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I’ve wanted to hit Jason in the face for about a decade, but never in aofas it did in that instant If I had known, I would have done it years ago…and probably often Within seconds, I had Jason on the ground, and was pounding at his jaw and chest and arle out fro in a face-off finally, taking turns sending punches at each other’s face, circling each other like boxers used to do in the ring, when h the bubble Jason and I see in

"Boys! My office! Now! The both of you!" Pops yelled, his voice bellowing and the disappoint each and every word Jason and I turned from each other slowly, breathless, as alked side-by-side toward the house Our eyes rery and locked, but I realized that Nolan and her faathered outside now, too And my heart sank a bit orry that they had heard soht before alked in the house, and I felt satisfied knowing I made him bleed

My dad was finally out of his cast, which meant he could pace back and forth in front of Jason andin his office on Christ, but I didn’t regret finally giving Jason the beating he’d deserved

"What the hell was that?" Dad finally asked, leaning on his desk and crossing his arms "Like zoo animals, you both are You were raised better than that You’re brothers, start acting like it!"

Dad was angry, angrier than I’d seen him in ize in order to get the old man’s blood pressure back down to normal, but Jason couldn’t let it rest "Come on, Dad? Reed’s out of control He flew off the handle athe’d just be able to bluff his way through this, that I wouldn’t call hiht I stood up from my chair and leaned over into hiirl I love, you assle You disrespected her family You eh clenched teeth, slaain in an effort to control er

Jason just rolled his eyes at h I watched asJason’s attention "What?" Jason asked, rolling his shoulders as if he were innocent "Oh co sensitive, and stupid"

Dad cut him off then "Just shut up, Jason," Dad said, his voice cal a bite "I don’t knohere I failed you, but I’ at the floor now, his eyes a little glassy, but his ar "Did you hearJason to look at hi I know about business And man…you are one hell of a businessman You’re better thandown, embarrassed now

"No, Jason I’m serious You are a better businessaze level "But Reed’s a better h about that And I’m the one to blame But I hope like hell you can cooing to live a sad life, full of anger and resent to be alone"

Our dad let his words hang there in the air, the heaviness a suffocating blanket on the three of us Dad took turns looking each of us in the eyes, his face hard, and heartbroken Jason and I sat still, our eyes locked straight ahead, not ready to acknowledge one another When it ale of the desk and reached for the door to leave us there alone "You two take your tiure this shit out When you’re done, we’ll have Christ the door behind him

Jason and I sat there in silence forI was the first to break, turning my head slowly to look at him And when I did, I saw the thin wet streaks left behind by the few tears he was unable to keep inside So in my brother’s life I didn’t knohat it was--hts, maybe it was the end of his football career, and part of it was probably having my success constantly shoved in his face--whatever the trauma, it had left behind soht in to cut them open I hoped they’d heal better the second time