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I stared at a black-painted door I’d traveled two thousand et to this place: a black door Beyond the door wasBeyond the door lived my brother

Or at least that’s what I hoped

Did I hope that? My hand was up, fist curled, ready to knock, buttraveled all that way just to meet my brother, yet I couldn’t do it I couldn’t knock

I was fixing to turn around and walk ia when the door opened on my frozen fist A tall wo With red hair, blue eyes, and classically good looks, I suddenly felt unworthy

“Oh!” The wo in her hand I eyed the trash bag,position to my mouth

“Excuse me miss,” I said “I’m lookin’ for Vic Wall Does he live here?”

“Vic!” the wo her head back into the apartment She dropped the trash but didn’t leave the doorway “A woman is here for you Do you have another wife I don’t know about?” Leaning casually against the fraht her attention back to me “Do youwarmly

I sed I’d prepared myself for the inevitable confrontation with Vic, but not for this woman I had no idea how to respond to her Tiht of what to say Do I tell the truth? Do I stall? Do I outright lie?

“I’ to make a joke The delivery was bland because I was nervous and scared

“Oh of course not!” She laughed playfully Her laugh faded and we settled back into an aard silence She smiled at me kindly I smiled back, like a dumb mute As I openedto come out, I was saved by the sound of another voice

“Oh ha ha, Lenny I only had the one hidden wife” My sto through my mind, I still wasn’t ready to meet Vic

My big brother

My only sibling

My last real family

He’d abandoned reater things He sounded happy He sounded fulfilled No doubt he was, living with a super the time of his life

I realized then that I hated him

“One is really h,” the wo attention to their conversation All I could concentrate on was the inevitability of my brother’s appearance as she stepped aside toto exit before he appeared

“You knohat…” I started to form an excuse, any excuse to not have to see hio back tohim in that moment

“Who is—” Too late Vic rounded the corner and upon seeing ue tied Apparently I wasn’t the only one with filial hangups “Grace?” Vic spoke istered

“Grace?” The woman looked from Vic to me and back to Vic “Who is Grace?” She looked at , obviously”

“I a here? I had no place to stay No job No lick of the kind of life I was interrupting I wasn’t welcome

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have come” I turned around without another word and dashed down the hallway, disappearing down the staircase By the tihts down and nearing the exit

I’d e mistake