Pen-Pal Romance

Chapter 4

"Cullen!" my older brother calls out while I sit on a chair in the waiting area of the airport, while waiting for him to exit the plane.

Snapping my head toward Collin's voice, I instantly grin as we make eye contact. Quickly standing to my feet, I shove my cell in my left front pocket before grabbing him into a tight hug as he drops his duffle bag to the floor next to us, and he instantly returns the bone crushing hug.

"I've missed you, Col!" I whisper tearfully into his neck as we tighten our holds on each other.

"I've missed you, too, little brother!" he murmurs into my hair, and he sounds equally teary as I am.

"Let's go as I want to sleep cuddled up against my beautiful wife," Collin smirks as we pull apart after a few minutes.

Chuckling, I pat him on the back lightly with a playful eyeroll; "Let's get you home then. I don't want to deprive you any longer of that."

"Is Connor staying home from school today?" Collin asks as I drive us home once we have left the airport.

"He is staying home by his choice," I reply as I stare at the road ahead of me.

"Morgan and I will come over to hang out once we are awake," he replies, and I can hear the smile in his voice when he mentions his lovely wife.

"Why don't you guys come over in the afternoon, and spend some alone time with Morgan in the morning, if you catch my meaning," I tell him while trying not to gage.

"Hush you," he lauhgs as he takes in the scenery as it flies past us. "Man, I have missed being home, and being with Morgan, you and Connor."

"We have missed you, too, man," I softly reply while trying not to cry over how much I have missed him.

"How has Morgan been, honestly?" he asks after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "She tells me she is fine, but I want to make sure."

"She has been fine," I assure him. "She has had a few rough days here and there, but that's to be expected, but otherwise she's handling it the best she can."

"Okay. Thanks for being honest with me, bro," he soflty says while gently squeezing my right shoulder once before dropping his hand back into his lap with a sigh.

"No problem, man," I reply as I turn into our town.

"Why aren't you dating, or letting Connor date for that matter?" he asks, and I groan as I knew this question was coming sooner rather than later.

"Connor hasn't found anyone yet that he wants to date, and besides I have told him he can't start dating until he's 16. As for me, I am focused on my job, and raising and being there for Connor, so I don't have time to date," I tell him for what feels like the thousandth time.

"Dad let us start dating when we were 15, so you should let Connor, too," Collin reminds me as if I have forgotten. "As for you, why don't you all of that plus date?"

"Dad isn't the one raising Connor, I am, so my rules, and Connor has agreed with my choice. I am not interested in in anyone, so it makes my choice in not dating easier," I sigh while turning down our road.

"Cullen," he sighs with a shake of his head. "I think you are hiding behind your fear of what happened between our parents as why you don't date. Not every relationship ends up like theirs did."

"I know this, I really do," I murmur, hoping he drops the subject as I am too damn tired to argue with him over this, and besides this is the first time I've seen him in a year, and not how I want us to reconnect.

Pulling into my driveway, I turn off the engine and headlights before climbing out, and shut the door quietly. Collin does the safe after grabbing his Army issued duffle bag out of the back. Hugging him tightly for a few minutes before we wish each other goodnight, and head inside our own homes. I wait to enter mine until I know he is in his safely.

Once inside the house, I head to my room where I strip down to my red boxers, and crawl into bed. Plugging my phone into the charger, I place it on the nightstand after setting an alarm for 10 a.m. Snuggling down into my warm bed under my dark silver sheet and comforter set, I'm asleep within seconds. Before I am ready to be awake, my alarm is blarring, and I'm jolted awake. Groaning, I reach my left hand over to turn the horrid noise off before rolling onto my back from my stomach. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes before standing onto my feet to stumble into my bathroom to do my morning routine.

Walking into the kitchen, I make breakfast for Connor and I when I remember I never placed Kingston's letter in the mailbox, so I quickly grab it from the car to do so. Entering the house, I start making breakfast, knowing the smell will bring my little brother down to eat by the time I finish cooking. Yup, he's right on time, as he enters the kitchen as I start placing food on the two plates.

"Morning, sleepyhead," I greet him with a chuckle and a grin at him. "Have some coffee, Con."

"Morning, Cul," he grunts back in his raspy, sleep filled voice while he walks over to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup of steaming liquid.

He then pours me a mug of coffee before adding creamer to both mugs before turning to face me while he asks; "Did you get Collin okay from the airport?"

"Yup. His plane was on time, thankfully, and we made good time on the way home since there wasn't much traffic due to the time," I reply as we each take our coffee, and a plate to the table.

"That's awesome," he grins at me. "Are him and Morgan coming over later?"

"Yup, I told him that they should come over this afternoon," I reply as we start eating.