Claws & Crochet

Part 15

WARNER

Anything called 'The Incident' is bound to be a good story, and Zoey just agreed to share it with me.

Stifling my cheer, I recline back in my chair and giving her a nod to continue.

"I have four brothers," she starts. "They're all big brutes, but they love me, and I love them."

Sibling love is something I can relate to.

"I'm the youngest. The baby of the family, they say. I say they need to get their heads out of the regency era. Just because I'm younger and a girl doesn't mean I need four bodyguards poking their noses into every aspect of my life." Zoey huffs, emotion coloring her cheeks.

"Makes sense," I offer.

"Right?" She munches on another chip before continuing. "Anyway, I thought I was used to their overbearing version of love. My whole life they've done their best to be good brothers. But I feel like the fact that there's so many of them tips their helpful acts into bonkers town."

My body shifts forward in anticipation.

"Like, there was one day before school I realized I was out of tampons. And I needed them, obviously. But my parents were already at work. Plus, I was thirteen. So, I couldn't drive myself to the store."

The noises of Main Street fade away as Zoey's voice pulls me into the story of her past.

"Abram is the most responsible. I feel like he was born to be a dad. Or a drill sergeant. Maybe both. Anyway, I figured at eighteen, he'd be the one least likely to laugh." She shrugs, and eats another chip, drawing out the drama of the tale. "I was right. He told me to finish my breakfast, and that he'd take care of it. But next thing I know, I'm alone in the house." She waves her hands as if we're sitting in her kitchen, empty, silent house around us. "All four of my brothers disappeared. The bus was going to show up in like ten minutes, and I was sure I'd have to stay home sick."

My lips pinch in a grimace, not finding the story amusing anymore. Did all of Zoey's brothers really abandon her just because they were squeamish about buying feminine products?

"Then I hear the screech of tires on the driveway, and when I look out the window, I spot all four of the Gunner boys climbing out of Abram's car, each one weighed down with shopping bags."

Humor returns fast.

"Now, I know guys can be clueless about menstruation. If Abram had come back with a few extra boxes or the wrong brand, no big deal. But no. He recruited the rest of my brothers, they drove to the closest drug store and bought as many products as they could carry."

"They didn't," I whisper in horrified wonder.

"They did. An entire aisle. You would've thought I was hemorrhaging. Good thing tampons don't expire." Zoey shakes her head, but I catch the hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth.

That's the way it tends to be with loving families. In the moment you want to murder them, but later everything just becomes a funny memory.

"And that happens a lot with them?"

"Taking things way too far? Oh yeah. My parents and I refer to them as Occurrences with a capital o. I've had many Gunner brother Occurrences. There was the time in high school they convinced the front office to let them all sing me Happy Birthday over the intercom system. Don't get me wrong, they're fantastic singers. But my anxiety went through the roof having everyone in the school staring at me for the rest of the day. And hell, don't even get me started on prom."

I want to get her started and never have her stop.

"Please. I need to know."

Zoey smirks. "You'd think three college guys and a guy working on his MBA would have something better to do on a Saturday night than chauffeur their sister, and her date, to a school dance. Timmy was terrified to hold my hand after that car ride."

It's all I can do to shove the laughter down.

"Not that they threatened him." She gives me a placating gesture, though I have to wonder if maybe Zoey doesn't know the whole story of that evening. "I don't even know if that was the point of them driving us. Sometimes, I think they just want to make sure all five of us are experiencing important life moments together. And that's the thing about Occurrences. Each one was kind of embarrassing, but it was hard to get mad at them because they're my brothers, and they're trying. After a day, or maybe a week, I'd forgive them, and we'd move on."

"But something happened?" I guess.

Sun shines off the streaks of gold in Zoey's hair as she tucks the mass of it behind her fingers. I want to reach out and run my fingers through the strands to learn the texture.

She huffs out a breath and crumples her empty chip bag.

"The Incident happened."

Author's note: what ultimately embarassing event do you think those guys got up to?!?!