Seeded: Day 11

Word Count: 66,092

Summary of Events:

Brandt decided to go to Brandon's church — which was also Lark's church — in order to see Lark and hopefully find out more specifically where she lived, among other things. He arrived a little late, but ended up encountering Brandon's brother Declan, who informed him there were more seats upstairs, where Brandt sat through the service, unable to see Lark, who was in the lower part, and also finding the message surprisingly interesting compared to past sermons he'd heard. Following the service, Brandt headed for the exit so as to hopefully talk to Lark in privacy outside, but was confronted by Brandon, who knew what Brandt's motive was, and upset Brandt by continuing to urge Brandt against it. Brandt got into his truck to get away from Brandon, but didn't drive away…

Excerpt of the Day:

Brandt didn’t want to talk to him; in fact, he actually wanted to start his truck and speed away, but a small, stalwart part of himself was resisting the desire to do so, not wanting to remain angry at Brandon. He never enjoyed it when he was at odds with Brandon, as Brandon wasn’t reactive and bellicose like pretty much everyone else he got into spats with, Brandon was always committed to making things right, and the longer Brandt held out on Brandon, the harder he always found it to admit his part in their disputes.

The two desires within him warred. Much of him wanted to remain mad at Brandon for presuming he was one-dimensionally pursuing Lark in an effort to get her into bed with him, but the small part that didn’t like being at odds with Brandon was stubborn, holding out against the greater urge until finally Brandt stabbed his key into the ignition.

Instead of turning the key away from him until the engine turned over, however, Brandt turned it toward him, which engaged the battery to turn on the fan and the clock, cause all the needles on the control dials to rise to their positions, and — most importantly — allowed him to operate the windows.

He pressed the button to lower the front passenger window, allowing in the sounds of distant chatter, some cheery morning songbirds, and quiet sounds of a just-waking city on a late Sunday morning. Brandon advanced the last bit of distance and rested an arm on the ledge created by the window’s retraction.

“I have to be your conscience in this Brandt,” Brandon said. “I know Lark is pretty, in fact, I think she’s pretty too, but I know she would turn you down. I also know that her dad wouldn’t likely be favourably inclined toward you. His daughters are precious to him, and he has no intentions of giving them away to boyfriends, only husbands.”

“How are they supposed to get husbands if they don’t have boyfriends first?” Brandt asked.

“They only date guys who intend to marry them,” Brandon replied. “Wren is the only one who’s dated, and now she’s married with a little girl. Lark and her other sister haven’t actually dated before at all. And I know that you’re not exactly intent on marrying anytime soon.”

Brandt shifted his jaw. Brandon was right. He wasn’t inclined to get married if he didn’t have to. Maybe when he was older he’d be inclined to get married, but not now. Not anytime soon.

“I’m sorry for not being as clear as I should’ve been,” Brandon said.

Sighing, Brandt shook his head. He didn’t really know what to say, but he felt dejected to think that he pretty much had zero chance to get the girl he wanted. Why were the pretty ones always so hard to get?