Brother

Dad had received an emergency call from work just before I got home. Despite him being on leave for the holidays, the storm had everyone busy and he went out to do what he could. The streets resembled a war zone, our suburb against nature and since our houses were all standing and damage looked minimal, the casualties had been the trees.Branches and bits of debris littered the street, and twice I had to stop while fallen trees were moved from blocking off the road.

Danny was watching TV when I got in, and Mum had already gone to work.

“Well hey there Black Beauty!” I teased, dumping my bag by the stairs before going in to see him.

“Shut up!” He groaned.

“You should be so lucky!” Moving to sit beside him, I took his unopened can of cola and ignored his protest as I took a sip. “So, you just happened to go for a run and ended up there?”

“I was worried about you!”

“Why? I’ve gone a hundred times before Danny. Even Dad was okay with me going!”

“Michael told me-”

“Shame it wasn’t to jump off a bridge.” I muttered.

He groaned again. “He told me he’d seen other werewolves in town and to be careful until he worked out if they’re friendly or not.”

“So? Why follow me across the country?”

“I got nervous and had to see you.” Danny sighed. “I got fucking, separation anxiety over my sister!”

To make the situation worse, I pinched his cheeks.

“Did the big bag wolf get scared without his twin around?” It came out worse than Helena’s baby talk to him last night and I feel Danny getting annoyed as I kept teasing him.

“It’s not funny! If you’re in danger, I’m not going to leave you to face it alone! I had to be with you, to make sure you were safe!” He snapped in a mixture of embarrassment and rage. “You don’t know what it’s like when I get these, thoughts. I instantly went to worse case scenario, and the need to find you just, took over. Justin and Joe came with me to start with. Michael told me to settle down, but I couldn’t.”

I suddenly felt really bad for not answering any of his calls, and for mocking him. At least just a little bad about the mocking.

“Well, I’m fine Danny. Have some faith in me to be able to look after myself. What would have happened if you missed us leaving?”

“Na, I found your site before the storm hit and then backed off when, I ah, never mind.”

“When what?”

“When I realised Rachelle had bought a werewolf to your camp and I didn’t to risk him sensing me so I hung back until he left.”

I coughed awkwardly, quickly taking another sip of my drink. “Ah, did you happen to see any of that?”

“No. I went and had a look around their cabin, before coming back when I heard their car.” He looked at me closely, and I shrunk away from him, subtly trying to move to the other side of the lounge. “Sarah!”

“Yes?” I ask innocently, focusing more on the can in my hands.

“What happened?”

“Oh nothing much!” Another sip. “He just recognized me from picking you up from the Blakes once and kept asking questions about you and then I kind of kneed him in the balls and told him to leave.”

It all came out quickly, and picking up the remote, I swapped sport for a music channel. “Oh look, I love this song!”

“No. No go back and tell me what happened again. Slower and in detail!” He ordered.

“Who died and made you boss?” I snapped.

“Sarah!” Danny warned.

“You know what else happened, Michael asked me out. To the Carols!”

“What? He better not- no. Nice try, tell me what happened!”

“He did though!” I argued, though the look he gave me had me telling him what happened in detail, including his attempt at scaring me into talking; idiot.

“So, you told him to leave and he did?” Danny asked once I was done.

“I did get him good, he fell to his knees and everything!”

“I have to tell Mike.” He decided getting up.

“Why?”

“Do you actually have to ask?” Danny went into the kitchen and soon enough I could hear him on the phone, telling the pack leader, about what happened. Surely it wasn’t as bad as Danny thought?

“Great. Thanks, oh and while I have you, what the fuck is this shit about you asking her out?”

I left Danny arguing on the phone, and grabbing my purse and keys, slipped out the front door. I had only just made it the car when my phone rang. “Hey Mum!”

“Hi love, look, your Dads family are on their way. Can you please just give the bathroom a once over and tidy up downstairs. I’ve got them booked in at work, but you know they’re going to come over.” She sighed.

“Of course. Danny’s home, so he can help!”

“Good girl. I’ll make sure I bring home some of Melinda’s rocky road for you guys. I should be home by three!” She hangs up and Danny opens the front door.

I get out the car, dragging my feet as I go over to him. “So, Mum just called.”

“Did you, actually, ah, want to go out with him?” He asks instead.

“No. Maybe. No.” I stutter. “Why?”

“You just couldn’t have liked Dylan or any other guy in this fucking town could you?” Danny sounds like Dad, frowning like he does too.

