Brody (7 page)

“Total
misunderstanding, that’s all it was,” said her mother. “Isn’t that right?”

“Misunderstanding.
You mean you weren’t really fucking your best man when I walked in on you?”
asked Maddie.

“Madeleine,
your language. I’m not happy with those sorts of words being casually dropped
at the dinner table. Anywhere for that matter,” said her mother.

Maddie
ignored her. “You’ve had almost a week to think this over, and that’s the best
you could come up with—a misunderstanding. You with your pants around your
ankles and your bare ass facing me.”

She
glanced at Brody who was now looking straight at his plate. She was sorry he had
to sit through this.

“More
wine anyone?” asked her father.

“I’d
love some, but my doctor told me I have to cut down on alcohol,” said Brody.

“Brody’s
in need of a new kidney,” said Maddie.

“I’m
so sorry to hear that,” said her father. “Do you have a donor lined up?”

“Hopefully,
I do.”

He
looked at Maddie and winked.

“That’s
good to hear,” said her father.

“Maddie,
could we talk in private outside?” asked Mark.

Maddie
glared at him. “Anything you have to say you can say in front of my parents and
Brody.”

Mark
stood. “I’d like to say how sorry I am for what happened last week, and I hope
you can forgive me and that we can reset our wedding date. I love you, Maddie
Thorton.”

Maddie
stood. “I would not marry you if you were the last man on the earth. I don’t
think you love me. I think you were in love with the idea of being in love with
me.” She pulled out the engagement ring from her pants pocket. “Before I forget,
let me return this, because I thought maybe you’d like to give it to Tim.”

A
tear ran down her face. She didn’t want him to see he’d gotten to her, so she
got up, ran into the hallway, grabbed her coat, and went outside. She ran into
the backyard. It was cold and dark, but she knew her old swing set was still
there. Her parents had kept it hoping that one day Maddie’s kids would play on
it, just like their mother had.

She
burst into tears. She’d probably never get married, never have kids. Her life
was one total fucking mess. She heard someone walking toward her and hoped it
wasn’t Mark ready to plead his case again.

It
was Brody. Thank God it was him, because these days he was the only person who
could lift her spirits.

Chapter Eight

“You
okay?” asked Brody.

He
could see that she was crying.

“You
left your hat and mittens on the rack. I thought you might like them,” he said.

She
took them from him. “Should you be out here in the cold?” she asked him.

“I’m
fine, don’t you worry about me.” He sat on the swing next to her. “I thought
you handled Mark really well.”

“Thank
you,” she said.

He
leaned in, causing the two swings to meet, and he put his arm around her. She
rested her head on his shoulder.

“I
haven’t been on a swing since…you know, I can’t remember when,” said Brody.

He
did remember Ted buying him one for Christmas and his mom spending hours
pushing him on it, squealing and demanding she push higher.

“My
parents have kept it for their grandchildren, which they’ll probably never have
now,” said Maddie.

“Sure
they will. And this isn’t your fault. I can tell by looking at Mark he’s not
the right guy for you, so you should be happy that you walked in on what you
did.”

“So
what sort of guy is right for me?”

“An
honest one.”

Maddie
laughed. He’d made her laugh. He felt her shiver and hugged her tighter. She
turned to him, and he couldn’t help himself. He kissed her. Not the way he’d
done when they’d had sex, but the sort that happens when you’re slowly falling
for someone. Both their lips and cheeks were cold, but nevertheless it felt
good.

He
pulled away.

“I
don’t know about you, but that carrot cake sitting on the island in the kitchen
looked pretty damn good,” said Brody.

“I
don’t think I could face sitting down eating with anyone…well, besides you.”

“How
about I ask if we could get two slices to go, and we’ll take it back to my
motel room and watch one of the pay-per-view movies. Guess if I don’t find a
donor, I better start watching all the movies on my must-see list.”

****

Brody
heard the phone vibrate and then watched it dance its way across the side table
next to the bed. He didn’t want it to wake Maddie, so he quickly grabbed it. It
was a text massage. The DNA results were back.

He
placed the phone on his chest and focused on the ceiling. He was tempted to
phone and find out which of the three men had fathered him, but he’d promised
them that they’d all find out at the same time.

Maddie
stirred and then put her hand on his belly.

“Something
wrong?” she asked.

“The
DNA tests are back. Guess I have to phone everyone and round them up to hear
the news.”

