Page 34 of Fragile Lives

“Breaks lamps?” Archie asks, not getting it.

“Yes,” I explain. “He really doesn’t have a good record with them.”

“I’m fine with lamps!” Alex exclaims, throwing his hands in the air.

“Really?” I narrow my eyes at him. “How many did you break in the last year?”

His lips purse, and two red blotches color his cheeks.

“What about in the last three years?”

His lips turn white from how hard he’s pressing them together.

“We need to open a lamp store here in Little Hope—Alex will make sure they’ll never run out of business,” I add with a laugh.

He doesn’t find it amusing, pointedly scratching his chin with his middle finger. But his eyes are smiling. He likes the teasing. He likes to be included.Oh, my big brother.I’m sorry for the damage our father did to you.I try to say I’m sorry withmy eyes, and he must see something because his own soften, and the corner of his lips quirk in a half-smile. Then his eyes shift to something behind us, and he rushes forward with a loud, “Hey! I hope you are not trying to get my fiancé to change her mind!”

We all look behind him and find Kayla sneaking around the room, a guilty look on her face.

“No-o-o! Don’t you worry!” She nervously looks around. “Freya sent me to ask what the noise was about?”

“Alex broke the lamp,” Mom offers helpfully, and Kayla’s face brightens.

“Gotcha. We’re almost ready. Can you come here for a second?” she asks my mom, who likes to feel useful, and gladly follows Kayla.

“She’s happy,” Kenneth says in an equally happy voice, and I don’t even know who he’s talking about. Everyone here seems to be genuinely happy. That’s what happens when two really good people decide to tie the knot.

“Yeah,” I say and glance to the side, feeling someone’s eyes on me. To my surprise, I find Archie watching me with heavy intensity. His lips are tight, his eyes dark. I expect him to look away when I catch him staring, but he doesn’t. If anything, his stare intensifies.

“Archie!” someone calls to him, and he shifts his attention to one of the townspeople organizing the wedding. “We need you here.”

He gives me one of his flirty smiles and says as he leaves, “Duty calls.”

I watch him until he disappears.

“Leila,” Kenneth sighs next to me, “you’re one of the smartest people I know and the most observant. You know he’s got fucking’ baggage. Make sure that’s what you want before you go there.”

“Why? Because I should be scared of it?” I’m surprised to hear it from Kenneth. Alex would totally say something like that because he sees only black and white with no spectrum in between, but not him.

Kenneth is levelheaded and careful about the things he says. He is a rule follower with a good-boy complex, even if sometimes it doesn’t seem that way, and he would never degrade someone just because they have baggage. I’m really surprised at his prejudice.

“No.” He shakes his head. “That man has nothing left to lose. Do you understand me?”

I meet his intense eyes and begin to comprehend that it’s not prejudice he’s showing, but care.

“Nothing,” he continues. “And he’s looking at you as if you might be his lifeline. But if he loses you, that would be the last thing he loses. Do you understand me?”

I slowly nod my head, not quite believing what he’s saying. But also, it makes sense. It also makes me feel a little better that he cares about Archie too.

“It’s a lot of responsibility,” he says, kissing the top of my head. “I want to give you advice, but I won’t.”

I feel lost. “But what if I want your advice?” I whisper.

“You don’t.” He shakes his head with a warm smile. “You’re wired differently, sis. You’re the one who gives advice, not the other way around, my little big sister.”

My eyes swell, and I blink away the tears. “That sounds awfully like you accept me as an adult.” I tilt my head back to look at his face.

“Fuck no,” he snorts. “You’ll always be my baby sister. Don’t push too far.”