The Red Diary Read Online Free Page B

by it, but Elaine rolled her eyes.
    Davy shook his head. "Wal-Mart,"
    "It's a nice shirt," Nick said, then shifted his attention to the small fish tank across the room. "How're the fish?"
    Davy smiled. "Napoleon's a lot happier now that we got him a new wife." Unfortunately, Josephine, half the pair of goldfish

Nick had bought him last month, hadn't lasted long, but they'd replaced her with Josephine the Second.
    Although Nick would've preferred discussing Davy's fish some more, he couldn't help glancing to the couch. "I see Dad's his usual self tonight."
    Their father lay with one arm stretched over his head, his breath coming heavy. What remained of his hair was mussed, jutting in all directions, and sweat dampened his skin, His untucked T-shirt revealed the quintessential beer belly.
    "Why don't we go in the other room," Elaine suggested, and be thought, good idea. The last thing he wanted was to wake the old man, Let him sleep, and they could pretend be wasn't there.
    Placing a hand on Davy's shoulder, Nick gently prodded him after Elaine toward the kitchen. "I swear," Nick said softly, "I don't know why you even invite him over,"
    Elaine plopped her dish towel on the scarred kitchen counter, then spun to scowl at him. "We're all he has, Nick. What am I supposed to do, ignore him?"
    He was all we had once, too. Nick didn't say the words, but when he met his sister's eyes, he knew she read his thoughts loud and clear.
    "Why didn't you come over for supper?" Davy asked. Glad for the change in subject, even if it injected some guilt, Nick forced a smile. "Had some paperwork to do for the business," he said, and Davy smiled back, all white teeth and adoring eyes he was always so proud of Nick for having a business. To Davy, he was the equivalent of a rock star or a sports hero; Davy didn't know any better, and Nick never got used to how much that hurt, how much his brother's inability to perceive the real world twisted him up inside. And maybe it was a blessing-that's what he tried to tell himself-but he never really believed it. Each time Davy smiled at him I like that it broke another little piece of his heart away. He would never live up to Davy's grand ideas of him.
    "Davy helped me make dinner," Elaine announced, scooping the dish towel back up to wipe around the stove burners. Nick raised his eyebrows playfully in his brother's direction. "Learning your way around the kitchen, huh? How'd you help?" Elaine said, "He stirred the pots, and he made the brownies."
    "I put chocolate chips in 'em," Davy added.
    "That's right." Elaine turned. "Have a brownie, Nick." She motioned to a Tupperware container perched on the counter. "You made these all on your own?" he asked as he pulled off the lid and reached inside.
    Davy nodded eagerly.
    Nick grinned. "Is it safe? Sure you put all the ingredients in? Sure this isn't some evil plan to get rid of me?"
    Elaine rolled her eyes. "Nick, eat one." After all these years, she still didn't get their relationship. Davy was smart enough to know he was kidding, and he laughed. Davy's smile might break his heart, but he loved making Davy laugh.
    He took a big bite of the brownie, chewing carefully, pretending to ponder over it like a food critic. Finally, he nodded. "Davy, these are great. Elaine better hide 'em or I'll eat 'em all."
    Again came Davy's crushing smile. Nick felt it in his gut.
    Don't be sad for Davy, Everything s right in his world.
    That's what Elaine always said when Nick lamented Davy's injury all those years ago. And sometimes, he even believed it was true he'd never seen anyone so proud of brownies from a box mix. He tried to soak up the ease of the moment and let it cover some of the hurt.
    "Wanna play a game, Nick?"
    An image flashed in Nick's head. Him at twelve, Davy at nine. Other than Davy's deeper voice, he sounded exactly the same. Pretending to mull the question over for a minute, Nick grabbed up a couple more brownies, then said, "Race ya." And for a moment, he