my future like they have rights over both. It's seriously fascinating and disconcerting.
"We have to vote on this. It's what Dad taught us to do when decisions needed to be made. It's the only way to come to a consensus when there are so many of us."
"We vote, and we respect the majority decision."
"This is big, though. Bigger than we've ever had to vote on."
"It's big, but it's critical. We need to be honest about whether this is something we want. We don't have time to wait around to see what happens. If we don't do this right, it's likely to all go wrong."
"It feels strange to vote on something like this… cold."
"It's not cold. There is nothing cold about this decision. This is about Dad and his legacy. It's about his family and generations to come. This is about respecting everything he did for us, and everything we learned from him."
"So, we vote?"
"Yeah."
"Raise your hand if you're on board with forming a family unit like Danna's?" There's the rustle of bodies moving, and I wish I could see past the door to find out who is raising their hand and who isn't. Is this an all-or-nothing situation, or would those in favor form a smaller family unit and leave those against to move on? I can’t believe my mind is even trying to process this.
"Okay, now raise your hand if you want to do this with Maggie, taking the baby into consideration."
There's another rustle, and I'm desperate to know what they've all voted, but I can't see a thing. Half of me is completely flattered that eleven gorgeous men are even considering this with me, and the other half is thinking, what the fuck! They don't know me. They don't know who I am or what I stand for. I haven't even been formally introduced to all of them yet. I probably wouldn't be able to pick them out in a lineup. Seriously, this feels more like some kind of antiquated arranged marriage tradition than anything romantic.
"That's decided then," someone says, and in my head, I'm screaming, “What has been decided and how the fuck can you decide anything when I'm not even there?”
"Now we need to come up with our next moves."
Next moves? What next moves?
"I don't think we have long. Maggie's only here to deal with Dad's possessions, and then she's returning home," a voice that sounds like Harley’s says.
"Well we need to help her with that. In her position, I wouldn't know what the hell to do. She must be feeling really exposed being here with all of us."
Whoever said that at least has some frickin' empathy. At least one of them is tuned into the reality of what is going on for me right now.
"So, who's going to do that?"
"It should be me," a very deep voice says.
"Why? Because you're the oldest?"
"Nah, because I'm the one most likely to get the outcome we're looking for."
"She's not going to be an easy nut to crack, Gordon."
"I never liked anything easy," the same deep voice replies.
"You'll need to start tomorrow."
"I can do that."
"I don't think it should be Gordon. Maggie doesn't need the bull in the china shop approach right now. She's going to need an easier hand, like John or Sean."
"John should do it. Definitely John. Sean is more about charming panties off."
"Is it wrong that I'm so proud of my reputation?" The voice, which must be Sean's, is smooth with a hint of amusement.
"Shut up, Sean. We need to be serious right now."
"I don't agree that John should do it."
"Well, you wouldn't, Gordon."
"Voting for John being the one to help Maggie sorting Dad's room. Hands up if you agree."
There's another rustle as another vote is held. "John wins."
So that's how I find out that someone called John is going to help me sort through my dad's things tomorrow and that someone called Sean is an expert at coaxing panties off. And that someone called Gordon thinks he should be in charge of everything. There are eight other brothers in there, including Harley, who held my hand when I felt like I was going to break apart.
"I've got work to do," Gordon says. There's scraping of a chair against tile that jolts me backward. Is he coming out? What do I do? I look around frantically. I've got to move before I'm discovered.
8
Should I run back upstairs and meet him on the way down, or hide in the den? Maybe I should sit in the den