The Longer The Fall, Aviva Gat [top 10 books to read txt] 📗

Hunter studied the menu in front of him. As the second couple approached, the first looked up. Hunter put on a smile and stood to greet them, while Rhonda put her fidgeting hands under the table.

“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Brandon said in his charming voice. “I’m Brandon, nice to finally meet you.” He emphasized the word finally as though he had been waiting years for this moment and stuck out his hand to Hunter’s ready for a firm shake.

“Hunter. Likewise,” Hunter said as he accepted Brandon’s hand in return. Madeline watched as the two men held their hands stiff in each other’s for a long moment. When the handshake was over, the couples continued to greet each other—Hunter and Madeline gave a quick hand squeeze, as did Brandon and Rhonda. Madeline squeezed Rhonda’s shoulders before taking her seat across from her. The four of them were such an odd combination for so many reasons. Not just because of everyone’s relationship to Madeline, but also because of the stark differences between them all.

When the waiter came around, Brandon ordered a bottle of wine, insisting that it was one that everyone would love. “It comes from the vineyard next to my family’s,” Brandon said, initiating the first topic of conversation.

“Your family has a vineyard?” Rhonda questioned, immediately interested in hearing more. Brandon nodded and began explaining to her that his family had owned it for years. There hadn’t been a Thomas working there for a few generations, but the family still owned it and spent weekends and holidays tasting the barreled wines before they were bottled and corked.

“In fact, that was Madeline’s and my first official vacation,” Brandon said, interlacing his fingers with his wife’s. Madeline remembered that first trip to the vineyard. The couple had been there with Brandon’s parents, a fact that at first disappointed Madeline, but it was during that weekend that she first fell in love with Brandon’s family. “If you two ever want to visit, just let me know. I can arrange it for you,” Brandon generously offered. He wasn’t just saying it either, he would arrange it if asked. He had done it for plenty of friends before.

With the wine poured, Brandon led a toast. “To Madeline, for bringing us together.” Madeline wasn’t sure if it was meant to be sarcastic or vile, but she smiled and clinked her glass against her companions’ and accepted the toast like a compliment.

The group ordered salads for starters and steak and fish for their entrees and the conversation throughout the meal was jovial and friendly. There weren’t any lulls in conversation, nor awkward moments. Everyone seemed to be on their best behavior and even enjoying themselves. Even Rhonda had lightened up around the time Brandon chose a second bottle of wine and began telling stories of her work as a TSA agent and all the things people tried to smuggle through security. “Last week a woman came with a bird under her shirt!” Rhonda laughed. “A freaking parakeet! Can you believe it? Like what was she thinking? That we wouldn’t catch it? What would she do on the plane? Just let it fly around?”

The group continued to get to know each other, but there was one topic that was not yet discussed: how everyone was connected to Madeline and how deep those connections were. But like a blistering sunburn, this topic could not be completely ignored. It was Brandon who finally brought it up when the waiter arrived with their chocolate soufflés and the aperitifs that went along with them.

“This is weird, right?” He started. “Hunter? You with me?” Hunter looked back and forth between the couple across from him unsure how to answer. He felt indebted to Madeline, obligated to answer in a way that would please here, but unsure what that affirmation should be. “You can agree,” Brandon continued noticing Hunter’s uncertainty.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “I guess so.”

“I just don’t get it,” Brandon said, picking up a spoon and breaking open one of the soufflés. He stuffed the chocolate in his mouth. “Wow, this is good, you all need to try it. Madeline? You’ll love it. Hunter, Rhonda, don’t be shy.”

“You know I can’t resist chocolate,” Madeline smiled and the three of them all helped themselves to a bite.

“That, I know,” Brandon laughed to himself like he had just heard an inside joke. “That’s why we’re here, right?” It must have been the wine, they had gone through three bottles before the aperitifs, but Brandon’s tone became sharp and combative in a way that Madeline had never heard it before. The table fell silent. The echo of the evening’s banter, the camaraderie, all seemed to drop in an instant.

“Dude,” Hunter began. “Let’s not go there.” It wasn’t the first time Hunter had been compared to chocolate, and it certainly would not be the last. It was the kind of comment that people who staunchly insisted they were not racist would say thinking it was a genuine comparison. Instinctively, Hunter put his arm around his wife.

“You’re right, I’m sorry for that,” Brandon responded. “That didn’t come out right. Too much wine.” In truth, Brandon wasn’t especially racist, no more than the average American who locks their car doors when driving through certain neighborhoods and would hesitate for just half a moment when noticing an interracial couple. “But how can we not talk about this?”

“Brandon,” Madeline put her hand on her husband’s shoulder. She knew it was too good to be true that all confrontation between the two men would be avoided. That was best case, also known as an unlikely, scenario. But the way the rest of the conversation would go would determine her future. She hoped he would take her clue.

“Rhonda? You don’t think this is weird?” Brandon turned to her, making her feel slightly uncomfortable. She leaned into her husband.

“Yeah,” she said. “It’s freaking weird.”

“Yeah,