My Exes Brother

Chapter Seven

A year passed a lot of time and I am a year sober I felt amazing I was still doing college and I got a manager position at the café I grew close to my family and friends after all the time I was gone I hated my past but with the classes and AA meetings I put it in the past and was living one day at a time. I was asked on tons of dates but I never agreed I focused on myself. I was cleaning tables even though I was a manager I put work in when Kelly, Ally, Abel, Axel, and Ally's boyfriend walked in. I slipped in the back I heard them talking to my employee Penelope the one that got married I heard Penelope walk towards me she caught me hiding she said "you okay boss?" I said "past is hitting me in the face do they want me?' Penelope said "yeah I can lie say you ran to the bank." I said "no I need to be an adult can you cover everything while I catch up with them?" Penelope said "of course plus I will have the other two once they get back from break." I said "okay if you need me just come over." Penelope said "okay." I walked out of the back and walked towards them Kelly said "hey come sit." I said "for a minute I am short-staffed." I sat beside Axel and Axel said "you look good Naomi." I said, "thanks I keep myself busy plus I workout now." Ally said, "I told you she is a changed woman." We laughed and I said "I am what is the occasion for you all to be here?" Kelly said," oh let's see you are a year sober since a week we wanted to be supportive." I said, "I appreciate it this has been a long year but here I am." Abel said "I'm proud of you Naomi." I said "thank you." My employee Mason was a flirt and has asked me out numerous times he was two years younger he walked towards me he said "hey boss lady is this your friend you talk about?" I said "yeah did you break something?" Mason said "no but I did lock your door on accident." I said "here is my key." I handed him the key he said "nice to meet you guys." He walked out Ally said "is that the flirty one?" I said "yeah he is too much." Kelly said "you don't want him ill hit him up." I said "ill pass." We talked and I bought them coffee and pastries and it was nice us being together. We were talking when Kelly said, "We rented a cabin you off this weekend right?" I said "I am as long as my assistant manager comes in." Ally said, "good you're joining us we have a hot tub and pool table no alcohol I already declared that rule." I said " I guess just send me the address and after work, I will pack a couple of things and be there I get off around four." Kelly said "yay also we have a surprise!" I said "what kind of surprise?" Axel said "a good one." I said "nice hint." We laughed I said, "I am heading back to work just send me the details girls." I hugged Kelly and Ally and said goodbye to the guys and went back to work I made sure the assistant manager was covering the weekend which she was and then I headed home. I fed Alaska and texted mom she already knew so which meant she knew what the surprise was and she agreed to check in on Alaska. I packed some clothes and stuff and headed to the address. I was anxious for many reasons mainly that I had no idea what my surprise was and another reason is I was going to be in the same place as Abel and even though I wasn't dating he was fine a lot finer than before. When I pulled in Abel helped me pack my stuff in a room I had a pretty room with an amazing view. Then we walked into the living room I sat down beside Kelly everyone looked excited I said "what was the surprise dorks?" Kelly said, "We are moving home all of us!" I said, "hold up all of you why?" Ally said, "Kelly and I found a job here and Axel and Abel are helping their dad with his business." I said, "goodness all my friends all together awe I love you guys." I hugged Kelly and Ally I was happy they would be closer I would have them so we could shop and hang out. We talked and ate pizza it was a good surprise and I was excited. Around nine I went to my room and got on a bathing suit and got in the hot tub everyone else was asleep or doing other things I was alone it was relaxing the view from this spot was breathtaking. I heard footsteps it was Abel I turned around he said "mind if I join you?" I said "yeah go ahead" He got in and sat across from me it was quiet I said, "feels amazing doesn't it?" Abel said, "yeah it does." It got quiet again Abel said, "it is nice you being here seems like we haven't seen each other in years." I said, "I know we left on bad terms and now we can be in each other's presence." Abel said, "I was an idiot I should have been calmer I am sorry." I said "no need to be." Abel said, " I know you don't want anything right now but I love you Naomi I always have you know that." I said, "I know Abel but things are different I am a whole different person." Abel said, "do you love me?" I did but to tell him I did would make things so complicated but I needed to be truthful I said "I do." Abel said, "that is good to hear." I said, "but we cant." Abel said, "I know." He walked over to me and grabbed my waist he got a lot more fit over time. He kissed me all the feelings hit me how I felt about him never changed I just hid it all. I stopped and said, "I am going to lay down." Abel said, "I am sorry I just.." I said, "I know goodnight." I got out and took a shower I didn't know what to do I knew how I felt but our past together has been messy. I fell asleep when I woke I heard fighting I got up and walked out Axel and Abel were fighting I eavesdropped they were arguing about me Abel