Page 144 of The Bartender Special

“Mom and Dad shared a look and then Mom actually laughed.” He adopted a lighter tone, one they had only ever used to mimic their mother when teasing her. “‘If I can make my husband cook for me, then you can make your future husband cook for you too.’” Then Cal dropped his voice to mimic their father. “‘And if he doesn’t want to cook for you, then he’s probably not worth worrying about anyways.’”

Benny opened his mouth.

No words came out.

Cal continued, this time as only himself.

“You accepted their answers and rattled on to other worries and thoughts and then we were sent to another room where you started actually waking up,” he said. “They didn’t bring it up again, and we got so caught up in getting you back home that I honestly forgot about it too. Then… Well, they died, and the years got hard and busy and then you were in college and graduating, getting jobs, and going on dates. And that day, that room? I forgot about it. I forgot about it until yesterday when you talked about coming out to Marcus because you were worried Mom and Dad wouldn’t accept you.”

Cal turned to face Benny directly.

His eyes were shining.

“I know I’m not them, that I can’t speak for them, but even though you never told them about who you really were… Well, I think they already knew and I think all they ever did was love you, Benny. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It’s just— It’s just in my head, I never once thought for even a moment that they could love you less. So, comforting you about it? It never crossed my mind until now and, well, I think Mom and Dad would be really proud of who you’ve become and⁠—”

Benny hugged his brother, ice cream carton smooshed between them.

Cal’s spoon hit the ground.

It was loud against the tile.

Benny didn’t care.

“You, Callum De Carlo, are the only person in this world who never has to apologize to me,” he said around the lump that had formed in his throat. “You didn’t do anything wrong, and Mom and Dad? They would be proud of you too.”

More was said between them. Tears were shed too. The ice cream melted a little while both happened. They talked about that day, then about their parents, and eventually, about everything that had happened in the last two weeks.

Benny was present for it all.

However, part of him stayed stuck on a memory he hadn’t known he was missing.

Then their conversation walked itself right up to the future.

“So, what do you want to do now?” Cal asked. “The video Carol live streamed yesterday can definitely be counted as going viral, even though it got taken down.”

“Which means everyone knows I lied,” Benny said, annoyed but aware he could only really blame himself.

Cal nodded, not trying to soften the truth with an excuse.

“Does that mean you want to stick around Arbor Bay longer? Or are you going to go back to Nashville and move on to whatever’s next?”

This was something Benny had been thinking about since the night before, lying wide awake on the couch next to a snoring Ethan.

Now, Benny was sure of his answer.

“I wrote the blog to run away and, if I stay here, I’m running away from a life I started. One, like Jack said, I loved.” Benny smiled. It hurt, but it was true. “Hiding here isn’t going to work for me anymore. It’s time I figure out what exactly life looks like past my keyboard.”

Cal, the best brother in the world, nodded.

“Then I’ll help you pack.”

Benny accepted the help and, as they left the kitchen behind, he could, for a moment, hear his parents laughing by the kitchen sink.

* * *

Jack had replaced the cheap paint brush with one that had the nice bristles, ones that didn’t peel off just by existing. It had taken him some time to pick out, was more expensive, and had moved him to upgrade the painter’s tape and plastic tray that he’d been borrowing.

Now he was holding the old paint brush, despite total lack of paint.