Chapter 111. What's Your Relationship?

Chapter 111. What's Your Relationship?
Eaton Residence, Belgravia, London

"What? You were sayin' Amelia ain't come back yet?" Brandon asks over the phone after answering his brother's call. 

Before the conversation can go any further, Brandon asks to speak with Caleb. Robert passes the phone over, and Brandon spends several minutes talking with his nephew, asking how he's feeling and whether the doctors are treating him well. 

Caleb sounds much stronger than how Robert explains his condition a few days ago, and Brandon keeps encouraging him to eat properly, listen to the doctors, and focus on getting back on his feet. He promises to send him something once he returns to New York, which immediately puts a smile in the boy's voice. After another few minutes, Caleb hands the phone back to Robert.

Robert steps into the hallway and lowers his voice as he closes the hospital room door behind him. "Yeah, she ain't come back," he says. "Not that I care none, but I was wonderin' if that could affect the divorce. You reckon it might complicate things?"

"Not really," Brandon replies. "Just talk to that lawyer I sent ya, ya hear? He's the best dang lawyer in all of Texas, and he sure as heck knows what he's doin'. Don't you go frettin' about the price none. I want you gettin' a clean divorce, and I want that ranch protected, that's all that matters, plain and simple."

Robert leans against the wall, rubbing one hand over his face. "Yeah, figured you'd say that."

"And you go talk to Alex 'bout your wife, ya hear?" Brandon continues. "She's the one had Amelia taken away. Hates that woman more'n I do."

Robert lets out a long breath. "Well, hell. Figured somethin' like that mighta happened."

Brandon chuckles. "I ain't gonna ask you to feel sorry for Amelia."

"I don't." Robert's voice becomes quieter. "After everythin' she's done, I don't know what in the hell I was thinkin' all them years."

Brandon does not answer immediately. He knows his brother has already begun confronting the truth he spends years avoiding. After a moment, Robert changes the subject. "There's somethin' else I been wonderin' about."

"What?"

"Why ain't your wife adoptin' Roxanne?" Robert ask his brother.

Brandon laughs softly. "Oh, she told ya that?"

"Yeah," Robert says. "Pretty damn direct about it, too."

"That's Alex."

Robert gives a small snort. "Yeah, I noticed."

"Roxanne weren't never her responsibility, brother," Brandon says, and his voice gets quieter. "She's mine. My responsibility. Even if she's yours by blood, ya gave up that right four years back, and ya know it."

There's something in the way he says it that makes Robert stop moving. "I know." There's regret in Robert's voice, and Brandon doesn't want to sugarcoat it at all.

Brandon takes a slow breath before continuing. "I ain't got much time left, Robert."

Silence stretches across the phone. Robert's expression changes immediately, his grip tightening round the phone as he straightens away from the wall. "What in the hell're ya talkin' 'bout?"

Brandon closes his eyes for a moment. "Don't go hollerin' on me now."

"How the hell'm I s'posed not to holler when ya just told me ya ain't got much time left?" Robert nearly shouts.

"I'm sick, Robert. Ya already know that."

"I know you're sick. I didn't know ya was dyin'." Robert retorts.

Brandon stays quiet for a while before answering. "I ain't sayin' I'm dyin' tomorrow. I'm sayin' I don't know how many years I got left, and I ain't fixin' to take no chances with Roxanne."

Robert swallows hard. "Brandon..."

"She's my daughter," Brandon says firmly. "Maybe not blood direct, but part of her's same as mine, and she's mine all the same. I took responsibility for that girl, and I'm gonna make damn sure she's took care of 'fore I'm gone. She'll inherit ever'thing I got, every last cent of it."

Robert looks down the hallway toward Caleb's room, his eyes gone wet all of a sudden. "Why didn't ya tell me?"

"'Cause I didn't want ya frettin' over me while you was tryin' to hold that damn ranch together." Brandon says.

Robert leans his forehead against the wall, his voice cracking. "Ya shoulda told me anyhow. I'm your brother."

"I'm tellin' ya now, ain't I?" Brandon says, softer this time. "Didn't wanna do it over the phone neither, but I reckon there ain't no good time for news like this'n."

"How long ya known?"

"'Five years."

Robert curses under his breath. "Five fucking years, and you're just now sayin' somethin'?"

"Weren't ready," Brandon admits. "Still ain't, if I'm bein' honest. But I reckon' I need to tell ya somethin'."

Robert frowns as he massaging his head and ask again, "What do them doctors say?"

"They say what they always say — do the treatments, wait and see. I'm plumb tired of waitin' and seein', Robert. I'd rather spend what time I got makin' sure my girl's set."

"She ain't gonna take this good."

"I know it," Brandon says.

Robert closes his eyes. "Then who's gonna take care of her after?"

"Ya realize she's already a grown woman, right? Ain't sixteen no more." Brandon says.

"I plumb forgot she's grown now." Robert frowns.

"And there's Alex, bet she's gonna take good care of her." Brandon adds.

"How do ya know that?"

"I just know it."

Robert laughs despite himself, wiping at his face before anyone can see. "Just don't go dyin' on me yet, alright?"

"I'll do my best."

"Good. 'Cause I ain't done yellin' at ya."

"I'd expect nothin' less." They hangs up the phone call after that.

\-

Oat & Smoke Brisket

Earl's Oak & Smoke is already busy when Alexandra, Roxanne, Samantha, and Madelyn settle around one of the wooden tables beneath the covered porch. Roxanne watches Alexandra carefully as they eat. 

She notices the older woman is usually polite with food, taking small portions and never making much fuss about whether she likes something, but Earl's brisket seems to be an exception. Alexandra takes another slice, cutting through the tender meat with her fork before dipping a piece lightly into the barbecue sauce. 

The dark bark gives way easily, revealing the moist meat underneath, and Alexandra's expression softens as she chews. Roxanne smiles without realizing it.

"You love it," she says softly

Alexandra looks at her, then at the plate. "It's good." Love the way Roxanne noticed something small about her.

Roxanne knows that tone. Alexandra is trying to sound casual, but she has already taken another piece. Samantha notices too and laughs from across the table. "Oh, she's been caught."

Alexandra raises an eyebrow. "Caught doing what?"

"Actually enjoying Texas food." Madelyn laughs while Roxanne simply watches Alexandra take another bite. 

Alexandra looks at her with a small smile before accepting it. Roxanne's smile widens, and for a moment, she forgets about the people around them. She only watches Alexandra eat, quietly pleased that the woman she loves is enjoying something as simple as Texas brisket.

Then Madelyn speaks. "Roxie."

Roxanne looks across the table, Madelyn isn't smiling anymore. She is staring at the way Roxanne's hand is still resting close to Alexandra's plate, at the small smile Alexandra gives her, and at the way Roxanne looks at Alexandra as though there's nothing else at the table worth watching.

"Can I ask you something?" Roxanne's smile slowly fades.

Samantha looks up from her food, already knowing where this is going. Madelyn takes a breath and looks directly at Alexandra before turning her eyes back to her sister.

"What exactly are you two to each other?" For the first time that evening, Roxanne doesn't have an answer ready.