Australia
Chapter Forty Nine
Kevin's POV
I closed the door of Nick's room quietly; seeing my brother so upset really hurt. Nick was the serious one out of the three of us, but he was hurting. It had been so long since I had held Nick like I did. There were some severe thunder storms he couldn’t handle, but they were nothing like that. What Joe said had really got to him. I was used to dealing with the kerfuffles between Joe and Nick; being the older brother made me feel needed. I liked that feeling. I made my way to Sam's room. I peered inside; Joe and Sam were perched on the edge of Sam's bed. They were facing each other obviously talking about what just happened. I knocked softly.
"Come in," Sam's sweet voice invited me in. "Oh hey, Kevin."
"Hey Sam," I smiled at her. I looked at Joe. He had guilt and despair written all over his face.
"What's up?" Sam asked me.
"Um, can I steal Joe for a few?" I said glancing back at Sam. "I need to talk to him."
"Yeah, of course," Sam smiled at me again.
I watched Joe reluctantly stand up and walk over to me. I led the way back to our bedroom. Joe walked in first and I followed; closing the door behind me. I spun around and bore down on Joe, who was sitting on the bed.
"What the heck is your deal?!" I couldn't help but be mad at him. He had upset Nick.
"What do you mean?" Joe looked at me; his face sullen and sad.
"Nick. What you said to him; about him not having a chance with Sam," I demanded. I balled my hands into fists at my sides. Joe had a tendency of lashing out physically and I didn't want to be caught off guard.
"He doesn't have a chance with her," Joe smirked at me. I wanted to slap him.
"That may be true, Joe. But you didn't have to be such an arrogant ass to him about it," I didn't break eye contact with Joe.
"I'm not arrogant," Joe defended.
"You know that's bull," I told him. "You're one of the single most arrogant people I have ever met."
"So?" Joe shrugged.
"You need to apologise to Nick, Joe," I relaxed. “He’s so gutted by what you said.”
“I was just setting things straight, Kevin,” Joe shrugged. “I didn’t mean to tick him off or anything.”
“I think he’s more ticked off with himself than with you,” I answered him.
“But why?” Joe asked, maneuvering himself to sit cross legged on my bed. I joined him; sitting down with my forearms resting on my thighs. “It’s not like he did anything wrong.”
“He’s upset with himself for upsetting you and for liking Sam the way he does,” I told him honestly. “He’s afraid of losing the both of you.”
Joe looked up at me; confusion written across his face.
“Why would he think that? He’s such a moron.” Joe shook his head.
“If the roles were reversed, or better yet, you had feelings for Danielle,” I offered. “Would you be scared of losing both myself and Dan because you were falling for my girlfriend?”
“I guess so,” Joe answered me.
“As I said to Nick, having a little brother is like having a built in best friend. Seeing you two not be friends really turns my stomach,” I told him softly. “I remember how excited you were when Mum and Dad told you, you were going to be a big brother. Remember?”
“Kind of,” He answered me; obviously wracking his brain for the memory.
“You’ve always been there to protect him.”
“Yeah.”
“Remember when he was diagnosed with diabetes?” Joe’s eyes snapped up at me when I asked him.
“How could I forget? I thought my little brother was going to die. I hated myself,” he answered; his voice cracking.
“You hated yourself? That’s news to me,” I looked at Joe again. I didn’t know that.
“It was something I couldn’t protect him from,” Joe mumbled. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Nick and you have been through a lot together, Joe,” I looked at him; he half smiled. “Is all that worth giving up?”
“Not in the slightest,” Joe answered me. He looked up at me; I saw tears shining in his eyes. “What do I say?”
“It’ll come to you,” I told him; patting him on the back lightly. I rubbed it.
Joe rubbed his eyes.
“The last time I cried was that day; Nick’s diagnosis,” he sighed.
“I know,” I told him. “Now, go talk to him while your emotions are still running high. It’ll make things come to you faster.”
I stood up and pulled Joe to his feet. He nodded before awkwardly hugged me.
“Thanks Kev,” he tried to smile. “For the talk.”
“I’m the big brother,” I grinned at him. “It’s my job.”
I smiled proudly as Joe walked out the door. I rubbed my hands together then stopped. I never did find my Police shirt.
