I like this chapter...enjoy :)
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Hours of catching up and playing childish games had passed and they were finally called in for diner. Michael held Renée's arm and led her to the dining room. He, being the gentle man that he was, pulled out a chair for Renée to sit on. She thanked him and he pulled out a chair for himself but soon after, Joseph appeared from nowhere and sat in it.
'Thanks Michael.' He smiled at him and Michael cut his eye. He agitatedly went to sit opposite them. His mother was still in the kitchen and everybody else around the table were chatting away. The kids were sitting away from the table in groups, also engaging in conversation and playing. He sat there feeling a little left out but occupied himself by watching Joseph carefully. Joseph was leaning over quite close to Renée and Michael assumed he was asking her questions. She seemed oblivious to his 'keen' interest and answered him happily. Michael shook his head seeing right through Joseph's friendly approach, he continued watching. Eventually his mother came back in and Joseph flew back to normal sitting position.
'Oh, I forgot the gravy!' Katharine said alarmed and she went back to the kitchen. Joseph leaned over to speak to her again. As Renée spoke, Michael watched Joseph's eyes and they seemed to be assessing her body. Michael grew wide eyed and immediately interrupted them.
'Hey Renee! A...Are you comfortable there?' Joseph looked annoyed as he turned to look Michael, who ignored him and stared straight at Renée, waiting for an answer.
'Yes…I'm okay' she replied and Joseph quickly cut out any hopes of a conversation as he asked her about something else. She laughed and joked with him. As he saw her laugh again he slunk back in his chair and stared helplessly. Michael was jealous and even he couldn't deny it. Katherine finally came back in and offered the gravy around. Joseph was back in normal position and Michael was getting even more agitated than before. While they ate Michael didn't stop eyeing them. Joseph had discreetly whispered in her ear a few times and she looked very uncomfortable at some of the things he was saying. Michael got a churning feeling in his stomach and tried to eat. He chewed the food mechanically without watching what he was doing. He stabbed at the food with his fork as if trying to warn Joseph to back off but Joseph paid no attention to him. He once looked at Michael and saw his threatening look but moved closer to Renée just to piss him off. He had a smirk on his face for the whole meal and Michael wondered how on earth no one else had noticed him yet.
Finally everyone had finished their food and Katherine went to get dessert. Joseph winked at Renée and leaned in to whisper in her ear again. Michael clenched his fist, accidently knocking a spoon on the floor in his anger and reached down to get it. Under the table he saw Josephs hand on Renée knee and Michael gasped, horrified. He emerged from under the table looking like he was about to breath fire, and he slammed the spoon down. Renee had turned red and cleared her throat.
'WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!'The whole table fell silent and stared at Michael. 'YOU MAKE ME SICK YOU KNOW THAT! YOU'RE SO-, YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS FAMILY! MOTHER SHOULD HAVE LEFT YOUR SORRY ASS A LONG TIME AGO!!! SHE LOVES YOU, BUT YOU CAN ROT IN FREAKING HELL FOR ALL I CARE!!!' Michael was fuming as he stood up and Joseph had a surprised look on his face. 'Come on Renée.' He said and she stood up gratefully, and then went to stand beside him. He turned away from his family, leaving them with a polite. 'Please excuse us.' and they went back to the living room. He paced around the room and punched the wall before angrily sinking in the chair with tears in his eyes. He couldn't even look Renée in the eyes he was so ashamed.
'Oh my gosh Renée! I'm so sorry about this! I knew this was a bad idea!' she was still a little red in the face but she didn't seem angry.
'Michael what are you apologizing for?'
'For Him! That man! I can't believe he just did that and the way he was- Oh my gosh! What did he say to you?!' Michael demanded to know.
'He just said that…I'm an attractive girl and-'
'Oh go- I am so sorry Renée!'
'There is nothing to be sorry about Michael. It wasn't your fault.' Michael sniffed and looked at the time. It was 5 and he was fed up.
'Let's just get out of here!' he said and he headed for the front door but was stopped by Jermaine who had been staring out the window, he had missed the commotion.
'Michael…Were snowed in! Nobody can leave in this. I'm afraid everyone will just have to stay here for the night.' Michael was very annoyed at the thought of even staying in the same house with Joseph.
'As you already know there aren't enough rooms or beds for every one so you and your friend Renée will have to share.' Jermaine stated looking at them both, not really finding the idea of it uncomfortable, but Michael and Renée's eyes went very wide as he mentioned sharing a bed. Awkward! Michael looked straight to the floor and then slowly to Renée who had also been focusing on the ground. Jermaine didn't understand why they were both so reluctant.
'Are you two okay with that?' Jermaine asked slowly. Renee looked up at Michael who was expecting her to say something. She was quite embarrassed and deep down wanted to say no, but didn't want to seem rude after everything Michael had done for her.
'…I guess…I'm okay with it if you are Michael…I mean its only, one night, right?'
