My Future Stepbrother

Chapter 164

As I expected I woke up alone, I understood. Last night had been a wordless contact made without either of us being able to pull away. It wasn't lustful, it was precious.


Going downstairs there was no awkwardness as my eyes caught Jayce’s, both of us smiling knowing it was the best night sleep either of us have had in a long time.


Milo opened his presents with pure excitement and it was nice to see the happy kid I'm so fond of pop back into my sight for a bit.


Jayce bought him the kit for the team he was joining and it had 'Thompson' across the back, Tara even got a little teary eyed knowing one day she'd be watching Jayce in that as he ran across her TV screen.


Milo was ecstatic and while I helped Tara set up some of the food, they went out to play basketball.


"You look better today sweetheart, looking forward to the party?"


I smile at her. "Yeah, not having a hang over does wonders for your complexion. Sure, is Dad working the grill or Jayce?" My eyes flashed to him and Milo as they took turns to shoot their shots. Milo had gotten really good and from the look on Jayce’s face he was a bit concerned his high school record wouldn't stand for long after Milo got there.


Tara coughed and drew my attention back to her. "I said your Dad hun, well unless one of the guys from his work takes over. Are Josh and Brie still coming?"


I nod and help her finish chopping the salad. There was a time when Tara would've just hired caterers but I think mine and Dad's more laid back attitude towards these types of things was rubbing off on her. Although I did have to hold back a laugh when she asked Milo which glassware he would rather use and he responded with 'the paper kind'.


I grabbed a shower whilst everyone was busy and blow dried my hair, I was just getting my make up sorted when Josh walked in and threw himself down on my bed. "Adulting us fucking hard. If one more person says the word spreadsheet to me this week I'm gonna cave their fucking head in."


I laugh. "And hello to you too happiness. Things really that rough?”


Getting up I threw on my underwear while he rambled about numbers, if he wasn't my best friend I couldn't stand the whole business talk but since he never complained once even after I made him watch Ghost while I cried for the 50th time last week I let him keep going.


I grab the only two decent dresses I have out for the closet and hold them up. "Which one?"


He rolls his eyes at me. "Not that kind of gay Al, ask Brie when she gets here, they all look the same to me."


I turn to the mirror and hold up both dresses scanning my options. "Bitch wear the red, and maybe think about locking your door when you're walking around in your underwear. Unless there's someone you wanted to catch you..." Brie's voice comes from the open doorway, standing in a skin tight dress that most people would consider too short for a club never mind a kids party.


Josh's eyes lock to mine. "Who do you want to be seeing you in your underwear here?"


I start pulling the red dress over my head just as the bathroom door opens. By the time I pull it down I see Jayce is standing looking directly at me, whilst Brie and Josh just scan their eyes between the two of us smirking.


"Ummm... Just wanted to tell you Mum wanted you guys to come down... People are already here..." His lips turn up slightly in the corners. "You look... Red was always your colour.."


I don’t even get a chance to respond before he walks back out the door, leaving me a blushing mess whilst these two dorks just stare at me.


"So how many times did you guys fuck last night?" Brie asks with a mouthful of left over Oreos from my nightstand. Josh chuckles and this is why I bloody hate them together, they gang up on me.


I throw my mascara at her head but my complete lack of aim sends it shooting into Josh instead. "We did not have sex Brianna!.. We just... cuddled."


"Oooooo." They both mock in synchronicity.


"Shut the fuck up you two. Go down, I'll meet you there." I was not talking about this with them here.


The party was going really well, Milo had so many presents I had to start taking them upstairs out of the way. I was happy to see Jayce and Josh talking, they hadn't had much of a relationship over the last few years and I wished they would again. Josh mentioned how much better he was than the last time they saw each other and it seemed to be a universal opinion, I caught a few people mentioning to Tara how nice it was to see him happy again.


Everyone was taking pictures and having food, so many of Tara's friend had turned up that it looked more like a giant family barbecue than a kids party by the end.


I was just refilling the ice buckets when I felt a tap on my shoulder.


"Hello Aleah."


Fuck. Elizabeth.


*********************** 


I froze and braced myself, waiting for a slap or a cup full of wine to hit my face but there was nothing.


Elizabeth looked different, her smile didn't have the same radiating life it once did and she'd definitely lost some weight but her soul didn't look as heavy as the last time I saw her.


"Elizabeth... I'm so happy to see you..." I wanted to pull her into a hug but I didn't dare try to push her into something she wasn't ready for.


I stepped until my back hit against the counter, unable to read her face and still not sure what her true reaction was going to be. I didn't want to force a conversation on her and I could feel eyes on us from the people around so I just waited for her to make the first move.


She stepped forward into my space when the look on her face changed, a small smile I'd seen so many times having breakfast in her house made it's way onto her lips just as her arms pulled me into her ample bosom.


