Brothers

Chapter 32

Christians POV

"Okay okay okay, when Hardin was like three, he used to follow me around everywhere." I laugh, taking a sip from my water glass.

Hardin rolls his eyes at me and chuckles.

"So this one time my friends and I, my friend Jack got a new bike. So we thought it would be fun to race."

"Oh my god not this story." Hardin laughs biting his head in his hands, embarrassed.

"No one else had a bike. So we took the garbage can, which had wheels. We stuck Hardin inside the garbage can and rolled him down the street to see who would win." I laugh, barely getting the words out.

"I broke my elbow because of you assholes." Hardin laughs.

Tessa and Anastasia giggle, looking at each other.

"Mum was so pissed. I got my ass whooped that night when we got home from a hospital."

"I was in a cast for the whole summer." Hardin laughs.

Hardin looks at Tessa, and Tessa takes his hand.

"You know I was the cuter brother back then. Still am." Hardin tells Tessa, giving her a wink.

"I bet you were." Tessa winks back.

"I was the cuter brother, I got all the girls back then." I argue.

Anastasia swats at me and gives me a smirk.

"I got the best girl now." I lean in and whisper to Anastasia giving her a kiss.

We continue to share stories at dinner, telling stories from our childhood before everything fell apart.

After dinner, the girls head into the kitchen. Theodore follows Anastasia begging her to let him have ice cream.

Phoebe sits at the table coloring a picture.

"Hardin. Come outside with me." I say, nodding towards the door.

Hardin gets up and follows me to the back patio.

I take a cigar out of my suit pocket and light it. I take a puff and offer Hardin some. He turns down the offer, waving his hand in front of him.

"I wanted to thank you for coming over."

"Tessa wanted to come over. She really likes Anastasia." Hardin says.

"Anastasia likes Tessa as well." I smile.

I take another puff of my cigar.

"It means a lot that you're coming around again. I'm having a lot of fun getting to know you. I know what I did in the past I don't deserve it — but I'm glad that we're okay again."

Hardin looks up at me and smirks.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"What happened happened. It's time I let it go."

I look at him, shocked by his answer.

"Who are you and what have you done with my brother?" I joke.

Hardin laughs.

"What. All I'm saying is I can't hold on to that anger forever. I can't hate the world forever yeah?"

"I think I like Tessa ever more now." I chuckle.

"Why's that." Hardin laughs.

"Because whatever she's doing, she's changed you."

"Tessa just showed me the light. She never gave up on me when she could have."

"Well in that case I hope you marry her." I smile.

"I'm going to." Hardin digs into his pocket and pulls out a small box.

He hands the box to me. I look at him and smile before opening it.

When I open the box, there's a ring. Not too big, the diamond is simple. The band is braided around. On the inside of the band there are words.

Whatever our souls are made of, hers and mine are the same.

I look up at him and smile.

"You quoted Emily Brontë" I smile.

He shrugs.

"Its kind of our thing. She's into old English literature." He smiles, taking the small box back and putting it back into his pocket.

"So when are you going to ask her?"

"I haven't decided yet. Soon though." He smiles.

"You know, before her I would have never even thought of marriage. I thought it was pointless. Why would two people get married if they're just going to end up hating each other years after?"

"Then what changed your mind?" I take the last puff from my cigar before putting it out.

"I just — I can't see my life without her. I'm scared that if she did leave me, I'd go back to how I used to be."

"That's how I felt about Anastasia." I smile.

The patio door opens and Tessa peaks her head out.

"Hardin, we should probably get going soon." Tessa smiles.

Hardin nods and walks towards Tessa. I follow them inside. We say our goodbyes for the night and Tessa and Hardin leave.