A Tale of Three Brothers (Completed)

Scarlet Letter "T"

Trish began seeing Michael Tavert six months after the death of his wife. When it happened, Trisha became something of celebrity. People she'd been friends with for a long time stopped talking to her. She had to close down her yoga studio because people stopped coming. She couldn't so much as go into a bank without being stared at or talked about. Elliot liked to say she was like Hester Prynne, only instead a scarlet letter S, she'd been branded with a T.

From the beginning, Trisha didn't get along with Michael's sons. They couldn't understand how their father could move on so quickly and they blamed her for it. Of the three Tavert boys, Elliot was the most tolerant of her. It was obvious he didn't agree with her choices, but at least he didn't blatantly ignore her the way Dylan did.

Sam, on the other hand, hated her. Unlike his brothers, he made no attempt to stay out of her way or to pacify her whenever she came over. Trisha's visits would often end in screaming matches that would have made the neighbors call the police if their father wasn't a police officer himself.

It was for this reason that Michael Tavert decided to take everyone out to dinner to make his announcement.

Sam, Elliot and Dylan were already suspicious when their father told them they were going out for dinner. He was notoriously stingy and he hated spending money he didn't have to. They were even more on edge when he told them they were going to Albertini's, an expensive new Italian restaurant downtown.

"This is nice," Trisha said as they all sat down.

"You like it?" Michael said. "A co-worker recommended it."

"He's putting us up for adoption," Dylan whispered to Elliot and Sam. "I just know it."

"He's not putting us up for adoption," Elliot said. "He probably just has something to tell us."

"Then why didn't he tell us at home?" Dylan asked.

Elliot looked at Sam.

"Oh, come on. You can't blame every forced outing we have on me," Sam said.

The arrival of their drinks saved Elliot from having to answer.

They're halfway through their dinner when Michael Tavert reveals the real reason he took them out to eat.

"Boys, I know this last year has been rough on you. It's been rough on all of us."

In Sam's opinion, rough didn't cut it, but he held his tongue as his father continued speaking.

"And there comes a point where you just have to move on. And you guys have met Trisha. She loves you."

Sam's eyes narrow. "Is she pregnant?" he blurted out.

"Did you ask her to marry you?" Dylan asked.

Trisha and Michael frowned at each other. This conversation wasn't going to the way either of them wanted. "No. No. Guys, we're thinking about moving in together," Michael Tavert said. "And we were wondering what you thought about that idea."

"What do you expect us to think?" Sam said.

"Sam, don't," Elliot said.

"No, it's fine," Trisha said. "Sam's a part of this family and he gets a say too."

"That's funny," Sam said. He turned to Elliot. "Dylan, did you know I'm apparently a part of this family too? Elliot?"

Elliot had his face in his hands. "Don't do this, Sam."

"Because dad never thought to ask any of us if he should start dating again or if his adult sleepovers were okay or if it was cool to pack up moms stuff and exile it to the garage. Now, you want our opinion? I'm a little confused."