The Brother

6

That night I slept soundly. All day touring the school in the hot sun, then coming home to a freezing bath, put me to sleep like a baby.

Until I got the most obnoxious phone call. I was in the middle of a dream with Ray. Those never made me cry, just happy.

“Hello,” I groggily murmured into the phone. My alarm clock read 2:45. Who the hell was calling me at 2:45 a.m.? I didn’t recognize the caller ID. This better not be one of those ‘you should buy’ calls, I thought.

“Yes! Audrey, you’re still awake!” Seth slurred into the phone. Seth? What was Seth calling me at 2:45 in the morning, possibly drunk?

“Seth?” I sighed tiredly into the phone. “You better give me a good reason why you are calling me at this time, or I will hang up in ten…”

“I can only make one phone call!” he protested.

“Nine…”

“Okay, so I was drunk…”

“Eight… Seven…”

“Damn! Audrey! I got a DUI.”

“What?” I shouted into the phone and sat up straight in my bed. “What do you mean you got a DUI?”

“What do you think it means. I was ‘driving under influenced.’” He said goofily.

“What do you want me to do about it?” I asked.

“Well, my mom is sick of my attitude. I’ve already gotten in trouble with her enough. So, I need you to bail me out.” He pointed out so calmly.

“And how much would that be?”

“You know…” he muttered some number that was impossible to interpret.

“What?”

“$250! Okay! But! Before you say anything, I already have the money so you can come pick it up another time.” He forced out before I could say anything.

I had a lot of money in my savings. I pushed myself out of bed and agreed to bail him out. I got dressed in some sweats and a sweatshirt. I quietly snuck out of the house likes I’ve done a million times with Ray.

When I got the police station this old man named Stan with a coffee cup and donut helped me out.

“You his girlfriend?” he smiled at me when we started dealing with the bail.

“No! I’m his brother’s girlfriend.” I nodded my head. I didn’t mention he was dead. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself.

“Oh, why is he calling you?”

“He’ll get in trouble if he calls somebody else.”

“Are you going to tell his brother?”

“I think he already knows.” It was an inside joke. He’s in heaven, he can see what’s going on, probably laughing right now also.

When Stan led me to Seth’s cell, he wore a black leather jacket with a navy shirt covered in wet stains. He reeked like alcohol. “God Seth!” I fanned my face. “You reek.”

He gave me a sly smile, and took my hand. “I know. Thanks Stan.” Stan gave an incredulous look at our hands entwined together. They seemed so familiar together that I didn’t notice. I yanked my hand away.

When we were alone in my car I started to yell at him. “What the hell do you think you are doing? Getting a DUI, while you are in medical school? Don’t wreck your life with drinking!” I slapped his shoulder and started the car.

He laughed. “Does this happen often?” I asked.

“Well, I am twenty-one, so I can drink. On my twenty-first birthday I got one. I got my ID suspended for two weeks.” He laughed again. How was this funny?

“What does your school think about all this?” I asked pulling out of the driveway.

“The first time they gave me a warning. Now, I don’t think they care.”

“Why don’t you think they care?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Because, Ray’s dead. My only sibling is dead. They have been taking it easy on me because they know how I feel. They pity me.” He sighed.

“Do you want them to pity you?”

“No, it’s annoying. People always ask me, ‘are you okay?’ blah blah blah.” He grumbled and tapped his foot on the car floor.

“Yeah, I don’t like that either,” I murmured under my breath.

“See, it’s annoying. That’s why I’m not asking you. You seem like the girl that wouldn’t like that.”

“I think everybody doesn’t like that too.” I said. I was mixed. I liked talking about him, but I hated talking about him. Both lead to tears either way.

“You’d be surprised. A lot of people in therapy like talking about who they lost.” He said. Partly me, I thought.

“Yeah, okay, anyways, here’s your stop.” I stopped in front of his apartment. He sometimes stayed at his parent’s, but they would probably catch him sneaking in. They always heard Ray sneaking in, but never out.

“Audrey, please don’t scream.” He whispered.

“What?”

But before I could ask more he pushed his lips together with mine. His lips were cool and soft, like Ray’s. The way he kissed was exactly like Ray’s. The way he moved from side to side on the top lip. I let him go for a couple of seconds before I pushed him off.

I couldn’t. “No, get out Seth!” I pointed furiously at the car door. “I will scream you have five…”

“I’m sorry I just had to!”

“Four…

“Okay! I’m sorry bye!” he quickly rushed out before I got to one.

Deep down, somewhere inside of me, I wished he would come back.