Chapter 2: The New Brother
1177 Words
Owen stood in front of the bathroom mirror holding a toothbrush he wasn’t sure belonged to him.
He had been staring at it for nearly a minute.
The house was too quiet.
Or maybe he was the one who hadn’t learned its sounds yet.
At his old house, he knew which floorboard creaked outside his parents’ bedroom. He knew when his father came home because the front door made a particular noise. He knew his mother’s footsteps.
Here, everything sounded unfamiliar.
A cupboard opening downstairs.
Water running.
Someone laughing.
He lowered the toothbrush.
“Are you going to brush your teeth or just stare at yourself?”
Owen turned.
Ethan was leaning against the doorway.
“I was brushing.”
“You’ve been there forever.”
“I know.”
Ethan looked at the toothbrush.
“That’s mine.”
Owen immediately held it out.
“You can have it.”
Ethan frowned.
“I don’t want it now.”
Owen didn’t know what to say.
Ethan walked into the bathroom and picked up another toothbrush from the cup.
“Mom bought those yesterday.”
“Oh.”
“That’s yours.”
Owen looked at it.
It was still in its packaging.
He opened it.
“Thanks.”
Ethan shrugged.
“You’re welcome.”
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Ethan said, “We’re going to school.”
Owen nodded.
“Mom said you’re coming too.”
“Okay.”
Ethan turned to leave.
He stopped at the door.
“You know you don’t have to call me anything.”
Owen looked at him.
“What?”
“Yesterday you kept calling me Ethan Parker.”
Owen’s eyebrows pulled together.
“That’s your name.”
“Yeah, but it’s weird.”
Owen didn’t understand.
Ethan sighed.
“Just Ethan.”
“Oh.”
“And Riley is just Riley.”
Owen nodded.
Ethan walked away.
A moment later, he came back.
“And don’t touch my football.”
Owen almost smiled.
“I won’t.”
“Good.”
He left again.
Owen looked at himself in the mirror.
Then at the toothbrush.
He started brushing.
Mrs. Parker had already laid three plates on the breakfast table.
Owen stopped when he saw them.
Three.
Not two.
He looked toward the kitchen.
“Mom,” Ethan called, “where’s Dad?”
“He went to make a phone call.”
Riley came running downstairs.
“You didn’t wait for me!”
Ethan looked at her. “You take forever.”
“I was looking for my ribbon.”
“You don’t need a ribbon for school.”
“I do.”
“You don’t.”
“I do.”
Owen sat quietly.
The argument continued for another thirty seconds before Mrs. Parker interrupted them.
“Eat.”
They both became silent.
Owen looked down at his plate.
Eggs.
Toast.
Fruit.
He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until he saw the food.
Mrs. Parker noticed.
“Go ahead, sweetheart.”
He picked up his fork.
“Thank you.”
She smiled.
“You don’t have to thank me every time I feed you.”
Owen lowered his eyes.
“Okay.”
Riley reached across the table.
“Give me the strawberries.”
Ethan moved the bowl away.
“Get your own.”
“Mom.”
Mrs. Parker didn’t even turn around.
“Riley, leave your brother’s food alone.”
“He has more.”
“Because he eats more.”
Riley looked at Owen.
“You eat a lot?”
Owen shrugged.
Ethan laughed.
“He does now.”
Owen looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Mom cooks too much.”
Mrs. Parker pointed toward the door.
“Both of you, get your bags.”
Riley stood.
Then she looked at Owen.
“You’re coming with us.”
He nodded.
“I know.”
She grabbed his hand.
“Come on.”
Owen looked down at their joined hands.
He hadn’t expected it.
Riley didn’t seem to notice anything strange about it.
She simply pulled him along.
Ethan followed behind them.
For the first time since yesterday, Owen didn’t feel like he was following someone else’s family.
He was walking with them.
The school wasn’t what Owen expected.
There were too many children.
Too many voices.
Too many faces.
Mrs. Parker walked them to the office and spoke to the secretary while Riley and Ethan stood on either side of Owen.
“You’re in our class,” Riley whispered.
Owen looked at her.
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
“Because Mom said so.”
Ethan leaned closer.
“She’s usually right.”
Riley smiled proudly.
“I know.”
Owen looked from one twin to the other.
They were always talking.
Always arguing.
Always moving.
He wondered how they could do it without getting tired.
The bell rang.
Riley grabbed his sleeve.
“Come on.”
The classroom felt even louder.
Their teacher introduced Owen to everyone.
He stood at the front while a few children stared at him.
“Say hello to Owen.”
“Hello, Owen.”
Some voices were louder than others.
Owen nodded.
“Hello.”
The teacher pointed toward an empty seat.
“You can sit there.”
Riley immediately raised her hand.
“He can sit with us.”
The teacher smiled.
“Riley, there are assigned seats.”
Riley looked disappointed.
Ethan whispered, “You tried.”
She ignored him.
Owen sat down.
During the first lesson, he barely spoke.
At lunch, he expected to eat alone.
Instead, Riley dropped into the seat beside him.
Ethan sat across from them.
“You’re eating with us,” Ethan said.
Owen looked around.
“Why?”
Ethan stared at him as if the question made no sense.
“Because you’re here.”
Riley opened her lunchbox.
“I told you you’d like our school.”
Owen looked at the two of them.
Then he smiled.
“Maybe.”
Riley grinned.
“See?”
Ethan shook his head.
“You’ve been here one day.”
“I know.”
“And you’re already talking too much.”
Riley kicked him under the table.
Ethan kicked her back.
Owen laughed.
It surprised him.
The sound came out before he could stop it.
Both twins looked at him.
“What?” Owen asked.
Riley smiled.
“Nothing.”
She pushed half her sandwich toward him.
“You can have this.”
Owen stared at it.
“I have food.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because I don’t want it anymore.”
Ethan snorted.
“You said that about your last sandwich.”
Riley glared at him.
“Be quiet.”
Owen took the sandwich.
“Thanks.”
Riley smiled.
And for the first time since he had lost everything, Owen wondered if maybe he hadn’t been brought into this house because someone felt sorry for him.
Maybe he had simply been given a place at the table.
And somehow, that felt different
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