If Hazina was there things would be much different. More extravagant and structured. But she had her hands busy caring for a five-year-old with a double ear infection. She was the first person he visited after the wheels of his Ducati cruised into L.A. county. She was always the first family member he visited. His mother used to hold that spot but now that he and his father were on rocky terms she had slipped to the second slot. His father's slot was at the end of his list and since he didn't want to get into an argument he decided to just keep his visit strictly to the reason he was back in the city he was raised. For his older brother's fortieth birthday.

Rayan made it known well in advance, two months before his birthday, that he wanted something lowkey and Keir made sure his wish was granted. After devouring a hearty helping of Um Ali, Rayan's favorite, he and Keir headed out to meet up with the twins for wings and beers at a sports bar.

"I'm just saying, you hit the jackpot." Ehsan declared reaching for his half-empty pint. "Kids are needy, loud, and selfish."

"You do realize you just described yourself," Colm added.

Eshan smirked before taking a sip of beer knowing if there was any person on the planet that knew him best, it would be his twin. "And that's why I don't want them."

Keir shook his head at his younger brother. He never said he didn't want kids. He just told them Katrina didn't want anymore and that arrangement suited him. He didn't have any qualms with Nori. She was a sweet baby; needy, yes but all babies were. The small taste of fatherhood that he got from being around her created a hunger inside of him. A yearning that he didn't know he had before she entered his life. Nor did that mean he was frantic searching for a woman to impregnate.

"We know how Yan feels about it." Eshan quipped. "The more babies the better, right, Old man."

"I'm not old." Rayan sneered, peeling his eyes away from the game now tied in the third quarter after a player successfully scored a three-pointer. "And it all depends on who you have them with. It can either be a blessing or a curse. Do you like this woman? Zina said she's older?"

"A cougar," Colm added, clinking his pint with his twin.

Keir rolled his eyes at his younger brothers and ruminated on his eldest sibling's question. Do you like this woman? He fought the urge to scold his choice of words. Katrina wasn't just 'a woman'. She was the woman that reminded him of the beauty of life.

Two years ago, he was a cold, heartbroken soul that moved to Dulcet seeking refuge from the people that crushed him. On campus, he kept his head down and did his job until Professor Harris needed him to conduct the class one unplanned Tuesday. Still gathering up all the materials he used to give that lesson, his path crossed with Katrina and the energy that radiated from her as she entered the lecture hall revitalized the dormant regions of his mind. Her smile was the light that chased the darkness of sorrow from his sight and the effervescent lilt of her voice was a siren's song to his ears calling him back to the joys of existing.

She wasn't just some woman. She was the woman that brought him back to life. Stopped him from sinking into despair.

"I adore her greatly." Keir expressed, "As you do Bridget."

"Bridget's my wife," Rayan informed, eying him starkly as if he was sure the man that was twelve years younger than him didn't comprehend the levity of his words. "Isn't she someone else's wife?"

Keir shrugged. "People make mistakes every day. I almost did."

"Deadass," Ehsan said. "Speaking of mistakes. I told them not to but they don't listen to me."

Eshan gestured toward the door and Keir's eyes followed. The sight of the man approaching them made the muscles of his shoulders recoil.

"Don't break the glass," Colm instructed, watching Keir's grasp tighten around the pint like a king cobra. "I don't want to spend the evening in the E.R. again." He shot Eshan a look.

"That speed bump was not a normal one.." Eshan explained. "... and if you had your seat belt on your head wouldn't have hit the windshield."

"Shut up." Rayan told them before they started bickering about who was at fault like they always did. He turned to Keir. "It's time you two talk things out."

"Who says?" Keir countered.

"I do." Rayan stood as if his height would strengthen his statement. "I'm the eldest."

"And that means what?" Keir rose from his seat, they two leered at each other being almost the same height give or take an inch or two.

"Is this a bad time?" Malcolm said, reaching the brothers' section.

"Anytime you're around is a bad time." Eshan sneered, looking him up and down as if his appearance wasn't impeccable. He stood up. "I'm gonna throw darts. Keep your head on a swivel."

"Take the advice," Colm said, following after his twin.

Rayan turned away from the twins and studied both the faces of his brother and his closest colleague; one was riddled with annoyance and the other anguish.

