Sarah's hand grips the black handled kettle on the stove. The air thick with the sweet scent of steamy beverage.
"Coffee?" She asks her older brother. He nods, loosening his tie before walking over to the island, grabbing a seat.
"Black."
Kurt has taken his coffee the same way ever since he was twenty years old. Black. Always black.
The woman tucks a loose strand of blonde hair behind her hair, a small smile ghosting her lips.
"Sometimes never change," she chuckles, handing him a cup.
He wraps his fingers around it, enjoying the heat that spreads through his hands.
He sips at the drink like it's a great luxury, his face is the same as when he takes a nip of his single malt, relaxed, savouring both the drink and the moment.
"Somethings don't," he agrees with a stiff nod of his head.
She joins him in the seat next to him and immediately dives into small chat. She talks about Sawyer, her son and his nephew.
"He's been asking about his father," Sarah sighs.
She takes a bigger sip and this time lets the warm liquid sit on her tongue for longer. There is a flavour there, once accustomed to the bitterness it steps forth shyly.
"Wasn't it an open donor? Can't he meet him if he wants to?"
Sarah sighs again, draining the last of her coffee in one gulp.
"The guy's married with seven of his own kids and that's just with his wife. God knows how much more he has out there."
Sarah has always been so afraid of relationships ever since her last boyfriend for almost eleven years eloped with a woman half her age. At the tender age of twenty eight, Sarah despised men and everything they stood for. All except her older brother, who took care of her when their woman was too drunk to even remember her own name.
He nods and takes a sip of his coffee, offering no ongoing conversation of his own, so she begins again.
"Don't look at me like that you're the one grabbing any skinny ass you can find. Where'd you even find her?"
Kurt Weller was a chauvinist and a womanizer, but he was also the most thorough actor she has ever met.
He had spent countless hours on his preparation. Every angle was covered, every detail had been examined and reexamined. He oozed an effortless charm, whenever he spoke he owned the room, holding everyone's rapt attention. It was impossible not to admire him, but that didn't mean she didn't know her own brother. They shared everything with each other ever since they were little children so him suddenly falling into a serious relationship without even mentioning this woman was a tad bit suspicious.
"She's Roman's older sister. He introduced us a few months ago and I like her," Kurt spoke carefully, without drama, his words had an air of finality to them and no matter how hard she railed against them, nothing would change his mind.
There was still such a stiffness, a formality to their interactions, which he knew had to change and fast if he was ever going to make Sarah believe that he felt strongly for the hazel eyed goddess. Problem was, he didn't know how to make it happen.
"Why didn't you tell me about her before?" Sarah pressed, gathering the empty cups in her hands.
"I'm in no mood to quibble with you, Sarah."
Even with her back to him she felt his frustration rolling around in waves.
The blonde woman sighs, turning to face her brother with a gentle smile.
"It's just… You haven't cared enough about anyone since —"
Her voice trails slowly, like her words are unwilling to take flight. There is a sadness in her eyes, the blue too glossy
"Don't finish that sentence. Don't bring her up."
Sarah shook her head understandably.
It had been years since they talked about her but that didn't mean that she left Kurt's mind, his heart, his whole being.
He couldn't escape it no matter how hard he tried, she follows him around like a black shadow that's on the inside, eating away at him.
"She's in the game room with Sawyer. Let's go say hi."
Sawyer looks up at me with his head askew on his little neck. His eyes are taking me in without moving and I know behind those blue iris's, calculations are going on.
It's odd to be regarded this way by a child half my height.
"What is it, Sawyer?" I asked gently, smiling at the child.
If I could get him to approve of me, his mother might. From what I've heard she doesn't seem to like me very much but I intended to change that.
She's Kurt's sister — his family. Her opinion matters.
He paused for what felt an eternity, making me slightly irritated waiting for his response.
"No one likes my uncle. Why do you like him?"
He's paying me big bucks
There it goes again, my inner dialogue, but it's not my friend.
"He's… nice."
The little blonde boy scoffs, rolling his eyes at me.
Great, even a ten year old sees right through me.
"According to those articles mom's specifically asked me to not read but I do anyway, clearly states that he is, and I quote a 'pompous ass'. Everyone knows it."
He saw the shock register on my face, like my brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information before I could hide it and a small smile played on his lips.
Delicate blonde curls fell onto his brow, skin so pale it rendered him stark. He was angelic, yet his eyes bore a mischievous expression, a warning of the devil beneath.
"Sawyer, stop interrogating my lady."
Kurt's voice saved my response and I scrambled to my feet.
He appeared before me, in all his grandeur. His chiseled jaw lifted with a proud, pleasant smile.
His eyes a sparkling blue so much like the ocean.
His sister, Sarah, appears at the door, looking like there's a thousand other places she'd rather be. I don't blame her.
I can tell just by the way she walks that she's guarded; her shoulders are hunched over as if hiding the treasure inside of her. Her footsteps are light as she slowly approaches, watching me suspiciously.
I smile at her, hoping to thaw some of her frost.
"Hi."
The blonde woman smiles back but it's almost sinister. It was a cheshire grin of sorts, the kind that was so wide it was more as if she wanted to eat me rather than say hello.
She gave me a once over and I felt as if all my insecurities were large across my face and there was nowhere to hide.
Her blonde hair was unruly; thrown back into a messy pony tail. Hair from the slightly layered cut wasn't included in the pony tail, but they perfectly framed her face.
"I apologise for being rude earlier. I'm Sarah, Kurt's sister. So what do you do?" She asked flopping down on the little bean chair. I could tell by her body language that she did not like me, and those flickering azure orbs confirmed my thoughts.
Kurt, noticing how thick the tension was, ushered a very reluctant Sawyer out of the room with a promise to raise his allowance by $20
"Uh.. I'm an …" I fumbled, slipping over my words. She intimidated me and she knew it.
A grin spread over Sarah's face, wide and open, showing her over-whitened teeth. In that moment her motives were laid bare; she was a mocker, one who enjoyed whatever torment she could inflict on others.
"She's lovely, Kurt. A real catch," she drawled, smiling up at him.