Whenever Brian’s name came up, Robert either shut down or left the room.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
He looked at me.
For one second, I thought he would.
Instead, he walked out.
Once, after Emily mentioned Brian’s accident, Robert went so quiet that I had to say his name twice.
That became his pattern.
Whenever Brian’s name came up, Robert either shut down or left the room.
Once, after Emily mentioned Brian’s accident, Robert went so quiet that I had to say his name twice.
“What?” he finally said.
“I asked whether you heard me.”
“I heard you.”
One afternoon she called me crying.
“Then why are you acting like that?”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Drop it.”
Months passed.
Emily noticed.
Of course she did.
“Mom, did Dad say something about Brian to you?”
One afternoon she called me crying.
“Mom, did Dad say something about Brian to you?”
My stomach dropped.
“What happened?”
“He barely looks at him. Brian keeps pretending it doesn’t bother him, but it does.”
Three weeks before the wedding, I decided enough was enough.
“I know.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s worse.”
She was right.
Three weeks before the wedding, I decided enough was enough.
