"This is why I hate you." She stretched as she got out of the car, walking into the rest stop. She looked over what wonderful artery-clogging fast food they had, getting on line.
"Why?" He asked, stepping behind her.
"Because you ruin diets." He laughed. "And you drag me down to the City." Another laugh. "And because you drive me absolutely nuts."
"Am I really that bad?" He asked, pouting at her and she nodded. She bit into the giant hamburger with delight.
"I forgot how good Burger King was. They don't have that many of them near Vep." He laughed.
"It's wonderful, isn't it? But I can't be that bad."
"You are, be glad Garret realizes you're just a big softie. If you scared him off you'd be dead right now." He grinned a roguish grin, the same grin their father had.
"Sorry, but it's my way of making sure your boyfriends are prepared. If they can put up with me, they can put up with you. I'm looking out for them just as much as I'm looking out for you." She glared at him and he laughed.
"So Garret's fully prepared for the wrath that is me then?" He nodded.
"He's better than some of the trash you've brought home. For a goy, I think even mama would approve of him." She grinned. Her brother had only approved of two other men that she had dated, one had been the biggest asshole on the planet but Eddie had played everyone he met for a fool, he had charmed his way into her life, charmed her family, everyone believed that he was this wonderful man, and when she finally realized what he really was the snake moved on to sink his teeth into her best friend. That had gotten very ugly and she wound up being the one going 'I told you so' after the dust had cleared. The other one to have gotten her brother's approval had been the only one to come back for a second round, and both times they had decided that they were better off without being involved.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence. For all their teasing of each other, she and her brother really got on well, unlike some siblings that she knew. The decade plus between them helped, he had all but gone on to college when she had come into the world so there hadn't been any of the messy room-sharing spats, or the toy stealing spats that plagued most of her friends with their siblings.
And they both knew when to keep quiet, although she loved to talk and her brother was more the quiet type, they both knew when to stay silent, and this was one of those times, when they were busy with introspection, musing on their own lives. They finished eating and her brother picked up an extra burger for Cesar and they headed out again, the dog wolfing down the food quickly.
She found the drive to be pleasantly uneventful. There wasn't much to see on 95, just the towns that they passed through. Before she knew it they were in the city, pulling up to the little house in Brighton Beach. He had moved their for his wife who's family lived down the street, and he refused to leave even though he had no reason to stay there. "So you really think Garret's a good guy?" She asked as he got out and dragged the lazy dog with him.
"One of the best you've dated yet, although that doesn't say much. He may be a goy, but he's not a bad one. Like I said, even mama would approve." She grinned, her mother had hated all the non-Jewish boys she had brought home, being an old traditionalist. Her father had learned very quickly not to interfere with the arguments that she and her mother would have.
"Hey, he is a doctor." Her brother laughed. Her mother had constantly told her after she had failed miserably at being a doctor that if she wasn't going to be one to marry one.
"I don't quite think the type mamma had in mind." he said, flicking the same curl of gray hair out of his face. He took after their father, with the tight curly hair and his grin. She favored her mother's stern look, but had inherited her father's laughing eyes. She got out of the car and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"He does make a fair amount of money. Those guys make close to six figures." Her brother grinned.
"Remind me to get very close to those people. Who wouldn't take pity on poor me?" She laughed and shoved him towards his door.
"My plane leaves in half an hour, I'll see you." She said walking through the familiar Brooklyn streets until she found a taxi and found herself boarding a plane from JFK to Logan, popping another two aspirin as she felt her leg go numb again.