Free Fruit of Misfortune by Nely Cab Page A

“
    “I’ll be the judge of that,” she told me.
    Galen strutted through the front door,
Balthazar and Eryx behind him.
    “Galen, help Balthazar with the luggage,” Nyx
ordered, when she saw Balthazar’s knees bending in the foyer.
    “Mother, you know I have severe carpal tunnel
syndrome.” Galen raised his hands, turning to Balthazar to inspect
them. “I would help you Balthazar, honestly, but the pain is
unbearable.”
    Since when did Galen suffer from any type of
illness aside from Being-An-Ass Syndrome ?
    “It’s gotten worse?” Balthazar let out a huff
of relief as he set down the two suitcases and unhitched the three
duffle bags hanging from his neck and shoulders.
    Galen rubbed his wrists. “You can’t imagine,”
he said with a look of suffering on his face.
    Behind Balthazar, Eryx stood, shaking his
head at his brother’s act.
    “Did you have the surgery you were speaking
about last time?” Balthazar asked.
    “Yes,” Galen paused, turning in a dramatic
gaze to the floor, “I was close to losing complete use of one hand
after the surgery. They severed my nerves.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that. You shouldn’t
strain.” Balthazar lifted a duffle over his shoulder. “I hope you
sued that doctor.”
    “No.” Eryx patted Balthazar on the shoulder.
“Put that down. We can manage.”
    “You’re unbelievable,” David told Galen.
    “I’m touched that even with my disability,
you still look up to me,” Galen said. “You make me feel
valued.”
    David furrowed his brow and took the duffels
off Balthazar’s hands.
    I watched as Eros walked down the stairs.
Galen pretended his wrist hurt and didn’t shake his hand.
    “The only one missing is Alezzander,” Eryx
said. “Will he make an appearance this summer, or is he still a
committed slave over his work?”
    “The latter, I suspect.” Nyx shrugged.
“Perhaps he’ll grace us for a few days.”
    Eryx stepped toward me, placing an arm over
my shoulder. “How has our little Isis been behaving in Athens?”
    “Well…” Eros began, “To be honest, she’s
charmed me senseless.”
    I felt my heart sink to my stomach, thinking
that he would find a way in his next words to incriminate me.
    “Has she?” Galen turned to view Eros with a
look that I couldn’t decipher.
    “Oui. In absolute, she has.” Eros nodded
once. “The way she ever so delicately regurgitated on my shoes won
me over.”
    “She did what?” Eryx laughed.
    Nyx covered her mouth, stifling a laugh, as
well.
    Galen walked toward me. To my surprise and
out of his usual character, he bent down and kissed my cheek.
    “What was that for?” I said, amazed that
Galen had expressed some form of affection.
    “For a job well done.”
    David leaned in close to my ear. “If I’m not
mistaken, Galen’s just claimed you as his ally.”
    Before I could question the comment, Camilla
walked into the room, wiping her hands on her apron and speaking in
Italian at the top of her lungs. She hugged Nyx and the twins and
led them to the dining room where the typical Chios banquet had
already been served.
    I was thankful when Galen beat Eros to the
empty seat next to mine. Since I still had no appetite, I spent the
length of the meal picking at my food.
    ***
    After dinner, we sat in the living room. I
started to feel lightheaded, and that soon turned into a mild dizzy
spell. I needed to lie down.
    “I’m going to bed,” I announced. “Good
night.”
    “Sleep well,” I heard Nyx say as I headed
toward the stairs.
    David stopped me before I reached the first
step. He drew me against his chest. His lips pressed against mine.
And even though I wanted to, I couldn’t kiss him back. I felt too
ashamed. Too disgusted with myself after having kissed his best
friend.
    I stared at the floor, but I could feel his
eyes on me.
    “You’re upset?” he asked, and I shook my
head. “Then what is it?”
    “I’m just tired.”
    With an unconvinced look, he nodded. “Well,
good night,