When I went in to my apartment it was clear that Juliette had been here to brighten things up. There

were fresh flowers in a big vase on the table, with a welcome back card and the fridge was stuffed with

microwave meals and cold beer. I took out a bottle of beer and opened it. It felt strange to be back in this

big, white apartment when my home had been in Paris for a year. I sat down on the couch, kicked off my

shoes and fell asleep.

24. A new ‘brother’

That Sunday was the first time I met Brad. He was Christine’s boyfriend and they were very ‘serious’

when it came to dating. They’d met at a fundraiser that one of Christine’s friends had organized and now

they were a super cute couple. Christine had blossomed from a pretty girl in to an elegantly dressed young

woman with a taste for designer clothing and pearl earrings. Brad too was handsome and sharply dressed.

He was a lawyer as well, he’d been to Harvard, and was smart and funny. I liked him immediately. He

was a big guy with a broad muscular chest and a square face with friendly brown eyes. He wasn’t my type

but I could see what Christine saw in him. His hands were enormous; especially when he held Christine’s

slender fingers in his’. I wondered where he bought his suits; he was so big that he must get them fitted

especially for him.

Brad had been around for a couple of months already while I was still in Paris. Apparently he had been

coming along with Christine for every Sunday dinner because the whole family was used to him.

“He loves mom’s cooking,” Christine told me while she looked at Brad lovingly. “I guess he loves it a

lot by the look of him,” I joked. Christine giggled. She was very much in love with Brad.

“You must be Michael,” Brad said when Christine introduced me to him. “I’ve heard a lot about you,”

he said smiling. “They all talk about the big brother of the house so much around here.”

“Well I hope they’ve told you only good things,” I said.

“According to your dad you’ll reach sainthood soon,” he laughed.

“You’ll soon find out that my dad likes to exaggerate,” I said.

“Well as I heard it, your résumé is quite impressive.”

“Don’t let that fool you,” I replied and asked him “So where are you working?” He told me the name of

the firm. “Nice,” I said. “I heard that they pay better than my dad does.”

The doorbell rang and Christine walked in to the hallway to open the door. David came in, looking his

usual shabby self. He had on an old pair of jeans, Converse All Stars and a grey college sweat shirt. Still,

to me, he had never looked better. I felt frozen to the floor as he walked up to us and hugged me hard in

front of Brad. He hadn’t even said ‘Hello’ to the rest of the family. I put my arms around his waist and

quickly rubbed my face against his cheek. He never shaved in the weekend and I liked to feel the stubble

on his face. Every time I touched him it felt like the both of us were melting together into a single entity.

“Hi Brad,” he said to Brad while I was still holding him.

“Hi David,” Brad said. “You sure look glad to see your brother again.”

“I am,” David replied and reluctantly we let go of each other. I wished that I could be holding him for a

little while longer.

At the dinner table David and me sat at our fixed places on opposite sides across the table from each

other. I was sitting between Dad and Christine. Brad was talking to my dad about some case he was

working on Dad was clearly enjoying his company. Then when Juliette had just brought in the main

course, Brad stood up and took Christine’s hand in his hand. Everybody went silent.

“You all now that Christine means the world to me and that’s why I’ve asked her to become my wife.”

“I said yes,” Christine filled in. “You’re engaged?” my dad asked. They both nodded and Christine took

out a small diamond ring out of her purse. “That’s wonderful,” my dad said from the heart. Christine put

the ring on her finger and showed it to Juliette. “It’s beautiful Christine, and you’ll make such a beautiful

bride,” she said.

“We’ve been waiting for Michael to come home because we wanted to tell the whole family at the

same time,” Brad said. He looked at Christine lovingly. My dad got up from his seat and hugged

Christine. He lifted her up in the air like he’d done when she was a little girl and kissed her on both

cheeks. After he put her down he shook Brad’s hand. Juliette stood up from the table to kiss Christine and

Brad and then David stood up too to do the same. I felt a little overwhelmed since I didn’t know Brad but

got up too to congratulate them. “Thanks,” Brad said and he raised his hand to shake mine.

“So how did you propose?” the twins asked almost simultaneously. “Did you get down on one knee?”

“It was wonderful,” Christine swooned. “He’d asked the florist to fill up the entire house with roses

and there was this little box on the table and when I opened it the ring was inside. Then Brad walked in

and he got on one knee and proposed. It was so romantic. It was like everything I ever dreamed of as a

little girl.”

The twins looked a bit nauseated from all this romance stuff. They were both pretty nerdy teenagers who

apparently had more interest in playing gruesome video games then in girls.

“So when is the big day?” I asked after I’d kissed Christine and shook hands with Brad. “We’re

thinking about the 25th of June, so in a couple of months,” Christine said. “That’s great,” I answered. I

didn’t know Brad yet but at least he seemed like a nice guy. “It’ll be a beautiful wedding,” my dad said.

“Christine you are my only girl so I want you to know that I’m paying for the entire party.”

“No you really don’t have to, it’s too much,” Brad protested.

“When you have your own little girl in a couple of years you can start saving for her wedding. Christine

is my princess and she’ll get a wedding fit for a fairy tale.” Christine stood up and hugged my dad. “Thank

you daddy,” she said and kissed his head.

“My little girl is getting married,” my dad said. “I still see you with your braids and pink dresses.”

“I still have pink dresses, only the braids had to go,” Christine laughed.

I was happy for my sister and thought she deserved my dad paying for her wedding. She’d been my dad’s

ray of sunshine when my mom died and she’d kept our family together with her friendliness when my dad

remarried. Christine had been his little ally when he met Juliette and without her there would be no family

Sunday dinners.

Over dinner we talked some more about the wedding proposal and about their plans for the wedding.

After dinner we had coffee and cake outside. Brad and Christine had also brought some champagne to

celebrate. We all drank a glass, except for the twins who hated the taste and switched back to Dr. Pepper

after a few sips.

David was sitting across the table from me, next to Brad. Everything about his little mannerisms was

familiar but exciting again at the same time. The way he fumbled with his fingers when he was listening to

Brad and my dad talking, the way he sipped from his glass because I knew that he did not like the taste of

champagne either, the way he sometimes looked at me and gave me one of his dazzling smiles. It still

made my heart race to see him smile like that.

“Michael,” Christine lightly touched my knee. I’d been staring at David so intensely that I hadn’t even

head Brad talking to me.

“Sorry, I’m still a bit jet-lagged,” I said.

“That’s alright,” Brad said. “How was Paris?”

“It’s been really great. It was better this second time actually. I already knew the city pretty well and I