I closed the door of Nick's room quietly; seeing my brother so upset really hurt. Nick was the serious one out of the three of us, but he was hurting. It had been so long since I had held Nick like I did. There were some severe thunder storms he couldn’t handle, but they were nothing like that. What Joe said had really got to him. I was used to dealing with the kerfuffles between Joe and Nick; being the older brother made me feel needed. I liked that feeling. I made my way to Sam's room. I peered inside; Joe and Sam were perched on the edge of Sam's bed. They were facing each other obviously talking about what just happened. I knocked softly.
"Come in," Sam's sweet voice invited me in. "Oh hey, Kevin."
"Hey Sam," I smiled at her. I looked at Joe. He had guilt and despair written all over his face.
"What's up?" Sam asked me.
"Um, can I steal Joe for a few?" I said glancing back at Sam. "I need to talk to him."
"Yeah, of course," Sam smiled at me again.
I watched Joe reluctantly stand up and walk over to me. I led the way back to our bedroom. Joe walked in first and I followed; closing the door behind me. I spun around and bore down on Joe, who was sitting on the bed.
"What the heck is your deal?!" I couldn't help but be mad at him. He had upset Nick.
"What do you mean?" Joe looked at me; his face sullen and sad.
"Nick. What you said to him; about him not having a chance with Sam," I demanded. I balled my hands into fists at my sides. Joe had a tendency of lashing out physically and I didn't want to be caught off guard.
"He doesn't have a chance with her," Joe smirked at me. I wanted to slap him.
"That may be true, Joe. But you didn't have to be such an arrogant ass to him about it," I didn't break eye contact with Joe.
"I'm not arrogant," Joe defended.
"You know that's bull," I told him. "You're one of the single most arrogant people I have ever met."
"So?" Joe shrugged.
"You need to apologise to Nick, Joe," I relaxed. “He’s so gutted by what you said.”
“I was just setting things straight, Kevin,” Joe shrugged. “I didn’t mean to tick him off or anything.”
“I think he’s more ticked off with himself than with you,” I answered him.
“But why?” Joe asked, maneuvering himself to sit cross legged on my bed. I joined him; sitting down with my forearms resting on my thighs. “It’s not like he did anything wrong.”
“He’s upset with himself for upsetting you and for liking Sam the way he does,” I told him honestly. “He’s afraid of losing the both of you.”
Joe looked up at me; confusion written across his face.
“Why would he think that? He’s such a moron.” Joe shook his head.
“If the roles were reversed, or better yet, you had feelings for Danielle,” I offered. “Would you be scared of losing both myself and Dan because you were falling for my girlfriend?”
“I guess so,” Joe answered me.
“As I said to Nick, having a little brother is like having a built in best friend. Seeing you two not be friends really turns my stomach,” I told him softly. “I remember how excited you were when Mum and Dad told you, you were going to be a big brother. Remember?”
“Kind of,” He answered me; obviously wracking his brain for the memory.
“You’ve always been there to protect him.”
“Yeah.”
“Remember when he was diagnosed with diabetes?” Joe’s eyes snapped up at me when I asked him.
“How could I forget? I thought my little brother was going to die. I hated myself,” he answered; his voice cracking.
“You hated yourself? That’s news to me,” I looked at Joe again. I didn’t know that.
“It was something I couldn’t protect him from,” Joe mumbled. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Nick and you have been through a lot together, Joe,” I looked at him; he half smiled. “Is all that worth giving up?”
“Not in the slightest,” Joe answered me. He looked up at me; I saw tears shining in his eyes. “What do I say?”
“It’ll come to you,” I told him; patting him on the back lightly. I rubbed it.
Joe rubbed his eyes.
“The last time I cried was that day; Nick’s diagnosis,” he sighed.
“I know,” I told him. “Now, go talk to him while your emotions are still running high. It’ll make things come to you faster.”
I stood up and pulled Joe to his feet. He nodded before awkwardly hugged me.
“Thanks Kev,” he tried to smile. “For the talk.”
“I’m the big brother,” I grinned at him. “It’s my job.”
I smiled proudly as Joe walked out the door. I rubbed my hands together then stopped. I never did find my Police shirt.