The Difference Between Getting and Needing

f i f t y

I held my breath for him, though I knew he could hold his own when the time was right. He wasn't the oldest Barclay sibling for nothing, and as bumbling of an idiot as he could be, he sure as hell took shit from no one – especially not from Sutton.

As for Madelyn, she was completely oblivious. Gazing up at my brother as innocent as could be with those silver eyes of hers, combined with the unmatched charm of being a nine-year-old, she asked, "Dad, are you gonna tell them the big secret?"

"That's cute. A big secret," Sutton sneered the words, scrunching her nose in distaste. "It's definitely nothing compared to my news."

"I don't know, this big secret is pretty huge." Duncan's sing-song tone was all too teasing and irritating to my erratic sister.

"No, it's not," she blandly replied. She put her champagne down and dismissively waved her hand aside, flaunting it in Duncan's face that he didn't even have a chance. Koa remained seated next to her, the bored expression on his usual chipper face seeming out of place. Then again, I couldn't blame him because this was a day-to-day occurrence for him; dealing with Sutton's dramatics.

My mom, the most impatient of us all, flew out of her chair with an exasperated sigh. "While you two figure it out, I'm going to go get the cake. Maddy, wanna help me?" She called on my niece.

Without hesitating, Madelyn hopped right up. The idea of helping grandma with dessert was a lot more appealing than listening to all the adults bicker about whose news was superior. She frolicked behind my mom to the kitchen like a chalky hopscotch path was laid out on the floor for her. It sparked Ziggy's interest, who sprung awake from his nap by my dad's feet and pranced right alongside Madelyn.

The arguing resumed.

"Are you really trying to steal my spotlight right now?" Sutton growled.

Duncan barked out an incredulous laugh. "Sutton, you've gotta be kidding. The spotlight is always on you! It has been for the last twenty-nine years!"

"I'm. Twenty. Eight," she said each word through gritted teeth, her eyes flaring like gasoline on a fire. Though we all knew her birthday was looming and Duncan wasn't completely wrong.

"Well, you sure as hell don't act like it," Duncan retorted, crossing his arms and sinking back in his chair.

"Since we're on the subject of age, guess we forgot that this is my birthday celebration and you're both stealing the spotlight from me. But I guess that's nothing new," I grumbled as I stole another sip of champagne. Gus heard my grievance and placed his hand on my leg just above my knee, signaling that yes I was right but no it wasn't worth a fight.

"Why can't you just let me have my moment?" Sutton expectedly chose to ignore me.

"Every moment is your moment!"

"For the love of God, someone make an announcement," my dad's thunderous father voice forced everyone to shut up, the glassware clinking as he slammed his hands on the table.

A hush fell over the room, if just for a second. Sutton and Duncan inhaled in preparation. We all took a mental bet on who would speak up first. During that small window of time, a confession came spewing out from the lips of my baby brother that none of us could have predicted.

"I have a girlfriend," Asher blurted.

Right then, my mom came waltzing back into the room with my birthday cake on a stand balancing in her steady hands. She stumbled slightly in her footsteps but managed to catch herself as if no one saw, carefully continuing towards the table with Madelyn and Ziggy in tow.