“Do you want a life with her?”
Again I wished I could lie, for her sake. “Yes, I do.”
“If you want a relationship with Jade or anyone, you have got to face this and put it behind you. And the only
way to put it behind you is to confront it, accept it, and find some way to deal with it.
“Hey, guys.” Ryan walked out, sporting some trunks and a towel around his neck. “Hey, Tal, I didn’t know you’d be here. I just came over to take a dip.”
Jonah let out a laugh. “Ryan, you have a perfectly good pool at the guest house.”
“Maybe I wanted to hang out with my bros.”
“You didn’t even know we’d be here.”
Ryan let out a loud laugh. “True enough. But you’ve got the good booze here.”
“You, the wine man?”
“Hey, I’m allowed to have a craving for Peach Street every once in a while. Tal finished up my bottle the other night.” He held out a hand. “Don’t get up. I’ll just help myself.” He came back with a drink and the bottle. “So what’s going on with you guys?”
“Well,” Jonah said, “your brother here is in love.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Yeah, but this time he told her,” Jonah said.
“No shit?” Ryan said. “Good for you, Tal. Didn’t think you had it in you.”
It irked me when he said shit like that. Ryan was always jovial. Well, of course he was. Nothing had happened to him. I’d saved his ass that day. I pursed my lips and didn’t respond.
“And I was just telling Talon,” Jonah said, “that I think it’s time we tell Marjorie the truth.”
Ryan shook his head. “No, I disagree.”
“Thanks, bro,” I said. “That’s exactly what I said.”
“Why dredge all that shit up now?”
“Because Talon’s in love, damn it, and he’ll never be able to have a normal life with Jade until we all deal with this. Why do you think none of us have had serious relationships, ever?”
“I like playing around the field, basically,” Ryan said. “I assumed the same for you guys.”
“For God’s sake, I’m thirty-eight years old,” Jonah said. “It’s high time I settle down. The two of you aren’t getting any younger either. Don’t you want kids?”
I shook my head. “Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t bring an innocent child into this horrible world.”
“Tal, what happened to you was awful. Heinous. Unimaginable. But it doesn’t happen to most kids. Most kids have great lives, and look around you. Look at all that we have. All this is ours. We need a legacy to leave it to.”
“Marj will pop out some kids,” Ryan said.
“Maybe, but we need to carry on the Steel name.” Jonah rubbed his temple.
“Maybe she’ll have them out of wedlock.” Ryan swirled the whiskey around in his glass.
“Ha-ha. I’m serious. It’s time to face this, head on.”
“You know, guys,” I said, “this really has nothing to do with either of you. It’s all on me. It’s my decision.”