One bottleof red and an hour later, I’ve regaled Reagan with the whole story.
“I always knew that micro-mini bitch he brought to our wedding was bad news,” Reagan says as she tips back the last of her wine.
“You have no idea.”
Reagan’s gaze looks somewhere beyond me, tugging at a memory. “So, that Thanksgiving? Connor was the reason you didn’t come?”
I nod.
“And when he showed up at your graduation dinner, it had seriously been three years?”
I nod again and a weighty awkwardness settles between us.
“I know Lauren is your friend,” I begin cautiously. “For what it’s worth, I really liked her and I know Connor feels terrible about how he handled that whole thing.”
She shrugs, albeit noncommittally. “Yeah, Drew and I weren’t sure what to think when we heard that he dumped her, but…I mean, she’s happy now. Like, really happy.”
“Connor said she met someone.”
“Yeah,” she sighs. “Sounds like it was all for the best.”
Reagan twirls the stem of her wine glass between her fingers and I worry that the sullen look on her face might be because she thinks as little of Connor as Drew seems to. If everything my brother said was true, then she had to have seen some of it.
“Do you think Connor’s a bad person?” I ask.
“What? No, I could never think that.”
“It’s just…the things Drew said about him…” I can’t even say it. My brain is too weak and my heart too weary to litigate every accusation again.
“Those months after our wedding were rough. Your brother was so worried about him. He tried to get him to talk about it, but Connor just shut down. Sometimes it was radio silence for days at a time.” She taps her nail on her glass. “I guess now we know what was really going on.”
“Youdo, but Drew won’t give him a chance to explain,” I remind her. “Connor wanted to be the one to tell him everything about us, but today went so wrong. It was really bad, Reagan.”
She studies me for a beat before looking away.
“Listen, I know there’s this marital code that says you’re only allowed to see the good in my brother and that husband bashing is generally frowned upon. And that’s fine. But I need you to let me be angry.” I drain the last of my second glass of wine.
“Nobody can tell you to not feel things. The only encouragement I can give you is to give Drew time. Connor’s a good man. Nobody knows that more than Drew.” She reaches for my hand. “He loves you, Gretchen. Whether or not he sees it now, in the end, your happiness will trump any grudge he thinks he’s justified in holding.”
I manage a half-smile, hoping against hope that she’s right.
Reagan’s phone vibrates on the coffee table. My brother’s name lights up the home screen as I pass it to her.
“Hey, babe,” Reagan says by way of greeting as I collect our wine glasses and head to the kitchen.
“Yeah, your sister’s here. She wants to talk to you when you get home.”
Reagan meets my eyes across the room, careful that her expression not give anything away.
“That’s okay, more girl time for us then,” she chirps. I try to return her enthusiasm with a smile, but I know it looks forced. He’s avoiding me.
“Gretchen will be here when you get home.” She pauses. “Huh? What was that? You’re cutting out. Okayloveyoubye,” she rushes out before disconnecting the call.
“He’s avoiding me, isn’t he?” I ask as I toss the empty wine bottle in the recycle bin.
“Yes, but he can’t do it forever.”
“I can’t be in your hair all day, Reagan. Who knows when he’s going to come home.”
