My Brother’s Keeper - 38

Tad dropped down onto the sofa, shaking his head. “What did I say to bring that on?” he muttered.

“Do you want to know?” Jerry said from the door to the hallway.

Tad looked up. “Thought you’d be asleep by now.”

“I told you I wasn’t tired,” Jerry replied as he came into the room, settling down at the other end of the sofa. “So I umm, sort of eavesdropped?”

With a small nod, Tad asked, “What did I do wrong?”

“I think, probably, it was when you told him he’d have a job and his own apartment.”

Tad frowned. “Well he will. He’ll have to if he’s going to become your guardian.”

“Honest truth,” Jerry said, leaning in conspiratorially, “I think he was sort of hoping we could stay here with you. If you know what I mean.”

“I…well hell…Of course you can if it doesn’t screw things up. I thought he knew that.”

“Hate to say this, Tad, but he can be sort of dense at times. He thinks we’re only here to keep us safe and now that we are, well…” Jerry shrugged.

“And when I said he’d be able to have his own place… I wasn’t thinking how that would sound.”

“That’s why I’m around, to point this stuff out to the two of you.” Jerry wrinkled his nose dramatically then. “You know, you could do with a shower, too. You smell.”

“Well I have been on the streets for the last forty-eight so I’m not surprised,” Tad said before he got the message. He got up, looking down at Jerry. “You are a little conniver aren’t you?”

“When it comes to making my brother happy, you bet. Now go shower before he gets finished. I’m going back to bed.” He stood, heading to the door, saying over his shoulder, “And I’d better wake up alone in the bedroom the morning.”