She
sat up. “You are just one step away from finding a new kidney, I know it.”

“What
if it’s Johnny, then what?”

“There’s
someone out there with that kidney. I’ll even get tested.”

“Maddie,
I couldn’t let you do that.”

“If
I’m a match, then it will be my Christmas gift to a really sweet guy who was
there to save me on the worst day of my life.”

****

Brody
could tell that all three men were just as nervous as he was. He’d given the
envelope containing the results to Maddie. They’d agreed she should read out
the name of the man who was his biological dad.

“Whichever
way this goes, just know that the three of us think of you as our flesh and
blood,” said Mike.

“And
none of us are to lose touch with one another ever again,” said Johnny.

“My
home is your home,” said Branndon.

Brody
smiled. “Okay, Maddie, you want to do the honors?”

“You
sure you guys are ready?” she asked.

“Ready
and waiting,” said Brody.

Brody
looked at the three guys, just like him, they had their fingers crossed.

Maddie
tore off the top of the envelope and pulled out the paper. She read through it.
Could he see anything in her eyes and her facial expression?

“Brody’s
biological father is Branndon Mckinney Sr.,” she announced.

“Well,
wouldn’t you know it, another son to add to my collection,” said Branndon.

He
took a few strides over to Brody and hugged him. “Welcome to the McKinney
family.”

This
was the man who’d given his mother her first orgasm that had made her eyes
cross and her toes curl. Yeah, he’d read that part of her diary two nights ago.

“Congrats,
Brann, best sperm won, I guess,” said Johnny.

“Yeah,
buddy, I guess you had the fastest little swimmers,” said Mike.

“Okay,
now that we know I’m your pa, when do I get tested so I can give you my
kidney?” asked Branndon.

“You’re
really sure you’d want to do that?” asked Brody.

“I’ve
never been so sure about anything in my life. I want all three of my boys
around so I can have grandbabies running around the house.”

“I’ll
phone the doctor and set up the appointment,” said Brody.

“You
do that, and tonight everyone’s coming to my house and we’re having the biggest
party I’ve ever thrown,” said Branndon.

****

Brody
had phoned Ted and told him the news. He’d told Brody that he’d be coming to
visit him in a couple of days and would look forward to meeting Branndon, and
also Maddie.

Brody
had opened up to his dad about her, how vital she was in his life right now.

“I’m
scared that if I don’t make it, she’ll have to go through another loss.”

“What
have I always told you? Cross each bridge when you get to it. Now you go to the
party, and meet your half-brothers and have lots of fun.

Ted
was right. His dad always was right.

“I’m
nervous all over again,” said Brody as he and Maddie stood on the doorstep of
Branndon’s house.

“That’s
understandable. It’s not every day you get to meet family you never knew
existed.”

Maddie
rang the doorbell and soon Betty was standing there with a smile on her face.

She
reached and drew Brody into her arms. “I’m so happy to have yet another stepson,”
she said.

“Thank
you,” said Brody as they stepped inside.

“And
Maddie, you look so beautiful. Remember what I said about Jackson and Branndon Jr.”

Brody
put a protective arm around Maddie as they followed Betty into the family room.

“I
invited my nephew Connor and his wife Jennifer. And my niece, Connor’s sister
Katy, and her husband Cash. My sister and brother-in-law will be along
shortly,” said Betty. She took them through to the main family room.

“Everyone,
this is Brody Williams and his friend, Maddie Thorton,” said Betty.

“Hi,
it’s great to meet you. I’m Connor,” said a tall, dark-haired man, taking two
strides over to him.

Brody
and Maddie spent the next few minutes shaking hands.

“Now,
what would you like to drink?” asked Branndon.

“Beer
for me,” said Brody.

“Same
for me,” answered Maddie.

“A
girl after my own heart,” said Branndon. “Jackson should be here any second,
and Branndon Jr. is feeding the horses and will be here soon. I can’t wait for
you to meet them.”

Branndon
collected two beers from the bar at the side of the room just as a man with
wide shoulders and hair just like Brody’s walked into the room.

“There
you are,” said Branndon. “Come meet your brother, Brody. Brody, this is
Jackson.”

“Brody,
welcome. I couldn’t believe it when Dad told me about the commune and your mom
and getting her pregnant.”

“Guess
it was a long time ago,” said Brody. He put out his hand to shake it, but
instead Jackson pulled him into his chest and patted him on the back.

