Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
C losing time had finally arrived but Dewey was numb.
Instead of being overjoyed about the surprise they had planned for Cassie or nervous about Theo moving in, Dewey was in shock. Part of Dewey always longed for Roddy to come home, but not the Roddy that had abandoned them. He’d wanted the Roddy he’d idolized as a child, who’d been his best friend and partner in crime. Facing the real Roddy and coming to terms with the past was too much to process as Keith arrived and other customers trickled in so Dewey had set the whole thing aside until closing time.
“About fuckin’ time, numb nuts,” Keith had growled before tossing a disgusted hand at Roddy and taking his shoes to lane 6.
Cassie tiptoed through the front door after her shift at the salon. “I know you’re mad at me now, Doobie, but I promise I did this to help you. ”
“I know. I’m not mad,” he said distantly, too dazed and tired to be mad or do more than nod as he checked the last few customers out.
Keith had decided to linger, still glaring daggers at Roddy, but Theo came to the rescue.
“Heast!” he said as he steered Dewey around the shoe racks and gave his beard a firm tug and his lips a hard, loud kiss, snapping him out of it. “This is a lot,” he conceded, giving Dewey’s cheek an affectionate pat. “But we will manage this together,” he said slowly and clearly, reigniting the joy Roddy’s arrival had doused. “For now, don’t think about Roddy. Think about Cassie and how much she deserves this and how exciting this is going to be for all of us,” Theo suggested with a hopeful lift of his brows.
“We will manage this together,” Dewey repeated, laughing softly as he kissed Theo. What was Dewey doing, letting Roddy steal their thunder? “You’re right. Let’s do this.”
“Krass!” Theo pumped his fists and backed around the shoes, pulling Dewey with him.
But Dewey hesitated again when they found Roddy waiting with Bryce, Cassie, Chase, and Keith. Walter was snoring loudly behind the counter.
“Um…” Dewey pulled his gaze away from Roddy, giving himself a shake. He traded a quick glance with Theo, who offered him a reassuring thumbs up. Dewey nodded, vowing he wouldn’t let Roddy ruin Cassie’s moment. Again. “Theo and I wanted you all here for a…family meeting,” he began, cutting his eyes at Roddy before continuing. “We have some big news about some changes here at the alley.”
“Is it about Roddy?” Cassie whispered. “Because we all know and he’s standing right there.” She pointed at him, making Bryce stifle a snorting giggle.
“No, Ma. Pretty sure it’s not him,” he said with a hard glare for Roddy.
“It’s not about Roddy,” Dewey confirmed and cleared his throat. “Theo and I had a talk about the future and we?—”
Cassie let out a loud squeal and started clapping. “Oh, my God! Doobie’s engaged! He’s getting married!”
“I knew it!” Keith declared, looking around smugly.
“No!” Dewey shouted as Bryce attempted to calm Cassie down.
Theo reared back, raising a brow at Dewey. “You could be less horrified.”
“Sorry,” Dewey said to him, then shook his head at Cassie. “No, we did not call you all here for…that. Theo and I haven’t officially addressed…that in an official way…yet.” He squinted up at the ceiling, hoping his face wasn’t as red as it felt. “Please, help me,” he begged his father and all the Brooks before him and flashed Cassie a wide, patient smile.
“I won’t interrupt again. Promise!” she whispered.
“Great,” Dewey said pointedly and saw Theo biting into a knuckle as his chest shook with laughter. “As I was saying…” Dewey gave it a moment, making sure Cassie was out of guesses. “We’ve decided to expand and add a kitchen here at the bowling alley and a sign with Cassie’s name out front,” he said, then nodded in her direction, signaling that he was done but she blinked as if she hadn’t heard him.
Bryce nudged her with his elbow. “They’re putting in a kitchen, Mom,” he whispered out of the side of his mouth.
“I know, but what are they gonna do with a kitchen in here?” she whispered back.
Theo choked on a snorting giggle and his eyes were watering. “We were hoping you could sell your sandwiches and pastries,” he said to her.
“Here?” she asked, shooting a confused look at Dewey. “Here, at the alley?”
He couldn’t hold it back any longer and started crying as he nodded. “It was Theo’s idea. We’re gonna put a sign out front for you and he’s going to build the kitchen of your dreams over where the snack stand is,” he said as he pointed at the simple counter and candy display by the jukebox.
“Here?” Cassie mouthed as her face crumpled. “For me?” She reached for Bryce as she began to shake and sniffle. “For me? Really?”
“I would be so happy to!” Theo said, hurrying over to help as she started to cry in earnest, hiccuping and gasping out her gratitude.
