Grayson Reid Jansen

    "Look at you, you're ready to pop!" I rubbed my hands on my sister's belly. Holland had just gotten back from her honeymoon with Mark, and looked happier than ever.

"Any day now." Mark smiled at his wife before they kissed each other's lips.

"Alright everyone - Colson, Brea - phones away! German, thanks for this lovely dinner you put together." My mom scooted her chair in at the table on the patio.

The mid-September air felt nice against my skin, it wasn't hot but not at all cold - just right.

Colson and Brea were deep into a conversation when my mom demanded everyone's attention. On her way to stand, she started coughing and stumbled back a little.

"Parker!" My dad gasped loudly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she insisted when my father and Holland rushed to her aide,"I just wanted to say, I'm glad we all could be together and have this dinner. It's not everyday that we get to spend time together and when we do, it usually goes left. So, thank you. And Brea, we're all lucky to have you."

Everyone cheers'd to that and started to eat.

Once my family and Brea all shared about their weeks and whatever they wanted to talk about, it was my turn.

I wasn't really dying to say or do anything, there's was nothing to share, for real.

"I think I'm done with the project." I let out. Their eyes all cut to me in confusion.

"What, already? That's amazing-" my dad started to congratulate me but was mistaken.

"No," I corrected him,"I just don't really wanna do it anymore."

"Typical Grayson." Holland spat, rolling her eyes.

"It's about time you came to your senses." My mother drank her strawberry lemonade, uninterested in the topic at hand.

Brea ripped her hand from my kneecap and said to me in a whisper,"When'd you decide this?"

"Just now. I wanna focus on something else."

"Like building a family, I hope." My mother remarked, making Brea and I both choke on our drinks.
Unamused, my mother looked at us with a straight face and waited for our response.

"No. Like, another project. The other day, Brea gave her ring to a homeless person and it reminded me why I got into construction in the first place. Maybe I'll volunteer with that company who builds tiny houses for veterans."

"Well, I think that's great. I know the owner, I'll give him a call first thing in the morning."

I earned a warm smile of approval from Brea.

"Don't you wanna give your future niece a cousin to play with?" My mom asked Brea and I.

"I don't know about a baby, but I was thinking more like, a puppy. Kids love animals, right?" Brea spoke up despite feeling uncomfortable, I could tell.

"I've always wanted a puppy!" Holland exclaimed, tugging on Mark's arm.

"See what you did, Grayson?" He groaned at me.

To which I flailed my arms at Brea and snarled,"Thanks a lot." Brea just hunched her shoulders, unbothered, and bit into the salad.

"If we're getting a puppy, I want a German Shepard."

"No one's getting a puppy!" I had to put some bass in my voice. All the women looked at me, displeased.
After I sighed and sank low in my seat, my fingertips pressed on my temples, everyone all engaged in small talk.

======

We all finished eating and stayed outside to talk while Holland and mom went to check on dessert - my dad and Mark taking a stroll in the spacious backyard.

"Ooo, take our picture!" Brea tossed Colson her phone and he did what she asked of him.

"Cute!" She showed me once it was back in her possession.

Her and this damn picture taking, I thought in my head, slightly annoyed. Okay, okay, maybe we were a little cute.

I liked that she showed me off on social media. I think it was because of all the time thirsty guys she had that followed her now knew she was taken.

"Okay, I have pie!" Holland sang as she stepped through the sliding glass door.
Once she put it on the table I saw that it was lemon meringue - my favorite, Brea's too.

"Ugh, can you two get any cuter?" Holland cooed, nudging Mark for him to agree which he did.

"So, it's been a couple months, you two already moved in and met the family. Well, Brea is basically a part of the family now-"

"So?" I spat.

"It's getting pretty serious. Have you thought about... taking it to the next level?" Holland asked, winking. Mom was gone for this conversation, thankfully, but it didn't make it any less aggravating.

Suddenly, Brea's phone rang so she excused herself to take the call, leaving me alone to be interrogated.

Mark then walked away so my sister and I could have some time alone to talk.

"What's up?" I asked Holland with an annoyed tone.

"Nothing, I just-"

"No. What's with all the questions? Mom put you up to this?"

"Let's cut the shit, Gray. You've never even been in a relationship now you're all goo-goo-ga-ga over this girl; letting her move in and meet the family?"

"Brea's different, okay?"

"I don't doubt that, but there's something fishy going on. I mean, why else would you be moving so fast?"

