Read Meant to Be for Free Online Page B

forgiveness, but Janice is as cold as ice.”
    “You brought me flowers,” she snapped. “What the hell, Ryan? I’m not a flower girl, and I’m not a wife in the fifties. You think that’s just going to make it better?”
    “What else should I do?” he shrieked. “Apologize? Oh wait. I did that already!”
    They were on the verge of screaming at each other.
    Ryan turned to Sean. “Then she makes me fuck her, something totally meaningless, and then acts like I don’t exist. I feel used and cheap.”
    Sean raised an eyebrow. “Um…what’s the problem with that?”
    Ryan’s jaw clenched. “It’s pretty fucked up. That’s what the problem is.”
    “At least she’s having sex with you and not someone else,” Sean noted.
    Janice turned her wrath on Ryan. “I didn’t make you do anything, Ryan. You think a hundred pound woman can hold down a man at a height of 6’2 and a hundred and eighty pounds? By the way, you were on top.”
    Ryan’s face started to redden. He was about to explode and say something he couldn’t take back.
    “Sean and I are going to start trying.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I blurted the first thing that came to mind. I just knew I needed to change the subject—quick.
    “Trying to have a baby?” Andrew asked. “That’s great.”
    Sean nodded. “It’ll happen for us this time. I know it.”
    “I have no doubt.” Andrew clapped his son on the back.
    “I can’t wait to start decorating the baby’s room. I—”
    Ryan interrupted me. “I said I was sorry! What more do you want me to do? I made a mistake. Get the fuck over it. This has gone on long enough.”
    Janice met his fury. “Why don’t you actually show me that you’re sorry, Ryan? If you think we’re just going to forget about this so you can pull this crap later, forget it.”
    Ryan jumped to his feet and knocked his glass over. “Fuck you.”
    I covered my face with my hands, realizing inviting them to dinner was a really stupid idea.
    “Fuck me?” Janice asked incredulously. “Why are you acting like a child? Sit down and have dinner with your family like an adult.”
    “Stop acting like I’m a kid.”
    “Then stop behaving like one!” she shrieked. “Now sit the hell down.”
    “I’m good.” He marched to the front door.
    Janice glared at him but didn’t chase after him.
    I knew I needed to swoop in. I couldn’t believe how bad this fight was. They hadn’t broken up, so I assumed they were working on the relationship. It seemed to get worse and worse. I followed my brother out the door then grabbed him by the arm.
    “Wait.”
    He yanked his arm away. “Just go away.”
    “Ryan, calm down.”
    “No.” He walked to the middle of my lawn and stood alone. His arms were across his chest and he was tense.
    “Look, I know this is hard for you, but you need to calm down.”
    “She’s going to leave me.” The sadness was in his voice. “I know she is.”
    “Then why is she still here?”
    “I don’t know. But if things continue this way, she will. I’m not happy and she clearly isn’t.”
    “I think she just wants some guarantee that you truly respect her job and her independence.”
    “I do,” he said quickly. “I never had a problem with it. I just didn’t like the idea of her spending all her time with some guy that hooked her up with a job.”
    “Well, now that you know he’s gay, you need to put it behind you.”
    “I have,” he said firmly. “She hasn’t. I’ve apologized several times. What else am I supposed to do?”
    The silence stretched between us. Crickets chirped in the background. The sprinklers were on in the backyard, and I could hear their constant humming. “When Sean broke my heart, I only took him back when he showed how much he loved me. He did a lot to get my money back from my mom, and he did it without any recognition or the expectation of getting something in return. I knew he had my back no matter what. Perhaps you should do the