'Yeah of coarse… I mean…yeah…not awkward at all.' He looked back at Jermaine, trying to send hints to him but he didn't quite get the message. He accepted the answer.
'Okay then' he clapped his hands together. 'Yours is the room on the right. Some of us were already going to stay over and the girls said they would let Renée borrow some clothes. Michael you can borrow mine.' Michael nodded and looked up the stairs, Jermaine was about to walk off.
'…But where will my kids sleep?' Michael asked, quickly.
'Oh don't worry all of the kids are going to be split into two rooms and the adult are in the bedrooms and on the sofas, so you and Renée will be alone in there.' Jermaine looked a little sheepish at his own words and Michael's stomach stooped. Renee breathed quickly but tried to act natural as Jermaine left. Michael wanted desperately to be anywhere else in the world but stuck in that house.
'Renee I am so sorry about all of this. It's not a very good first impression is it?' He said powerlessly.
'It's alright Michael… it's not like you control the weather. It isn't your fault were snowed in, and anyway… I love your family.' She smiled, Michael smiled back and she went back into the, now full, living room. He sighed and followed her. A very uncomfortable night was about to come...
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Finally, the clock chimed 11, and all the children had gone to bed. It was only the brothers, sisters and their friends left. They had all joked around for the entire evening while Joseph and Katharine were relaxing in the other room (she didn't seem to know what happened, so he obviously hadn't told her). All of them had asked Michael about his outburst but he shook his head and didn't answer. Renee wasn't shy anymore, and she chatted and joked around too. Soon Joseph popped his head around the door to say goodnight. Michael rolled his eyes and looked at the ground. Joseph seemed to be waiting for Michael to look up but after a few prolonged seconds he left. Then Jermaine and his wife stood up and said goodnight too. One after the other people left for bed and others set out cushions, pillows and blankets to sleep on. Michael had almost forgotten about the sleeping arrangements and his stomach plummeted again when he remembered. He looked awkwardly at Renée and she looked pretty nervous too. He had to say something…
'Renee…are you ready for…bed?' he was getting shy now. She looked slowly up at him and gulped.
'Yes.' They stood up, said their goodnights and got their loaned nightwear. Afterwards they very slowly walked upstairs to their temporary room. He opened the door and looked around. She looked around too and they both looked at the bed which didn't look wide enough for them to ignore each other. He slouched disappointedly and then walked to a nearby chair in the corner of the room, he then got a thought.
'Hey Renée, if you want I'll sleep on this chair' he sat on it and then stood back up when he noticed how hard It actually was.
'Don't be silly Michael, that thing doesn't look at all comfortable.' He agreed and decided to bide his time. He wandered around, idly assessing every detail of everything in sight. Renée stood there uncomfortably for a while.
'Is there a bathroom I can get changed in?' She asked and Michael looked over his shoulder.
'Yes second door on the left.' He informed her and she quickly left. After she shut the door he started to panic. He really wished he was back at home with separate bedrooms! At one point he even pondered jumping out of the window and sleeping in the limo but that would be too dangerous and very rude of him. He quickly got changed and cursed when he noticed that the bottoms were only shorts. He was showing his bare legs and because Jermaine was bigger than him, the baggy clothes made him look even skinnier than he was already. He felt pathetic as he waited for Renée to come back. She knocked on the door and then stepped inside. She instantly looked like she was struggling to contain her laughter and he looked extremely embarrassed. He covered part of his face with his hand as he looked over her pajamas. She looked perfectly normal and he envied her.
'So…' she started trying to keep her eyes on his face (if she looked at his legs one more time she knew she was going to burst with laughter).
'Did you want to sleep along the top and I'll sleep along the bottom?' He asked getting quite nervous about his exposed skin.
'Yeah sure…' she said and they both slowly got in. Because their feet were on opposite sides they both instinctively moved them away from each other's faces, but ultimately found their positions very uncomfortable. They both fidgeted like children for a little while and then Michael sat up.
'I can't sleep like this.' He complained and she sat up too.
'Me neither…Maybe it would just be better if I slept on the floor.' She suggested but Michael wouldn't allow it. After a few minutes of avoiding each other's eyes Michael shrugged and moved next to Renée.
'Sorry Renée, but it's the only way we will both get some sleep.' He sunk down and moved as far to the edge of the bed as he could to give her as much space as possible. 'She froze as he lay next to her, he faced away from her and she stared at him for a few seconds. Her heart was beating very fast as she also sunk down slowly, facing the opposite way to him. She was a little shocked to find that she didn't hate the situation as much as she thought she would, if anything she liked it. She closed her eyes feeling strangely happy. Michael on the other hand was struggling to control himself, but forced himself to stay far from her. His heart beat had risen rapidly and he was breathing heavily but quietly as he could. He was uncomfortable, not because of her but because he knew he would feel some kind of natural impulse. Nevertheless he closed his eyes and tried to get some rest. Both had smiles on their faces as they fell asleep…
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