My younger brothers—Ted and Seth—are here, as are my parents. An unconventional family. Only our immediate family is here. Because my siblings hate the others. Walking up the path littered with Abby's outdoor toys, I steel myself for another dinner with the family. God knows I love them, but sometimes I don’t know how I put up with their shit. I'm talking about my conservative brothers, not my parents. Mom and Dad are the opposite. Here at my brother's place, we get white picket fences, the suburban feel, and the all-American dream sprinkled with a few extra zeroes in the bank account. All my brothers are the same. Greg followed in Dad's footsteps first and became a lawyer. Only, instead of having half a load of pro bono cases and working for the environment like our father, Greg is all about Corporate America. When Dad retired early and left the firm his own father started, Greg changed things around. Seth joined a few years ago.
