Chapter 11

"BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BE-"a hand slapped down on the snooze button on the alarm clock, "Damn alarm". Lazily Steph opened her eye and saw the clocked ticked over to 11:31am. Steph rolled over onto her stomach and flicked a leg out of the bed. Then she suddenly sat up and smiled, "Hee hee...I have a boyfriend" she said to no one in particular, "An actual guy who, is uber hot and seems to be genuine" she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Then she kicked back the covers and stretched out of bed. Checking the clock again, Steph though, "Well better get breakfast I suppose...it's still technically morning" She shuffled out of bed and began the descent downstairs to the kitchen.

Steph rubbed her hand through her hair and walked into the kitchen...only to be greeted with the image of her dad, pouring a cup of coffee to another tall male, who was leaning up against the bench. Steph stopped short, like a deer in a headlight, "Uhhh...huh?"

Ron and the other guy both looked up at Steph, standing there in her short slouch shirt and panties. It took a moment for Steph to register who it was, "Cameron?"

The other guy lifted his coffee mug in acknowledgment, "The one and only"

Steph beamed and excitedly skipped over to hug him, then she pulled up a stool and leaned on the table, "What are you doing here? How long are you here for? When did you come back? Did you bring me anything?" Cameron laughed.

He was her half brother from her dad's previous marriage. He was 28 years old and had been living somewhere in Europe. Cameron's mother had passed away when he was seven, leaving Ron to raise a young son on his own. When he remarried a few years later, Cameron wasn't at all interested in his new step mother. But when the arrival of his new little sister came along, Cameron soon forgot the dislike he felt towards his new mother and became involved in being there for his new sibling. As they grew up, Cameron and Steph had their sibling moments as all siblings do, but nothing brought them closer than the time when Steph's mum left them. Just out of the blue. And didn't return.

The heartache had been hard on the kids, but Ron took it pretty bad. Cameron and Steph became closer and together brought Ron back out of the pit and together they created a happy family once more. It was when Cameron left to go to college in England, Ron realised how much his son had grown up and Steph realised that life has to move on.

Cameron didn't get to visit all that often so this visit was of particular interest and brought on childlike excitement from Steph.

"Ok, ok, calm down. I arrived three days ago, but I was visiting some mates and"

Steph interrupted, "Who?"

Cameron raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't matter, anyway, I'm back for about a month, business trip, I've got a conference in the city on Tuesday, and another from Thursday to Monday" he took a sip of coffee, "But I've got the weekend free to hang with you guys, and then I have to leave to New York next Tuesday for another conference, and then I should have enough time at the end of the month to hang for about a week or so before I fly back home"

Steph took a moment to let all the information sink in, "Wow...and work is paying for all this?"

Cameron sipped his coffee and nodded, "Mm-hmm" Cameron put his coffee mug down, "So what's new with you?"

Ron smiled; Steph noted this and gave an innocent smile, "Me? Oh nothing, just enjoying this fine spring break...uh which reminds me, I'm gonna give Britt and the girls a call, see what they're doin" She slipped off the stool and gave Cameron a hug, "It is great to see you again though"

She took his coffee and started upstairs, "Thanks!"

Cameron looked at where his coffee was and then at Ron, "Well then...Ha, I knew she wouldn't tell me"

Ron smiled over his coffee mug, "I told you she wouldn't" He drank the last of his coffee and placed the empty mug in the sink, "I'm hoping to meet this one though"

Cameron laughed, "Yeah I want to finally do the big brother thing and see if I can scare the crap outta him"

Ron smiled, "Come on, get changed and see if you can give me a hand with the truck".

Brittany had been lounging on her bed. She had a gossip mag in front of her and her hands in the air, drying her nail polish. Eleanor, sitting on the floor leaning against Britt's bed, was multitasking on the net; facebook, email, recipe ideas and movie times were all open in different tabs. Jeanette was happily settled in getting through her spring break reading list.

"Ellie, can you turn the page, I'm done with this page" Britt said, looking over at the top of Ellie's head.

Eleanor looked up, "Britt do it yourself, you've been laying there for ages, you're nails should be dry by now!" She turned back and updated her facebook status

Brittany Miller is bugging me to turn page in magazine – lazy! – nail polish does not take 30 mins to dry! LOL

Eleanor gave a giggle. Brittany wrinkled her nose and peered over Eleanor's shoulder, "Hey! I am not lazy!" she made a move to get up; Eleanor scooted forward toward Jeanette's bed and giggled again, "Oh you are too Britt, getting me to turn a page? Come off it, you nails are dry!"

Brittany made a face and took her phone from the side table, "Thats it" she logged onto Facebook and commented on Eleanor's status;

Eleanor Miller is not being a loving sister – she won't help me out. And I am NOT lazy

Brittany poked her tongue out at Eleanor, who checked her staus, "Oh real mature Britt" she laughed. Jeanette rolled her eyes, and peered down at the screen, "Britt give it up, your're not going to win. Look you're using your phone fine, turn your own page"

Brittany folded her arms, and closed the magazine, "I don't wanna read it anymore now" Jeanette and Eleanor looked at each other and rolled their eyes before going back to what they were doing.

Just then Brittany's phone began ringing; "Hello?...yeah and?...that's not the point...don't make me get upset at you too!..."

