James sat in the window-facing café booth, awaiting his brother Billy and Billy’s girlfriend, Nadia. He had missed them for the three weeks they had been overseas on a charity mission. Although James had kept busy with his starring role in a successful Broadway musical, the downtime between performances had reminded him of the companionship dependency he had on his sibling.

James had casual friendships with the cast and crew of the show, but his colleagues were more like neighbors who chatted in passing without ever inviting each other to visit. He assumed they were wary of him because of his right-wing senator father, Charles Vicksburg. The senator’s wealth and extreme views didn’t sit well with the diversity of artists who made up the Broadway community, most of whom struggled to reach their positions. James thought they might not trust his proclaimed liberal views, but he had his own reasons for remaining quiet about his father’s politics. He knew that to those around him, his silence made him appear like a coward at best—and complicit at worst. They didn’t understand his father’s reach or connections, nor the willingness of so many to do the senator’s bidding, even when nefarious. James had been a target himself on more than one occasion, and he had learned discretion equaled survival. James did his best to offset negative perceptions by being a supportive, dedicated team-player in the workplace.

During her marriage, James’ mother had been miserable, contradicting his father on almost everything. While in boarding school, James learned of his mother’s fatal car accident via a text from his father. The notification was brief, followed by a command to pack in preparation for the funeral. James had longed to read that his father shared his grief or was thinking about his love for his family. Instead, the text had closed with a message to be strong.

After a few years of living as a widower, Charles Vicksburg met Caroline Finney—the woman who became Billy’s mother when James was nine years old. It was ironic that it was the second time James’ father was smitten by a woman from a left-leaning family which deplored Charles’ politics. Undeterred by pressure from her parents and siblings, Caroline married Charles, believing he must be a good man to have been raising James on his own.

Not having taken time to acquaint herself with her fiancé proved fatal for her marriage, as she disagreed with him on every culture-war issue. The bigger wedge was their different opinions regarding child-rearing. Caroline abhorred Charles’ support of corporal punishment, emphasis on masculine sports for his boys and his compulsion to see his children match his career success at any cost. The couple divorced after two years, sharing custody of their then-one-year-old son. Once he was grown, Billy often complained to James about his childhood and how he had been bounced between two households with different expectations. Like James, Billy grew up to be sensitive, gravitating to his mother’s more liberal views of the world, much to his father’s chagrin. Charles blamed the adult versions of his sons on soft mothers and the influence of their New York City friends. The senator had hoped his sons’ circles would be comprised of citizens from the more conservative districts of New York—the areas that had voted Vicksburg into office.

When Billy had begun dating Nadia, the daughter of a white man and an African-American woman, James’ father couldn’t conceal his contempt. In public, he didn’t criticize the union, recognizing it would be frowned upon by most—even in more conservative circles. In private, he bemoaned white Americans losing their identity, heritage and more powerful positions in society. Billy was shocked when his father told him that Nadia was the type of girl he could experiment with, but to use protection so there wasn’t an undesirable consequence which would ‘tarnish’ the Vicksburg lineage.

While James and Billy were expected, and sometimes coerced, to appear at their father’s campaign rallies, Senator Vicksburg made it clear that the platform was for family members only. That sidelined Nadia, despite her two-year relationship with Billy.

James broke into a broad smile when the five-foot-six Billy and his taller girlfriend entered the café. Unlike the stoic and constipated-looking Vicksburg clan, Billy and his girlfriend were cute and exuded fun and affection. Upon seeing James, Billy returned the joyous expression and rushed to him with arms outstretched. After a couple of pats on each other’s backs, James kissed Billy’s forehead. James adored his little brother, and he didn’t care if their being affectionate seemed odd to others. He knew it was distasteful to their father, for sure. But James wanted Billy to experience how much he meant to him. It was something he never had himself when growing up.

Nadia laughed and rolled her eyes, pushing Billy away from his brother so she could wrap her own arms around James. She pulled the man in for a quick peck. When she backed away, she was still beaming, brushing aside a lock of James’ thick, shiny mane.

“It’s so good to see you guys,” James said, pointing to the booth for them to sit. “How was the trip? It killed me that we couldn’t connect much.”

Billy and Nadia shuffled into the booth, and James sat opposite them.

“Oh my God, dude, the devastation from the earthquake was awful,” Billy began.

“But it was really rewarding to be there to help,” Nadia finished. “We weren’t able to participate in recovery missions, of course, but they let us help care for the injured, find places for displaced pets…”

“Oh man, that was so sad, James. You should have seen all the poor animals that were wandering, lost and looking for their owners. It broke my heart,” Billy added, his eyes watering at the memory.

Nadia placed her hand on Billy’s thigh, nodding in agreement. “It was sad, but going there helped, and I’d do it again in a minute.”

