My Brothers

Chapter 13: School Test Results

E V A N N A

"Thanks for letting me stay, Rose," Jeremy said, hugging her.

She smiled back. "Anytime, Jeremy."

"Bye, Kids," Jeremy turned to us. "Bye, my boys. I'll miss you."

"We won't," Brandon scoffed.

Ignoring him, Jeremy turned to me, smiling. "Bye, Evanna."

I gave him a small smile. "Bye."

We watched as he walked out of the house, closing the door behind him. I sat down on the couch, sighing. Andrew plopped down next to me, smiling. "You coming to the game tonight?"

"Football?" I asked.

Brandon nodded. "Yeah. You know how to play?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Isn't it when you like throw the ball into the Y-shaped or whatever it is and you tell touchdown or something? I don't know..."

Andrew laughed. "100%."

"Mom, Dad?" Brandon asked, turning to them.

Mom smiled kindly at him. "I'm sorry, hun. We got a call from a CEO in a company. We have a meeting. I promise I'll come next time."

Brandon stared at her. "You always say that. You never come."

She put her hand on his arm. "What do you mean? I came to a lot of your games—"

Brandon pulled away from her. "The last time you came was when I was 12, Mom."

She sighed softly, smiling sadly at him. "I'm sorry, Brandon. I try coming, but it never works out. You know I love you."

"Whatever," he muttered, going downstairs.

"Sometimes I think he acts childish just because our mom doesn't come to his games, but then I remember, imagine how hurt you'd be. Becoming captain since freshman year, which is a huge deal. Becoming the best player in the whole school. And then the people who have to support you the most never get to see," Andrew whispered to me.

My heart ached for him. "Yeah, I would be hurt..." I watched as mom walked upstairs, leaving us two the only ones in the living room.

Andrew leaned back in the couch, throwing his head back. "But to be honest, I think we're all used to it. She's never once came to any of my games. And she's missed our birthdays more than once. It's really sad because all we want is an actual parental figure... But I get it, she's busy. She doesn't have time for us."

I bit my lip. "Do you ever get mad at her for that?"

Andrew shook his head with a pained smile. "No. She's my mom. I just wish... I just wish I could meet my dad... I just wish I had someone care about me, like an actual parent."

He then laughed, trying to lighten up the mood. "Do you wanna swim with us? We were gonna go before the game—"

I looked away with a really awkward expression. "I can't... I can't swim, remember?"