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Neal sighed “I guess that’s a no on Hawaii?”

“You guessed right”

Neal nodded, stabbing his chicken and popping it into his ht, they used too much oil

“What’s happening with you at the e asked casually

Neal knehat he was getting at, but he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it “Did you read the letter dad left you?” he said, deliberately ignoring George’s question

“Not this year,” George admitted “I don’t really have to anymore I know every word of that letter by heart”

“Me too,” Neal said, “but it doesn’t stop h”

“I don’t knohy you still read yours,” George said thoughtfully

Neal wasn’t sure either He knew that letter backwards and forwards now, and still, every year, without fail, he would spend at least fifteen h he could find so in its words The truth was, Neal had always felt a distinct sense of unease tied to his father’s letter It sprang from his little insecurities and the suspicion that his father had been trying to tell hi that he couldn’t yet understand His ritualistic reading of it was his way of trying to decipher what he kneas

“Do I ever get to read yours?” Neal asked innocently

George gave hi smile “You ask me that every year”

“And every year you refuse me”

“Exactly,” George winked at him “Take the hint, little brother”

Neal rolled his eyes, but dropped the subject So that there was soe’s letter that would help hi to tell hi, Neal knew that, but he had been so subtle about it, that hiswas lost

He could have been annoyed with George about his constant refusal, but he was too good a brother Always supportive, even in disapproval Always generous, even when Neal wasn’t deserving of it, and never judgment was justified