"Open up. Come on bro. Please?" Izzy had been banging on her brother's door for over an hour and she wasn't letting up. She knew he was inside and wasn't taking no for an answer. The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of drama and disaster and she knew that Ian would only listen to her.
"If you won't open up I'm going to scream what I need to tell you and all the neighbors will hear." Izzy waited for a response. Ian lived in the apartment attached to his parent's house. He could enter from either the house or the side entrance. Izzy was standing at the side entrance, which was inconveniently located close to the Henderson's, the old couple that had nothing better to do than gossip about their neighbors.
"Fuck I hate you." Ian opened the door and looked at his sister. He was scruffy looking with day old stubble and messy hair. He was wearing ratty boxers and a gray t-shirt with stains on it.
Izzy stepped in and closed the door. "Haley and Hunter are getting a divorce. After you left the party Hunter overheard what Haley had said to you and he freaked. It was a huge fight. Haley got knocked up by one of her professors at school. Hunter had no idea. Gabriel knew, but was sworn to secrecy. I love Derek very much and would never cheat on him. I know that you and him have issues. Mom is fine with you dating Gabriel. She only wants you to be happy. Haley was so furious, she blurted out that you and Gabriel have been fucking the whole trip. No one reacted to that except to suggest that Haley was jealous. Gabriel is an emotional wreck. Haley's parents are embarrassed and are thankful only our family was there. Hunter almost punched Haley and had to be restrained. It was like a fucking soap opera."
Ian listened and processed what his sister had said. It was so confusing and so unreal. He knew he had to say something. "He loves me. After all we've been through, he actually loves me."
"And you love him back."
***
The club was dark and smoky with loud music blaring. Izzy, Ian, and Derek were there celebrating Izzy and Derek's engagement. Now that they were all old enough, they decided a night out drinking and partying was in order. Things had calmed down in their circle of friends. Haley had given birth and put the baby up for adoption. She had originally had an idealistic view of marrying the father of her child, one of her English professors, but of course, that had not happened. Haley's husband Hunter had indeed divorced her and had decided living in the big city was a good idea. Izzy knew that Haley's brother Gabriel had taken off to university, needing some breathing space after so quickly getting back together and then breaking up again with Ian.
"Tequila shots. I want to do tequila shots." Both men grinned as Izzy jumped up and down. "Please. Come on. I'll find you a hot guy to go home with bro, I promise."
Ian grinned. There were a few things he had kept secret from his sister.
"Let's go." The trio walked to the bar and ordered two shots each. He was so happy for his sister and was excited to welcome Derek into the family. As he gulped down his second shot, he turned and smiled.
