Chapter Nineteen
Phil
“Brent?” My tone was cautious—and with good reason.
Things had been strained between Brent and me for the last couple of weeks. It was more awkward because of the fact that nothing major had happened. It’s not like we’d had a disagreement or anything. We bickered lightly, but it was all just teasing and joking, so I had no real explanation for the strange new strain that had crept in between us recently.
I wondered if Brent was just pretending to be okay with the fact that I was dating his sister. But I couldn’t understand the reason he would pretend at all. I had known him for a few years now, and I figured if he had a problem with anything, he was the kind of guy who’d just come right out and say it. There must have been another reason he was so sarcastic and snappy with me, but I was determined to do my best to keep our friendship, particularly because I was starting to see a real future between Megan and me.
I thought back to the day I had returned Brent’s coat and found pot in the jacket pocket. Did that have something to do with it? I knew Brent smoked up regularly, I had been with him a couple of times when he was high, but I thought it was merely recreational use. And, I also knew he smoked up maybe a couple of times a month. Lately, however, I actually thought he had cut down. Maybe that was the reason he was so moody with me…withdrawal symptoms or something like that.
“Yo,” he said, in his old tone.
“Yo,” I said, back.
“What are you doing now?” he asked.
“Uh… I was—”
“Don’t say you were going to meet my sister.”
I paused. “We don’t actually have plans, but—”
“Good,” he said, cutting me off. “Then you’re free?”
I suppressed a sigh and decided to throw the guy a bone. I figured spending some time with him might also help me figure out what his deal was. I knew he had quit his job months ago. He had mentioned starting up something on his own, but my life had been a little too hectic, and I had neglected to ask him any more questions about his business venture, as he liked to put it.
“Sure,” I replied.
“Excellent.”
“What do you have in mind?” I asked. “And please…no strip clubs.”
“Are you sure?” Brent asked. “There’s this club I know that serves a mean breakfast buffet.”
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope, good food and great entertainment all in one place.”
I shook my head. “How about we go down to the courts and shoot some hoops?” I suggested.
“Okay, I’m game,” he agreed willingly.
“I’ll meet you down at the court in twenty minutes?”
“Sure thing,” he agreed.
I went back into my room and changed into sweats and a hoodie. It had been a while since we’d played basketball, and I decided this meeting was necessary. I knew that Megan’s relationship with her parents wasn’t the easiest one and Brent was the only sibling she had, so I wanted to make the effort with her family. I would have done as much even if I hadn’t known Brent at all. In fact, it might have been easier had I not known him beforehand.
On my way out, I grabbed my phone and started texting Megan my plans for the day. “Hi, beautiful,” I wrote. “So I wanted to surprise you and show up at your doorstep with a muffin and the offer to drive you to work, but your brother called and asked to hang. Hopefully I’ll see you tonight, though?”
I had just gotten into my car when I heard a message alert. I grabbed my phone to read’s Megan’s answering message.
“You are too sweet…but I think it’s a great idea to hang out with Brent today. He’s been a bit mopey lately and I’ve been worried about him. Maybe he just needs some guy bonding or whatever…and maybe…I don’t know, you could advise him a little? He says he has this business he’s trying to start up, but he’s so shady about it, and I still don’t know what he’s really trying to do. So maybe you could ask about it? Only if you think the timing is right. Hopefully I’ll see you after I get back from work. Other than that, have a great day!”
I was about to wish her a good day back, but something stopped me. Something about that seemed too formal for our current relationship status. I realized that there was something else I wanted to say to her and the urge was banging me over the head. I didn’t analyze the desire too hard. Instead, I pulled I wrote back quickly and sent the message before I lost my nerve.
“You, too,” I replied. “I love you.”
I stared at my message and I watched the two little ticks next to my message turn blue as Megan undoubtedly read it. I waited for a moment, with baited breath, wondering if she would reply back immediately or send back an emoji in order to avoid answering back at all.
I started to panic suddenly. What if this was too soon? What if she didn’t actually feel the same way about me? What if… My doubts were endless, and I was starting to feel like an idiot for sending her that message.
At that moment, my phone rang, and I knew instinctively it was Megan without even looking down at my screen. I almost dropped my phone in an attempt to answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hello?” Megan’s tone was disbelieving.
I smiled. “Umm…yes.”
“Seriously?” She sounded incredulous and happy all at the same time and I hoped that meant that despite the fact that she had been taken off guard, she was happy about my declaration.
“Uh… Megan…”
“I cannot believe you texted that to me!” she said, cutting me off.
I laughed. “That was poor judgement on my part.”
“That’s your defense?” she replied. “Poor judgement?”
“Well… I felt it in that moment and I wanted you to know how I felt…immediately,” I said.
“You could have called,” she pointed out.
