First, Best and Always

Chapter 29 - Brothers

“Okay” he said as he pulled shirt after shirt out of the closet trying to find one that he knew Raven would like. ‘Wow” he thought, It had been a long time since he’d cared what anyone thought of what he was wearing. Most of the time for him it was green hospital scrubs and sneakers, and if he was lucky there wouldn’t be too much blood or puke or whatever on them. As he sorted through the shirts Brandon knocked on the open bedroom door.

“Hey Bro!”

“Heeeeeyyy! Eric said turning to give his brother a hug. “What brings you by?”

“Heard you were having dinner out tonight”

Eric looked at his older brother with a look of exasperation, “Is there anything that happens in this house that’s private?”

“Nope!” “The last time there was a private moment in this house Aaron was an only child” he said laughing.

“So, what are you wearing for your ’big night’?

“Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not a ‘big night’ or a big deal.” “Just two old friends having dinner.”

“Yeah, with her new boyfriend.”

“Not for long bro, not for long.”

“You sound awfully confident.”

“I am,” he said winking.

“Ric??? He said cautioning, “The last time you got a look like that in your eye you were 18 and convinced that Raven was ready to…”

“Ready to what?” Devon broke in as he entered the room and flopped on the bed.

“None of your business!” Eric answered, “And get off my pants!” “As a matter of fact, get out of my room….Grown-ups are trying to have a conversation in here!” He said laughing, as he ushered Devon out and closed the door behind him. Then turning back to Brandon he pointed at him in a cautioning fashion and said, “I was right then, and I’m right now.”

“Maybe, but you still can’t dress yourself,” he said laughing, “here, let me give you a hand”

As Brandon looked through Ric’s closet the young doctor sat on the bed and patiently watched as his older brother put together what he called a “Bran-don Enseme’’ fit for dinner, sloppin’ the hogs or impressin’ the shit out of an old girlfriend’s boyfriend.

Brandon and Eric had always been particularly close, they shared each other’s secrets, gave each other advice, knew where “all the bodies were buried” so to speak. If you wanted to know something about one…just ask the other.

He laughed as he thought to himself, “They take up all your time, wear your clothes, borrow your money, ruin your best hats, and they always have their nose in your business,” but all in all Eric thought….brothers are one of those Martha Stewart good things, and he wouldn’t trade any of his for the world.

By the time it was over, they’d decided that it would probably be best if he just kept it simple.

“He’s a millionaire, for Pete’s sake” Brandon said laughing, “You’re a poor struggling doctor, if he came in his drawers he’d probably out dress you.”

Eric figured he was right and just went with the basics. Starched white shirt fresh from the cleaners, a pair of new black jeans, black boots, Jarod’s new black stetson and the hand tooled black leather jacket Raven sent him last year for Christmas. He made a point of reminding Bran that she sent it to him “last year” while she was still with ‘Mr. Wonderful’.

Jarod knocked on the door bringing Ric his new treasure,

“Don’t mess up my hat” he said “I’m tellin’ you right now if anything goes down….you better take my hat off.”

Settling himself on the end of the bed he watched as Ric finished dressing. “I think she knew even then, that things weren’t right with him” Jarod said, “now that I think about it, that was right before the story started hitting all the tabs.”

When he was finally finished dressing he picked up his car keys, and carefully positioned the stetson on his head. Holding his arms out to the side he turned to his brothers and said, “How do I look?”

Brandon was the first to respond, “That’s amazing,” he said softly,

“What?” Eric asked.

“How much you look like Pop.”

“Get out of here,” Eric said laughing, “I do not look like Pop”

Brandon reached into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet said , “Here, see for yourself.”

There in the wallet was a picture of Standing Elk and Amanda back before any of the boys were born. Standing Elk was dressed very much like Eric was that night with a black jacket, white shirt and a black hat. Eric stood quietly looking at the picture; this was one he’d never seen. Brandon clapped Eric on the back and said,

“How do you think you got your name knucklehead?” “You’ve always been the one who looked most like him.”

“More than Devon” Jarod chimed in as he nodded in agreement.

“You never can tell little brother, it worked for Pop, maybe it’ll work for you too.”

As Eric stared at the photo of his folks he marveled at how young they were, not a gray hair in sight on either of them, and the way his mother was looking up at his father…like he was the only man on the planet.

“Yeah” he said, “From your mouth to God’s ear, that I should ever get this lucky.”