“
You
’
d never sue me.
You wouldn
’
t do that to my parents.
”
“
Funny. It was your mom that asked me to do this.
So take it or leave it.
”
Brandon just stares at Dad in contempt.
“
Get out of my house.
”
Brandon starts toward the door.
”
How am I supposed to get back to Piscataway?
”
“
You say you
’
re a grown man. Figure it out,
”
my dad says, walking past my cousin and opening the door for him.
“
You can get a train at Penn Station that
’
ll take you to Edison,
”
Jon says suddenly, ignoring my dad
’
s stare.
“
I think there are buses that go to Piscataway from there.
”
Brandon turns around, unaware that we were behind him.
“
Like I have cash for a train.
”
“
Sorry, man,
”
Jon answers, shaking his head. I know for a fact that he has cash on him–he always does–but I
’
m pretty sure my dad would throw punches if any of us did anything to help my cousin out.
“
Let
’
s go,
”
Dad says, motioning for Brandon to leave.
“
And I don
’
t want you to come back here until you get your life back on track.
”
“
You won
’
t need to worry about that.
”
Dad closes the door behind him and looks at the four of us, the shock still evident on all of our faces.
“
His behavior is unacceptable.
Irresponsible and reprehensible. I won
’
t tolerate it in my family.
”
He looks directly at Jon when he says it, but doesn
’
t wait for a response. He goes up to his bedroom, his face red, his arms tensed.
“
I
’
m not sure I
’
ve ever seen him like that,
”
I whisper. Jon simply raises his eyebrows and heads toward the kitchen. The rest of us follow, Trey in my mother
’
s arms, holding her tightly.
Jon grabs on his backpack, putting the camera inside, and holds my hands.
“
I
’
m gonna take off for a bit.
”
“
No, don
’
t go.
”
“
Livvy, I think it might be a good idea right now,
”
my mom says.
“
The invitation
’
s still open for dinner, though. We
’
ll probably eat around seven.
”
He looks at me.
“
Why don
’
t you call me and let me know if–
”
He glances to the third floor of our house.
“
You know.
”
“
He
’
ll be fine,
”
Mom assures him.
“
I
’
m sorry you had to witness that.
”
“
Oh, no, don
’
t apologize. I can tell he just wants to protect his family.
”
“
Yeah,
”
she responds softly with an understanding smile.
“
I hope you
’
ll come back tonight.
”
“
Thank you, Emi. Walk me out?
”
he asks me. We walk out the front door together.
“
You think any of that was for us?
”
“
Huh?
”
“
Maybe he was using it as an opportunity to scare us. You think, maybe?
”
“
I don
’
t think so.
”
I hadn
’
t had time to process most of what just happened, though.
“
I don
’
t ever want to get on his bad side,
”
Jon says.
“
You won
’
t,
”
I tell him.
“
Brandon
’
s had that coming for a long time. He hasn
’
t really done anything right since he flunked out of college.
”
“
Well, maybe this will open his eyes to his responsibilities or something. I know it opened mine, and I thought my head was pretty clear.
”
“
You don
’
t need to worry. Please come back tonight for dinner.
”
“
I will. I just want to get out of your hair for a bit and let him cool off.
”
“
Okay.
”
“
Be nice to him.
”
“
I will,
”
I tell him convincingly.
“
I love you.
”
“
I love you, too, Olivia. Good luck.
”
I watch him until he makes it to the bus stop, waving at him when he turns around and sees me.
“
Were you two in the basement?
”
Mom asks me when I get back in the kitchen. She
’
s got a scotch on the rocks ready in one hand and a cookie in the other.
“
Yeah. We were just looking at the painting of the lake house. Remember I told you–
”
“
Yeah, I know. Did your Dad see you two come from there?
”
“
Yep.
”
“
Okay.
”
“
I
’
m sorry, Mom. I didn
’
t know he
’
d be coming in then–
”
“
I
’
ve got this, Livvy. Don
’
t worry. If anyone can calm him down, it
’
s me. Keep an eye on your brother?
”
She starts to head upstairs.
“
Sure thing,
”
I tell her. I catch Trey sneaking a cookie off the counter.
“
Last one, buddy,
”
I tell him. He takes a tentative bite, and I notice the tear streaks down his face.
“
What
’
s the matter, Trey?
”
“
Why was Daddy so mad?
”
“
That?
”
I say as nonchalantly as I can muster.
“
Nah, he wasn
’
t mad. He was animated.
”
“
Like a cartoon?
”
“
Well, kind of, yeah. Our cousin Brandon hasn
’
t been on his best behavior lately. So he
’
s a little bit in trouble, but it
’
s all under control.
”
“
I think Dad was gonna hit him.
”
“
Hey,
”
I talk to him softly, grabbing another cookie for him to eat.
“
Daddy wouldn
’
t hurt a fly, Trey. I know he was loud and he looked mad, but he would never hit anyone. Okay? Has he ever even spanked you?
”
“
No. Mommy has.
”
“
I know Mommy has. But Daddy won
’
t do that. He
’
s never hit me, either.
”
“
I was scared.
”
“
I know, buddy. But I bet when he comes downstairs, he
’
ll be back to the daddy we know and love. And whatever happened with Brandon will just be one of those bad memories we leave behind. Right?
”
“
Right,
”
he says weakly.
“
It
’
ll be fine. Wanna go watch a movie in the basement with me?
”
“
Yeah!
”
Once downstairs, I let him pick the movie and we settle in with some sodas and popcorn. In no time, Trey
’
s completely entranced by the movie and has almost forgotten anything had happened when Dad finally comes downstairs. He
’
s changed out of his suit into some sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt. He seems completely relaxed.
“
What are we watching?
”
he asks.
“
Cars. What else?
”
“
Of course.
”
He laughs as he takes a seat on the couch next to Trey.
“
Hey, Jackson, can I pause it for a second?
”
“
Yeah, Daddy.
”
Remote in hand already, I hit the pause button for Dad.
“
I wanted to apologize to both of you. And Tessa, I wish Jon was here, too, because I want to apologize to him, as well. There
’
s no excuse for how I handled myself with your cousin. He was just pushing my buttons all day–
”
“
What do you mean?
”
Trey asks.
“
He was provoking me–
”
he pauses, realizing Trey probably doesn
’
t know that word, either.
“
You know how when I ask you to do things, and you don
’
t do them? You know how I can start to get a little upset about that?
”
“
Yeah.
”
“
Well, it
’
s like that. I
’
d ask him to do things, to be a certain way, and he just kept... he just kept letting me down,
”
he says finally, looking sad.
“
And I just don
’
t know how to fix it anymore.
”
“
You can fix anything, Daddy!
”
Trey says. Typically, he can, and I can see the sorrow on my dad
’
s face when he realizes this situation isn
’
t one that can be easily mended.
“
Thanks for your vote of confidence, little guy,
”
he says. Trey hops up quickly and hugs my dad.
“
I think your mom has a job for you upstairs, Jackson. Can you go help her out for a few minutes? We can finish watching the movie a little later.
”
I brace myself for what
’
s coming when my brother bounds up the stairs quickly.
“
I
’
m sorry you and Jon had to see that,
”
he says once we
’
re alone.
“
It didn
’
t help seeing you two come upstairs together,
”
he says as he raises his eyebrows.
“
Dad, we were–
”
“
Your mom told me she asked him to help you carry down the laundry. It
’
s fine. I jumped to conclusions, and I think that just got the best of me.
”
“
Oh, yeah,
”
I say, a little caught off guard by my mother
’
s lie.
“
We wouldn
’
t come down here without permission. No, I know the rules.
”