Everly
I’m just aboutto walk into Brews & Books, when my phone simultaneously chimes with text alerts and an incoming phone call. I see Law’s name on my caller ID. I’ll call my baby brother back later. Instead, I open my text messages and see a full paragraph from my brother Michael.
Michael:You missed the gym this AM. Are you hungover, or are you just avoiding a weekend workout? When I left you guys last night, I thought you said you were heading out early so you could be up for the gym. So now I’m worried because you didn’t show.
Michael:Oh, gross, did you go home with someone? Are you “walk of shame-ing” back home right now? Nvm, don’t wanna know. Unless you’ve been kidnapped.
Michael:Ev, I’m at the house and you’re not here. Law said you didn’t come home. If I don't hear from you in the next few minutes, I’m going to assume you’ve been kidnapped and I’m calling the sheriff.
In most situations, it’s Law that would be freaking out that I didn’t text him that I wouldn’t be home last night, but Law and I left the bar around the same time so he knew where I was going, or rather who I was leaving with. I forgot in my tequila-haze that I promised Michael I would be at the gym this morning. Routines and plans with Michael are important. He lives with OCD and high anxiety, so along with therapy and meds, consistency and routines are some of the tools he uses. And now I’ve unintentionally messed with his day.
Everly:I’m alive. Not kidnapped. I’m sorry, I completely forgot to text you that I wasn’t going to make it.
Michael:Dick.
Everly:I know. On my way to meet with G for some brunch at that new coffee shop. Can I shave off some grovel time with a chocolate croissant or a Kouign-amann, if they have them?
I wait a few minutes, and when I don’t see a response, I decide to call Law back quickly before I get to the corner up ahead.
Picking up on the first ring, Law answers, “Everly! We fucking did it, didn’t we?” Law laughs in my ear. “Ev, we handled that board like fucking bosses.”
As the youngest, most people would assume that he would turn out to be the lazy lackey, but not Law. No, the youngest Riggs is pure optimism and excitement, wrapped in charm. It doesn’t hurt that he’s a brilliant mind, of which I’m still in awe.
No matter the season or mood, he can always make me smile. Even now, I’m giving him my proud, goofy grin as I think about the win we just had in that boardroom. “We did it. But listen, I’m about to walk into a coffee shop to meet up with G right now. Why’d you call me?”
He exaggeratedly scoffs. “Well, fine. I’m going to assume your booty call didn’t remove that nicely wedged stick up your ass. I’m calling for two reasons: One, Michael has been pacing for the last hour and it took every drop of my willpower not to tell him that you went home with,” he pauses and loudly whispers, “Jin, last night, and that’s why you skipped your plans this morning.”
I hear Michael chime in from the background. “Tell her she can get me two chocolate croissants and as many Kouign-amanns that they have left. And I expect her to be in the gym with me tomorrow.” Then he yells into the phone, over Law’s shoulder, I assume, “She’s doing the climbing wall! No excuses!”
“Yeah, okay. Tell himfine. What was the second thing?” I huff, waiting to get off this call so I can get some caffeine in my blood and see my friend.
“What? Oh, yeah, so that photographer that we booked for our rebranding is arriving today. And, um,” he pauses, clearing his throat. “He had a section in his contract that I didn’t realize until he called to confirm his arrival with me, and, uh, well…there’s no room at any rentals that aren’t total shit at the moment because of the film festival, and then there’re the early snow seasoners too.” I know where this is going, so I cut him off.
“What are you telling me here, Law? Cut to it.”
“I think we should give him the pool house for his stay. It’s convenient and we might be able to get even more done by having him close by to shoot ideas around with, or approve things he might have and-”
“That’s my studio, Law. How am I supposed to finish up what I need for the spring line-up if I can’t have access to all my stuff?”
I moved in with two of my three brothers a handful of years ago. Instead of each of us just shelling out money on cleaners, landscapers, and food services individually, we thought it made more sense to do it together. We spend so much time working and none of us were in relationships, at least not serious enough to move in with them, so it made sense. Buy a big enough place together. Part of that deal was the pool house was mine. I could escape there and nurture my creative side without having to deal with what comes with living with two men.
“It’s not ideal. I get it, but I’m really stuck here, Ev. I don’t want to be in breach of contract before we even begin. Not to mention, his agent is frightening, and I don’t want to call her. He’s not the guy to mess up with. He just finished an NFL Rookie spread, and you know that elite athletes body issue? That’s him. Plus, he’s connected. Just having him here is going to open some new conversations for us. It would suck if we couldn't provide him with a place. It was part of the contract, and I don’t know how much of a dick he’d be if we said, ‘Oh yeah, figure out where you’re staying.’” Law just keeps rambling, but all I hear is,“I messed up and now you have to suffer.”
“Law, I don’t have enough energy this morning to deal with this, but I’m not happy. I’m fucking pissed off. You didn't read the whole contract through, did you? It would be one thing if it was just a few days, but you want a stranger to take over my personal space for the next month?”
“Yeah, pretty much. C’mon, Ev.” I can hear the pleading in his voice. I hate this.
“Figure out something once the film festival is out of town. You should be able to move him elsewhere. Just know that I’m not going to get any work done on the spring line otherwise.”
He blows out a breath, loudly. “Ev, I’ll figure it out. Just for the record, you could find a space somewhere else to do your work while he’s there.”
“No! This is you fucking up and spinning it around on me because I’m mad about your dumbass solution. I’ll go along with it for the short term, but fix it.”
“Alright, okay! Can you get me a few of th-” I hang up before agreeing to take home any more baked goodies than necessary.