I'll Be Right Beside You

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Jared

“She what?” I heard Eric burst, and both of the boys turned to look toward the living room where their father was on the phone with Marc. Tanya and I shared a worried look, before attempting to distract the two boys with their colouring books.

“Parker, why don’t you and Levi go play in the living room?” Eric suggested as he walked over, and without a second glance Parker did as he was told. I knew it had to be bad, otherwise he wouldn’t have had the kids leave. We heard the TV turn on, and Levi let out a happy sound as the theme music from Toopy and Binoo came on.

“Eric, honey what’s wrong? You didn’t get traded did you?” Tanya worried. He shook his head, and held her hand softly.

“Cam broke up with Jordan,” he whispered, and you could’ve heard a pin drop in the spacious kitchen. I couldn’t wrap my head around it, I mean, I knew she was hurting and I’d told him to get his act together or break it off, but I hadn’t ever thought they would actually break up.

“No,”

“Yeah – last night. He’s a mess Jared; Marc called him right around lunch and he was piss drunk,” he told me, and I immediately felt like shit for the things I’d said to him.

“I’m going to call him,” I decided, standing up to leave the kitchen.

“Jared—”

“No, Tanya I need to apologize to him. I was mad, and I still stand by what I said, but he’s my brother, and I’m going to be there for him as best as I can,” I insisted, and after saying a quick goodbye to Parker and Levi left for my apartment. Once I was in the door I dialed Jordan, and to my surprise he picked up.

“Happy now? Calling to gloat or what?” he demanded, and I didn’t know how to react.

“Jordan – I’m so sorry,” I started to respond, but he cut me off.

“Sure you are – you’re probably fucking elated that I’m out of the way, aren’t you? Don’t even try to lie to me Jared, I know you’ve had it bad for her since like day one,”

“That’s not true Jordan,”

“Yes it is! And you know it, so don’t fucking lie to me!” he growled, and I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing that arguing with him when he was drunk was pointless. I was sure I didn’t have any feelings for her, maybe I’d had a tiny crush on her after first learning she was a girl, but nothing ever big enough to worry about – it had soon subsided because a. she’s my best friend, and b. she’s my brother’s girlfriend.

“I’m not lying to you Jordan. Cam’s like family to me – she’s like my sister, all right? Yeah, we’re really close, but we’ve never been anything other than platonic. But if you don’t pull yourself together soon she won’t be family to any of us,” I calmly but firmly told him, and felt like a prick as soon as his angry demeanor turned somber and almost depressed. Even through the phone I could kind of feel it – from the way his breathing changed to the near silence on the other end. I heard him sniff, and realized he was trying not to cry.

“There’s nothing I can do Jared. She ended it, she doesn’t want to be with me. I can’t force her to be with me,” his voice trembled, and I knew he was on the verge of tears.

“But you can talk to her Jord. Maybe it won’t change anything but maybe it will; do you want to go the rest of your life knowing that you didn’t try?” I pushed, and he hiccupped.

“No,” he sounded like Parker in that instant, vulnerable and insecure, and I felt even worse about how mean I was to him.

“And I’m sorry I was such an ass to you about all of this Jord – you know I just want what’s best for the both of you, and I was really upset about how hurt she was,”

“Thanks Jared,” he whispered, and soon after hung up. I sighed and leaned against the counter, wondering what the hell to do. I wanted to call Cam and see how she was, but I knew if Jordan was a mess she’d be in a similar state, and maybe I wasn’t the person she wanted to talk to right now. Then there was the fact that Jordan would flip out if he knew I was talking to her through all of this – to him it would cement his belief that there was something going on.

I sank down into a kitchen chair and rested my head in my hands. Why did all of this have to get so damn complicated?