“Doobie! Theo! I can’t believe it! This is so—! Thank you!” She threw her arms around Theo’s neck and they were both sobbing as he rocked her.
“I can’t wait! Think of all the sandwiches you can make for me!”
She leaned back in his arms, laughing as she cupped his cheek. “All the sandwiches you can eat and I’m going to make up a special sandwich just for you.”
Theo gasped excitedly at Dewey. “Did you hear that? My own sandwich!”
Cassie released Theo and ran at Dewey, jumping into his arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she said with a watery sniffle as she hugged him tight. “I don’t know what else to say!”
“It was mostly Theo. He had the idea and he’s paying for it. I’m just providing the space,” Dewey said with a dismissive shrug but Cassie rolled her eyes.
“It’s a lot more than that, you big nerd. This is your bowling alley and you’ve always believed in me, even when everyone else thought I was just a screw-up. And you’ve always been my biggest fan and told me I should have my own business.”
Dewey pulled a face and waved it off. “I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t think it was a damn good idea and just as good for the bowling alley as it is for you.”
Cassie’s head fell back as she cackled and gave his chest a swat. “You are so full of shit! You absolutely would if Theo told you to.” She fanned her eyes, forcing out a slow breath. “But, seriously. This is incredible!”
The moment would have been perfect if Cassie hadn’t turned and ran to Roddy for a hug. He was crying too as he held her but Dewey had to grin and bear it despite wanting to push Roddy off of her. Bryce didn’t like it either, judging by the way he stalked to the workshop, bringing the celebration to an end.
“I’ll go after him, Cass,” Chase volunteered as she stared after Bryce.
“He’s so mad right now, but it’s for the best,” she said shakily, looking at Dewey for support.
He sighed heavily and nodded, not interested in looking at Roddy. “It’s what Dad would have wanted and Roddy is technically a Brooks so he’s still a part of this too,” he said with a vague toss of his chin.
Theo cleared his throat softly as he gave Dewey’s shoulder a reinforcing knead. “Why don’t I tell Cassie about our plans for the kitchen while you two catch up?” he suggested and Dewey nodded.
“Thanks, Theo,” he said, ducking and accepting a kiss on the cheek from Cassie.
“Love you, Doobie,” she said quietly, squeezing his arm as she passed.
He waited until Theo had distracted Cassie to jab a finger in Roddy’s direction. “You’re trespassing tonight. You weren’t meant to be a part of the celebration and Bryce is biting his tongue for Cassie and because he knows how much I need help. But don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re on probation and you’re starting at the bottom,” he warned.
Roddy held up his hands, nodding rapidly. “I meant what I said, I’m not here to take over. This place looks…” He sniffed hard and wiped the corner of his eye as he scanned the lanes, then smiled at Dewey. “You didn’t just hold onto it, you’ve made it even better and stronger. Dad would be thrilled if he could see what you’ve done with the place.”
“I guess. It’s pretty much the same, just had to replace a few things,” Dewey mumbled but inside, he felt like he was bursting. He often wondered what their father would say, if Dewey had done everything the way Gerry would have wanted.
“Nah! That’s new!” Roddy pointed at the mirrored wall on the other side of lane 1. “It just said Brooks on that side too, but the mirrors make it brighter and we can still see the logo on the other side. That was smart,” he said, humming as he turned then gestured at the monitors over each station. “Those look real high-end. I was in an alley over in Rochester last month and this setup is way nicer. You know how much Dad would love that.”
Dewey waved it off. “I got a deal on them.”
“Of course, you did. You were always smart about stuff like that.”
For a moment, Roddy sounded just like their father. Dewey got chills, imagining how proud their dad would be if he was standing in Roddy’s place. But Dewey didn’t need Roddy’s approval. He knew that their father was looking down on them from Heaven and grinning from ear-to-ear, he was so proud of Dewey for taking good care of their family and the business.
But Gerry Brooks’s greatest source of pride—and Dewey’s—was his grandson. Gerry only had a chance to hold Bryce a few times before he was taken by a stroke, but that was the happiest Dewey had ever seen the old man. And all that would have mattered to Gerry Brooks was that his first grandchild and the family business would be loved and looked after. Dewey understood that and had done his best to raise Bryce with the same values he and Roddy had been raised with.
Dewey gave Roddy an impatient look. “I did whatever I thought Dad would do.”
“I know,” Roddy chuckled raggedly. “I was too busy, running my mouth and acting like I was gonna be a star, while you were listening to Dad and learning. But it’s your turn, Doob. You held down the fort while I wasted the best years of my life fucking off.”
“My turn?” Dewey’s face twisted. “You think I was waiting on you and that this place was stopping me from being an astronaut or starting a band? This is what I wanted, dick-for-brains. I just didn’t want it to be so damn hard all the damn time.”
