Justin and Clay was standing on the back porch looking at the outhouse, that had been there home years ago.
Justin sips his beer, Clay can't help but be neveurs. He has something he wants to ask Justin. Something important, but the words on his tongue just wont come out.
Clay looks back inside, seeing Hailey talking with his mom as she bounces his little nephew on her lap, Clay can't help but smile. His heart sors and the nerves in his stomach settels enough to ask something.
"What do you think of Hailey?" It might not be the question he wanted to ask, it was a start however.
"She's great man." Justin takes another sip "I'm glad you two found each other after what happened with Ani." Clay tenses. They never talk about that, it is one of those topics that is off limits.
"Me too." Clay agrees.
"How long is it you have been together?"
"Nearly 2 years." He takes a deep breath before he tries to control the conversation. It's weird that everytime they come back home he suddenly becomes that obvious, nerdy boy that can't string a sentence together to save his life.
"I know we have only been living together for about 8 months, but I really like her, Justin."
"What are you saying?" Justin sits down the beer and directs all of his attention on Clay. Blue eyes boring into him trying to read him, trying and succeeding. He smiles widely.
"What's going on Clay?" hopeful eyes, Justin have hopeful eyes, full of wonder and a childlike gleam that would always get them into trouble as teens.
"I really think she could be the one, Justin." Clay didn't understand Justin's sudden confusion and what looked to be disappointment.
Clay was hit with a sudden anger at Justin, why would his brother not be happy for him.
"I was gonna ask you to be my best man. But it's pretty clear that you don't approve that I want to ask her to marry me." Clay was about to turn and walk away from the man that has been his brother for years.
Justin grabs him before Clay gets the chance to walk away in anger.
"Clay." the way he says it with his puppy eyes and soft voice, Justin just says his name but Clay hears so much more in that one word. He waits for Justin to speak again, uses the silence to ask the question for him.
"It's not that I don't want you to be happy. But are you sure? I mean it's only been 2 years."
"I'm sure." And Clay is sure, he is more sure on Hailey then he had been on any other girl in his life. He could see the future together, how they would grow together have kids and truly become a family. She was the one.
"Okay." Justin let go of Clays arm. "as long as your sure." Justin expression was something of a mystery to Clay, which was odd because Clay new his brother. Knew him better than anyone else would think.
"What do you mean?" Clay asked Justin.
"It's not your life you are gonna change."
"I know." Clay was growing angry that his brother didn't just clap him on the shoulder and asked if he had already asked Hailey to marry him.
"I don't think you do."
"What are you saying?" Clay asked. The weils behind the blue eyes was turning, Justin was thinking. That much was obvious. It was hard to predict what conclusion he came to, but Clay saw he came to one.
"Spit it out Justin." Still a little angry.
"You truly don't remember?" Clay didn't understand him and he was growing tired of not getting to the point.
"Remember what?" Clay sighed
They were interrupted by small feet running up to them. The little girl calling.
"Daddy, Daddy mom is looking for you."
"Sweetheart I'm just talking with uncle, Clay. Go tell mommy I'll be right there."
"But daddy!" the girl wined.
"Go." he gave her a small and tender push in the back as he smiled to the small dark skinned girl. "I'll be right there." That was all it took for the tired girl to break out crying.
Justin picked her up and hushed her as he cradled her in his arms. It took a moment for the girl to fall down and fall asleep on her father's arm.
Clay still waited for an answer from Justin.
"It's not that I don't like or I think it's to early, look at me I have two kids already. But you can't marry her Clay."
"Why not?!" the words hostile.
Justin hefted the sleeping girl on one arm and went to go inside again.
"Because you're already married." that wasn't the responce Clay had expected at all. The door closing behind Justin sounded like a ear deafening crack to Clay.
"What the FUCK?!" When Clay came back to himself there were no one around. Who could he be married to?!