Chapter 3: My Brother's Name
Nathan's name kept glowing on the screen.
Neither Rebecca nor I moved.
The phone stopped buzzing.
For three seconds, the living room was completely silent.
Then it started again.
*Nathan Cole.*
My younger brother.
My best man.
The person who had stood beside me eight years earlier and handed me Rebecca's wedding ring with tears in his eyes.
I looked at my wife.
“Answer it.””
Rebecca folded her arms.
“No.””
“Answer the phone.””
“Daniel, you're upset. You're not thinking clearly.””
I laughed once.
It didn't sound like me.
“My mother heard a man tell you he missed waking up beside you. Now my brother is calling. So answer it.””
“You're connecting things that aren't connected.””
“Then prove me wrong.””
She reached for the phone.
I thought she would answer.
Instead, she pressed the side button and silenced it.
That frightened me more than any confession could have.
“Why won't you answer?””
“Because I know what you'll do.””
“What will I do?””
“You'll twist everything.””
“Everything?””
Her expression changed.
She had heard herself.
I stepped closer.
“How much is there to twist, Rebecca?””
“Nothing.””
“Then call him back.””
“No.””
“Put him on speaker.””
“I said no.””
My mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
She had put on her coat.
Her suitcase rested beside her.
“Danny.””
I turned.
“Mom, not now.””
“Please don't do this because of me.””
Rebecca gave a bitter laugh.
“Of course. Saint Margaret.””
I spun toward her.
“Don't.””
“Why? She started this.””
My mother gripped the suitcase handle.
“I didn't start anything.””
“You listened outside my bedroom.””
“I was carrying your laundry upstairs.””
“You were spying.””
“I heard Nathan's voice.””
Rebecca froze.
So did I.
Mom immediately looked at me.
She had said too much.
I walked toward her.
“You knew it was Nathan?””
Her eyes filled.
“I wasn't certain.””
“Mom.””
“I heard his voice through the door.””
“And you didn't tell me?””
“What was I supposed to say? ‘Danny, I think your brother is in your bedroom with your wife’?””
“Yes.””
Her face crumpled.
“I wanted to be wrong.””
Rebecca suddenly grabbed her phone.
I saw the movement.
“Give me that.””
“No.””
She stepped backward.
“Rebecca.””
“This is my phone.””
“And Nathan is my brother.””
“You don't get to search through my private conversations.””
“I haven't asked to search anything.””
I held out my hand.
“Call him.””
“No.””
The phone buzzed again.
This time Rebecca looked down before she could stop herself.
I saw only the notification banner.
*Nathan: Please call me. We need to decide what we're telling him.*
My stomach dropped.
Rebecca immediately turned the screen toward her body.
Too late.
“What are you telling me?””
“It isn't what you think.””
“What are you telling me, Rebecca?””
“Daniel, lower your voice.””
“I am standing in my own living room asking my wife why my brother is texting her about what story they're going to tell me.””
My mother whispered, “Oh, God.””
Rebecca's eyes darted toward her.
“This is your fault.””
I stepped between them.
“No. Whatever you've done is your fault.””
Rebecca stared at me.
Then something hardened in her face.
“Fine.””
She dropped the phone onto the couch.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“Nathan came here Tuesday.””
The words hit me physically.
I had expected them.
They still hurt.
“Why?””
“He needed to talk.””
“About what?””
“Something personal.””
“What?””
“His marriage.””
Nathan and his wife, Emily, had been separated for almost four months.
I knew they were struggling.
Nathan had called me twice.
I'd taken him to dinner.
I'd told him he could call me anytime.
Apparently, he preferred calling my wife.
“So he came to my house to discuss his marriage with you?””
“He was upset.””
“In our bedroom?””
Rebecca rubbed her forehead.
“We weren't in the bedroom the whole time.””
My chest tightened.
“That isn't an answer.””
“Nothing happened.””
“Then why did he say he missed waking up beside you?””
Her face went blank.
“He didn't.””
My mother stepped forward.
“I heard him.””
“You're seventy-eight, Margaret. Maybe you misheard.””
My mother's lips parted.
I had never seen anyone insult her age to her face before.
Rebecca had now done it twice in one evening.
“Enough,” I said.
But Mom shook her head.
“No.””
Her voice was suddenly stronger.
“I didn't mishear.””
Rebecca stared at her.
Mom continued.
“I also heard you tell him he couldn't keep coming over while I was staying here.””
My throat went dry.
Rebecca's face collapsed.
Just for a second.
Then she whispered, “You had no right.””
“No right to what?”” I asked.
“Exist in the house?””
Rebecca turned away.
I pulled out my phone.
“What are you doing?””
“Calling Nathan.””
“Daniel, don't.””
That was the first time she sounded scared.
I called.
One ring.
Two.
Nathan answered.
“Rebecca?””
I closed my eyes.
He hadn't even checked the number.
“Nathan.””
Silence.
Then, “Dan.””
My brother's voice sounded like someone had punched him.
I put the call on speaker.
Rebecca lunged toward me.
I stepped away.
“Nathan,” I said, “were you in my house Tuesday?””
Another silence.
“Dan, where's Rebecca?””
“Standing right here.””
“Okay.””
“Answer the question.””
“Yes.””
Mom sat down slowly on the bottom stair.
“Were you in my bedroom?””
“Daniel—”
“Yes or no.””
“Yes.””
Rebecca covered her face.
I felt strangely calm.
“Did you tell my wife you missed waking up beside her?””
Nathan breathed heavily through the speaker.
“Dan, this isn't something we should do over the phone.””
“Then come here.””
“Tonight?””
“Now.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No.””
I looked directly at her.
“Yes.””
Nathan said, “Give me twenty minutes.””
The call ended.
Rebecca stared at me.
“You have no idea what you're doing.””
“Neither did I when I walked through that door.””
Mom stood.
“I should go.””
I picked up her suitcase.
“You're not leaving.””
“Danny—”
“You're not the person who should be packing tonight.””
Rebecca went completely still.
I carried Mom's suitcase upstairs.
When I came back down, Rebecca was standing beside the window, staring outside.
“You really want to destroy our marriage over something your mother thinks she heard?””
“No.””
I looked at her.
“I want to know whether you already destroyed it.””
Twenty-three minutes later, headlights swept across the living-room wall.
A car door slammed.
My mother came down the stairs.
Rebecca stopped breathing normally.
Then someone knocked.
I opened the door.
Nathan stood on the porch.
He looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Eyes red.
Jacket half-zipped.
He looked at me.
Then Rebecca.
Then Mom.
“Dan,” he said quietly.
“Before Rebecca tells you anything else, there's something you need to know.””
Rebecca shot to her feet.
“Nathan, don't.””
May you like
My brother looked straight at her.
“I'm done lying for you.””