must have told Axel about us kissing and Axel was livid because he don't want him messing up my sobriety. I snuck down the stairs Kelly and Ally and Ally's boyfriend sat eating I said "hear that?" Kelly said, "yeah Abel announced he kissed you details like now." I smiled and said, "nothing we told each other how we felt and I told him I can't and he kissed me." Ally said, "I know it's part of your recovery but he is crazy over you." I smiled and said, "I know it's just so many things like I'm scared to finally be in his arms and him be mine." Kelly said, "you deserve it so much." I said, "ugh men I need to be a nun." We all laughed a few minutes later Axel and Abel walked downstairs you could tell it was tense. Abel sat beside me and they ate it was silent I said "good morning guys!" Abel said "good morning." Axel didn't reply and I didn't want to pry so I finished eating and walked out onto the deck the view was beautiful the mountains look like something out of a photo. I sat on the porch swing and cleared my mind. I heard footsteps it was Axel I said "hey." Axel said "hey can we talk?" I said, "yeah sure just enjoying this view." Axel said, "it's beautiful here." Axel said, "so the kiss I wasn't expecting that to happen." I said, "not to be rude but you do know we have done more than that right." Axel said, "I know it's my brother and I want you both happy it's just hard for me." I said, "I get that but you seemed fine with it at the hospital nothing happened of course but still." Axel said, "I wasn't when mom told me I got upset it's not that I don't want you happy it's just hard for me." I said, "I get that but Abel and I have something I'm not sure what because we have been out of each other's life for a bit but I want him in my life and I know it upsets you but I need happiness." Axel said, "I know I just overthink you know how I am." I said, "no matter what happens we will be friends I will make sure of it." Axel said, "it helps because I don't want to lose you completely out of my life I have screwed up a lot but it has been nice having you as a friend." I said, "I know." I hugged him Axel and I have been spotty since we broke up we were sometimes nice to each other and sometimes we weren't but it felt good to know us being friends meant a lot to him. After we finished talking I went inside Abel sat talking with my friends at the kitchen table I wanted him to make a move already last night he did but I pushed him away I hoped he didn't take that the wrong way. I sat beside Abel and grabbed his hand he smiled Kelly caught us she said "holding hands just date already." I smiled and said, "whenever he is ready." Abel said, "really I've been ready but I'll ask when the time is right." I said, "okay fair enough." It felt nice to be holding his hand Axel joined us and it was civil maybe things were going well for once. The rest of the day we went to a shopping center all of us and went to a ski resort there wasn't snow but we still chilled around a fire and talked it was nice having all my friends around. Once we got home I had to talk to my friends about me disappearing I knew with all of them there was hurt. We all sat in the living room I said "I need to talk to everyone." Ally said, "about what?" I said "I never got the chance to apologize to all of you those five months I went wild I was selfish I didn't contact you or even check-in and I missed so much stuff and it eats at me because I'm not that person and every night I hope my heart hurts less over it but it hasn't but I'm sorry for all of it I didn't just hurt me I hurt myself." Ally said, "don't be sorry you made it up to us when we saw you happy and healthy out of rehab." I said "Jesus I never in a million years thought I would be saying that who I was in those five months was a whole different person." Kelly said, "that person who is going look at you I like this version of you." Abel said "I do too." I smiled I said "you guys are amazing." Kelly said "just a question I never got to ask did you think about us?" I said "a lot when I was sober I would break down from withdrawals and you guys and my family would  be my only reason for crying." Kelly said, "we are just glad you're okay." I hugged Kelly and Ally they have stood by me for all my crazy life and even when I was a kid with cancer they accepted me while other kids made fun of me or were scared of me. They have been there forever and I'm glad after all I did they didn't leave me sitting but they stuck around and I was so thankful for them. Around nine I said "I am exhausted plus I want to enjoy my last day here tomorrow." Ally said, "yeah we were headed to be in a minute." Abel said "tomorrow evening can I take you out somewhere?" I said "sure." Abel said, "good I'll tell you more details tomorrow goodnight." I hugged everyone and went to sleep tonight I slept a little better knowing I told all of them sorry I meant it I feel like crap. When I woke I found a box I opened it there was a note it said "for tonight your color is yellow makes your brown eyes look amazing I have a whole thing planned can't wait for tonight Abel" I smiled and slid some leggings and a hoodie on and walked downstairs everyone sat eating we talked and the rest of the day we hiked then around four I went upstairs to get ready for tonight with Abel I slid the dress on it was a yellow sundress and I slid some heels on and curled my hair and fixed my makeup it was all a mess from hiking. Around six I walked downstairs I was nervous about tonight but I couldn't wait to see what tonight held.