Chapter 19
The next morning I woke up & turned over to look at Michael & Jeff curled up asleep together! They looked so alike it was unreal & very cute cuddled up to each other, it made me smile! I quietly got out of bed & crept downstairs to make coffee & have some 'quiet time' to myself before the rest of the house woke up! I loved the early mornings when no one else was around, it was my favourite part of the day! It was sunny & surprisingly warm outside for 7am so I decided to take my coffee & sit on the porch, listening to the birds singing. The uneasy feeling I'd had the night before seemed to have completely gone & in it's place was a feeling of warmth & happinness, I felt good for the first time in years!
About 20 minutes later I heard someone shuffling around in the kitchen but I just stayed where I was, enjoying a few more moments to myself before the days dramas were upon me!! Eventually the door opened & Matt walked out, wearing shorts & a vest not unlike Jeff's, obviously the two brothers had the same taste in nightwear!! He jumped slightly when he saw me sitting there & I smiled!
"Jesus! I thought everyone was still asleep!"
"Naaah...I like this time of day, before everyone gets up!"
"Me too!" He sat down beside me with his coffee, "I'm usually first one up around here! I love it when it's warm & I can sit out here!"
"You're just an old softie really aren't you?!" I laughed.
"Who me?!" He pretended to act tough & flexed his muscles, I giggled! "Ah Gem it's so good to have you here ya know?!" He put a hand on my knee.
"Yeah........I'm starting to think that way myself actually!"
Matt raised his eyebrows, "Are you thinking about staying then? Permenantly?"
I shrugged, "I don't know really....I have to think it over some more I guess....talk about it to some people....who knows? I will tell you it's more of a possibility right now than it ever has been!"
"Which people do you need to talk to about it?"
"Well Dad, Michael, Rhett...."
"And Jeff?"
I looked away, "Maybe Jeff too......sure!"
"What happened last night Gemma?"
"What do you mean?"
"With you & Jeff? Did you talk, try to sort this out?"
I avoided his gaze because Matt usually knew when I was lying! "Yeah we erm sorted stuff out y'know?"
"Oh Gem!" He looked to the sky & then shook his head.
"What?!"
"I can see right through you! Y'know I can!" He paused, "You slept with him didn't you?!"
"Matt please don't start! I know what I'm doing ok?" I stood up to walk back inside but he grabbed my arm, only gently, but it was enough to make me wince! The pain was right through my shoulder & into my neck as if somethig had torn! He looked at me, puzzled for a few seconds & then down at my arm when I was horrified to see the bruise had taken the form of an almost perfect hand print!!
"What the fuck is THAT!!?"
"Nothing Matt! And don't shout or you'll wake the house up!"
"I'll fuckin' kick his skinny ass!!" Matt tried to push past me & into the house but I blocked the door.
"Matt no! MATT! it wasn't even Jeff ok?....calm down for God's sake!"
"Did he hurt you?"
"No! I already said it wasn't Jeff alright?! Matt please!!" It took all my strength to stop him from getting into the house. "MATT! Look he's asleep in the spare room with Michael....you go up there shouting & Mike will be terrified! Is that what you want?!" He stopped trying to get through the door & his body seemed to relax. I turned him around & made him sit back down.
"Tell me the truth Gemma! What happened? What did he do to you!?"
"What do you take him for Matt?!" I said trying not to lose my temper, "Someone that beats up women? He's your brother!! It was....." I tried to tell him the truth but I spoke before my brain kicked into gear! ".....Well when we.....ahh.....y'know? Just well.......we got a bit carried away! It happens!"
Matt let out alaugh. "You're telling me that happened while you were having sex?!"
I laughed awkwardly hoping to cover up my lying face! "Yes that's how it happened!"
He nodded, "Well damn girl....you must be good!!" he laughed.
"The best!" I said playfully nudging him.
"I'm sorry!"
"You should be telling Jeff that not me! I don't know what's gotten into you two lately but I don't like it!"
"Yeah I guess we have to try & talk! He just knows how to wind me up Gem!"
"Of course he does! That's what little brother's are for!"