"It's so good to see you my dear. I've missed you terribly."


I crumble.


My whole body starts to vibrate as the tears pour freely down my face. Her touch... it was so much like his.


She held me tight, so tight I knew she was trying to stop me from falling at her feet. My chest jolted as all the pain I'd bottled up from that night erupted to the surface. I could hardly catch my breath to speak but tried to force the words out between hard sniffling. "I-I'm... so... sorr-"


"You stop that now Aleah. Do you hear me? Shhh, Shhh, Shhh." Her fingers stroking back the hair that clings to the tears on my face whilst letting my head rest against her chest.

"I should be the one apologising Aleah. The way I treated you... I could barely look at myself in the mirror after the funeral. I should've said something, told people it wasn't your fault but I was so hurt my dear. I couldn't even see that you needed me as much as I needed you that day. Please forgive me sweetheart..."


I pull my head up to face her but her grip around me doesn't loosen. "There's nothing to forgive Elizabeth, I understood. I always understood. What we did that night..."


She puts her hand up to stop me. "Aleah when I met my husband, I already had a boyfriend. He was a good man that treated me incredibly well but the moment I lay eyes on Phil that was it. I tried my best to make my relationship work but my dear, you don't get to choose who you love - love chooses for you. Sometimes it isn't fair and people get hurt but if I hadn't followed my heart I would've never had Chad. I truly believe Aleah that no matter what happened that night... He would've always gone back in for you, it was his destiny. Love chose you for him too and now he's with my other angel babies, probably causing mischief ready for when I join them. You have to stop baring the weight of this my love, it was never your fault."


Those words. Words I never thought I'd hear from her but had prayed every night for.


"I miss him Elizabeth, I miss him so much some days it feels impossible to move knowing he isn't going to be in the world when I walk back out into it."


She pulls my face towards her and kisses my forehead. "It won't ever stop hurting beautiful but we can't keep focusing on the fact he's gone, we have to be grateful that we got to have him at all." Her hands move from my face to my arms and she looks over my bracelet. "A beautiful gift for a beautiful girl he told me when I found that in his drawer... He was right."


I hug my bracelet to my chest and finally feel like I can breathe again, a weight I'd gotten so used to baring I hardly even noticed it was still there, now vanished.


Brie and Josh look over at me checking I’m okay, but I didn't need them to come here right now, I knew there was someone else already on his way.


Jayce walked over to meet us and she immediately wrapped her arms around his shoulders too.


She stepped back and looked between us. "You two are really growing up aren't you? Both so beautiful and full of life.." Her hands reach out to take one of ours in each. "I know you're both going to do him so proud." 


I fall into her arms, tears running down my cheeks as she returns my embrace. "There, there, my gorgeous girl. You do not need to cry my love, he's never truly left any of us. I can still feel him in both of you."


She pulls my head back, holding my cheeks in her hands. "You come see me from now on Aleah Davies, I lost my son that night and I don't wish to live without my daughter any longer, do you understand me? I know I'm just a batty old woman to you lot but when you have the time, you come see me. I want to be a part of your life." She looks to Jayce. "Both of your lives."


Elizabeth sits with me for a while, telling me all about the changes she's made to her house and the things going on at the country club. I tell her about the volunteering programme we have to set up at the clinic and I promise to send her the details so she can help.


Jayce sits with us for a bit then. His hand on the bottom of my back supportively as we all start to laugh as she tells me the background to Matteo’s latest divorce and remarriage, that man puts every high school fuck boy to shame.


The party winds down as people start to leave, Brie decides to take May back with her as she crashes from her sugar high straight into the sofa.


Josh stays to help clear up a bit before he gets a call from work about some emergency I don't even understand the meaning of but he hugs me goodbye before Jayce chases out after him and they talk by the car. I don't hear what they say but they have a bro hug at the end and I'm glad things are good between them now, I know Josh has missed him.


Milo hardly acknowledged the presence of any of us during the party, Josh being the only adult he'd talk to because apparently 'he's cool' but he did give me a quick hug when his mates left before he ran up to play with all his presents.


"I'm exhausted now. Should we leave the rest of the clean up until tomorrow? I just want a bubble bath and my bed." I look at Tara like she just magically turned into a completely different species. Tara wants to leave mess? Until tomorrow? I think she's a skrull guys.


"That's good, I need to go check things at the boat before tomorrow anyway." Jayce throws the party plates he's collected into the trash before heading towards the door, catching my eyes on the way before stopping. "Do you want to come?"


I smile. "Yeah, I'd love to see it properly." I react without thinking before I'm suddenly aware of the eyes glaring at me. When I turn back to face them Tara and Dad are making themselves look overly busy, I think they've had too much cake.

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