After driving back, Braden wanted to go to Rowdy’s to see Kelly, but first he headed home to check on our mom. She was still sick. When he got to the bar, he reported that she was sleeping, but it was my turn to check on her before bed. He was looking at Kelly as he said that and added, “And you have to sleep there.”
I didn’t ask where he was going to be. The answer was obvious. When I tried to help Kelly behind the bar, she waved me off so Luke and I played pool, drank beer, and hung out like we were best friends again. While watching my brother at the bar as he flirted with Kelly, I gripped my pool stick tightly for a moment.
I was happy.
I didn’t want anything to take this moment away.
“You okay?”
Luke was waiting for me to take my shot. I replied, meaning it, “Yeah, I’m good.”
“G
