The Rules

Growing up, me and my brother, Nathan, just did not get along.  Like, at all.  It was your typical brother/sister rivalry.  He was a ruthless jerk, always teasing me incessantly.  In high school, things seemed to calm down a bit, but then once his friends started noticing me, he made it clear that nobody was allowed to date me, which completely ruined my dating life in high school.

Years later, when I was living in Nashville, Nathan and his girlfriend decided to move down to Nashville with me. After a year, we were fortunate enough to be living in the same apartment duplex on the West End of Nashville.  Nathan and Nicole had the first floor, and I has the second floor.  Life was good!

Downtown Nashville, TN

A few months later after they moved to Nashville Nathan and Nicole's relationship fell apart, as Nicole started playing head games with Nathan.  This did not fly with me and Nathan.  For about a month we put up with her little charades, until she crossed the line one night.

Without getting into detail, after an argument one night, Nicole came upstairs to my apartment looking for my support.  She was clearly very upset, and stood there with her story and her best acting skills and tried to drive a wedge between me and Nathan.

I stood there listening to her go on and on - she was trying to my brother look bad.  But, I knew Nathan better so everything fell on deaf ears. I knew where my loyalty stood - and it wasn't with her. 

I walked her downstairs to talk to Nathan.  We both knew she was up to her little bag of tricks again and we both had enough of her games.  Nothing was going to change my mind about my brother.  I knew he was a fair person - plus blood was thicker than water.

Nathan ended up kicking her out, and I slammed the door behind her. 

*WHAM!* 

And that was the end of her.  

Ah, buh-bye crazy girlfriend!

Clearly, she wasn't aware of Rule #1....

 

"The Rules"

Rule #1:
Blood is thicker than water.

 Rule #2:
Don't date each others friends, or acquaintances.
(That way we don't ever have to resort back to Rule #1.)

Rule #3:
Don't talk about sex lives.
(Details should never go beyond, "I had a sleep over last night.")

Rule #4:
Never throw the other person under the bus.
(No. Matter. What.)

Rule #5
Don't be judgmental.
(Sooner or later we'll probably be doing the same thing.)

I have to say that night, in Nashville, was a turning point for me, and maybe for Nathan, too. I don't know.  But, it was definitely a pivotal moment in our relationship, because Rule #1 was put to the test.   I realized how important it was to Nathan not to question his character - that staying loyal to your family, no matter what - and without question was based on trust.  And even though Nicole and I had become good friends, my relationship was with Nathan was more important.  Period.