Brotherly Love?

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving.” Mike announced, as the TV show we were watching broke for commercial.

After my little outburst in the kitchen when I got home, the three of us joined Eric in the living room and I told them about the incident with Carol. I don’t know what I was expecting from them, neither one of them said a word, but it was a relief to be able to talk to someone about it. Did I feel better? No, I felt just as bad except now I was angry at Josh for not telling me he was still married. Still even when I thought about it, I didn’t feel like it was right, like there was something I was missing. I’ve never misjudged someone that badly before, he didn’t seem like he was hiding anything.

“Anna?” Jordan gently nudged me. When I glanced up at him, he told me they were thinking about ordering out and asked if I’d call the Chinese food place we loved.

I nodded, picked up the phone and dialed. “Hello Mrs. Chung. How are you tonight?” Jordan and I have been going to Schezwan Village for as long as it’s been opened, we’ve come to know the owners of the place very well.

“Ah Anna, I’m good, very very busy. You want to place a takeout order, yes?” Mrs. Chung asked.

“Yes, I do. We’ll have the usual stuff and then we also need,” I glanced at the notepad in front of me where Jordan had written down a couple things that Mike and Eric wanted. “Special Fried Rice, Chicken Chop Suey and Sweet & Sour Pork.”

“You need soup for your company Anna?” I told Mrs. Chung to hold on and asked the boys if they wanted soup, they did. “Your company is Nick and Amy? You tell them I have present for the baby.”

I smiled, “It’s actually Jordan’s other brother, not Nicky.” I could hear the calculator stop. “Mrs. Chung?”

“The gay one?” She asked then went off on a tangent about how unnatural it was and that Mike should be ashamed of him self. I was shocked, I know that there are many people out there who just are against or don’t understand how someone could be attracted to the same sex but they never once have said anything to me or around me about it.

I cleared my throat, “Mrs. Chung.” She stopped in the middle of what she was saying. “Cancel our order.” I said and hung up the phone.

“What the hell?” Jordan looked at me like I was crazy. “Why did you cancel the order? Are they that busy?” I shook my head and told them what she had said.

Mike and Eric looked at each other, and then Mike looked back at me. “We’re unnatural and we are ashamed of ourselves,” He joked. “But we are also freaking hungry.”

“How can you even joke about that? I don’t…she shouldn’t…” I was so surprised at their reaction I didn’t even know what I was trying to say.

“Anna sweetheart, if we hated everyone who didn’t agree with us, our lives would be very lonely. I don’t care if she doesn’t like that I have a boyfriend, I don’t expect her to invite me over to her house to meet the family, hell I don’t even care if she never says a word to me as long as she still sells the amazing Chinese food that I remember.” Mike had gotten up from the couch and was standing in front of me. “I love that you are that protective of us but you can’t change how people think. Now, what’s the number? I need some food.” He picked up the phone and dialed as Jordan told him the number. “It’s ringing,” he whispered. “Oh hello. No, it’s Mike. Yes, that would be me. I want to apologize for Anna; she’s having a bad day. What?” He laughed and looked at me. “Yeah, I’ll tell her that. So you placed our order? Great! We’ll see you then. Bye now.” He placed the phone in its cradle.
“What did she say?” Jordan asked.

Mike laughed and shook his head. “She told me that she has something that will help with the bitchiness during that time.”

My jaw dropped. “I’m not bitchy!” I yelled as the boys all laughed. “I’m not.”

When the time came to go pick up the food, Mike insisted that he go to get it. “Wait,” I said as both he and Eric got up to leave. “Umm, Jordan or I have to go with you. They won’t give you the 20% off if one of us isn’t there.” It was decided that I would go with Mike since I was the less damaged out of the two of us. I could tell that Eric wasn’t too happy that he had to stay with Jordan, again.

Mike and I had returned to his car with the food, he was getting ready to pull out of the parking lot when he pointed to the restaurant across the parking lot. “Hey isn’t that Josh?”

I turned in the direction he was pointing. Josh was sitting alone in a booth in the back of the restaurant. As I watched, the waitress brought him his food and must have asked if he wanted more pop because she took his glass. I sat there staring at him, wanting to go join him and ask him some questions. “You know Anna. I know it’s none of my business but I don’t see it.”

I turned to Mike, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. “Don’t see what?”

“I don’t see him being that guy, the one that cheats and lies. He just doesn’t fit that type. I mean look at him.” Both of us turned our attention back to Josh. “Didn’t Carol say she was going home to him? If that was the case, why is he in there by himself?”

“Maybe they had a fight? Maybe she confronted him?” I sighed, “I don’t know Mike.”

“If it was me and I was cheating and my partner found out. I damn well wouldn’t be eating alone in a restaurant. I’d be one of two places, trying to mend my relationship with my partner or seeing how the person I was cheating with is handling it. Or maybe I would be drowning my sorrows in the bar. But I wouldn’t be eating at a restaurant, looking lonely and quite frankly, it looks like he’s used to being there alone.” Mike shifted in his seat. “Anna I think there is more to Josh’s situation than you know. I think you should talk to him about Carol and ask him what’s going on.”

I shook my head, “I can’t. What if he is still married?”

“What if he’s not?” Mike sighed. “Ok, I have to tell you something else. About Jordan.”

I frowned, “What about Jordan?”

“I know you know how he feels about you. And I know that now he thinks he has a better chance with you because of this whole Carol thing. But Anna, don’t rush into anything with him.” Mike had crossed his arms over the steering wheel and was looking off into space. “Don’t mistake the love you have for him as your best friend as romantic love.”

“You think Jordan and I getting together would be a mistake?”

“I didn’t say that, I just want to you be sure before you enter into that area with my brother.” He looked at me. “I love him, and I want him to be happy. I just think that you need to find out what’s going on with Josh and sort out your feelings for him before you even think about anyone else.”

Mike slipped the car into reverse and backed out of the parking stall, as we drove away I found myself staring at the spot where Josh was in the window of the restaurant long after I couldn’t see him anymore.