I'd call myself the mediator

 "I don't know how much more of this I can take," Jay's jaw clenched as he held on with white knuckles to the steering wheel. He couldn't get to the apartment complex fast enough in his little white jeep with his brother who was sitting on the passenger side like a bump on a log.

"I know I've made a lot of mistakes," Jared finally said straight lipped. He looked out the window into the dark night as streetlights beaded their way through Jay's neighborhood. It wasn't a long drive.

"Well, you can't treat my Amanda that way," Jay told him.

"What way?" Jared looked over at him as if he didn't know what Jay was saying. "I treat her like a sister. I've never been-"

"Shut up." Jay didn't want to hear it. Possibly, he was harder on his youngest brother, but he had to be. Nobody was there to fend for him nor take care of him in his younger years. Their mom was having a good time somewhere. He was Jared's family. "Just..just grow up, will you?"

He pulled in quickly and didn't even want to get out, but of course, Jared didn't know where to go. As usual, he had no sense of direction.

Jay sighed and got out. They both saw the ember in the dark. It was a man smoking outside their mother's apartment. He wasn't even wearing a coat in the chilled night. His shoulders were broad and he was bigger than both Jay and Jared, but he smiled with ease as if he was happy to see them.

"Don't even bother, she's asleep," he said.

Jay felt angry about some guy telling them what to do. "What do you mean?" Jay's brow furrowed.

"Your mother is going through something," he shrugged. Sal introduced himself and gave them both a handshake. Didn't they remember him from Christmas dinner a few years back? He was the one who made that fabulous homemade bread and his stuffing was amazing.

 "She's had herself a good cry and now she's asleep."

"How do you know?" Jay winced in disgust.

"I stayed around until she fell asleep." Of course, that comment could mean anything. Jay knew they had to be more than friends.

Of course, he sounded as if he already knew all of Jared's problems. "He can stay at my place. I think it's a good time for her to be alone."

Jay guessed that was reasonable, but he still didn't know if he trusted Sal.

"You let me know, what's going on, will you?" He looked over at Jared who gave him a nod. At the moment he was mute.