“What?”

“I don’t like it. I think you could do better and if you start something with him, there’s the werewolf issue and his old pack, and-” I hug him and it takes him a second to relax; like he doesn’t trust my actions.

“Thank you for looking out for me Danny, but-”

“I know Sar. I do. Now let me go in case any of the neighbours see and people think we can actually get along!” He pushes me away and I slap the back of his head as he turns. “Ow!”

“Come on, we need to clean up.” I leave out the part about why, but we go inside and get it all done anyway. Melinda’s rocky road is always a great motivator and since she only makes it at Christmas for her work colleagues, it makes it extra special.

-x-

Mum was wrong. They never came to our house, and instead we met at the restaurant at the hotel for dinner. It was something I knew she hated doing, because she’d either get pestered by the staff on duty or if she could see them struggling with getting food out on time or right, she had to fight the urge to go in and take control of her kitchen. Tonight it was a buffet, and sitting with Dad’s family already had her on edge.

Whenever she’d see a waiter slacking off by hanging around the bar area or someone’s uniform wasn’t on right, she would snap at them to get them into shape on her many bathroom trips or journeys up to the food table. I felt bad for them, but I didn’t call her on it like I normally did, focusing on Danny instead.

He was lucky; sitting between Nanna and me, where as I had Deborah, never Debbie or Deb, on my other side. She was my oldest cousin and at twenty-three, had a beautiful, twinkling diamond on her finger - all courtesy of the man who sat beside her, Noah Redwell. It wasn’t a family visit, full of holiday cheer; it was a she got engaged and we’re showing off the happy couple parade. After all, he’s twenty-six and a lawyer at a very prestigious firm.

“I can see us getting married in a place like this!” Noah thought out loud, looking around at the modern restaurant, which also doubled as one of the hotels smaller function rooms.

“Here?” Deborah snapped, with obvious distaste and instantly her lips frowning in such a way I thought they were melting off her face.

Without looking at us too close, our family resemblance was obvious as we both had large blue eyes and dark hair. She was built a little more solid and was also tall when compared to me, as I had the smaller frame of my Mum. What ever it was in our appearance that gave people no doubt we were related, was something Rachelle loved to tease me about and I wondered if I would look more like her if I wore that much make-up.

“I love this town. I’ve got so many good memories of holidaying here as a kid!” Noah carried on.

“Honey, you don’t have to say things like that to impress these people.” Deborah whispered to him.

“Yeah Noah. After all, we’re just the simple country cousins!” I joined in.

Deborah turned to glare at me, and her sister Annabelle followed her lead to do the same from across the table. It felt like Noah had been part of our family for longer than eight months as he took it in all in his stride and if wasn’t engaged to the bitch in heels beside me, I might even be able to like him.

“I heard your Grandmother talking about your graduation on the way down here, Sarah. Top of your class, and your results were some of the highest in the state! Congratulations!” He leaned back in the chair so he wasn’t talking through Deborah, and smiled. “And Danny landed himself an apprenticeship? You two seem like you’ve set yourself up well for the future!”

Nanna nudged Danny and I glanced back at them to find her with a big grin on her face, while Danny just looked uncomfortable.

“Thank you Noah.” I didn’t really know what to say. Compliments never come from this part of the family.

“Well Annabelle was in the top twenty at St. Marys-” My Aunt started.

Annabelle was the same age as me and Danny. It didn’t make life easy, especially in times like this when it became a contest of who did what and better. Mum and Dad literally rolled their eyes at the same time.

“So do you know what you’re doing next year Sarah? Your Dad mentioned you were looking at UWA, for Law?” Noah ignored his future mother in law, and then in true act of defiance, asked for Deborah to swap seats with him.

“I’m not really sure, I’ve applied for a bunch of things.”

“You’re still young, plenty of time to decide. I’m still trying to work out if I am even where I want to be.”

We spoke about the different universities and even other options. He told me about his experiences where he had gone, plus what work was like. He definitely had a passion for it, and even got talking to Danny about cars. How this normal, slightly wonderful person had managed to get with someone like my cousin, made me wonder if she really was just horrible to us and happened to be delightful to other people. Maybe he had just been desperate.

Thanks to Noah and Nanna, practically working together to keep the evening actually enjoyable, the car ride home wasn’t equally as horrible as everyone fought off their bad moods. Everyone’s mind was on the same thing mine had been for most of the night; Noah deserved someone better than Deborah.

