Devonne Brown

AJ tossed a scant handful of pellets into the koi pond and watched the fish skitter to the top of the water to devour them before they returned to their seeming cyclical peace. Lost in thought, he leaned over the rail and studied their movements. His eyes followed the path of the fish around the man made island, around the waterlilies and the bamboo. He watched, distracted, and let his mind wander back to what should have changed his life, but didn’t.

His brother’s shadow darkened the water beside him. “What’s on your mind, big guy?” Kevin tossed a rock into the water to disrupt the flow of the fish. They scattered in all directions, irritating his older brother. It had always been like that between the two of them. Kevin followed AJ to poke a stick at everything he did, breaking most of his stuff. AJ longed for the day he’d get out from under him. 

Kevin was the smarmy golden boy who sold real estate, sucked up to people, and sold their dreams. AJ was the realist who worked hard and got ignored for it. The family dynamic dysfunction.

“Boys, c’mon. Our table’s ready,” their father called out from the deck above the koi pond. They’d been waiting an hour for a seat in the restaurant, and by now their parents were grouchy and half drunk. Dinner would be tense at best. They were here because it was their mom’s birthday, and Dad was trying to make it special out of guilt. He was always working or watching westerns, and this was a family obligation. He hated family stuff. Dad would rather be home in front of the tv with popcorn and a bourbon. 

Kevin didn’t forget to bring flowers, but forgot his credit card. AJ would be paying for dinner, as always. He frowned into the koi pond, wiped his hands on his trousers as if to wipe away his disdain for the evening, looked up and grimaced. “Happy Birthday, Mom,” he thought as he started up the stairs to the restaurant.