Chapter 4 - Brett Gives Something BackBrett stopped playing the new gaming system.
At first, everyone assumed the novelty had worn off.
Then Father noticed the controller had not moved for three days.
“Something wrong with it?”
Brett shook his head.
“Then why aren’t you playing?”
“I don’t want to.”
“You begged for this system.”
“I know.”
Father sat beside him.
“Is this about Hallie?”
Brett looked toward the staircase.
“Yes.”
Father sighed.
“You don’t have to feel guilty.”
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
“Because you don’t.”
“But when I play, Grandpa smiles.”
“That’s not bad.”
“And Hallie goes upstairs.”
Father looked down.
Brett whispered, “That is.”
Children rarely had the vocabulary adults wanted.
Sometimes that made them more accurate.
Father put a hand on Brett’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry we put you in that position.”
“Why does Grandpa want me to be more important?”
Father froze.
“Who said he does?”
Brett frowned.
“He did.”
“When?”
“He said I carry the family.”
Father looked disturbed.
Brett continued.
“Is it because I’m a boy?”
The question hung in the room.
Father did not answer quickly enough.
Brett’s face changed.
“It is.”
“It’s more complicated.”
Brett stood.
“That’s what Mom tells Hallie.”
“Brett.”
“No.”
He ran upstairs.
Hallie was drawing at her desk.
Brett walked in.
“I’m giving it back.”
She looked up.
“What?”
“The gaming system.”
“Why?”
“Because Grandpa gave it to me because I’m a boy.”
Hallie stared.
“How do you know?”
“Dad didn’t say no.”
“That doesn’t mean—”
“Yes, it does.”
Hallie was quiet.
Brett paced.
“Grandpa always takes me places.”
Hallie remembered.
Baseball games.
Stanley’s office.
Lunches.
“You don’t like baseball.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you go?”
“Because Grandpa says I need to learn how men talk.”
Hallie’s face tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
Brett kicked lightly at the rug.
“He said one day I’ll understand family business.”
“What about me?”
“I asked once.”
Hallie stopped breathing.
“What did he say?”
Brett looked embarrassed.
“He said you’ll marry someone.”
Hallie stared.
“That’s it?”
“I think.”
“And you get the family?”
Brett’s eyes filled.
“I don’t want it if you don’t.”
Hallie stood.
For the first time since their birthday, she hugged him.
Brett hugged her back.
They were seven.
They did not understand inheritance structures.
Trusts.
Business succession.
Gender bias.
Family leverage.
But they understood unfairness.
Downstairs, Stanley arrived unannounced.
He had another lesson planned for Brett.
Father met him at the entrance.
“Not today.”
Stanley stopped.
“What?”
“Brett isn’t going with you.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn’t want to.”
Stanley laughed.
“He’s seven.”
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t know what he wants.”
Father looked toward the staircase.
“He knows more than we’ve been giving him credit for.”
Stanley’s face hardened.
“Claire has been talking to you.”
“This is not Claire.”
“No?”
“No.”
Father took a breath.
“This is me telling you that what happened on their birthday was wrong.”
Stanley stared.
“I bought Brett a present.”
“You deliberately excluded Hallie.”
“I told you why.”
“That doesn’t make it acceptable.”
Stanley lowered his voice.
“You need to think carefully.”
“I have.”
“Have you?”
“Yes.”
Stanley stepped closer.
“I can require payment on the business note if the terms are breached.”
Father’s jaw tightened.
“There’s no breach.”
“There could be.”
The threat was clear.
Father did not move.
“Then do what you think you have to do.”
Stanley looked genuinely surprised.
Upstairs, Brett and Hallie listened.
Hallie’s hand found Brett’s.
Stanley said, “You’re willing to risk your family’s home over a birthday present?”
Father’s answer came quietly.
“No.”
A pause.
“I’m willing to risk it because my children are learning that whoever has the most money gets to decide who matters.”
Stanley’s face changed.
For the first time, he looked wounded.
“You think that’s what I taught you?”
Father stared.
“No.”
His voice hardened.
“That’s what you taught Claire.”
Mother entered.
Stanley turned toward his daughter.
“You agree with this?”
Claire swallowed.
Hallie could see fear in her from the stairs.
Then Mother looked toward the twins.
Her expression changed.
“Yes.”
Stanley’s eyes narrowed.
“After everything I’ve done for you.”
Mother answered:
“You helped us financially.”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t mean you purchased authority over my children.”
Stanley went silent.
Then Brett suddenly walked downstairs.
Everyone turned.
He carried the gaming controller.
Hallie followed.
Brett held it toward Stanley.
“I don’t want it.”
Stanley stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving it back.”
“You love this.”
“I do.”
“Then stop being dramatic.”
Brett’s face reddened.
“It made Hallie cry.”
“That is not your responsibility.”
“No.”
Brett looked at Stanley.
“But being her brother is.”
Hallie’s eyes filled.
Stanley stared at the controller.
Then at his grandson.
“You don’t understand what you’re throwing away.”
Brett placed the controller on the table.
“Maybe you don’t.”
Nobody in the room spoke.
Stanley’s expression went cold.
May you like
And Hallie realized Brett had just done something none of the adults had managed until now.
He had said no to Stanley without asking permission.
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