Unlike the rest of the family, Nanna was staying with us and as we headed inside, she pulled me back.

“No mention of that boy who kissed you Sarah, what’s the latest?” For someone who acted so, proper, at the dinner table, she now turned into her nosey sixteen year old self; eager to get into my business.

“No latest.” I tell her.

Danny coughs as he passes us, having overheard. “Asked her out, she said no.” He coughed again and went inside.

“Why would you say no?” She asked horrified at the idea.

“Because, I think it’s a bad idea!”

“You see your cousin and Noah tonight? That was my doing!” Nanna boasted. I guess it made sense. The poor guy was probably being held ransom! “I have a good sense about these things. Go out with this boy Sarah. Just once. You don’t want to live with any regret!”

“How did you get Noah to propose?” I asked instead.

“Believe it or not, he did that all on his own. He is the grandson of a very good friend of mine, who was worried he was too soft and that people would take advantage of him and his kindness. Deborah will make sure that won’t happen, but he might loosen her up a little too. Plus, believe it or not, they both love AFL and support the Eagles, and so when I happened to take Debbie with me to a game, and Maureen took Noah, things worked out on their own.”

“I really thought you had some dirt to blackmail him with.”

“No, no! I save that for special cases!” She winked.“Give this young man one date Sarah, or I will start to get in their minds that you’d make such a pretty bridesmaid.” Her smile deadly as she went inside and I knew better than to disobey her.

“He’s a werewolf. Turned Danny and he’s been to jail!” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that dear?” She called out, and going inside I shook my head.

“Just telling myself why it’s a bad idea.”

“What’s a bad idea?” Mum asks.

“Sarah’s going on a date! With a boy!” Nanna clapped her hands together and Mum frowned. “Isn’t that exciting!”

“A boy? Who? I didn’t even know you liked anyone, let alone thinking about dating! Is it Jake?” Her frown quickly turned upside down.

“No! Not Jake!” I sighed, regretting my decision to sit down with them in the living room. “Michael, one of the Blake boys.”

“Oh, the older one? He’s what, twenty?” Mum questioned.

“Twenty-two.”

“Na, just turned twenty-one in April.” Danny answered as he walked into the kitchen.

“That’s a bit of an age difference Sarah!”

“Age,smage!” Nanna dismissed it. “Seven years for Darren and I, rest his soul.”

“Different time then Mum!”

“Nonsense. Five years between you and my boy!”

“Enough! Please! I haven’t even said yes yet!” I yell, stopping them both.

“Why not?” They ask in unison.

“You’re my parent and my grandparent. You’re not supposed to be encouraging this!”

“Darling, you’re eighteen in a few weeks and I trust your judgement. You can’t do anything worse than Danny, and I’ve been waiting for you to wake up to the fact boys are more than just annoying people your brother brings home to eat all our food!” Mum sighed. “Is this what’s been going on lately, have been crushing on this boy? Explains why you hid after getting that blood nose in front of him the other day!”

“No, I’m actually worried I’m turning into a werewolf.” I answer simply.

Danny came to stand in the doorway, looking at me in total disbelief as Mum and Nanna started to laugh.

“Oh Sarah, you’re a funny one!” Nanna got up and patted my shoulder as she passed. “Goodnight all!”

I shrugged at Danny who only shook his head.

“A werewolf? Is that slang for something?” Mum asked.

“Yeah, someone who turns into a wolf.”

“Well, even if you do, I’ll still love you!” She moved over to sit closer to me, and pulled me into a hug. “Thank you for cleaning up. If you look in the fridge, there’s a container-”

“That had rocky road in.” Danny sits on her other side, shoving a hunk of it in his mouth. “Kidding!”

He handed the container over and as Dad came in from turning off the sprinklers, he laid down on the floor with some of the cushions in front of us with Mums feet resting on his back. We weren’t the perfect family, but as we sat there, together, passing around the container and watching reruns of the Simpsons Christmas special, it was close enough.

-x-

Mrs Johns decided to open till twelve on Christmas Eve and we had never been busier. By the time we ended up closing at one, I think I had worked harder than I had all Summer.

“Merry Christmas Sarah. If I don’t see you tonight, I hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas! How nice of your family to come down for a few days!” She hugged me tightly, and handed me over the bag with the hat Rachelle had wanted earlier in.

“Merry Christmas to you and your family too!” I hugged her back and we went our seperate ways, only I ended up walking into Michael as I tried to find my sunglasses from my bag.

