Rustles

Part 22

“Your phone’s out again.”

Kenneth glared at her brother and she tried to look anywhere but her brother.

“Yes, needed few things.”

He came in and closed the door.

“What is he doing here?”

“He wanted to talk.” She said through closed lips and kept biting her lower lip.

All this good-hearted girl talk was soon over, she thought. It turned fast into lying-for-anything kind of girl.

“I thought you were wiser by now…” he began, locking his eyes with Kenneth’s stare.

“Margaret, I really don’t have time for this.” Kenneth intervened, crossing his hands on his chest and resting against the sink. Jameson took a step towards him. “What?” he shouted immediately, “No guns this time? Who, who is this guy?”

“My brother!” If he had said anything, it would have been a blunt oh! She pushed herself up and stood between them and turned to Jameson. “I know I’ve been lousy choosing men, but this isn’t what it looks like!”

 “Like what? He dragged you out of your house by force! I taught you better than that!”

She scratched her head. “Yes, well…”

“You pointed gun at her head!” Kenneth wanted to pass her, but she slammed her foot down on his path and he bounced against it. “The way you held it – are you fucking nuts even to hold one in public places?”

“Calm down!” she tried to intervene, but was sadly outnumbered.

“I pointed the gun at you!”

“Chill out!” she pushed her brother back.

“Toss him out!” brother insisted, “You don’t deserve someone, who abuses you!”

“Oh, god!” Her shoulders slump, sensing Kenneth rage against her back while her over-protective brother was adding oil into the fire from front. The last she needed right now was older brother’s protective jealousy tossed at someone, who didn’t even deserve it.

She suddenly pulled herself out of their way. That cooled the men notably.

“You want to take it outside, guys?” she yelled from the bottom of her heart. “If not, that’s what we’ll do now and I am not up to anything else! You!” She pointed at Jameson.  “Out!

Jameson wasn’t listening. “You should be tossing him out!”

“I’ll call you tomorrow!”

“Yeah, with that… his military and I suck for man in uniform, so what can I do?” she shrugged and still pushed her brother towards the door.

“He’s one of them, isn’t he?” his voice dropped, blocking his feet into the floor.

“Yes,” she admitted humbly, “but as you can see – he is with brains and not after anyone’s blood.”

“Yet!”

She quickly opened the door.

“No, like never.” 

She tried to push him off the balance to get him through the door. To her surprise, it worked and he stumbled through.

“If you love me – you’ll stay out of this. Please!” she said, closing the door behind her.

“I can’t. You’re my sister! And you’ve got yourself in one hell of a mess!”