Jeanette and Eleanor looked up form book and screen, trying to decipher this one sided conversation.

"...I AM NOT LAZY!"

From this the two sister's looked at each other and mouthed "Alvin" at the same time.

Brittany continued, "You wanna talk about lazy mister? Huh?" there was a silence, "Yeah I thought so...so anyway...oh really?" Brittany looked over at the clock on her bedside table, "Well, give us um 10 mins?...ok see you soon" she hung up and turned to the girls, "OK, that was Alvin and -"

Jeanette and Eleanor piped in, "We figured that"

Brittany ignored them, "As I was saying...that was Alvin and he and the guys are heading into the plaza. They said they're getting lunch and maybe a movie, and wanted to see if we wanted to go...they'll be here in 10" Brittany then looked at herself in the mirror, "Oh my goodness I cannot go the plaza like this! Why did I say 10 minutes?" She jumped off the bed and began sorting through clothes.

Jeanette calmly placed a bookmark in her page and set her book on her bedside table. She then stood and fixed her hair behind her ears and smoothed her skirt. Eleanor closed her laptop and put her shoes on, she checked in the mirror if she had anything in her teeth and joined Jeanette at the door, "Its only to the plaza and the movies Britt"

Brittany was still throwing clothes around, "I know, I know"

Jeanette called from the hallway, "We'll meet you down stairs then"

Brittany shooed them away as the girls wandered down stairs.

Alvin hung up the phone and logged out of Facebook. He turned to Simon and Theodore, "OK the girls are in, we'll pick them up in bout 10...which in Brittany language is more like 20"

Simon looked at his watch, "Well, we'll leave them 15 and if Brittany's not ready too bad"

Alvin held his hands in defense, "Whoah, you wanna take on that drama, be my guest"

Theodore was scanning over the movie guide in the newspaper, "What you wanna see anyway?"

Alvin and Simon came round and looked over Theodore's shoulder trying to look at the movie listings.

"Let's see 'Cy-Borg: Annihilation' that's supposed to be awesome!" Alvin said

Simon read the review, "Alvin, the girls are gonna hate that; we should pick something we all want to see" he adjusted his glasses and peered closer, as Alvin rolled his eyes and folded his arms, "Well what do you suggest, oh peacemaker?"

Simon ignored him and pointed to a movie "Now, what about 'Something to do with Love'. It's a Rom/Com, so the girls will enjoy the romantic side and we can enjoy the comedy. I think it's a win/win for everyone"

Theodore shrugged, "I don't care really, but Simon's pick sounds better than yours, Alvin...it doesn't have the scare factor"

Alvin took Theodore by the shoulder and shook him, "Theo, you need to think of the ladies here, be brave, man up and think of all the times she'll be scared holding fast on to you...oh yeah"

Theodore gulped, "I, I'm not sure Alvin"

Simon interjected, "Anyway, Alvin, you know Theodore hates violent, gory action movies"

Alvin ignored Simon, "Come on Theo, look when Eleanor is snuggled fast into you, you can look away all you want, just pretend to be watching and make sure you hold onto her...make her feel safe, like I said Man up!"

Theodore was relieved when he heard a knock at the door. He slid off the bar stool and went the answer the door, "Oh hey Alex, come on in"

Alex nodded to Theodore and walked into the foyer; Theodore then ushered him toward the kitchen where the other boys were.

Alvin greeted Alex with a kind of handshake type man hug thing...Alex seemed to know what to do. Simon nodded and smiled; Alex reciprocated.

"So what's the plan? I got your message this morning Alvin...Uh...are the girls coming too?" Alex asked.

Alvin looked at him, studying his body language then smiled a little and patted him on the back, "Oh Score!"

Alex held his hands up, "What? What are you talking about?"

Theodore and Simon too were now smiling, waiting for a response. Alvin continued, "You hooked up with Steph! The other night when you took her home...yeeaaahhh"

Alex chuckled, "What are you on about?" The three munks looked at him to crack, "Oh ok, yes we did...Steph and I are going out ok?" he laughed, as Alvin punched him congratulatory on the arm and Theodore cheered.

Simon left him with a warning, "Well let's hope you can tame the beast within"

Alex looked puzzled, "Dude, she's my girlfriend now, watch it...and what'dya mean 'beast within'?"

Simon turned back to the movie listings, "I'm just saying that Steph can be a bit of a fiery one, that's all"

Alvin was about to try and put his arm round Alex's shoulders, then moved it quickly to his hips when he realised Alex was a lot taller, and that'd result in him having his arm round Alex's waist, or near enough to be deamed weird and wrong, "Look she's a red-head, and all red-heads are fiery. Take Britt for example, actually she is the epitome of a red-head, look up red-head in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of Britt!"

The guys all laughed, as Alvin continued, "look you just gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em, know when to call the shots and know when to run"

Alex nodded, "Right. Look I kinda like Steph's spontaneous attitude, makes her fun to be with"

Alvin laughed, "Oh the adventures we've had, like the time we -"

Simon cut him off, "Better go pick up the girls, hey?"

Alvin smiled, "Ahh right, come on I'm driving"

Alex chimed in, "Well I'll follow, go pick Steph up and meet you at the girls place"

They nodded to each other then picked up their keys and started out the door