Brotherly Love?

January 12, 1986

Copyright © 1997 Property of Deborah K. Fletcher. All rights reserved.

brass rope divider

"Hi, Jess. How're you feeling?"

"Okay. Just the flue. Doctor says I'll be back in school tomorrow."

"Oh. Missed you on the bus. Ended up sitting with Jason."

"Ugh! Poor you. Alan told me you were looking for me. Said you wanted me to call."

"Yeah."

"What's up?"

"Not much. Just wanted to talk. Gets lonely sometimes."

"Okay. What'd you want to talk about?"

"Who is it, Jess?"

"That you, Alan? It's me."

"Oh, hi, Bec. What's up?"

"Just talking to Jess. Didn't see her this morning, you know."

"Get off the phone, Alan. It's for me."

"Okay. But I want to talk to Bec when you're done."

"A'right, a'ready. Get off!"

Alan hung up the extension and sat down to wait. Jessica and Rebecca continued to talk. They chatted about several different boys, siblings, school, and the recent holiday. After about a half hour, Jessica called for her brother.

"Alan! Pick up!"

There was a pause, then Alan said, "Hi, Bec. We need to talk. Jess?"

"I'm off, Alan."

"Thanks, Jess."

"What's up, Al? You sound worried."

"I am. I've been talking to my mother. She told me something I didn't want to hear. I'm not sure you want to, either."

"Then don't tell me."

"I have to. It's about you. Uh ... this is hard to say."

"What is it?" Rebecca was beginning to be concerned. Alan almost never wanted to talk seriously, and he never had trouble with words.

"She said I was your brother. She said i should tell you."

"Oh, God." Rebecca sat down heavily on her bed. She felt dizzy, and not a little sick.

"She said she'd promised our father that she'd tell me the truth when I was old enough to handle it. Today was the day."

"But you're younger than me!"

"I know. I'm sorry." He felt that sorrow was a little inadequate, but knew of nothing else he could say. He certainly could not change reality.

"I ... see. uh ... I knew there was a third child. I didn't know who, though. What do we do now?"

"According to a contract between our father and mothers, when we both knew the truth about each other, I would take your last name, and your mother would adopt me. Also, I would be named your Protector."

"But Protector is only named to guard the heir to the family," Rebecca said slowly, collecting her thoughts. "You're the only son. That makes you the heir, not me."

"No. The contract was rigged so you'd be the heir, unless your mother had a son."

"But why? Because you're only my half-brother?"

"Right. There's some family legal code that has precedence over primogeniture."

"Oh. But about you being adopted, we'll have problems. It'll be pretty hard to explain to people how you're my brother all of a sudden."

"I know. But worse than that, I don't know if i can handle being your brother. I don't think I could stand you as a sister."

"Thanks alot!"

"Calm down. I'm serious. It's not that I don't like you - it's that I do. Alot. And I don't know if I can be your brother."

"Oh, God. So it's mutual?"

"Yeah. I was a jerk about it because something inside me said to stay clear. Didn't want to, though."

"I know what you mean. I had the same little voice in my head! But I ignored it. It's caused trouble before, but this time I guess it was trying to keep me out of trouble. I guess I made a pretty big fool out of myself. I should have stayed away."

"But I wanted to go out with you just as much. I think you knew it, and that's why you ignored it."

"That's just what we need! You saying you wanted to go out with me! An hour I would've been thrilled if you'd said that."

"I know. I'm sorry. There's always Matt or Steve,: he said, trying to be helpful.

"Don't be sorry. And don't try to make me feel better. Misery is what I ned now. I'll cry myself to sleep. Then I'll starve myself in mourning for you."

"You're getting melodramatic. Cut it out."

"Okay. But I need the practice."

"Get it later. I won't be sorry if you don't want me too."

"Good boy."

"Okay."

"Bye."

"Bye."

That evening, Rebecca was playing the piano in the livingroom when the telephone rang. She went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Rebecca. Are you busy?" It was Alan's mother.

"No, Mrs. Randolph. What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to tell you that I've arranged a court date to have Alan's name changed from Randolph to Hathaway."

"Oh. That's good. When is it?"

"We were very lucky. We got in for tomorrow morning at nine."

"Oh. I see. I guess that's pretty lucky. What about the adoption?"

"Alan'll move in with you this weekend. I saw your mother in town and we decided that'd be best."

"I see. I'm sure you're right. The sooner he lives among Hathaways, the sooner he'll call himself one. Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Randolph."

"Certainly, Rebecca. Good-bye."

"Bye."

The following morning, while Rebecca and her sister, Elizabeth, were getting ready for school, Mrs. Randolph called their house.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Elizabeth. May I speak to Rebeca, please?"

"Yep." She turned away. "Bec!"

Rebecca hurried into her mother's bedroom and took the telephone from her sister. "Hello?"

"hello, Rebecca. I'm glad you haven't left yet. I was hoping to drive you and Alan into town, and drop Elizabeth to ride in on the bus with Jessica."

"Oh. Okay. What time?"

"Six-thirty? Alan tells me you usually leave about then. It'll give us time to stop for breakfast before the hearing."

"Sure. Fine. See you then."

"Good. Good-bye."

"Bye."

Rebecca hung up the telephone and walked across the room to the livingroom door. "Liz? Get your stuff together. Alan's mother'll be here in ten minutes to pick us up."

"Why's she picking us up?" Elizabeth asked, not missing a beat in the video game she was playing. "She works at the bank. She doesn't drive."

"She's taking Alan and me to court this morning. Remember? And she's going to drop you to ride with Jess."

"Better tell Mom."

"Tell Mom what?" Mrs. Hathaway asked from the kitchen door.

"That Mrs. Randolph is driving us to school."

"Oh. Alright. I'm not worried about you riding with her."

The sound of a car's horn caused the Hathaways to jump. Recollecting herself, Rebecca said, "Liz! She's here!"

The two girls pulled on coats, picked up bookbags and purses, and ran out the back door, fiddling with coat zippers as they went. When they reached the car, bruised from running too fast on an icy driveway, they piled in. Rebecca took the front seat, next to Mrs. Randolph, and near the heat. Elizabeth took the back seat. Both girls piled their belongings into the back seat.

When Rebecca and Elizabeth had settled, Mrs. Randolph gave them an amused glance and pulled out of the driveway, heading north.

Five minutes later, Elizabeth was climbing out of the back seat, and Alan was climbing into the front. Bookbags were tossed in and out, scarves were whipped about, Elizabeth stumbled onto the front porch, the car doors were closed, and Rebecca and Alan were ready to go to court.

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