Saved by Brother's Best Friend
I took my tray to the far side of the pig.
Furniture. Kitchen. Home by nine. I recited it like a rosary and topped off ice nobody needed.
It held until seven, when my brother — my brother, who loves me, who held my hand at the ER when I was nine, who has never once in his life left well enough alone — put one arm around Marcus's shoulders and steered him across the entire yard, through the string-light glow, past the domino table, directly to Duane.
"BRO." Marco, glowing, presenting. "You gotta meet this guy. Marcus — Duane. Duane — Marcus. Mari's Marcus."