I leaned in to whisper even though no one was around, Holland did the same. "It's a bet, okay?" I confided in my sister. Her eyes grew big like she was about to shout out what I had just told her, so I covered her mouth with my hand and grabbed the back of her neck to bring her closer.

"Don't say a fucking word to anyone. But yeah," I said through gritted teeth, letting her head go,"I dared her to see if she can fall in love with me in six months."

"What're you, sixteen? You can't just gamble emotions like that."

"I know! You don't think I know?! I do-" I paused and started to pace. "She said it, not me."

"Oh, so she made you do this?"

"No, it was my idea, but she's the one who said she didn't like me and that she can just wake up one day and feel nothing for me. I mean, that's fucked up right? I thought she was going to move back here and we pick up where we left off, but-"

"But what?"

I hesitated. "She changed. She got cold, and I didn't like it. If I didn't come up with this stupid bet she wouldn't be here right now!"

"Oh, Gray. How long has it been, two months?" I nodded.

Holland pulled me in for a hug that wasn't needed. "Little bro, you're so stupid. Honestly, I don't know what she sees in you."

"Shut up," I pushed her hand away from my face and got up from the table.

======

The next day, I was at the house where I was putting away all my supplies since I decided to take a break.

I just didn't feel the same way as I did when I started. My priorities became a little unclear, I'll say.

The sound of a car pulling up made me look in that direction. It was Brea.

When I saw that she wasn't getting out, I made my way over and got in the passenger seat.

"What's wrong?" I asked, kissing the back of her hand.

She inhaled and then looked at me with glossy eyes. As soon as a tear fell from her face, she turned away like she didn't want me to see her cry.

I unfastened her seatbelt and put her head on my shoulder.

We sat in silence for what seemed like a long time until Brea sniffled and told me something.

"I can't have kids... the shape of my uterus won't allow me to. The chances are almost impossible. So impossible, in fact, I'd be more likely to die from getting an apple thrown at my head, become president, or struck by lightening."

Sitting next to me was one strong woman. She wiped her tears and then said,"I don't wanna talk about me, though. What's going on here?"

I didn't know what to say, so I didn't say anything in the moment. If I would've said something, though, it probably would've only made her cry more. I knew she hated people feeling sorry for her so I didn't dare utter those words.

My first thought was that that must've been the reason why she said we didn't have to use condoms anymore. Not that I minded, I didn't want to use them in the first place but she was convinced that I had sex with other people and was afraid of catching something. Pfft.

There were so many questions I wanted to ask but I figured, when the time was right, we'd talk about it.

"I wanna show you something." I cleared my throat and opened my car door. I walked over to Brea's side and let her out as well. She faintly smiled at me and took my outstretched hand as we began to saunter towards the unfinished project.

We stopped outside of the front door and I let Brea's hand go.

She curiously looked around and then shook her head at me. "Cool, a house. I've seen it before. Wait— dog door?" Brea obliviously wondered why I installed that.

"Dog." I said, smirking, and pushed the door open to reveal a playful puppy behind it.

"OH MY GOSH!" Brea jumped for joy and ran inside, taking the puppy into her arms.

"IT'S THE SAME ONE FROM THE STORE, GRAYSON!" She cried literal tears, squeezing the poor pup. "It's so beautiful! Boy or girl?"

"Boy."

"Wait, wait - is it yours? Can we keep him?"

"No, he's not mine. I'm just dog-sitting." Brea started to frown and walked away so I couldn't take the puppy back.
I shook my head and searched around until I found Brea at the end of the hallway, rocking the puppy in her arms.

"Brea," I called out, laughing.

"No," she wept,"you can't take him, I love him!"

"Brea, he's yours." I said, chuckling at myself.
She turned around to look at me with wide eyes.

"Are you serious?! Grayson, you got me a puppy?!" Brea fell to her knees and cried. "I was having such a shitty day! I went to the doctor and then I had to shoot a baby shower. I've been thinking about this puppy everyday." The tears strolled down her red face but she wasn't bawling. She looked adorable, like a little spoiled girl on Christmas.

"What're you going to name him?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Well, you have to help me, he's ours." She wiped her tears but didn't let go of the energetic puppy.

I took a seat on the floor next to Brea and scratched behind his ear.

"How about-" I started to say something but had no idea what was going to come out as I was just spitballing.

Brea lit up with she had an idea. "Alfie!"

"Alfie," I questioned my girl's choice and then looked at the puppy who had just fallen sleep,"I like Alfie."