"It's been two years." He said the words to both of them then focused on his brother. "Just clear the air so we can put this behind us. And don't destroy the place like last time." He gestured to both of them. "I don't have another grand to waste on bullshit." He told before walking away and heading to the dart boards where the twins were.

Keir took a long swallow of his beer with his gaze trained up at the game. Basketball wasn't his favorite sport. He really didn't have one but he'd rather give his attention to it than the man that slowly lowered his body into the chair across from him. The tension was thick and he needed all the alcohol he could consume to withstand it which was why his mug was empty in under a minute.

Malcolm surveyed the platters of food on the table between him and the man that people assumed was his brother. They had the same golden oak complexion and lush curls that he now kept cut close, not wanting to retain the remainder of the friend he no longer had.

Keir wanted to leave. Call an Uber to take him back to Rayan's house, get his motorcycle and head back to Dulcet but he remembered the words he told Katrina during the early hours of a new day so he stayed.

"Say what you need so we can get this over with." Keir monotonously uttered with his eyes still on the screen.

Malcolm let out a stress-riddled breath, "I never thought we'd be like this."

"Come again." Keir's eyes ripped from the TV and landed on his former friend. "You thought that after repeatedly fucking my fiance that we'd remain best buds."

"I never planned for th—"

"No one ever plans on cheating." Keir cut him off. "Isn't what's always said. I didn't plan....it just happened...it was a mistake." He listed all the statements he'd heard. "But we're adults. No teenagers. We know that we can't act on every thought and desire that crops into our minds. And those actions have consequences."

"You're more mad at me than Layla." He said quietly with his vision on the food he had no appetite for.

Keir's eyes burned with hostility. Layla was his girlfriend for two in a half years. His longest relationship to date and because of it he decided if he could spend that long with one woman then she must be the one. But a two-year relationship didn't supersede the magnitude of a decade-long one.

"She hurt me but you..." Keir jabbed his finger into his chest. "But you destroyed me. We were roommates. I didn't just consider you a friend, you were like one of my brothers." He glanced over at his blood brothers who had averted their attention like they were just watching them. "And to do what you did, behind my back for that long...was low. Cruel."

"I'm sorry."

"You said that already."

"And I'll say it as much as you need me to," Malcolm told with his palms glued together as if he was praying for forgiveness and absolution.

The light caught the silver ring on Malcolm's left hand and it called to Keir.

Malcolm dropped his hands. "I'm not here apologizing so we can be like we were. I know that will never happen again. And it's the price I have to pay but I do love her. I didn't want my love for Layla to be the end of my love for you but if that's the cost then I'll pay it."

Keir didn't know if that was noble and romantic or foolish and irresponsible but it was no longer any of his concern. He had forgiven them a year ago.

"Then why are you here?" He asked with genuine concern.

"You're the best architect I know." Malcolm rushed the words out, relieved to be talking about something else. "So, when an old friend of mine told me about this project of theirs in Louisiana dealing with restoration and creating affordable homes for the existing community. I knew you were the best person for the position."

The words piqued Keir's attention, "You're pitching me a job opportunity. Who's bankrolling this?"

"Some billionaire." Malcolm shrugged. "Dominic James with the Swan Foundation. He wants to use his wealth for good. Wild, I know but when I heard about it, I thought of you."

"Hmm." Keir sounded.

"I'm not involved with it so if you take it you won't run into me but I just thought you should know about it because you're good at this and I don't want to be the reason you lose something else you love."

Keir nodded then stood up. "Email me the information. I'll look over it."

"Will do," Malcolm said, standing up too.

"And congratulations." Keir's eyes dropped to his wedding band. "I hope it's worth it."

Malcolm knew he wasn't talking about the price of the precious metal and nodded. "I hope so, too."

Keir walked away from Malcolm and joined his brothers thinking about the job opportunity and how that would impact the new relationships in his life.

What impact do you think the job opportunity will have on Keir's relationships?

Which one do you think hurts the most; the betrayal of a friend or the betrayal of a partner?

Being around Nori changed Keir's decision on kids, how do you think that'll affect things between him and Katrina?

Is Malcolm reasoning for getting with his friend's fiance understandable?