The time had come to share with his brother the news of his marriage. Bradley stared blankly at himself in the mirror as he stood leaning over the sink in the bathroom. The rapid buzz of the facial hair clippers in his hand echoed in the small bathroom. He'd gone over how to tell Ethan a million times and still wasn't sure how to break the news. There was a sharp, quick rap-rap-rap on the front door. Bradley shook his head to clear his thoughts and bent to wash the left over shaving cream from his face.
Thirty seconds later, Bradley pulled the door open. "Hey, Ethan."
"Hey," Ethan grinned at his older brother, holding up a six pack. "I brought you some Badsider's. 'Course, you're gonna share with me. Right?"
Bradley chuckled, stepped back to let his brother in. He was careful to keep the tension out of his voice when he responded. "That's great, man. Just stick them in the fridge, dinner's almost ready."
Kicking his shoes off, the younger Kaiser moved through the living room and into the kitchen. He pulled the door to the fridge open and slid the six pack onto the bottom shelf. When he straightened, he inhaled deeply. "Ahh, that smells good." Ethan moved to hover over the pots on the stove. "What did you make?"
"I didn't make it. Shane did, before she left to hang out with Sarah."
Ethan looked up. "She's not here? She cooked for you and isn't staying to eat her own food?"
"I told her I needed a guys night. I've been neglecting my one and only brother since seeing her."
"Aw, you do love me!"
Bradley snorted, straightening the sheet music on the piano. "How's Maeve doing?"
"She's great," Ethan called, poking at a couple stuffed peppers simmering in a skillet. "We've been hitting up the beach as much as possible before it gets too cold to surf. I'm not half bad at it anymore, but she still blows me out of the water." He set the lid back on the skillet and moved to join his brother in the living room.
"You know she's attempting to get me to try surfing?" Brad sat on the couch, stretching his arm out along the back. Ethan claimed the chair against the wall. "I keep telling her she's crazy."
"Aw, it's not that hard, bro."
"Oh yeah? And how long has it taken you to be able to stay on the board." Ethan harrumphed, not answering. "Yeah, that's what I thought. It took you months and you came home with plenty of cuts and bruises. Like I need anymore blemishes." Bradley chortled, subconsciously reaching up to rub the scar on his face.
Ethan smirked, but wondered when his brother would get around to telling him the news. He and Maeve had already found out shortly after it had happened, but had promised Shane to allow Bradley to share it in his own time. "I'm going to ask her to marry me." Maybe this would open up the topic of marriage.
"I know, you've been saying that for over a year now. You tellin' me you're actually gonna do it?"
"I was waiting for the right time! And I just can't wait anymore." Ethan was beaming. He couldn't wait to marry Maeve and start their life as a married couple.
"Well y'all have been together for a while. What is it? Three years?"
"Almost. In four months it'll be three years. I kind of wanted to ask her on our anniversary, but the ring is just burning a hole in my pocket. I have to do it soon or I'll go crazy."
Bradley smiled crookedly. "You'll have to show me the ring before you pop the question."
"I've got it with me." Ethan grunted as he got up from the chair, feeling old as his bones creaked. Another reason why he wanted to get married and start a family. In six months he'd be thirty, and Ethan wanted to be able to run around with his children in the future. After digging in his coat pocket, he pulled the small black box out and hung the jacket back on the peg by the door. He tossed it at his brother and reclaimed his chair.
Brad caught the box with one hand and opened the velvet box carefully. "Wow," he breathed. "This is a nice ring, bro. I'm sure Maeve will love it. It really looks like it will suit her--not too gaudy." He thought of the atrocious ring that had been on Shane's hand the morning after their marriage and he smirked.
A bell chirped in the kitchen.
"That's the timer, dinner's ready." Bradley got up and handed the box back to his brother. "I'm happy for you, Ethan. Mom will love having Maeve for a daughter."
"Thanks, Brad. I'm kind of nervous, but I know it's going to be perfect. We're meant to be." He grinned, moving to put the box back in his coat while Bradley headed for the kitchen. "I'm gonna go take a piss before we eat."
"Thanks for sharing," Bradley called wryly.
Grabbing two porcelain plates from the cupboard, Bradley began dishing out the food. He got the glass bowl full of the salad Shane had also prepared and found she'd written "XOXO" in sharpie on the saran wrap that covered it. Grinning like a fool, he pulled the wrap off and carried the bowl to the table. He heard the toilet flush and the sink running a few moments later and was carrying out the plates of food as Ethan appeared.
