Too Close For Comfort (LH) (PT1&2)

36. Catch Fire

"I'm telling you it goes there!"

"And I'm telling you it doesn't fit!" Me and Connor were putting up Liz's fancy plates.

Liz hosted a huge dinner for the kids and their plus ones. Connor brought Dale, Bradly brought Sarah and her kids, Jack's friend even showed up. Now I've officially met everyone!

Liz had gone all out. Nice plates, big homemade meals. The six of us had to clean the entire house, while her and Daniel shopped. Everyone dressed up. It reminded me of the stereotypical Sunday dinner after church. Except it wasn't Sunday and we didn't go to church.

After everyone left Liz went to lay down, and the Storms were doing the dishes. Liz stored her nicer pieces above the fridge. Somehow I ended up being the one to put everything away while Connor dried and Bradly washed. Both of them were stationed on the ground, however I was up on the counter, and when that didn't work I climbed on top of the fridge.

"Make it fit!" Connor stacked the dry dishes, waiting for me to put them away.

"That may work for you and Dale, but this porcelain glass will shatter," Bradly burst out laughing at my irritated remark. Connor smacked my thigh with the damp towel.

"I can't remember the last time I heard you two banter like this," Bradly was the first one of us to move to Australia with Daniel. It's been a while since the three of us were crammed into a house for more than a week, and me and Connor had been at it all day, just like when we were kids.

"A good five years," I remembered the exact day Bradly left. It was a Thursday in June. June seventh to be exact. Ironically it was a sunny day. Most kids were playing outside, not me. I tried to ride my bike to the airport, but I didn't get very far. My Uncle, West, picked me up. Me and Connor stayed with him that month.

West and my mom were siblings. Despite the blood relation they don't get along. West and my dad were great friends. After Daniel left West moved in with us. He took care of me and Connor, while mom ran off somewhere. She would stop by every now and then, but it wasn't till she came back with Tod that Uncle. West moved out.

"How is Janice?" Bradly hesitantly asked. He had trouble saying our mom's name. They hadn't seen each other sense he left, Bradly was seventeen at the time.

"Brad," Connor's body froze like a statue. Jack informed me the two didn't talk about our mother; that was probably for the best. None of us had a great relationship with her, but out of the three of us Connor despised her the most. I shivered at the memories, he had good reason to hate her.

"Just curious," Bradly looked back at me for answers. Curious wasn't the right word. Bradly was a family man, he cared for everyone, even the ones who weren't particularly kind to him.

Bradly and Janice didn't fight often, but he was old enough to see through her bullshit. He'd beg her to stay home and be a part of our lives. Janice always picked the road.

At the end of the day Bradly was still her favorite. She would constantly ask me about him. She dreamt of the day her baby boy would come home to her. I wouldn't tell Bradly that, because that's exactly what he would do. Despite his personal needs and mental health he would run back to Janice in hope that she'd be the mom she never was. The mom she'll never be!