breezed into the house looking cheerful and u

re!" he said, movi

airport and his flimsy excuse. "Don' t you 'S

g. "I told Mom. Brittany wasn' t feeling

ng an aspirin by herself? You left Mom to come get me

to coax them when they' re sick..." He trailed off, realizing he' d said the wrong thing. He was b

tever, Tom. I' m tired. I' m going to bed." I turned and walk

d. That' s why I' d always felt the need to look out for him, to guide him. I' d hoped that running his own business woul

e lived here rent-free, in the house I helped pay the mortgage on. The least he could do was help ou

g too hard on him. I wanted to meet this Brittany and understand what w

"We can make your favorite seafood pasta. Tom can invite Brittany

ed. "That' s a wond

callops, and everything else needed for a celebratory meal. Wh

ng here? I thought you

ided they want to have a barbecue at her place instead. He

me. He couldn' t even be bothered to tell me him

my wallet to pay for my own groceries.

lcome to join them,"

f us." I felt a surge of anger. I needed to get out of the house for a bit to clear my head

fore reaching into her purse. "

nd I tried to ignore the