“Hey Bright Eyes.” He grinned.

“Say it with me, okay, Sa-rah. Sarah!” It only made him laugh. “Fine. Whats up?”

“What’s up? You don’t speak to me since Sunday, and I get a what’s up?” I keep walking and he matches my pace, following me down the busy sidewalk. “I need an answer, Sa-ra-ah!”

“Oh, tonight. Right. Okay, so-” I stop walking and step out of the steady follow of people. Already the cooler weather had left us and if it didn’t reach forty today, I’d be surprised.

“K. Fine. I tried.” He grumbled, turning as he started to walk away.

“Michael! Wait!” I quickly caught up to him and grabbed his arm. “Let me finish!”

“What? Let me guess, we’ll try being friends and-”

“Your an ass. Just shut up and let me talk!” I snapped.

“So I can hear more of your excuses?” Michael asks with way too much sarcasm.

“You know what, fine! I changed my mind, you’re right afterall. My answer is no!”

“Wait, what? You changed your mind.” He repeats in disbelief.

I cross the road and hear him yell my name. So to try and avoid a scene, I go into the grocery store and get a few bits Mum asked me to get on my way home now rather than later. I’ve just picked up a carton of eggs when he’s back.

“Are you fucking with me?”

“What?”

“Did you mean it?” He takes the basket from my hands and follows me as I head to the fruit section.

“The you’re an ass part, yes.”

Michael sounds like he is choking as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Sarah?”

“Yeah?” I put a bag of apples in the basket and move on the watermelons.

“Just, answer me. Please!” He growls.

“I’ll go with you tonight.” I agree. “Now, can you carry this cause I don’t think it will fit in the basket.”

I hold up one of the smaller watermelons on display and he takes one of other larger ones instead. Even with the the other stuff, he balances it all easy enough, yet before I can tease him about showing off, I get goosebumps. I can’t help feel uneasy, and looking around, the busy grocery store, carries on around us like normal.

“What is it?” Michael whispers, glancing around us too.

“Nothing. Just trying to think about what else Mum wanted”

He only frowns at me, but nods anyway. I quickly grab some milk and a couple of other things, before going to the checkouts. The second Michael puts down the watermelon, his free arm is suddenly around my waist and pulling me closer against him. I may have agreed to tonight, but not this, yet, and following his gaze, Benno is standing over near the trolleys; watching us. Suddenly being held by him doesn’t seem so bad as the look we’re getting is deadly.

“That’s the guy Danny told me about?” Michael whispers.

I nod, and look away, focusing on the groceries instead.

“I really wish you hadn’t done that, but I was kind of impressed that you did.” He tells me.

“Who is he?”

“Part of the club. He is no-one of importance. He’s Justin’s friend, comes down and every now and then, but I bet he’s told Scott what happened.”

“That he got hit in the nuts by a girl?” I didn’t get it; what was so bad about that?

“No. You ordering him to leave.”

“I didn’t order.” Okay, I did. I’d felt it happen, but chose to ignore it. “I just told him to go!”

“Even you don’t believe that Bright Eyes.”

“What now then?”

“Now you need to pay for your groceries and I’m going to walk you to your car and organise when I’m picking you up tonight.” He winked and I turned to find my things being bagged up.

We left without another look at Ben, and it was decided he’d pick me up at six. Michael closed my door in a rather chivalrous act and as I dared to look back in the rearview mirror, I saw him go back towards the grocery store. By the time I got home that was really bugging me and Danny came out to help me get the shopping from the car.

“You okay?”

“Ben was at the grocery store and I was with Michael.” I tell him.

“Oh. What happened?”

“Nothing, but when I left I saw Michael head his way.”

“Good. I hope he-” He stopped. “talks to him.”

“Loser.” I sigh, and as soon as the shopping is in, Nanna has shoved icy-poles into our hands as she goes back to her movie in the front room.

“So, I know it’s your first date, but we’re going, as in all the Attwells, to the carols tonight. Together. Think you guys would want to sit with us?” Mum asks hopefully.

Danny laughs, and catching my gaze, he shuts up. “Ah, no. I don’t think so!”

She looks hurt, and then I look at Danny.

“You’re going? To the Carols?” He hadn’t gone the last couple of years, since it wasn’t cool enough for him.

