for Zane,” a masculine voice says.

“For what?” Keegan asks.

Brenton steps around him and enters the apartment. “It’s the last Sunday of the month.” When Blakely looks at him confused, he adds, “Home Depot day.”

“Yes! Home Depot day!” Zane yells, running out, fist-pumping the air, and then darting back into his room. A minute later, he comes back out, holding a bright orange apron in his hand. “I’m ready!”

“Ready for what?” Keegan asks, confused.

“On the last Sunday of every month, Brenton takes Zane to Home Depot for their craft day. They make stuff out of wood. Sierra and I usually go get our nails done,” Blakely explains.

“Like hell he is,” Keegan hisses, turning toward Brenton. “You’re not taking my fucking kid anywhere.”

Oh shit, this isn’t going to end well.

“Daddy, you said a bad word!” Zane giggles, having no idea his dad is about to beat the shit out of his mom’s friend.

“Sorry, bud,” Keegan says. “Why don’t you go play in your room while Mommy and I talk?”

Zane’s face falls, but he does as his dad says and goes to his room.

Once he’s out of earshot, Keegan and Blakely get into an argument about Brenton taking Zane. Blakely doesn’t understand why Keegan isn’t okay with it, and Keegan can’t explain it to her. I keep my mouth shut the entire time, staying close in case Keegan loses his shit and tries to hit Brenton. I wouldn’t blame him, but it would fuck everything up that he’s worked his ass off for.

“Fuck this!” Keegan yells, getting into Brenton’s face. “Anything happens to Zane, and I’m going to hunt you down and kill you.”

“Keegan!” Blakely yells. “Stop it!”

Keegan pushes past Brenton and stalks out the door. Before Blakely can chase after him, I stop her. “Let him go. He just needs to calm down.”

I follow him, catching up to him just before he takes off in his truck. “You need to chill the hell out.”

“Fuck that!” he barks. “That asshole doesn’t belong anywhere near my kid or girlfriend.”

“And you’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen, but in order for you to do that, you need to calm down. Keep that shit up, and you’re going to fuck everything up.”

He releases a harsh breath. “Dammit, I know you’re right, but… fuck!”

“Remember the endgame.”

He nods once. “Yeah.”

“You going home to calm down?”

“Fuck, no, I’m going to follow his ass.”

“Figured.” I chuckle, knowing my brother too damn well. “Just don’t get caught.”

Not wanting to face Sierra right now, I get on my bike and head home. She’ll assume I went home with Keegan, which is for the best.

I’m home for about twenty minutes when a text comes in from Sierra: Blakely is upset. I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. I’m sorry. I know we were planning to hang out today, but I need to be here for my sister.

Me: It’s okay. It’s a shitty situation.

The next two days are spent with my brother freaking the hell out over the fact that Blakely isn’t talking to him. Not wanting to risk being put in a bad position, I keep it neutral when Sierra texts bitching about the situation. It’s late, probably ten o’clock, when there’s a knock on my door. I’m grading papers and have lost track of time. Having no clue who it could be since Keegan has a key and my parents would call first, I get up to answer the door.

“Who is it?”

“Sierra.” Sierra… I swing open the door and find her standing on the other side in a pair of tiny cotton shorts and a matching hoodie. Her hair is up in a messy bun, and her face is free of makeup. She looks gorgeous… and like she just woke up.

“Everything okay?” I open the door wider so she can walk through.

“Yeah,” she says, wrapping her arms around me as I close the door behind us. “Keegan showed up tonight. Blakey wasn’t home, so he waited for her. They must’ve made up because the last I heard was her screaming his name before I snuck over here.” She leans on her tiptoes and kisses me. “I was thinking we could have a sleepover of our own.”

“You sure as hell don’t have to tell me twice.” I scoop her into my arms bridal style and walk us to my bedroom, dropping her onto the bed. She shrugs out of her hoodie, leaving her in only a tiny tank top and shorts that could be considered underwear.