He fiddled with his glass then looked into her moist eyes.
“It’s just that I can’t go on like this.”
She turned her head away from him and stared into the tank that held live lobsters.
“Please, try to understand, this hasn’t been working for a long time,” he reached out and
touched her wrist,”don’t you feel it too?”
Tears trickled down her cheeks dripping from her chin and onto his hand. He drew his
hand away shaking off the offending wetness. She saw the reflection of his distaste in the
glass of the tank.
“ You started this, I wasn’t looking for it,”she whispered,”you started it!”
He sighed, “Yes, and I’m finishing it.”
She turned at the cruel twist of his voice and he winced.
“Don’t look at me like that, we’re both adults, you knew what you were doing.”
“Did I?”she asked.
He pushed back into his chair and reached for the bottle of wine. Pouring some into his
own glass he then offered her the bottle but she just stared at him. Shrugging he put it
back in the cooler.
“Does he know?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“But does he?”
“No.”
“Will you tell him?”
”I think I must, don’t you?”
“But why?”
“Because I feel dirty, a cheat.”
“But he’ll never forgive me!”
“He’s your brother, he loves you.”
“No, not this. Not with you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, you’re blowing this out of proportion.”
She leaned over the table, her eyes wide, her hands gripping the sides.
“You don’t understand, it took so much for him, to admit to the family, to admit he was gay,”
she began to cry again,” This will destroy him.”
“Alright, alright,” he said looking around the restaurant,”Please just stop this horrid
display!”
“You won’t say anything?”
“No.” he said taking some bills from his wallet and placing them on the table,” Look I have
to go, we’ll talk about this later.”
She grabbed his arm as he rose from his seat,” You promise?” She sniffed.
Patting his hand over hers he replied softly,” Yes, yes of course.”
“You’ll call me?”
“Soon, don’t worry.” he said and left.
She watched him hurry away then took a sip of her wine.
Pulling out her mobile phone she pressed the fast dial button.
“Hi, it’s me. There’s something I have to tell you, it’s important. Can you come down to the
Sea Palace Restaurant? Right now. No, I have to tell you face to face. Five minutes, ok,
see you then.”
She put the phone away poured herself some wine and settled down to wait for her
brother.
What a perfect example of the twist at the end! She seemed so sincere in extracting his promise - I loved the way you wrote just enough to keep me going and didn't get caught up in detail.
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