I laugh bitterly. “You’ve lost your brother.”
“I want him back” he says again, determined.
“What, Ian’s not enough for you?”
“Ryan…” Nick sighs. “I want us to be a family again. Mum and Dad need us – they don’t need to see us fighting all the time. Ian needs us: he’s about to have a baby and I don’t want her to be born into a family full of hate and revenge.”
I shake my head, exasperated. “Since when did any of this bother you? You’ve always thought only about yourself, screwed everything up for as long as I’ve known you. You’ve never cared about anything – what’s changed?”
“I’ve grown up, Ryan. And you should too.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“I imagine that’s not a compliment,” he says, with a half-smile.
“Absolutely not.”
“Let’s give it a try, what do you say? Just let me try.”
“That doesn’t take back what you’ve done. I…I can’t forget.”
Nick nods. “I understand and it’s okay, a part of you will always resent me.”
“A part of me hates you and wants you dead.”
“But just a small part, right?”
I snort.
“Well, let’s work on the part that doesn’t want me dead.”
“That part is tiny.”
He shrugs. “It’s enough for me.”
I grip the car door.
“I don’t understand why you care so much. You don’t need me, you’re fine without me or my support.”
“Maybe that’s true. But, Ryan, you need me, and I just want to be there for you. We’re the O’Connors, and we’re always here for you, even when you think you don’t want us around. And don’t ever forget that.”