"Yeah but he used to know when to quit, how far he could push me....but now.....he just keeps on & on...." he sighed, "....I swear two or three times this past week I've come this close to losing it with him & just kicking his ass!! I don't know what the hell his problem is!!"
"He's had a lot to deal with lately Matt!" I said, putitng my arm around his shoulders, "I guess I'm to blame for that! Finding out you have a four year old son out of the blue like that....well it's bound to fuck him up a little! Just give him some time I'm sure he'll be ok!"
*******
When we were all up, dressed & had eaten breakfast I watched Matt & Jeff closely but the tension seemed to still be there! They passed each other on the stairs & I prayed one of them would say or do something! Matt patted Jeff on the shoulder & smiled, "Hey bro!"
Jeff looked a bit surprised but smiled back & nodded as they walked in opposite directions! 'Step in the right direction!' I thought to myself & went into the kitchen to clear up the breakfast things. I was washing up at the sink when Jeff came in.
"Mike why don't you go & put on your new shirt & shades before your surprise gets here!!"
Mike ran upstairs, squeeking with excitement!
"I wish you'd tell me what this big surprise is all about!"
Jeff came up behind me & put his arms around my waist. "You'll see soon enough!" He said over my shoulder, "Now, come here & kiss me!"
I turned around & put my soapy hands behind his head & he kissed me passionately. We were interrupted by a cough & when I looked up Gilbert was standing at the kitchen door with Michael!
"Ah....if either of you two had been paying attention you'd have noticed a car pulling up in the drive! I think the surprise has arrived!"
There was a knock at the door.
"Wanna get that Mike?!" Jeff said grinning!
Michael skipped excitedly to the door & opened it. When I saw the 'surprise' it made me take a step backwards & Mike did the same!
"Michael aren't you gonna say hi to your guest?!" Jeff smiled.
"I.....it's...it's....he...." Michael stammered & pointed at the figure standing in the doorway, his eyes wide & his jaw dropping!
"DWAYNE!!" I said just as gobsmacked as Michael!!
"THE ROCK!" Michael finally blurted out as Dwayne stood there grinning at us both!
Jeff just sat back in his chair, smugly surveying his handy- work!!
The next morning I woke up & turned over to look at Michael & Jeff curled up asleep together! They looked so alike it was unreal & very cute cuddled up to each other, it made me smile! I quietly got out of bed & crept downstairs to make coffee & have some 'quiet time' to myself before the rest of the house woke up! I loved the early mornings when no one else was around, it was my favourite part of the day! It was sunny & surprisingly warm outside for 7am so I decided to take my coffee & sit on the porch, listening to the birds singing. The uneasy feeling I'd had the night before seemed to have completely gone & in it's place was a feeling of warmth & happinness, I felt good for the first time in years!
About 20 minutes later I heard someone shuffling around in the kitchen but I just stayed where I was, enjoying a few more moments to myself before the days dramas were upon me!! Eventually the door opened & Matt walked out, wearing shorts & a vest not unlike Jeff's, obviously the two brothers had the same taste in nightwear!! He jumped slightly when he saw me sitting there & I smiled!
"Jesus! I thought everyone was still asleep!"
"Naaah...I like this time of day, before everyone gets up!"
"Me too!" He sat down beside me with his coffee, "I'm usually first one up around here! I love it when it's warm & I can sit out here!"
"You're just an old softie really aren't you?!" I laughed.
"Who me?!" He pretended to act tough & flexed his muscles, I giggled! "Ah Gem it's so good to have you here ya know?!" He put a hand on my knee.
"Yeah........I'm starting to think that way myself actually!"
Matt raised his eyebrows, "Are you thinking about staying then? Permenantly?"
I shrugged, "I don't know really....I have to think it over some more I guess....talk about it to some people....who knows? I will tell you it's more of a possibility right now than it ever has been!"
"Which people do you need to talk to about it?"
"Well Dad, Michael, Rhett...."
"And Jeff?"
I looked away, "Maybe Jeff too......sure!"
"What happened last night Gemma?"
"What do you mean?"
"With you & Jeff? Did you talk, try to sort this out?"
I avoided his gaze because Matt usually knew when I was lying! "Yeah we erm sorted stuff out y'know?"
