Oranges & Roses

Different, Part One

But I could’ve gone for some sugarcoating.

“This is about my brother?”

I grimaced and turned back around to finish up the laundry. “No…”

“Em.”

“Yes. Ok? Your brother is like this…I don’t know what and that’s the annoying part.”

“What does your gut tell you?”

“So far my gut has been wrong about everything and I’ve learned not to trust it. That’s the problem.”

“Like I said, it goes back to trusting yourself. If you don’t, you’ll be second guessing everything you do for the rest of your life not to mention the motives of the people around you. This is your chance, Em, maybe your only one. Have you considered that he’s taking a chance too by bringing you home?”

I stared down at the Snoopy covered scrub top. The stupid little dog was depicted carrying a surfboard, his face drawn in that same “everything will be ok” expression. Annoying. “What do you mean?”

“He’s never brought anyone home. Ever. Since the kids were born, he had this unwritten rule not to bring any girls home unless it was serious. Now that leaves me to believe that there is something quite serious about you to him.”

I tossed Snoopy into the dryer and fished out what was left. All the while I was thinking. I never saw myself as the girl you bring home to meet the family. Jorge didn’t let me meet his for the obvious reasons and I knew who Rob was before I was paired with Ford.

My head started shaking on its own. “He didn’t bring me here under that kind of pretense. I’m not his girlfriend.”

“True but you mean something to him…”

“No I don’t.”

“I’m going to do the immature thing and pull rank here. I’ve known him longer and therefore I would know when my brother cares about someone and when he doesn’t. Believe me when I tell you, Em, that you mean something to him.”

I finished up with the washer and finally turned to face her again. She’d gone back to folding the laundry and there was a look of satisfaction on her face, like she’d figured more out than I had with that conversation.

“Are we still having tamales for dinner?”

“Are you trying to change the subject?”

“You should invite that guy from the park. Ava’s Dad…”

Lan wasn’t even fazed by continued determent. “His name is Ellis and if you must know, I have enough mouths to feed this evening as it is.”

“Exactly how much family is showing up today?”

“Oh, you know…” she was trying to act all innocent but it wasn’t a good look on her, “a few.”

“A few?”

“Yeah. A few.”

“You are a horrible liar.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m a wonderful liar.”

I smiled. “Liar.”

“Alright. Fine. Some of the family might’ve heard that Ronnie had someone over and now…” She was watching my face the whole time for my reaction. Truthfully, I didn’t know how to feel about it. Meeting her and her kids was one thing but the whole kit and caboodle? Hesitation. Lots of doubt and worry.  “You’re ok, though, right? Because if you’re not…”