Page 42 of Sportsball is for Lovers

He sends back a question mark.

That offer for your couch still available?

My phone starts to ring.

“What happened?” Yoni asks, sounding so much like our mother I shiver.

“Got fired,” I tell him flatly, like taking the emotion out of the two words will magically extract all of the feelings from within me. Hey, it works for some men, so even though it’s never actually worked for me, maybe this time will be the charm.

“Jare…”

The concern in the single syllable of my brother’s voice does me in.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” I tell him honestly. “I was glib about it before. I thought I’d at least have time to look for a new job. Maybe resign on my own terms.”

“How much do you have saved up? Enough to make it through?”

I think about my account balances. “A few months, maybe. Depends how much COBRA costs. And my therapist isn’t covered by my insurance, anyways…” Living with diabetes means I can’t go without health insurance. Aside from the cost of insulin pumps and replacing my CGM, I can’t run the risk of a serious side effect happening.

Yoni murmurs something on the other end. A deep voice sounds like Elliott.

“Come here,” my brother says.

“I don’t have the funds for a vacation, Yo-yo.”

I can practically hear his eye-roll. “I have a spare room.”

“It’s my job to take care of you, not you take care of me,” I point out, trying to hide my instinct to pout.

“Jared. We’re adults,” Yoni says.

“So?”

“So little brother, big brother… none of that matters. We’re just brothers,” he says. “I’ll take care of you, you’ll take care of me. You don’t have to always be the strong one. It’s okay if you lean on me. Fuck, I’ve been leaning on you my entire life.”

“I know. That’s why I need to⁠—”

“That’s why you need to let me take a turn, too,” he says firmly. “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean it all falls on you. You’re not my parent. You’re my brother.”

“I want to take care of you. That’s my job,” I tell him quietly. It always has been. Since the day my parents brought him home from the hospital and told me to look out for my baby brother, I’ve done so.

“It might have been back then.” Yoni scoffs. “I’m fully capable. I want us to be equals. Peers. I’m not yours to take care of.”

I fall quiet, letting his words filter through my brain.

“Put your stuff in storage and come here,” he says firmly. “Your lease is up next month anyway. You’ll stay with us until we can find you a spare room. I think Ash might be able to lend his.”

“I can’t ask that of your friend.”

“You’re not,” he snaps. “I am. He’s my friend, you’re my brother. It’s not an issue.”

“Yo-yo…”

“Jare, I’d move heaven and earth for you,” my little brother says quietly. “After Elliott, you’re my favorite person in the world. Fuck, we could probably get you a job, too. Arielle works in baseball, and Sadie’s friend works for the Boston hockey team. We’ll figure something out.”

“I can’t…”

“You can and you will,” Yoni declares. “Shut up and do what I say.”