"Oh Gem!" He looked to the sky & then shook his head.
"What?!"
"I can see right through you! Y'know I can!" He paused, "You slept with him didn't you?!"
"Matt please don't start! I know what I'm doing ok?" I stood up to walk back inside but he grabbed my arm, only gently, but it was enough to make me wince! The pain was right through my shoulder & into my neck as if somethig had torn! He looked at me, puzzled for a few seconds & then down at my arm when I was horrified to see the bruise had taken the form of an almost perfect hand print!!
"What the fuck is THAT!!?"
"Nothing Matt! And don't shout or you'll wake the house up!"
"I'll fuckin' kick his skinny ass!!" Matt tried to push past me & into the house but I blocked the door.
"Matt no! MATT! it wasn't even Jeff ok?....calm down for God's sake!"
"Did he hurt you?"
"No! I already said it wasn't Jeff alright?! Matt please!!" It took all my strength to stop him from getting into the house. "MATT! Look he's asleep in the spare room with Michael....you go up there shouting & Mike will be terrified! Is that what you want?!" He stopped trying to get through the door & his body seemed to relax. I turned him around & made him sit back down.
"Tell me the truth Gemma! What happened? What did he do to you!?"
"What do you take him for Matt?!" I said trying not to lose my temper, "Someone that beats up women? He's your brother!! It was....." I tried to tell him the truth but I spoke before my brain kicked into gear! ".....Well when we.....ahh.....y'know? Just well.......we got a bit carried away! It happens!"
Matt let out alaugh. "You're telling me that happened while you were having sex?!"
I laughed awkwardly hoping to cover up my lying face! "Yes that's how it happened!"
He nodded, "Well damn girl....you must be good!!" he laughed.
"The best!" I said playfully nudging him.
"I'm sorry!"
"You should be telling Jeff that not me! I don't know what's gotten into you two lately but I don't like it!"
"Yeah I guess we have to try & talk! He just knows how to wind me up Gem!"
"Of course he does! That's what little brother's are for!"
"Yeah but he used to know when to quit, how far he could push me....but now.....he just keeps on & on...." he sighed, "....I swear two or three times this past week I've come this close to losing it with him & just kicking his ass!! I don't know what the hell his problem is!!"
"He's had a lot to deal with lately Matt!" I said, putitng my arm around his shoulders, "I guess I'm to blame for that! Finding out you have a four year old son out of the blue like that....well it's bound to fuck him up a little! Just give him some time I'm sure he'll be ok!"
*******
When we were all up, dressed & had eaten breakfast I watched Matt & Jeff closely but the tension seemed to still be there! They passed each other on the stairs & I prayed one of them would say or do something! Matt patted Jeff on the shoulder & smiled, "Hey bro!"
Jeff looked a bit surprised but smiled back & nodded as they walked in opposite directions! 'Step in the right direction!' I thought to myself & went into the kitchen to clear up the breakfast things. I was washing up at the sink when Jeff came in.
"Mike why don't you go & put on your new shirt & shades before your surprise gets here!!"
Mike ran upstairs, squeeking with excitement!
"I wish you'd tell me what this big surprise is all about!"
Jeff came up behind me & put his arms around my waist. "You'll see soon enough!" He said over my shoulder, "Now, come here & kiss me!"
I turned around & put my soapy hands behind his head & he kissed me passionately. We were interrupted by a cough & when I looked up Gilbert was standing at the kitchen door with Michael!
"Ah....if either of you two had been paying attention you'd have noticed a car pulling up in the drive! I think the surprise has arrived!"
There was a knock at the door.
"Wanna get that Mike?!" Jeff said grinning!
Michael skipped excitedly to the door & opened it. When I saw the 'surprise' it made me take a step backwards & Mike did the same!
"Michael aren't you gonna say hi to your guest?!" Jeff smiled.
"I.....it's...it's....he...." Michael stammered & pointed at the figure standing in the doorway, his eyes wide & his jaw dropping!
"DWAYNE!!" I said just as gobsmacked as Michael!!
"THE ROCK!" Michael finally blurted out as Dwayne stood there grinning at us both!
Jeff just sat back in his chair, smugly surveying his handy- work!!