That left Roddy stunned and blinking. “Right… But?—”
“No buts, Rod,” Dewey said, cutting him off. “All I’ve ever wanted was to work here and to take good care of our family. You don’t see how important this place is, what it means to the people who grew up coming here and still come here because it’s all they’ve got. It was always just a bowling alley to you. But to me and Dad and Bryce, it’s about our family and what we mean to people around here. That’s why you came back, Roddy, even if you don’t realize it.”
“Yeah,” Roddy said weakly, with a jerky nod. “I never missed all the work and the shoes, but I missed league nights and our games after we closed.”
Those were some of the best nights of Dewey’s life and he often ached to pull out a couple of cold six packs and play a few rounds with his dad and Roddy. It had been years since Dewey had played after closing.
“I realized I was living the dream back then,” Roddy said sadly, earning a grunt of agreement from Dewey.
“You really blew it. You had a good woman, too, and she gave you a beautiful, brilliant child.”
“Fuck, don’t I know it!” Roddy shook his head, grimacing in shame. “I never got over Cass, either. There were a few women but it never worked because I was a selfish shit and they couldn’t hold a candle to her.”
“Why didn’t you come back, then?” Dewey challenged. “You had eighteen years. We sure could have used you.”
“I was scared to face you. And Bryce. I knew he wouldn’t want me back.”
“Christ!” Dewey spat and didn’t hide how disgusted he was. “You’re finally growing up and facing your mistakes? At your old-ass age?”
Roddy winced sheepishly. “I was also a huge fucking failure. Didn’t relish the idea of owning up to that. Everyone here knows I let you all down for nothing and I knew they’d look at me the way you just did,” he said with a nod at Dewey.
“Did it hurt?” Dewey challenged, earning a confused frown from Roddy.
“Did what hurt?”
“When I looked at you like a worthless piece of shit, just then?” Dewey snapped and Roddy grunted as he nodded, hanging his head. “But it didn’t kill you, did it?” Dewey said knowingly. “ This right here is what you were so afraid of and it’s not that bad.”
Roddy’s head snapped up. “How do you know?”
“You’re still standing and talking to me, aren’t you? We had days here, after Dad died and when Bryce was a baby that damn near killed me, I was so scared and tired and alone. Bryce was real sick for a while and Cassie’s parents’ house burned down so it was all on me. And I was barely hanging onto this place. The old lane machines had just about worn out and we needed a new roof. People looked at me every day like I had the answers and that fuckin’ hurt because I didn’t have shit. But I stood my ground and did the best I could, even though I wanted to run. I thought about it damn near every day and envied the hell out of you for leaving.”
“Why didn’t you?” Roddy asked, making Dewey chuckle and shake his head.
“Because it didn’t kill me. I’ve failed plenty of times in front of the people around here and you know what happened? They didn’t laugh and rub it in my face, they picked me up and thanked me for trying, Roddy. You’ll see: they’ll give you some shit for being a deadbeat, like Keith, but take your fucking lumps like a man and you’ll be fine. They’ll forget about the past and give you another chance if they know you’re sorry.”
Roddy pushed out a heavy breath. “I know that now. Cassie forgave me a while ago and has been on me about coming back. Honestly, it was you I dreaded facing the most. I know how much I owe you and that I’ll never be able to pay you back. But I’m gonna try, Doob. That’s all I care about anymore,” he insisted, his voice cracking as he swiped at his eyes.
“We’ll be fine,” Dewey stated, throwing an arm around Roddy’s neck and pulling him close. He knocked his forehead against Roddy’s, the way they did when they were kids. Roddy clasped the back of Dewey’s head, shaking as he held on tight.
“I’m so sorry!” he gasped as tears spilled from his eyes. “I love you and I’ll never let you down again. I’ve missed this place and I’ve missed the hell out of you.”
“We’ll see,” Dewey replied, clapping him on the back before releasing Roddy. He waved around them, shaking his head. “It’s quiet now, but wait until Thursday night, when the blue hairs get here. You haven’t been to a league night in almost twenty years and there are more of them now,” he warned and grinned at Roddy’s panicked look.
“More?” he squeaked.
“We’re not the only ones who got older. Just about every teacher, cashier, and server you’ve ever flirted with or annoyed within a thirty mile radius will be here on Thursday night,” Dewey explained as he enjoyed Roddy’s impending doom. It would be an evening of cheek pinching, ear pulling, and finger wagging for him . “Don’t worry. Like this, the worst will pass,” Dewey said as he gestured between them. “And they’ll just be glad to have you back.”
