intricacy | × [ON HOLD]

count eighteen

"M-Mandy?" Brent's voice trembled with disbelief and cracked with nervousness. His hand instantly started to feel too warm as it was still holding this girl's soft and small one. Hope flickered in his eyes as he studied this girl, his cheeks tinging pink. He pulled his hand back when he felt it start to sweat, wiping it on his jeans and clearing his throat. "Y-Yeah, nice to meet you too."

Brent could feel his brother's stare, though he ignored it. His mom felt the tension in the kitchen doorway and clapped her hands together while putting on a big smile.

"Alright! Who's hungry?" Their mother said cheerily, running off to gather the food to place it on the table. Brent's eyes were still on Mandy. He couldn't take his eyes off her, it's like she was glue, stuck with him, stuck in his mind. It can't be my Mandy, he thought, it can't be. Brent looked away from her finally and looked to Cameron who was now wearing a serious expression and staring daggers at Brent. Mandy's my brother's girlfriend? But, Brent looked back to Mandy who was still staring at him, she can't be my Mandy.

"Yo, bro, you there?" Cameron snapped his fingers in front of his brother's face. Brent flinched and blinked several times before turning to look back at his brother.

"Huh? Yeah. Yeah, just, I don't know, sorry. Zoned out I guess." Brent reached up and scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. Stepping back and looking down to let his brother and Mandy pass. Cameron walked past first and gestured for Mandy to follow. She continued to stare at Brent for a moment and then shook it off, following after her boyfriend.

Several awkward minutes later they were all seated at the table. Cameron and Mandy on one side and Brent and their mother on the opposite side, Brent happening to be across from Mandy.

"Hey, when's dad going to be home, Ma?" Cameron asked, reaching to place some meatloaf on his plate.

Their mother shrugged. "He texted me saying he was going to get home later than usual, you know how it can get in the ER."

"Your dad's a doctor?" Mandy asked curiously, turning to look at Cameron as he ate his food. He nodded back, hardly acknowledging her, enjoying his food. Brent just kept passing glances at Mandy, not that she noticed. Or maybe she did. Did she?

"Oh, yeah!" Their mom cut in, taking the attention off of her unmannered older son. "Cam didn't tell you?"

"Uh, not that I remember."

"Well, that's how I met Sam, you know?" The mother piped, blushing at the memory. "I was a patient, and clumsy old me fell down the stairs in my college dorm building and my friend dragged me to the hospital. I was fine, but she insisted. I got out with some scraps and bruises, your father patched me up." She smiled and looked to Cameron who was now watching his mom tell the story. "He was only an intern back then, but now he's a General Surgeon. He mainly handles the ER cases though."

Their mom went back to eating and Cameron nodded, continuing as well. Brent finished his veggies and leaned back, crossing his arms across his chest, causing Mandy to eye him weirdly.

Brent stared back at Mandy, both of them holding each other's eyes contact.

"My dad was actually a nurse, but he dropped out of the practice just a few months ago." Mandy said suddenly, moving her line of sight back to Brent's mom.

She nodded in acknowledgement to Mandy. "That sounds nice. Why'd he drop out if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, not at all, uh." Mandy cleared her throat and got flushed with redness at the question, turning back to her food and playing with it rather discreetly. "He and my mom got a divorce and the job reminded him too much of her. It wasn't exactly a mutual break up."