“Well yeah. It’s Christmas Sarah! It’s what families do in this town. We get to sit on itchy grass, and glare at children who run around screaming, while the rest of us ignore them and sing, ‘we wish you a merry christmas’! Not forgetting the overpriced food vans that get set up and those cheesey TV presenters they send down to host the whole damn thing.”

“It’s about the sense of community Danny. Hardly anyone turns up these days, Flame Tree Bay is the only place you can do this without going up to the city!” Mum tells him.

“It’s lame, but Nanna said she’ll slip me some of her bourbon if I go. Plus Jake is coming and”

“Nanna said what?” I don’t know how this surprised Mum.

“Idiot!” The old lady called out, having heard it all.

“How about, if we see you guys, well say hi or if it’s the biggest mistake of my life, I’ll come hideout with my family and then you can all drive him away?”

Nanna laughs and Danny shook his head. “Nothing this lot can do will scare him away. Bright. Eyes!”

I go to punch him, and end up chasing him around the counter while Mum just peels the bag of apples, ready to go into her pie. Giving up on hurting him, I’m soon on the phone to Rachelle as we discuss my clothing options for tonight. She isn’t as excited about ’my date’ as I thought she would be. What Rachelle does do, is give me another escape option as she is working, so if I need to hide she isn’t too far from the oval the Carols take place on.

By the time six o’clock arrives, I am pacing around in my room and I’ve swapped my shoes four times. I check my jeans in the mirror, again, and hope I’m not making a mistake since it’s still quite hot outside. Danny had a point about the grass being itchy, so pants make sense and the longer I’m fussing, the more nervous I’m getting.

The second I hear a car arriving on our street, I’m at my window and sure enough, the old sky blue Ford stops on our driveway. I guess Michael and Danny got it working after all. He gets out of the car, and looks up right at me. This time my stomach is in knots because of the way he smiles at me, not because I’m starting to freak out and question everything that led to this moment.

I have nothing to be nervous about.

Even so, I don’t move as he heads towards the door and disappears under the porch. Danny knocks on my door a couple of minutes later, while I’m still frozen in place.

“Nanna has him. I’d hurry if I were you!” Danny grins, clearly enjoying this.

“Why didn’t you-”

He holds up his hand, stopping me. “Sarah, you keep telling me to stay out of your business. So I am!”

I push past him and head down stairs. Sure enough Nanna has him cornered in the kitchen, while Mum and Dad stand at the other end of the counter, enjoying the show as Michael looks like a fish out of water in front of her.

“Sarah, there you are! I was just talking to Michael here about the fact we’ll all be at the Carols tonight. If he wanted to meet some of the family, it would be a good chance to do so considering my side is all here! And Noah, but he’s practically family now anyway!” She grins with teeth too perfect to be real on full display.

“Nanna, please!” I groaned, dreading where that conversation could go. “Bye guys, we might, see you later!”

I grab Michaels hand and he mumbles bye as I drag him out of the door. As we pass, Danny comes down the stairs and I grab him too. I stop on the porch and Michael stays near as I talk to my brother.

“Are you going to be okay, with all them? Jake’s gonna be there right, and you liked Noah? Don’t let Nanna stir something up!”

“Yeah and if they do piss me off, I’ll just take all of Nanna’s bourbon and leave. Don’t worry about me.” He smiles, and nods at Michael before going back inside.

“Problems?” He asks as I follow him out to the car.

“Just, family stuff. Sorry about Nanna.”

“She’s fine, though I did find it weird she asked me about my blood type and then asked me how I felt about kids.”

“She what?” I gasped, mortified.

“Kidding. Relax!” He laughed.

It was easier said than done, at least for me as I felt out of my depth now I was alone with him. Sure we’d been alone together before, and that usually ended well. Kind of. Sometimes…

“Why do you look like I’m taking you to meet your doom?” Michael breaks into my thoughts and I shift on the bench seat to look at him a little better.

“Sorry. I, um, well, this is new for me.”

“What is?”

“This would actually be my first, date.” I confessed.

“Ah. I was thinking you changed your mind and was trying to see if you get one of your friends to bail you out of it.” He was joking, but not well enough to hide the fact he was nervous too.

“Oh don’t worry. I have a few things in place should I need to.” I laugh.

Michael loses his smile and without thinking I put my hand on his where it was resting at his side. His eyes don’t leave the road as he turns my hand so his on top as we entwine our fingers. I hold back my smile at how nice that actually is and look forward at the road too, while we both pretend it’s nothing, but know it’s not.