Summer with the Bertram Brothers

f i v e - w a v e s

Morning gleams in my window. I check the clock. It's still pretty early. That aspirin I had last night sure knocked me out quick. I rub my head, feeling all right. I kick the covers and stand up. I take the longest shower and walk to the lake. 

No one is there except my boat. I sigh and hop in it and decide to leisurely row to Trim's Island. If he's been here so often, how come I've never seen him around here before? I wonder. 

I smell the fresh plants and sit back on the rock like before. He's right; it's great to unwind here. But, I start to think about my dad. I miss him too much. 

I hate how everyone acts like they're okay when really, I'm the only sane person in this house. Mom's taking dozens of unneeded prescription drugs per day. Eva's bulimic just so everyone can like her. Doyle goes out of town to smuggle illegal things to sell them here. But, somehow, everyone thinks I'm crazy for wanting to grieve a little. 

I press my fingers through my hair. They think I don't know about them. But when you're the youngest and everyone ignores you, you notice things. This is why I worry so much. It's like they want me to forget everything. To forget the grey day when the coffin was buried in flowers. To forget the months of screaming and fighting and crying. To forget mom's over dosage. To forget that news report of the fallen plane to Moscow. To forget Dad ever existed. 

I've never seen my family so unbalanced. Everyone's depending on themselves. I wish we could just be and lean on one another when times are rough. I hate them for leaving me high and dry. Mom's never there. Eva sees me as some kind of competition thing to bully now that I've come of age. Doyle uses me as some bank account to mother's wallet. 

I can't seem to forget everything like they want me to. They say not to talk about our problems. I snort at the thought. Whatever, I thought, I can forget about it. It's summer, summer, summer.

It's summer with the Bertram brothers. 

I come back home and see Eva in front of the fridge. She sees me and closes it.

"Morning," I huff. 

She smiles with venom leaking through her teeth.

"There you are, little sister," she says, swaying her hips side to side, coming to me. The counter separates us like a potential battlefield, "Had your fun last night, I suppose?"

I nod, "How are things with Rico?"

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"I mean..." I twirl my hand and grab an apple, "Sex. How's sex with Rico?"

She laughs, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Well, I do. Unless, he actually doesn't like you."

"He does like me, okay," she emphasizes.

"So you haven't had sex with him yet?" I bite my Granny Smith.

She rolls her eyes, "Where is this coming from?"

"I don't know. You seem to be all over him all the time. I can't even get a chance to talk with him without you being around. It's not like he's yours—"

"Shut up, Ambi. And don't bother him. He has better things to do than to talk with you."

"Like kissing your ass?"

She glares me down and at my sarcasm.

I continue talking, "I talk to whoever I talk to, okay?"

I take the phone off the wall and dial Winnie's phone number to make plans with her.