Julian

IV. April, Ch. 43

     Marlo remembered the first time he was made aware of Calvin's existence.

     After years of begging his parents, mall Santa Clauses, and pennies he'd throw into fountains, the gift he always wanted entered the world, cladding caterpillar eyebrows and brown eyes. At last, he had a little brother.

     He remembered coming home after school that day, his aunt handing him the baby picture. He was beautiful.

     In a way, looking out for him at his mother's insistence was his way of making up for his rebellious behavior as a teenager, the same behavior that pushed his mother to run away and never come back.

     It was a penance he didn't mind serving. After all, Calvin was the better son.

     He only wished they could have grown up together.

     Marlo stared out his office window, peeking through the blinds and watching his baby brother talking to his new friend.

     He was avoiding this conversation for months, but it was time.

     A conversation with his past required a swig of rum. He opened the bottom desk drawer, pulled out a flask, and took a hearty drink. The ethanol ran through his veins and eased his nerves.

     Once he'd hidden the flask and popped a stick of Wrigley's Spearmint Gum into his mouth, he stepped out of the office building just as Calvin and Genevieve went their separate ways.

     Remember, don't lose your temper. You're trying to help him, not hurt him.

     From several yards away, Marlo watched Calvin get in a car with Roger and drive away. Once the Mustang pulled out of the parking lot and into the streets, he followed Genevieve as she made her way to her car. "Excuse me," he called out to her.

     She turned around looking as surprised as Marlo was expecting. "Principal Marlo."

     "May I have a word with you, Miss Millen?"

     Genevieve set her purse down on the roof of her car. "Absolutely. What's on your mind?"

     Marlo placed his hands in his pockets. The liquor was working its magic. "I just wanted to touch base with you and make sure you've gotten acclimated."

     She crossed her arms and looked at Marlo up and down. "Everything's great. No hasty marriage proposals. No stolen kisses."

     Marlo half-groaned, half-laughed. He couldn't deny that he missed her banter, and in this case, it helped him relax. "I apologized for that, didn't I?"

     Genevieve laughed with him, a tender look in her eyes. "How are you, Bera?"

     He tried to look playfully upset. "Fifteen years and you still can't pronounce my last name?"

     She raised an eyebrow. "Sue me."

     Genevieve caught herself and feigned surprise. "Oh, that's right. You didn't finish law school."

     Marlo laughed once more. He looked at Genevieve and picked up on all the parts of her that changed, which weren't many.

     She looked older, but those eyes were the same ones he met on his weekend trip to San Francisco. She was the same height, same weight. She even smelled the same.

     But this was no time for reminiscing. Calvin was more important than his good times at Stanford. "Tell me something, you're not pursuing one of your crazy business ideas again, are you?"

     "Crazy businesses ideas?" said Genevieve. "You didn't think my business ideas were crazy."

     "Yes, but that was years ago, before I got a full time job, just like you."

     "I'm a serial entrepreneur, and I make no apologies for it."

     Alright, time to cut the nonsense. "What are you doing with Calvin?"

     Genevieve's coquette eyes glistened in the afternoon sun. "Ooh. Don't tell me you're jealous."

     Marlo rubbed his forehead. "Viv, let's not do this."

     "Do what?"

     "I'm just looking out for my family."

     She absorbed the words. "Your family?"

     "Calvin's my brother. Well, half-brother. And for his sake, whatever you have going on with him needs to stop."

     Her face was expressionless for once. "Calvin Leblanc is your brother?"

     Marlo realized her shock was genuine. "He didn't tell you, did he?"

     Genevieve's jaw tightened. She took a deep, controlled breath. "That lying little—"

     "Watch it," said Marlo "I asked him to keep it a secret."

     Inside, he was happy. Calvin hadn't let him down entirely after all.

     She uncrossed her arms and rested her hands on her curvy hips. "You were trying to keep him away from me, weren't you?"

     Marlo sighed and looked away.

     "Look, what happened between us was different."

     He raised his voice a little. "I don't want to talk about it."

     Genevieve took a step forward, never one to back down. "It's time, Bera. What happened? We used to be pals."

     This was the conversation that required more rum. "You know what happened."

     "I couldn't be what you wanted me to be. I wasn't ready for white picket fences and tire swings."

     "Calvin is. And don't lie to me and tell me you don't know that."

     "Calvin's different. He doesn't see me that way. He's distant when he needs to be and he has higher standards than what I can provide."

     Marlo pouted. He needed a cigarette for the first time in a decade. "I think he's in love with you. I see it."

     Genevieve scuffed. "Don't be ridiculous."

     Marlo didn't want to fight. He didn't hate her, after all. All he needed was for her to know what side he was on. He stood a foot away from her and mirrored her body language. His voice was civil, but firm. "If push comes to shove, I'm choosing him. You know that, don't you?"

     She gave him a similar challenging look. Whether she intended to or not, it was almost seductive. "You know, maybe a business venture didn't work out between us, but you shouldn't keep others from trying their luck."

     Marlo understood there wasn't much he could do with Genevieve to remedy the situation. He couldn't ask the bottle to stay away from the alcoholic. He needed to speak with Calvin. "You haven't told him about our history, have you?"

     "I've had no reason to. I didn't know you two were related."

     Marlo nodded. "Okay."

     He stepped back and rubbed his chin. "Have a nice day, Miss Millen."