Page 4 of Teach Me How
“I’m Brad’s oldest.”
“Ho-ly shit.” He drags the words out. A gruff laugh spills off his lips. “Bet you didn’t think you’d run into your Uncle Don when you came here tonight, did you?”
“No. I did not. Do you work for Wheaton Analytics?”
“My partner does contract work. You must work in tech?”
“Yeah. Data analytics, mostly.”
He spins his drink, amber liquid in a crystal glass. “You live out this way?”
“Mitch does. My little brother. I work remotely back home.”
“From Silver Bend?”
I nod.
He shakes his head. “My condolences.”
The bartender returns and I nod at him. “Knob Creek. Neat.”
“Great minds think alike.” The bartender comments, moving away.
Uncle Don is laughing. He holds up his glass, toasting me. “I ordered the same thing.”
I sip my bourbon, trying not to stare, but it’s fucking unnerving. Like running into a clone in the middle of a crowd.
“I can’t get over how much you look like them. My brothers.” Uncle Don shakes his head. “It’s a damn shame we never met before today. But that’s life for you. We can’t all be winners.”
I scan his face, the dark eyes that look just like mine. A sharp jab of anger pulses through me. What could have happened between brothers to drive a wedge so wide? I clear my throat. “Why’d you leave—if you don’t mind me asking?”
Uncle Don gives me a sharp look. “They never told you?”
I shrug, uncomfortable. “I know there was some dispute around the inheritance and the will. That it got pretty ugly in court.”
“Did they tell you what the dispute was about?”
“Just that you wanted more than what Grandpa Thomas gave you…”
He huffs a laugh. “And that’s it? That’s all they ever said?”
I nod, feeling helpless.
“Nice to know that some things never change. It was a dirty secret back then, but I like to think culture’s moved on. Evolved.”
I tilt my head, confused.
“I’m gay, kiddo. Your grandpa gave me two options. Give up my sinful ways or lose my inheritance. Guess which way I went?”
A cold feeling settles at the base of my spine and crawls upwards. It can’t really be as simple as that, can it? My dad makes and breaks his life on honor. Duty. I can’t fathom him abandoning a brother over something as simple as who he chose to love. “And they sided with grandpa?”
Uncle Don laughs. “Can you blame them? There were millions at stake.” He meets my gaze. “You may not believe me, but I’ll state it, anyway. I was never after the money. I was after justice. Didn’t get it, but I got my freedom and that served me better.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“What are you apologizing for? You can’t blame the son for the sins of his father.” He gives me a lopsided grin. “Best thing that family ever did for me was cutting me loose. You gotta watch your family ties, son. They can tangle you up in knots.”
3.