“Yeah,” Billy concurred, then he turned to face James. “I wished you could have been there with us, bro.”

“Me too,” James admitted. “But you know, the show must go on, as they say.”

“Still filling the house?” Nadia asked.

James tapped his fist on the table for good luck. “So far, so good. I’m afraid I’ll jinx it by saying this, but box office receipts are holding up. Variety magazine called the show an ‘official smash.’ I knew it was possible when we prepped this show for the last two years, but to see it happening is wild.”

“I’m happy for you.” Billy smiled. “You deserve it. And the show is super good. So much better than some of the other crap you’ve performed in.” He snickered, then gulped some water from the glass before him.

“Stop it,” Nadia chastised. “Be nice. You haven’t seen James in weeks.”

“It’s okay.” James laughed. “He’s right, and I’m glad he’s honest. At least when he says something is good, I can believe that he means it.”

“Dude, I always praise your work,” Billy reminded him. “It’s just some of the shows you’ve been in weren’t worthy of your performances.”

A blonde, large-busted server approached the table to take their orders, directing most of her attention to James. When she walked away, Billy gave James a leering look.

“What?” James inquired.

“She’s hot, and I think she has an eye for you,” Billy responded. “I’ll bet she saw you sitting on the other side of the booth all by your lonesome, thinking how she’d like to make us a quartet.”

“She was being polite. She wants a good tip,” James dismissed him.

“Nah, she took one look at you and thought, ‘I know the other guy is much cuter, but he seems to be taken. Fortunately, the loner isn’t too hard on the eyes,’” Billy quipped.

“Ha! I doubt it. I think she’s wondering why Nadia isn’t sitting with me instead of you. She’s worried she fell into some upside-down parallel universe,” James retorted.

“Guys, stop! Do we have to go through this all the time?” Nadia snapped, though unable to hide her amusement. “I wish you each had a dose of humility to go with your handsome features.”

“Ask her out,” Billy prodded, ignoring Nadia.

“What? I don’t know the first thing about her. She could be taken,” James reasoned.

Billy glanced around the café to see if he could spot the server. “Hmm. I don’t see her. Bet you ten dollars she’s in the ladies’ room primping to make a better impression with you.”

“You don’t have ten dollars to bet,” James rebuked. “If it hadn’t been for the government aid to pay for your trip, you two would never be able to afford to leave your apartment.”

“That’s the truth,” Nadia said. “We might not have had to pay for the trip, but it was also three weeks where neither Billy nor I made money. I’ll be glad to get back to my own server job so I can pay this month’s bills.”

James knew both his brother and Nadia spent most of their spare hours working. Billy tended bar at a busy club while his girlfriend was a diner-counter waitress. Together, they had to earn enough to cover the rent of an East Village walk-up apartment and pay their living expenses. Nadia’s parents were of modest means, and it was with some hardship they were helping her with college expenses. Despite his wealth, Charles Vicksburg was willing to cover only the cost of Billy’s NYU tuition and books as he continued his education to become a veterinarian.

“You could tell Father that you’ve had an epiphany, and you’re joining the Proud Boys or some other white supremacist group.” James laughed. “He’d pay for everything then.”

Nadia rolled her eyes. “A Proud Boy dating a biracial girl? I think there’s a big hole in that plan.”

“Yeah, the big hole being Father,” James sniped.

“I’ll bet Lilah will have all expenses paid for anything she wants when she gets out of high school.” Billy pouted.

Lilah was the last child of Charles Vicksburg, courtesy of third wife Victoria. Unlike his first two marriages, Charles was pleased with the stuffy, proper Victoria Kent-Vicksburg—a woman with an abundance of money, cosmetic surgeries and blood-red lipstick. Lilah was the precocious offspring Charles had always craved—besotted with Daddy, agreeing with his every word and looking down on anyone from another social class. She was eleven. James shuddered to think of the monster she’d be once she hit adulthood.

“Hmm, Lilah the Pariah.” James smiled. “But can we be sure she’s Father’s child? Some speculate she’s the devil’s seed.”

“Same thing,” Nadia added.

The server brought the customers their food, and James admitted to himself that she was making overtures with her eyes and smiles. He grinned at her in return, but looked away quickly enough to discourage a connection.

Once the three were alone, Billy laughed. “Told you.”

“If I ever start flirting like that on my job, please rip out my tampon and use it to wipe up my leaking dignity.” Nadia gagged.

James paused mid-squeeze of the ketchup on his veggie burger. “Um, bad timing for that image, thank you.”

“And why would you be flirting with the customers?” Billy asked.

“Maybe because my boyfriend hogs all the French fries,” she replied, pointing at how he’d dumped the ‘shared’ platter of potatoes next to his hamburger.

