Family is Family - Weekend Freewrite

My brother was doing that thing he did. That thing with the rag in the sink.
He stood with his head bent, focusing all of his attention on the job, wiping the interior of the stainless steel sink until it gleamed. He moved to the faucet and polished it, too. Everything had to shine like it was brand new. His hair poked up in wild angles. His T shirt was crumpled and a small hole in the back looked like he'd snagged it on a hook.

"What's for dinner?" Marla, his wife, asked.

He stopped his polishing for moment.

"I'm not hungry," he growled.

"Well, we are," she replied softly.

She stood and went to the refrigerator, opening the door. Cool air puffed into the moist air of the kitchen. She stood staring into the depths enjoying the cool air.

"Close it," my brother growled.

Only uncle Bill thought this was funny. He sat at the breakfast bar near his disheveled nephew chewing on a toothpick.

"What's your problem, Bennett? Is there a spot in there you missed?"

My brother shot a glare at uncle Bill. He and Josie showed up last night without warning, like all our family tended to do, and stayed as long as they liked. My brother's tolerance level was, well, Nil. Nadda. Zilch.

I felt sorry for him. He couldn't help his ocd tendencies to keep everything clean. Bill was a jackass and Josie was mousy and went along with everything Bill said.

"Let's go out for dinner," I suggested, "there's a new Tai place down the road on Landes Boulevard with reasonable food."

Bill scoffed. My brother stiffened. The air was getting more stifling by the minute.

Josie looked at Bill and back at me. "I love Tai food!"

I was a little impressed that she spoke up after Bill's reaction but I took it as an encouraging improvement to the current tension.

"Then its decided!"

I left the kitchen and grabbed my purse, "I'll treat!"

The buzzing of the lies grew louder in my head. Family is family, keep an open door policy, never turn your back on family replayed in my memory.

As we filtered out the side door to my beat up, dented red Volvo, I took a deep breath. My brother pulled his silver Tacoma truck from the garage. It gleamed in the sun. He used the edge of his T shirt to open the door handle and stepped up in. Marla used her shirt tail to open her door handle, too, and stepped up in the passenger side. As soon as the key turned a loud radio boomed from the truck speakers, Turn me loose, turn me loose... it belted wildly.

Pulling into the parking lot we filed into the new restaurant behind uncle Bill, my brother trailing behind Marla.

Seated at two tables pushed together we stared at one another while the waiter poured drinks.

Finally my brother spoke.
"We are moving next month."

Bill slammed his hand on the table.
"What the hell is this?"

"We are moving to Australia. I took a job at a local wildlife preserve."

My brother looked at me.
"You're welcome to come stay, but we will have limited space and I'm done housing unexpected family. Dad was wrong about a few things, but right about this; you know who your real family is."

"You're a piece of work, Bennett!" Bill laughed. He pulled Josie up by her arm and barked, "Let's go, Josie. We'll find friendlier accommodations at the Motel 6."

We watched the couple exit the restaurant, Bill on the phone apparently calling an Uber.

In the quiet I smiled at my brother.
"Congratulations, big brother," I said, raising my water glass to him, "you're going to love the change of scenery!"

For the first time in years my brother smiled as he and Marla raised their water glasses to meet mine.

Turn Me Loose by Loverboy

This was the weekend freewrite: https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/the-weekend-freewrite-part-3-the-dramatic-twist

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