“Thanks,” Roddy said. “What about you and this prince? Are you sure you don’t want to run away with Theo and live happily ever after?” he teased, making Dewey groan and swear under his breath.
“I’m not sure about Theo’s plans yet, but I’m not interested in running away.”
“He seems cool, though,” Roddy said with a shrug, surprising Dewey. His older brother had never been particularly homophobic, but he’d held pretty typical beliefs about masculinity and gender roles when they were younger.
“You’re okay with us, then?”
“Okay?” Roddy gave Dewey an impatient look. “It’s not really my business as long as you’re happy. But I’ve seen a little bit of the world outside of Oslo, Doob, and I’ve experimented,” he said with a wink, stunning Dewey. Roddy laughed it off. “Not that much! I played and worked with a lot of queer people, though, and I’d like to think that most of them are still friends.”
Dewey reared back. “You have changed. All you used to ever talk about was picking up girls and messing with Cassie and you used to give me shit for barely looking,” he said, but Roddy waved it off.
“I was a kid and a full-blown idiot. It didn’t even occur to me that guys could get off together and act like anything but jerks with each other. One of my best friends, Kyle, is gay and he’s helped me deal with a lot of my own bullshit. The pride and shame shit,” he explained as he tapped his chest and his head.
“Great,” Dewey replied with a wide smile. It was great and everything Dewey had hoped for. But it was still too much for Dewey to process in a day. A reunion with Roddy and coming out of the closet to his older brother hadn’t been on Dewey’s to-do list for the week. And Dewey had just learned that he was falling for a prince. “Thanks for being cool about it,” he mumbled and shrugged. “This thing with Theo is pretty new and I’m still figuring it out.”
That got a laugh out of Roddy. “Yeah. You probably haven’t dated a lot of royalty,” he guessed.
“Haven’t dated a lot of anything,” Dewey said with a shake of his head. “Too busy and who the hell would I date around here? I can’t date someone I’ve known my whole life, like Cass,” he said and shuddered. Dewey knew there were more than a few women in Oslo who had crushes on him, but he had never wanted anything but friendship from them.
“So, you and Cass never…” Roddy’s voice trailed off and he offered Dewey a pained look. “I would understand and I’d never hold it against either of you,” he added quietly, but Dewey’s face and stomach twisted.
“Never and I’ll give you a pass this time, but don’t go there again unless you want to start a fight,” Dewey said, his tone severe. “She’s never been anything other than a sister to me. I remember playing with her on the playground, when she wore her hair in pigtails and we had velcro on our shoes. I thought you’d picked a winner, because I knew how good of a girl she was. But you went and broke every bit of her heart.” Dewey’s cheeks puffed and he made an exploding sound as he recalled the years after Roddy left.
“I was such an asshole,” Roddy whispered. “I was going to send for her after I had made it. I told myself she would still be there and that she’d forgive me for everything once I was a star.”
“She didn’t give a shit about any of that. She was just in love with you, ” Dewey scolded. “She was crushed and it took a long time to help her put her life back together. But she was always yours and I never thought about her like that. I just knew that I had to make up for all the damage you had done. And I had way too much respect for Cass after she gave us Bryce and raised him with so much grace and love. Not once did I hear her curse you or our family’s name, no matter how tough it got for her and Bryce.”
“She was always too good for me,” Roddy admitted and Dewey snorted wryly in agreement.
“She’s still too good for you and I’ll run your ass right back out of town if you so much as smile at her. Keep away from Cassie until you’ve proven you deserve to even breathe the same air. Got it?” He pointed hard so Roddy knew he was being serious.
“Got it,” he replied immediately. “The last thing I want to do is hurt Cassie again.”
“Good. I’m only strong enough to get in a few decent swings these days,” Dewey confided as he held up his fists. His arms were tired from the day’s chores and his hands shook as he jabbed at the air.
Roddy caught one of Dewey’s fists, groaning as he studied it. “Be honest with me, little brother: how bad is it and how much does it hurt?”
“Stop it!” Dewey growled and swatted him away. “It’s only bad when I push too hard and I don’t do what my doctor tells me to do.”
“Cassie says you always push too hard. She’s been worried that this place was too much and that you’d kill yourself trying to run it by yourself. That’s why I had to come back.”
That would have been a hard pill to swallow a month ago. Dewey would have denied it and told Cassie she was meddling. Now, Dewey could admit the truth and accept Roddy’s help because he wanted more time and more energy for Theo. He wanted to have a full life, instead of working until he was worn-out and empty.
“You’re just in time,” he said to Roddy as he watched Theo with Cassie. “I’m asking Prince Charming to live happily ever after with me tonight. If I don’t chicken out.”