Chapter 3: Prodigal Brother

Awakened by a relentless buzzing from the building entrance, Marta heard yelling quieted by three floors distance when it stopped. Glancing out the window, she saw Joe looking up at it. Beside him a blond man slightly balding spread hands in a plea pose, all she could see from a high perspective. They vanished into the building.

Joe knocked. "Are you descent?" he yelled through the door.

"Not enough, but come on in," she yelled back, at least the end part. Sitting up, leaning on pillows against the wall, she brought the comforter to her waist.

"Hey," said Joe looking uncomfortable.

"Hey," said Marta smiling beautifully back. She witnessed him relaxing and his true smile returned. His brother followed him inside. Having a similar nose and eyes, the brother's long thick strawberry blond hair brushed back to reveal a retreat as his pate grew towards bald. That and an essence in his eyes of distrustful discomfort constituted differences from his older brother. And he had a couple inches height over his already tall sibling.

"Marta, this is my brother Roger. Did he wake you?"

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Noon."

"It's fine. Hi Roger."

"Hey," said Roger with an uncommitted smile.

"I bought bagels and cream cheese," said Joe. "I'll brew some coffee."

"Sounds good."

"Roger decided to surprise me. He came all the way down from Minneapolis."

"I got here yesterday, but you weren't home."

"Where'd you stay?" asked Marta.

"YMCA," said Roger.

"This is my apartment," said Joe. "As you can see I have no room for you."

"It's cheap."

Marta laughed and Joe shook his head and shrugged.

"No, I mean the room I'm staying in. Weekly's even cheaper."

"What's going on?" asked Joe. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Emotions kept in check, only the words avoided neutrality.

"I..."

"I should call Mary," said Marta. "She might be worried."

"Who's Mary?" asked Roger.

"My roommate."

"Is she as pretty as you?"

"Prettier."

"Invite her over."

"Jesus Roger..." said Joe.

"If you don't mind," Roger responded complacently.

"Why not?" shrugged Marta. "She could use some good company."

"You're alive," Mary croaked having been woken up.

"And happy," replied Marta.

"I'm not keen on being trapped in the man's den," Mary responded to Marta's invitation.

"How about a picnic in Lincoln Park?" asked Marta on the phone but looking at Joe who nodded. "You could use a change of scenery." She cupped the phone and whispered. "His brother's here and he's cute."

"Alright goddamnit, give me an hour. Where do you want to meet?"

"Let's meet at the zoo entrance."

"Fine," Mary sneered and hung up.

Marta chuckled. "Quite contrary," she sighed.

"I guess we'll wait on the bagels," suggested Joe.

"Let's not," said Marta catching disappointment on Roger's face. "Right Roger?"

"I'm starved," he said and began cutting open a bagel.

"Do you mind if I shower?" asked Marta.

"Of course not," Joe replied. "What's mine is yours."

"Sounds ... nice," Marta smiled, grabbing her backpack. "Don't wait for me to eat."

Roger already chewed a bite.

"So!" grumbled Joe.

"I had to escape," Roger explained.

"You had one more year!"

"What would I do with a philosophy degree?"

"It gets you in the door. It increases your salary."

"I had enough. I should have gone to school somewhere else. Anywhere else."

"You could have done better in high school, got a scholarships, moved from mom and dad's shadow."

"And yours. Fuck you Mr. Lawyer."

"Jesus!"

"I probably should have taken some time and went wandering like they do in Germany," said Roger quietly, easing his brother's anger. "Maybe I might have stumbled on what the fuck to do with my life. But I had to placate mom and dad and fall in love with Carol."

"What about Carol? Four years you're with her..."

"Crazy, hunh?"

"Have you talked to her?"

"We stopped talking."

"You schtupped her best friend."

"I schtupped a lot more than Donna. But Donna was definitely a mistake."

"But Carol's such a lovely girl."

Blonde and blue eyed and corn fed, Carol looked the part of the farm girl she was except cuter and more petite. "Have you seen her lately?" asked Roger.

"Did she get fat or something?"

"Nah, she's more beautiful than ever. Even furious kicking me out of our apartment she looked beautiful, maybe more beautiful. For a fraction of a second she gave me that glance, that glance I love, that loving glance. I'm such a fuck up!"

"You'll hear no argument from me," said Joe.

"Fuck you, asshole, suck up. Sucking up to everyone, where did that leave me?"

"Bullshit. Don't accuse me of causing your mess of a life. And believe it or not it goes both ways."

"What are you talking about?"

"I showed you ambition which obviously you rejected. You showed me a player. I saw you seducing women. Every party you joined without Carol you had some bimbo in the corner. I hated that you cheated on her, but otherwise I wanted to be you."

"Really? I like pussy. I love to fuck. Variety rules. I figured you to be the selective type. I mean half the girls preferred you, but got me as second option."

"I'm a male, Roger. What do you think?"

"I think you should have said something. I could have helped. The sluts would have been all over you."

"Sluts, hunh? You're the slut. I respect women."

"Jesus bro, they're just human beings, as lustful and wanton as men. Being in awe of them gets you nowhere."

"You're right. But I enjoy respecting them even if it keeps me from fucking them. And what about Carol?"

"I don't know. If she fucked around she kept it well hid. I guess I'm a hypocrite because imagining it makes me feel a little sick and jealous."

"Definitely a hypocrite."

"So have you met Marta's roommate?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She won't be easy."

"Not a slut, hunh?"

"I didn't say that."

"Depends on your definition," said Marta testily, wearing the outfit she arrived in, her hair in a towel.

"Sorry," said Joe.

"Whatever. Fix me some breakfast. She'll like you, Roger."

"Why's that?"

"She's angry too. And like you she wouldn't know love if it slugged her in the face."

"I've been in love. Maybe I still am."

"You sure?"

"Never mind. If she's a challenge..."

"Not up for it big boy?"

"It's not worth the work and if it's just a tease or some kind of game..."

"She's a tease alright. What about your love?"

"Yeah, she took time. It was worth it."

"There you go."

Two things became apparent during the visit to the zoo: Mary felt jealous of Joe and hated him. Otherwise they had a pleasant time. Even the cold breeze of fall didn't dispel pleasantness. In fact, as Marta used Joe to warm her and eventually Mary used Roger similarly, it helped.

Roger took center stage as usual. "Goddamn, remember that one tournament? Betty must have just given you a blow job and you come out all dazed with your pecker flying in the wind."