[ WP ] Two brothers talk about nothing over takeout .

`` Do remember Delia? Delia with the tattoos of the gardenias that went from the nape of her neck to the crook of her knee, the one I met at the thing in Conroe?'' 
 
 *'' Different from Amelia? `` * `` Amelia was black.'' *'' Right. `` * 
 
 `` When we finished, she did this thing where she'd kind of play with my soft dick.'' 
 
 *'' Is n't that-'' * `` Not in a sexy way, exactly, but I actually ended up liking it.'' 
 
 `` She'd interview me with it, like the Channel 9 News.'Mr. Patterson, do you live in this apartment? Can you confirm the breaking off of this piece in my ass?' It sounds weird,'' 
 
 *'' It does n't sound that weird. I could get into that. Did she ever ask these questions with the mic on her tongue? `` * 
 
 Brandon slides a thumb under the lid for the potato salad. It's from Mitzie's, which is no Shannon's but still tastes better than Ray's does ( since Ray sold the place ). There's a little bit too much celery in Mitzie's but Brandon's too buzzed to care. Angling the deli container just so, a cold lump slides glacially into his maw. 
 
 `` Sometimes she'd mush it in her hands like a balloon animal,'' 
 
 *'' I know for a fact you do n't have any kind of a balloon-animal dick, Dan. `` * 
 
 `` Then sometimes she'd like,'' he hesitates. Somehow this is the capital W Weird one. 
 
 `` It sounds weird but she'd put her mouth on it and kind of, act like it was a chew toy?'' Brandon splurts warm Rainier suds all down his front. Dan chuckles. 
 
 `` We had that little dog, Grace, the pug mix.'' 
 
 *'' The one that ate my work boots? `` * 
 
 `` Do n't forget, she ate a pair of the neighbor's panties that I forgot to grab from under the bed too, that's what happened to Delia.'' 
 
 *'' But not before she made stew meat of your fuck-snake? `` * 
 
 `` She never chewed it though, it was like, Grace, she'd play this game where she brought you a toy, and you tossed it, so she'd run it back. Then when you reached for it, she kind of growled and acted like it was hers and you could n't have it. Delia kinda cocked her eyes at you,'' 
 
 *'' And gnawed your prick off. `` * 
 
 `` And it was sweet, I do n't know. Like she was holding on to what we had when we fucked and it was n't for nobody else. I guess you had to be there.'' 
 
 *'' I certainly would've protected your dick from any dogs that wanted a nip on it. You can count on me for that much, bro. `` * Brandon drains his can and belches, crunching it in his fist and hurling it into the Yard. They demolished the housing between their building and the next because they wanted to build a condo, but that was four years ago, and everyone in the neighborhood just tossed their shit into it, usually telling the condo guy where he could stick it. When he realizes they're out of deli pickles he crumples the wrapper they came in and lobs it. 
 
 `` It feels good being back.'' Dan actually means it, which means it comes off as insincere. Brandon either does n't notice or does n't care, he's halfway into another can. `` I really did n't want to be here after Dad died, y'know?'' Brandon slips a pinky into an empty plastic rung and offers him another. 
 
 *'' I know. It ai n't the Ritz, but-'' * he waves out at the Yard, at the waning moon, the yellowed streetlights. *'' It's ours, right? `` * When he laughs, his eyes bulge red at the corners. It's probably time to get them off the roof. Dan offers him the last corner of his turkey sub. 
 
 *'' Turkey is a fucking vegetable,'' * Brandon mutters. He seems more interested in topping the pile below off with another empty. Dan lurches up, catches himself before he feels like he's going to slip in the misting rain, and offers him a hand. 
 
 `` Let's get inside. I'm sure the girls are waiting for us.'' 
 
 Brandon rises and nearly hurls, beer foams up the back of his throat. Dan seems to have it all figured out, again. What's he doing spending the rest of his life with a woman that wo n't take his love so seriously? 
 