I smiled. “In hindsight, I should have called. Actually, I should have waited till we were face to face to say that to you.”
“That would have been the better moment,” she agreed.
“I just couldn’t wait any longer,” I said. “It’s a weak defense, but it’s the only one I’ve got.”
She was silent for a moment. “Do you really?” she asked quietly, in a tone that was serious and hesitant.
“Do I what?” I asked.
“Do you really…love me?” Megan asked.
I smiled. “I do,” I told her, without missing a beat. “I love you, Megan.”
“Wow,” she breathed. “I did not expect that when I woke up this morning.”
“Is that…a good thing?” I asked nervously, conscious of the fact that she hadn’t said it back to me yet.
“It’s an amazing thing, Phil,” Megan assured me. “I never expected for a guy like you to feel that way about someone like me.”
“Someone like you?” I repeated, in confusion. “What are you talking about? You’re perfect.”
“Please…”
“No, really,” I said. “You are perfect to me.”
“Phil?”
“Yes?”
“I love you, too,” she said, and it was almost a whisper.
I felt a surge of happiness rush through my body, and I never thought I would ever feel the urge to jump for joy. It wanted to be near her immediately. It almost felt like we needed to consummate this moment.
“I want to be with you,” I said.
“Me, too,” Megan said. “If you’d just waited to tell me this, then we would have been together.”
I laughed. “Point taken.” I nodded. “I will make it up to you.”
“Oh, yeah?” Megan asked. “How?”
“With sexual favors,” I responded.
She laughed. “Sounds like a fair trade,” she said. “I might just have to return the favor.”
“I’m counting on it,” I said.
We hung up a few minutes later, and I set off to the court to meet Brent. I was surrounded in a fog of happiness and not even Brent’s sarcastic quip about my lateness soured me. We played a couple of rounds and then we took a break on the benches to drink some water and cool down a little.
I noticed that Brent wasn’t as talkative as he normally was, which was weird given that he was the one that wanted to meet today. I watched him closely for signs that he might be high, but he seemed completely sober to me, just a little moody and withdrawn.
“So, how’s your business going, man?” I asked, hoping to sound casual.
“Now you ask?” Brent said, with an edge to his tone.
I raised my eyebrows. “I’ve asked about it before.”
“Like once,” he complained. “In passing, so it doesn’t count. And, I could tell you weren’t interested in listening, anyway.”
“That’s not fair.”
“All you seem to be interested in lately is fucking my sister.”
“Hey, now…”
“It’s true.”
“In case you’ve forgotten, I happen to have a full-time job with crazy hours,” I pointed out. “I barely sleep during the week and when I do get a day off, yeah… I like to spend it with my girlfriend. Is that a crime?”
“She’s got you so whipped,” Brent said, and I could tell he was trying to get a rise out of me.
“I know for a guy like you that’s an insult,” I said calmly. “But I couldn’t care less what you think of me. I’m confident in myself and my relationship with Megan, and I’m not going to let you make me feel bad about either one.”
“Oh, of course,” Brent said mockingly. “Because nothing can get to the confident Phil Roberts. He’s the only one capable of turning his life around and making something of himself.”
I frowned. “Excuse me?”
“Nothing,” he mumbled.
“Is that what all this hostility is about?” I asked. “You’re jealous that I’ve bettered myself? Because if that is the case, then maybe you should grow the fuck up and start taking responsibility for some of your life choices.”
“Meaning what?”
“Quit smoking so much pot and get yourself a fucking job.”
“I have a business,” he said vehemently.
“Please,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“You don’t believe me?” He looked livid now.
“It’s hard to believe someone who doesn’t really tell you anything about his business,” I said. “And let’s leave that aside; what about the fact that no one ever sees you doing any actual work? If you really do have a business, then shouldn’t you be doing more than sleeping in till noon and walking around your apartment in your underwear all the time?”
“Oh, I get it… You start dating my sister, and she becomes your fucking spy.”
“I notice you’re not denying anything.”
“Fuck you, Phil,” Brent said, standing up and walking away from me. “If you were a good friend, I’d have told you everything that was going on in my life, including what was happening with my business.”
“Okay, if you really do have a business, what is it?” I demanded.
“None of your fucking business,” he yelled, walking further away.
Incensed, I couldn’t stop myself from calling out after him. “Grow the fuck up, Brent. That’s the only way you’re going to be able to hold down a job.”
His response was to flip me the finger without even turning around. He walked right out of the court, turned the corner, and was gone. I sighed, realizing that Megan had asked me to find out why her brother was so upset lately. I was pretty sure I had brought his mood down even more.
I was contemplating going after him and trying to get him to talk to me calmly, but I got a message on my phone and got distracted.
“I miss you,” Megan wrote. “Can’t wait to see you tonight.”
And instantly, the rest of the world fell away, and I felt better.