“And
who is this gorgeous lady?” he asked.

“This
is Maddie Thorton.”

“Hello,
Maddie,” said Jackson.

Brody
wasn’t blind. He could see Jackson checking her out from head to toe. “Red is
definitely a great color on you, lovely lady.”

“It’s
great to meet you too,” said Maddie.

The
sound of a door slamming sounded throughout the place. A young man who looked
the spitting image of Branndon walked in with his cowboy hat still on and boots
that he should have taken off at the door.

“What
have I told you about taking those things off before you come in here,” said
Betty.

“Sorry,
Mama,” he said, tipping his hat to her.

Branndon
Sr. put his arm around him. “I want you to meet your brother. Brody, meet…I was
going to say my oldest son, but that’s you, so meet son number two, Branndon
Jr.”

“Son
number two,” said Branndon Jr. “Ouch, Dad, ouch.”

He
slipped a hand just as big as Brody’s, maybe even bigger, into his and shook it.
His grip was firm, the handshake seemed unnecessarily rough, and he looked
Brody in the eye. He hoped there wouldn’t be any hard feelings between them.
Not that he could blame either one of them for being weary of a stranger
waltzing into their lives, and on top of that, asking their father to consider
being a donor.

“What
do you think of our big brother?” asked Jackson.

“I think he looks like a Mckinney. Now we’ll
have more competition for the women.”

“Speaking
of which, have you met Maddie?” asked Branndon Sr.

“No,
no, I have not.”

Branndon
Jr. took off his hat, lifted Maddie’s hand, and kissed the back of it.

Like
father, like son.

“If
I did not have a lady waiting for me later tonight, I’d ask you out for a
drink.”

Branndon
Sr. slapped him on the shoulder. “Mckinney’s have a rule. We do not take our
brother’s women, you got that, son?”

Branndon
Jr. lifted both his hands. “My apologies, big bro.”

Bro.
Brady hated that
word, and he was already beginning to dislike Branndon Jr., and not just
because of the move he’d made on Maddie.

“Let’s
get a photo of the four of us,” said Branndon Sr.

“I
can take it for you,” said Maddie.

Branndon
Sr. got in the middle with Brody and Junior next to him and Jackson by Branndon
Jr.’s side.

“Smile,”
said Maddie.

She
took three photos for them and then handed the camera back to Branndon Sr.

“I’ll
upload these to my Facebook page,” he said.

“So,
Dad, you didn’t think about using condoms back in the old days?” asked Branndon
Jr. while taking a beer from the bar.

“What
would you do if you knew you’d fathered a child years ago?” Jackson asked his
brother.

“That
would never happen because my dick is always covered, but I know sometimes
you’ve
been a little haphazard in the
rubber department.”

Betty
whistled. “Guys, I don’t think this is the event for talk about those things,
now is it?”

Brody
smiled. He liked this lady a lot. He could tell despite her stepsons being
grown men, she’d taken on quite a job when she’d married their father.

“Both
of you follow me out to the kitchen, and help me bring in the food.”

Brody
watched as they walked out to the kitchen. Maddie was talking to Katy and
Jennifer, and they were showing her photos of what were obviously their new
babies. Branndon Sr. was chatting with Connor and Cash, so Brody decided maybe
Betty needed another pair of hands to help. He got as far as the edge of the
kitchen and then stopped and hid behind a cabinet when he heard the
conversation.

“What
do you think of him?” asked Jackson.

“I’m
suspicious of him,” said Branndon Jr.

“Yeah,
me too. I know the DNA said he was Dad’s son, but if he wasn’t in need of a
kidney, would he even have thought to come look for Pa?”

“Betty,
what do you think about Dad considering donating a kidney to Brody?”

“I’m
not happy about it. I mean, a man of his age. It’s a big operation, and he
could be laid up for months. However, it’s his decision, and whatever he wants
to do, I will be behind him one hundred percent.”

“I
don’t think he should do it,” said Jackson. “What if he dies during the
surgery? I looked it up online, and they almost have to cut you in half to get
your kidney out.”

“What
if his one kidney gives out? What then? One of us will have to come to the
rescue and no, thank you. I’m checking out of this life with everything
intact.”

Brody
moved and the floorboard squeaked. They looked his way. Damn, they’d spotted
him. He walked quickly toward them, hoping they didn’t catch on that he’d been
eavesdropping. Both men looked at one another and fell silent.