Long lost brother

Writer's note: I accidentally submitted the story to the wrong category it should be.

Write a story about a character reluctant to go to a tea party

“I’ve always been a failure in the family, “I say to myself solemnly as I lay in bed. Everyone one always says David is nothing more than a loser and will always be a failure.” A letter was written as if it was from the queen herself, saying: 

“Dear David, I know it’s been a while since we talked last, but I was wondering if you could come to my tea party. It won’t be big, just a few people I know. I really hope we can reconnect after so many years and be brothers again.

Your brother, James 

“What’s the point of going to my brother’s stupid tea party?” I felt the gold leaf pressed into the paper. The family crest looked elegant. The knight in the center holding an upside-down sword at the hilt, golden-pink feathers surrounding him. “Everyone in my family has told me that I’ll never get to anything. And, James had been the worst. He always teased me when we were younger about how smart he was. Which was true, he always got top grades in all his classes while I was at the bottom.” My voice was quivering, and I felt my voice nearly breaking. Hot tears streamed down my face. I got out of bed and paced the room in my underwear. I haven’t seen him in years. Maybe he has changed. I shouldn’t allow other people to control me and tell me who, or what I am. But, what if they’re right? I really haven’t done anything in my life that’s significant. I looked in the mirror. My shaggy, rugged, unkempt beard. My hollow blue eyes stared back at me with sadness in them. I can’t go look at me. I look like a bum who was run over by a bus. My shoulders felt heavy, as if I was carrying the weight of the world. “I’m going to get something to eat, then go back to bed,” I murmured to myself. Eating always made me happy. I sulked off to the kitchen.

I rambled through my cabinets trying to find some food to eat. I was tossing things around half-heartedly when I came across an old photo of two young boys, with one arm on each other’s shoulder smiling, bruised and missing some teeth. I picked up the photo and realized it was me and my brother James. Memories flood my mind as I remember how in middle school I was getting bullied and how one day James saw that I was getting bullied and started fighting the bully for me and how I jumped in to help him. A smile crept alongside my face. But, then I remembered how as we grew older, James became more bitter about living at home and how we grew further apart until we stopped talking after he left for college. Maybe I should go to reignite our brotherhood. I thought about how good it would be for us to let the past burn and start a new and better relationship. “That’s it, I’m going to the party, or I might change my mind again and lose him forever,” I said firmly, I was going to make this work no matter what. 

I quickly took a shower and put on some of my fancy clothes, a green t-shirt under a brown sweater, with blue jeans. As I grabbed my coat, getting ready to head out the door, I felt something in my coat pocket. I pulled it out and realized that it was a Christmas photo of my brother and a woman with silky black hair who I assumed was either his wife or girlfriend. They were both in front of their massive mansion. Her delicate hands were wrapped around his chest. A thin smile was across her face. And, her head was pressed on his neck. James also had a thin smile. I looked closer at the picture and realized that there was some amount of pain in his eyes. I looked at my clothes, and I started to realize that they looked like a moth had been in them. I looked back at the photo and realized that their clothes looked like they were made out of pure silk. “This shouldn’t stop me. I convinced myself. “He may have fancier clothes than me, but that doesn't reflect his personality. I hope.” I shoved the picture into my pocket, grabbed my coat, and left, locking the door behind me. The crisp autumn fall air filled my lungs with joy, knowing that it would be a few more weeks until Christmas. I looked at the golden-orange leaves clinging to the tree with all their strength, trying not to get swept away in gusts of wind. The crunching of leaves makes me reminisce about how my brother and I would dive into leaf piles pretending we were diving into other worlds when we were younger. I was so lost in memory that I almost missed the bus stop. I sat on the bench waiting for the bus listening to the birds singing their songs. Hiss. The bus pulled up to the bench. I waited for people to hop off the bus and got on, paid the bus fare and took a seat all the way to my brother's house.

When I got to the street, I looked at the Christmas card again and walked up to the gated mansion that matched the photo. When I got to the gates, a young man with short blond hair in a tuxedo came from a side door to greet me. “Are you here for the party?” He said in a baritone voice. 

“Ya, I’m here for the party.” And showed him the letter I got in the mail. 

“Right this way.” And, he took me through the side door and up the long driveway with freshly cut grass. He opened the front door. Inside was the fanciest and most lavish place I had ever seen. There were candelabras on a grand piano and busts of heads of famous dead people made out of marble alongside the wall. The butler ushers me into a living room that has a pool table. “Stay right here I’ll go tell Master James that you're here.” 

As I waited, I checked for a garbage can to throw out the invitation. I found one hidden in the corner. I threw it haphazardly, missing it completely. As I picked it up to throw it away properly, I noticed a marriage certificate in the garbage. “Interesting,” I said to myself, grabbing the certificate. As I read it, looking closer, I heard 

“David it’s so good to see you.” And I quickly toss the piece of paper onto the ground. James came in and gave me a big bear hug. 

“I’ve really missed you.” He said, squeezing me harder. 

“I’ve missed you too,” I said, feeling like my lungs might collapse. 

After another minute or two, he released me from his death hug. 

“How have you been? What have you been up to these past years?” He oozed excitement.

“I’ve been staying at home too,” I said nonchalantly. As I got a better look at him, I realized that he was skinnier than he was in his Christmas photo, his hair was much longer, and he had bags underneath his eyes. “How have you been?” My tone had taken a more serious approach.” 

“Good, Good. I went to business school and took a degree in business advisor and invested some money in a few stocks and that turned out great. Much better than you.” A thin smile formed on his face.

I started to feel my cheeks become hotter and hotter. He hadn’t changed at all! He’s still the same as we were younger. He probably invited me here so he could humiliate me in front of all his friends. “I found a marriage certificate in the garbage.” I snapped and picked up the paper on the floor and shoved it in his chest. “How long did your marriage last? Hmm. Six weeks. Not very long is it?" I tried to force a grin on my face.

As James gripped the paper, I saw his breath start to quicken. He began to shake. A deep scowl formed his face. He was about to say something, but in one instance he dropped the paper to the floor. His eyes began to water. His shoulders began to slump, and he stared at the floors. “She was my seventh marriage I thought that I loved her. I thought she was going to be the one this time. But, she only married me for the money.” His voice began to shake, and he slowly lowered himself to the ground in a huddled position. I thought I had changed since we were kids. I never meant to make you feel like a leaser. I wanted to stand up for myself. I was smart, not strong, and that devolved into mean-spiritedness. Will you forgive me? I know. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but all I can do is ask.” I looked at him, remembering all the tim​​es when he made fun of me as a kid, all the times he bullied or picked on me. But, I look at him now, and I don’t see the same person. 

“I forgive you, James.” I crouch down to him, one hand on his back. He looked at me, his eyes red.

 “Brothers?” 

“Brothers,” I responded,

“I’m going to go get ready for the rest of the guests. We can hang out after the party.” James got up and went to get ready for the rest of the guests. I went to the pool table and played pool, thinking about how lucky I am ​​to finally have a brother.