"You know, you don't look completely ridiculous in that dress," Johnny said at his older sister affectionately. More affectionately than he had his date, that's for sure.
"Is that obnoxious brother talk for 'You look kind of nice'?" came her reply. Sue always knew what Johnny meant, even when he didn't quite want to say it.
It's not that Johnny wasn't happy for his sister- he was. Reed's a great guy and he's glad she's found someone who makes her happy, just like he's glad Ben's found Alicia. The bigger issue is that he couldn't seem to find anyone for himself.
Not that he wants to make it all about him.
"You look beautiful," he said, and she smiled more than she had all day. She needed to know Johnny was okay with all this. He'd had his fair time to think about it, with all the attempted weddings that didn't work out and all, but she'd never been sure he was fully supportive of her marrying Reed.
It was silly really, her marriage wouldn't change anything about their relationship, she knew that and she knew deep down Johnny did too, but she could see why he might be a little nervous about the whole thing.
It'd been just the two of them against the world for so long now, even she was a little nervous about making Reed an official part of the family. Their family didn't have such a good track record, you know?
"Thank you," she said, still smiling. She didn't like to think about their parents, but one's wedding day does call for some reflection. Not that she had much to reflect about with her mother, she hardly remembered a time when she wasn't the one taking care of Johnny. Of course she missed her and wished she could be here, but Sue had been at peace with her mother's death for years. She had to have been to take proper care of Johnny.
What she wasn't at peace with was her father. Sometimes she wondered if it could've ended differently for the man, now rotting in jail. They'd gone to visit him more than their fair share, but he'd never even spoken to her or Johnny. They just weren't enough to keep him happy after their mother's death, and he clearly wanted nothing to do with them.
Johnny recognized the look on his sister's face as the same one that'd flashed by anytime the passed the courthouse- the last place they'd seen their father. He knew she blamed herself, and he did too, honestly. Neither of them had been enough for their father, enough for anyone in his case. He didn't like to dwell on it, because he didn't like to be too deep, but he had a sneaking suspicion Sue was the only one who'd ever loved him at all in his entire life. He had been an infant when the accident that killed his mother happened, and in the following years, his drunkard father had barely even noticed him.
"Dad would be proud."
Johnny said the only thing he could think of to make his big sister, his only family, happy on her big day, and took her arm to walk her down the aisle.
Dad would be proud, but we don't need him, Sue thought to herself, as she looked up to her little brother, all grown up after all these years, we've got each other.