Always the too. Always the afterthought. The golden youngster received the prizes, the tuition money, the chest-swelling pride of Dad's. Well, someone has to be realistic. The other brother received Got, not everybody can be outstanding. Got familiar with being the starting point, the control group in the investigation of their parents' genes.
He picked up how to live in that darkness like it were climate. Adapted. Grew various. While his brother grabbed for sunshine, he grew roots, deep, quiet ones holding everything together from beneath where nobody cares to search.
Michael grins and congratulates, means it even, as he's excellent at interpreting damaging actions. Someone asks what he is doing; the table turns genteel-quiet, the type of stillness that is really noise, everyone starts to be really interested in passing the potatoes. Here's what no one tells you about being the other brother: you get to be free.
