All That Glitters

"Dude!" I exclaimed, pulling up a pink and black bikini from his suitcase and examining it carefully. I had to fight off a smile myself as I thought about Nadia filling out the bathing suit. Naomi packed nothing like that for us! And this is why I am not comfortable bringing them with us, I can't stand someone having more fun than I am. I watched as my older brother eyed it with a smile on his face, looking from the thin piece of materials and then back to Nick.

"I don't think you can fit into that," Kevin said, hoisting his three year old son higher on his hip.

"I don't know Kev, he's been gaining a little weight, he might be able to fill the chest out perfectly," I said, mocking him. He snatched the bathing suit back and put it in his suitcase, throwing a few more shirts in there before walking over to his dresser and checking every drawer.

"You're whipped," I said, plopping down on his bed, getting ready to lay into Nick about him and his new love. The truth is, this wouldn't bother me so much, if it was anyone other than Nadia. We had always prided on staying out of each others relationships but the fact that Nick was dating Nadia was kind of a big deal. Though he was a big boy at 25, Nadia brought aspects to their relationship I doubt Nick even knew before he met her. "You don't even know her," I said incredulously, throwing my hands up.

"What else do I need to know Joe? She's gorgeous, she's funny, she can cook, she's talented, she's smart, she has a wonderful job, she comes from a cool family, she-"

"She's been married twice, been in rehab once, went to jail over a felony , can outdrink anyone and she's not even 23!" I said, trying not to sound impressed with the girl because even I had to admit, she was exhilarating. I watched as Nick rolled his eyes at my rant, folding a pair of jeans and placing them in his suitcase.

"She's also ahead of her league at 22 years old. So what? She has a bit of a past, like you don't, and Naomi's no saint either." He said accusingly.

"What?" I questioned, a bit offended at the fact he wouldn't even bring Naomi into a conversation. He looked up meeting my eyes, a conceited smile on his face at the expression on mine.

"Yeah, so before you talk about my girl, you should watch your own," He said, zipping up the suitcase and walking out the door.

I leaned back against the headboard, shocked that this confrontation just happened.

"You did have it coming," Kevin said, rocking his sleeping son in his arms.

I rolled my eyes, covering my face with a pillow.

"Come on Kevin, don't take his side. I'm trying to warn him, I know all about Nadia, he obviously doesn't."

"He obviously doesn't care Joe, Nadia is an amazing woman, even if she's been through a lot. She's sparkling enough to have caught your attention more that once huh?" He asked.

I smiled, thinking of the time when I first seen Nadia. Her hair was cropped short, wearing loose khaki pants and a aqua blue tank top. She was pulling pieces of cotton candy from a stick another girl was holding. They both turned around to stare at something but it was the girl in the aqua that had caught my attention. I had told myself I'd never see a more beautiful girl and people like me, don't just fall behind.

"Sorry, I couldn't help but notice that we have on the same kind of pants," I smiled, pulling at the leg of my own khakis. I watched her eyes focus on me, a bright smile appearing on her face.

"Well so we are," She said, pulling another piece of blue magic off the stick.

I held out my hand for her.

"Joe," I said simply.

"Naomi," She said. The other girl scoffed immediately, pushing her out of the way and replacing the short haired girls hand with her own.

"I'm Naomi, sorry for my sister, she didn't know how to break it to you that she's already married," The new Naomi said, I took the time to take in her features. Her shoulder length brown hair, her waifer thin boyish body. She was nothing like her sister, but she was a pretty girl.

"Married?" I questioned. The faux Naomi looked no more than 17 years old. "Wow, well, do you want to go on the tunnel of love with me then?" I asked scratching the back of my neck. She smiled, taking a look back at her sister who was busy trying to win a stuffed animal before turning back to me and nodding eagerly.

"That was then, this is now," I said. "She's not going to destroy Nick like she attempts to destroy every man she sets her claws on."

I made her seem like a monster. Sedusa in the flesh but I only knew the stories she told me and the few gossipy ones Naomi spilled out being spiteful and they never ended well.

"So guess who I ran into today?" Naomi started, ripping off her track jacket and throwing her keys on the kitchen counter, the back door barely shut before she began to speak.

I raised my eyebrows, signaling her to go on as I pulled out the orange juice and poured it into a glass for her.

"Kenneth!" She exclaimed, my befuddled look must have reminded her that Nadia and her husband were buried treasure at the time we were dating. The name, I know. Out of the dozen or so Kenneths I know, the ex Mr. Nadia Kirca was by far the most interesting. He conveniently popped up every now and then, spotted by Mother Kirca or an aunt and occasionally Naomi, where he'll casually inquire about Nadia and the forward progression of everyone's life but myself? I never met the man. "Oh yeah, you've never met Kenneth..." Naomi trailed off, snatching and pounding the glass of OJ. "Well Kenneth, is Nadia's first husband who put her in rehab."

My mouth formed an 'o'. Nadia's stint in rehab isn't spoken of by anyone except Naomi's bitch doppelganger who lashes out in venomous verbiage at Nadia during their sisterly spats.

"I suppose he had a good reason," I spoke, refilling her glass of juice before putting the carton back on it's place in the fridge.

"Tell me about it," Naomi started, pulling her glass closer to her but not drinking. "He finds her snorting powder in the bathroom right next to her positive pregnancy test. Throws her in rehab and while she's in rehab, he finds out that the baby wasn't even his!"

Kevin scoffed, standing up slightly and hoisting the baby up, grabbing the plastic action figure and looking at me once more.

"Just give her a chance Joe, jealously never looks good on married men," He said, following Nick's footsteps and walking out the door. I stuck my middle finger high in the air at his back, something I didn't have the guts to do to his face. I was sick of advice, nothing anyone could say to me would get me to accept Nick and Nadia. She didn't deserve him and he wasn't enough for her. They both didn't know. I pulled the pillow over my head once again before screaming.