"Geez," Ethan marveled at the set up. "She made a feast!"
"Grab the beer, I've got everything else out here."
Ethan disappeared into the kitchen and reemerged with two dark bottles of Badsider, tops already removed. Bradley was seated and was reaching for the serving tongs in the salad bowl. "So what do we got here? Salad, red bell peppers stuffed with....something. And a personal pot pie?"
"Spinach stuffed peppers and pot pie soup. It's probably the best thing I've ever tasted. Shane's a great cook."
"Jesus."
Bradley snorted. "You praying?"
Ethan rolled his eyes and immediately started in on the pot pie soup. "Yep, she's a keeper," he nodded sagely, eyes closing in bliss at the delicious taste." When dark eyes reopened, he noted Bradley looked uncomfortable. He hoped the poor guy would just get it off his chest already.
"Yeah, she is. She's really great, you know." The two brothers ate in silence for several minutes; Ethan resolving not to speak until Bradley got the news off his chest, and Bradley silently warring with himself over how to get it out. Their dark eyes met several times and finally Ethan cracked.
"You look like you're about to admit to murder."
He hesitated. "It's not like that. I just don't know how to tell you."
"Tell me what? Come on, out with it."
Bradley was silent for a long while, fork loaded with spinach and bell pepper hovering above his plate. With a sigh, he set the fork down with a clatter and rubbed a hand over his face. "Alright, here it is." He exhaled slowly, falling silent again.
"Go on..." Ethan prompted.
"Shane and I got drunk a little while back. I know, I know--" He held his hands up, knowing his brother would get upset. "She didn't know about my past problems with alcohol. I'm sure if she did, she wouldn't have let me drink. It was my fault, and I know you're upset with me. But that isn't the news I want to tell you." Bradley drew in a deep breath, his chest suddenly feeling warm at the thought of his wife. "That night, because we were blasted out of our minds, we got married..."
Ethan stared at his brother, trying to look surprised. He'd had time to get over his initial shock already, and his selfish anger at feeling upstaged. When Bradley would give him a chance to speak, he'd be able to only share his happiness.
"...and at first we were really shocked," Bradley went on. "But she and I both know that marriage is a commitment. So we decided to stay married. And honestly, we're really happy. I haven't been entirely fair to her, wanting her to keep it a secret from everyone until I had a chance to tell you. I'm sorry it took me so long."
"So you're really married? This isn't a joke?" Bradley shook his head and Ethan grinned. "That's great, bro. Probably wasn't the smartest idea to get in so deep this quickly, but you're in for the long haul now. And I know you can do it. You're an upright kind of guy. Congrats, Brad!"
Shocked at Ethan's response, Bradley didn't smile right away. But when he'd absorbed the reaction, the elder Kaiser let his happiness shine. "Thanks, I wasn't sure how you were going to take it. But seriously," he said in between bites of soup. "I couldn't be happier. We're going to make a trip up to see mom and dad to tell them the news, but now that you're going to finally propose, maybe we could all go up together when Maeve says yes."
"That sounds like a great idea, Brad." Ethan spooned the last few bites of the pot pie soup into his mouth and stifled a burp. He started in on the stuffed pepper next. "We're both going to be married--this is so great!"
"What do you think Mom and Dad will say?"
"Honestly?" Ethan's mouth was full. He chewed and swallowed quickly. "I think they'll be thrilled."
"That's what I'm hoping for."
"Does 'Leesh know?"
Bradley nodded, swallowing his bite of salad before answering. "Yeah, I wrote to her right after it happened. I needed advice; I was really stressed out about Stephanie."
"Ahh," Ethan frowned, feeling his brother's pain. Steph' had been a part of the family since they were all teenagers. He missed his sister-in-law and niece with all his heart, but that didn't mean there wasn't room to love another sister-in-law. "Well, knowing Alicia, she gave you some sound advice. You'll be fine, Brad. Steph' would be happy for you, too."
"I know. I'm still working through it, but it's a lot easier to deal with now that the shock of it all has passed."
"I'm glad. And hell, she's a great cook. Definitely worth keeping around."
"Don't make me beat you."
Ethan laughed, and so did Bradley. The two finished dinner with random sports discussions and a smattering of light banter. They worked together to clean everything up, wrapping the extras and washing the pots and pans. Once the kitchen was clean, they retired into the living room with a couple beers for the rest of the night.
