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Back The Third Brother Save as PDF
Chapters (116)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by the Author
  3. The Third Brother
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. PART I
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. PART II
  67. 60
  68. 61
  69. 62
  70. 63
  71. 64
  72. 65
  73. 66
  74. 67
  75. 68
  76. 69
  77. 70
  78. 71
  79. 72
  80. 73
  81. 74
  82. 75
  83. 76
  84. 77
  85. 78
  86. 79
  87. 80
  88. 81
  89. 82
  90. 83
  91. 84
  92. 85
  93. 86
  94. 87
  95. 88
  96. PART III
  97. 89
  98. 90
  99. 91
  100. 92
  101. 93
  102. 94
  103. 95
  104. 96
  105. 97
  106. 98
  107. 99
  108. 100
  109. 101
  110. 102
  111. 103
  112. 104
  113. 105
  114. 106
  115. 107
  116. 108

It’s strange, suddenly piling into a car with these new people, driving off with them through the warm rain in the Bangkok night. Mike admires the way Burton directs the driver. The rain splashes and crystallizes the light through the windows of the damp cab. No one speaks. Mike is in the backseat between Harrison and Bridget. She looks out the side window, and Burton and Harrison stare straight ahead; they are all quiet for a moment. Harrison strokes his bald head and closes his eyes. Mike is acutely aware of the point at which his leg leans up against Bridget. She smells of sweet pepper. Mike is keyed up and a little drunk and feels good. He says something like thanks for taking me around, then feels it was premature for thanks.

“Oh please,” says Burton.

Bridget nods, though she is still looking out the window.

21

Mike’s father, Dorr, and Analect were all in love with Mike’s mother, but it was his father who had her first. Neither of them had been in love before. They had sex everywhere, including the library. The affair was even fiercer because of the tension between Mike’s mother and Dorr. Analect saw what would happen a long way off.

Over Thanksgiving break their senior year, Mike’s father found out that she was cheating on him with Dorr. Boston was three hours into the first snow of the year. Mike’s father turned the cab around halfway to Logan when he heard on the radio that all flights were grounded because of the storm. He had been dreading San Francisco anyway. He returned to Lowell House and there they were, drunk in bed together. No one knew what to do.

Mike’s father found Analect in a bar on Mass. Ave. Analect pretended to be surprised and lied that he didn’t know anything about it.

By the time the snow stopped falling, Mike’s father had slept with Dorr’s sister as revenge.

22

A refuge from the wild traffic, up a road in some corner of the city. Gardens and houses, no carts on the side of the road. Getting out of the cab, Mike sees an elephant fountain spraying water from its trunk. Burton’s apartment is behind the elephant in a compound originally occupied by French soldiers. Up the wide stone stairs, five flights of them, Burton’s door is painted blue.

The apartment isn’t huge but it’s the most living space Mike has seen since he’s been in Bangkok. Two long couches, a television, a bar, books. One wall is covered in hanging two-foot lengths of yellowed rope. A terrace and a hot tub. Burton pours drinks for everybody and the four of them simultaneously light cigarettes.

Mike asks about the rope, testing the feel of it against his knuckles.

“Conceptual decor,” says Burton.