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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

He and his father paused, unsure of what to do. A young woman jogging past had seen the roadkill, too, and stopped to look. Mike and his father didn’t say anything, but the young woman produced a cell phone and made a call. Mike couldn’t hear what she said, but she must have thought the silently cawing bird could be helped somehow. Mike wanted to pick the creature up, but looking at his father, he realized that the bird would just fall apart.

He expected his father to say something, but he didn’t. While they all stood there, it became obvious to Mike that one of the cars speeding by would hit the second bird and finish it.

Mike looked back at his father but he had already turned away and was walking toward the path along the riverbank. Mike couldn’t leave; he just stood there, watching each car go by, and then he saw the one, a green pickup truck, that he knew would run over the bird. And then it did, and there was another awful pop. The girl on the phone said, “Oh my God, I can’t watch this anymore.”

Mike’s father was standing over the bench by the river, where he had proposed to Mike’s mother. It was a new bench, actually, but in the same place. As Mike approached he started walking away. Mike followed, watching another seabird flying over the river. What he had just seen was so much more horrible, somehow, now looking at this new bird gliding in the air. He wondered if his father felt the same way.

83

Mike takes Lyle by the arm and runs him half a block north.

The ringing subsides and the crowd thins as they make their way, with Lyle panting and Mike pawing the ash from his hair and face. Now, as they slow down, Lyle is smiling, as if to tease Mike for worrying so much. Finally the sounds of the world filter back into their heads. For a moment they are both happy. They are glad that they were there, in the middle of the disaster, and survived.

“We need a break,” says Mike.

“Just keep going. Don’t be a bum,” says Lyle.

This reference to their father quiets both of them as they walk uptown. Their father’s first law was Don’t be a bum.

84

Home looked very strange as Mike drove up this time. What did he mean home? It was ashes now anyway.

He had been busy, constantly talking to doctors and the accountant friend, and taking care of Lyle. The last thing he wanted was to drive all the way out to the end of Long Island and see what was left of the house. But finally, when he got Lyle moved into his apartment, he did. He drove out and didn’t tell Lyle.