“Mom had it put in for my brother.” Sadness seeps from her as she stands next to me like a wilted flower, weighed down by the rain. Not the usual full, bright petals that I know her to be.
I’ve rarely seen Harley sad. But the couple of times I have are enough to know that it’s the sight I most despise in the entire world. Nothing else makes my heart feel like it’s been ripped in half, like the dullness in her eyes when she is.
“He uses a wheelchair now.” She chews on her lip and lets out a sigh, her shoulders dropping. “It’s a long story, and I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything, Reed.” She glances at me. “But first, can we go inside? I always find the first hello the hardest when I haven’t been home in a while.”
“Of course.” I stroke her lower back, wishing I could wipe away the pain that’s radiating from her. Even her bright pink floral dress can’t distract enough to hide the loss of her usual glow.
We walk up the ramp to the door and ring the bell.
“Harls!” A blond guy in a wheelchair answers the door. His face lights up at seeing her.
She leans down and throws her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. “Hey, big bro. Been working on the guns, huh?” She squeezes his impressive biceps, and he laughs.
“Yep. It takes a lot of muscle to lift this godly body in and out the chair, you know.”
She laughs again and then stands back and looks at me. “Brett, this is Reed, who I told you about.”
“Reed, this is my brother, Brett.”
The guy holds his hand out and I shake it, struck by how alike he is to Harley. His hair is a little darker, and so are his eyes. But they have the same sparkle in them as Harley’s do when she’s happy, like an infectious joy for life is waiting to burst out at every given moment. Exactly the way Harley’s usually look.
Just not today.
And not last night.
“It’s nice to meet you, man. Harls told us you’re going to be the next Mayor of New York.”
“Well, that’s the hope.” I smile as Brett lets go of my hand and wheels backward so we can get through the door.
“Heisgoing to be.” Harley lays her palm against my chest. “Reed deserves it. He’s brilliant.”
I stare at her, lost for words as she takes our bags from my hands and places them down on the hardwood hall floor.
She thinks I’m brilliant?
I’ve fucked her without even calling her by her name for weeks and she thinks I’mbrilliant?
I’m a fucking jerk is what I am.
“Is Mom home?” Harley asks as we move further into the house.
“Yeah, in the garden.” Brett wheels ahead of us, the muscles in his shoulders rippling beneath his light blue t-shirt.
“And Rose?” Harley whispers.
Brett looks at her, giving her a weak half smile. “She’s out back, too.”
Harley exhales slowly as she follows Brett, and I reach out to take her hand. She looks back at me, pain now replacing the sadness in her eyes.
I’m okay, she mouths when she sees the concern on my face. “I’ll explain later.”
I nod, stroking my thumb over her knuckles, and follow the two of them through the small, homely kitchen and out onto the back porch. Like the front door, there’s a ramp which takes us down to the lawn.
Brett wheels down, a grin plastered to his face. “Look who’s here!”
A woman who’s sitting in a garden chair by the side of a wrought iron table jumps to her feet and comes over, pulling Harley into a hug.
“Oh, my girl. It’s so good to see you.”