“Oh, sorry,” he said, looking down at his plate with embarrassment. “You know you’re welcome to pick food off my plate.”

“And I will,” she responded, taking a napkin to grab a handful of fries and relocate them to her dish.

“So, are you guys still coming to the show tonight?” James asked once their mouths were chewing instead of bickering.

“Of course,” Billy replied upon swallowing. “I told you. We’re bringing Maria. She can’t wait to see you, dude.”

James smiled. Maria was the woman who had helped care for him and Billy when they were being raised in their father’s house. She had been brought illegally to the United States by her husband several years earlier when much of their family had been executed by a Mexican cartel in a case of mistaken identity. Maria’s husband had crossed back to meet with the gang leader, hoping to secure safe passage home, but had ended up losing his head instead. Maria had performed cleaning services in progressively wealthier homes, working the last several years in the residence of Charles Vicksburg. The irony of him employing an illegal immigrant was never lost on James or Billy, considering his campaign slogans about closing the Mexican border to everyone, including asylum-seekers. Nevertheless, James and Billy never called out his hypocrisy for fear he’d fire or deport Maria in response.

“I can’t wait to see her,” Nadia said. “She’s the only one in that Vicksburg house that’s normal.”

“She’s wonderful.” James grinned. “I love that woman.”

Billy chuckled, turning to Nadia. “One of Father’s favorite things to do was to challenge me or James as we started eating dinner. He’d ask about our grades or our political positions on something, and if he didn’t like the answer, he’d tell us we were dismissed from the table. It was his way of sending us to bed without supper.”

James laughed. “What he didn’t know was Maria would sneak food to us, and as kids, we always thought it was better than the fancy shit he made us eat.”

Billy smiled. “It was the only time we ate grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers or chips.”

“Or French fries,” James added, grabbing one from Billy’s plate.

“Hey!” Billy protested. “Nadia can do that because she sleeps with me.”

“Charming,” Nadia said.

“Oh, Billy, you’re not going to get me to sleep with you by offering me French fries,” James snickered.

Billy scrunched his face. “Dude! So gross. I told you a thousand times that brother-on-brother jokes are nasty.”

James hooted out loud. “I just had to see that expression on your face. You crack me up when you get that look like you just ate poop.”

Billy rolled his eyes. “You’re one twisted, sick man, James. Anyway, since Maria never gets to go out, we figured we’d take her to dinner after the show.”

James nodded. “That’s nice. But you guys just said you’re having money problems.”

Nadia nodded. “By ‘we,’ Billy meant ‘you.’ Can you spring for it tonight? We’ll try to pay you back in a couple of weeks.”

James was paid quite well for his theater work, but his swankier West Village apartment sucked up most of those earnings. He did a mental calculation and surmised he had enough in his account to cover both the café lunch and dinner for all of them. He gave Nadia his assent with a smirk and a nod. “Fine, but it needs to be healthier than this place. I can’t keep eating like this if I want to fit into my stage costumes. And make sure the restaurant isn’t too expensive. I don’t have Father’s money.”

Nadia laughed. “Not yet. I keep telling you to knock him off already so you and Billy can inherit.”

Billy narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m sure Father’s cut us from his will since the thing from Victoria’s womb emerged.”

James grimaced. “She is our half-sister. We should try to be nice.”

Billy huffed. “You mean like when I saved and saved to buy her an American Girl doll for her spawn-day, only to discover later from Father that she used it for target practice when he took her to the shooting range?”

Nadia gasped. “Your father took an eleven-year-old to a gun range? And they let him use a life-like doll for shooting practice?”

“Never too early to learn how to handle a gun, Father would say,” James answered. “And people tend to do what the senator tells them to do. I’ll bet Lilah is already capable with a gun.”

“Great. Another school mass-shooter in the making,” Nadia grumbled.

Billy snarled. “She’d be an efficient one, too. Father confirmed her aim is excellent. She blew a hole through the doll’s head.”

“Why would he even tell you that?” Nadia snapped, disgusted.

“He said, ‘William, it’s time to get her a new doll’,” Billy recalled. “Well, fuck that.”

“Now that’s the brotherly love I was talking about,” James deadpanned.

“Whatever, dude,” Billy replied. “So, the server is a no-go?”

“Um, that would be correct,” James concurred.

“Why not?” Nadia pressed. “She seems to be your type. Slutty and desperate.”

James shrugged, ignoring the jab. “Not in the mood.”

Billy’s countenance became serious. “Maybe you should stop messing around and look for something meaningful. Bro, it’s been a couple of years since…”

“Don’t,” James warned.

There was uncomfortable silence for a couple of moments, then James signaled the server for the check.