Off Limits, Brother's Best Friend Chapter 178

Chapter I78: Thank You, Sis

Brianna

Our father likes showing off, so he didn't miss our birthday as an opportunity not to show off. Otherwise, I doubt he would care if it was our birthday to begin with. Our mother too, she follows  his lead. My father would be standing just behind Bryce like a bad shadow and I could picture all that right now. Young Bryce, still an angry kid with an attitude against anyone but me. He was always so nice to me, he was my saving grace in that house and I remembered we loved birthday cake so much because it was the only time we could have frosting. If mother baked, it was for our father who doesn't like frosting. So none of us could have any.

Maybe that was why I was so excited to celebrate even if he is thirty-five now. This child I can see somewhere deep inside him, a child he had to leave too soon in order to grow up, to take care of me and himself when our father started getting abusive. He wouldn't let him touch me if he could manage it. He couldn't always manage it, though and he would be so hard on himself about it. It is why I learned not to cry out in the open, it is why I cried in my bed at night because Bryce would feel sad that he couldn't be a good big brother. So I would pretend I was okay, so that wouldn't feel so bad anymore. I am not sure why I had a flashback of his tenth birthday specifically. I guess because it was such a good one for him, our father had to travel for work which he never really ever had to do. It meant the house was at ease in a way it never was. Bryce got his cake with extra frosting and we played around the house without the gravel in the driveway alerting us that we should get to our rooms. No heavy footsteps down the hall setting our hair on end.

It was just us and the neighbors children on his birthday. I was six years old and still I remembered it because of how fun it was for me too. I think that was actually the year he got his nintendo funny enough. We played all night which wouldn't have happened if our father was home, so it must have been that birthday. I liked it when he played with me because we were four years apart in age. So he wasn't always interested in playing with me, especially if I wanted to do barbies or something. But, nintendo on his birthday, we played for half the night and I felt cool. I remembered that very well. A smile played on my lips at the thought of ten year old Bryce with a glint in his eyes you rarely ever saw. Now he is twenty-nine, a strong man, a veteran, a successful businessman, a criminal mafia, lots of muscles. Facial hair has the same chestnut mop and muted green eyes but the glint is different.

It is there right now, but not in childlike wonderment. I think it is his eae about life now, even if he is facing hard times at work, he has his life together the way he wants it. He has matured so much from that young angry boy who wanted to exercise in his room so he could beat up father if he hurt me again. I ended up catching eyes with my brother and he studied my face for a second, almost like he knew my mind had gone off somewhere. Then he waved me over so I stood up and went to the end of the table where he sat, waiting to see why he called me over.

“This piece has the most frosting.” He winked at me, handing me a slice and I smiled.

“I put extra for you anyway, so every slice has the most.” I whispered back and he chuckled.

“Thank you for this, kiddo. It was a good idea, I needed a chill night Iike this.” He actually gave me a second little side hug which he doesn't do often.

The little girl in me feels cool because her big brother wants to hang out with her. Because her big brother saved her the best piece of cake. I can't wait to show him my birthday gift, it kind of fits tonight's mood perfectly. Maybe, he will remember that birthday too. He took a bite of the cake and hummed in satisfaction.

“This is my favorite kind, beats store bought every time.” He told Zevrie eji was also taking his first bite.

“Superb, Brianna. Why didn't you bake for us at the shop when you worked with us?” He started to tease me.

“Excuse me, you made fun of my outfit, if I wore this outfit and baked for you, I would be the laughing stalk of the shop.” I smirked, Sandra and Kate started cracking up.

“To be fair, I said we like your little outfit, you were our fashionista manager girl. People asked where you went after you left, so you made a lasting impression.” Zevrie assured me.

“Oh, lovely.” I tipped my fork to him before taking another bite into my mouth.

*******

Time sort of passed that way for a while until Bryce was looking down at his phone and muttering.

“Oh,” we all looked over. 

“Some friends of mine are coming to the club to hang out tonight for my birthday, you all should come.” He looked at Sandra and then Zevier.

“Callan's club?” Zevrie asked for clarification.

“Yes,” he said without thinking about it and then recognition came over his expression.

“Oh, dude, that was so long ago. He is nuts but it is an impulse and he is over it by now.” My brother assured him. Zevrie shrugged and looked at the girls to see what they thought.

“We would have to go home and change really quickly but I would be down.” Sandra shrugged, Kate second that. My brother's eyes came over to me. I didn't know what to say.

“Umm, do I want to see your boring ass friends?” Jane stepped in for me. I tried chuckling and agreeing with her.

“Oh, if you guys don't want to go, we obviously aren't going to crash Bryce's thing with his friends.” Sandra started backing out. Bryce touched her arm for no reason other than to flirt and assured she wouldn't be crashing anything.

“She is coming, right, Brianna?” My brother asked me since I hadn't said anything.

“Umm, you guys should definitely go.” I looked around at everyone, not specifying if I was going along with them.

They don't need to know, they will forget all about me once they go to the vip room and start partying with everyone. My brother kind of gave me a funny look like he was picking up on how I was acting. I forced a smile to my lips and looked down at Jane opposite to where he was.

“Yes, I guess. Let's go guys.” Kate decided.

“We should go then, to get ready and stuff.” Sandra started getting up and then everyone else followed. I started gathering the dishes and tidying up. I heard everyone go to the foyer and then they were talking amongst themselves until all had gone quiet. 

“The staff will clean that up.” Bryce's voice startled me.

“I know but you know I feel weird about that. I will at least leave it in the little pile here. I am just cleaning this stuff.” I waved over it.

“You don't seem like you want to come out.” He called me out.

I wasn't sure where Jane was but I doubt it was to change because if I don't go, she won't either. I shrugged because I didn't know what to say to him.

“It is cool, you don't have to. Everyone was just having a good time, I figured I would invite everyone. It is a chill night, it isn't like a party specifically for me.” He said, following me as I brought the leftovers to our kitchen. He walked back and forth with me but wasn't even helping. I pointed that fact out and he chuckled.

“I can't do manual labor on my birthday.” He told me.

“Hey, Brianna.” He said randomly and by the serious tone he changed into, it got me to stop moving and looked at him expectantly.

“I hate bringing this up but…is it because of him? The reason you don't want to come?” He asked me, my eyes widened in surprise at him acknowledging Callan and Brianna drama for the first time ever.

He has to be feeling tipsy because I was making drinks for them, plenty. It was the only reason why he would be this forward about that, I could feel my blush and it was stupid that I did but he threw me off guard on that one. I didn't know what to say, so I just told the truth. 

“Yes,” he nodded but seemed to be thinking.