Two Strangers of Brothers

Chapter 13

My eyes slowly drift open and I can't pull the smile from my face as I gaze at my brothers sleeping faces. I yawn, tucking my head back under Isaac's chin. My legs stay tangled in Andrew's.

"Geez, it's already 3:00." I glance over at Andrew who ruffles his blonde hair.

"Who cares?" Isaac mumbles sleepily, tightening his grip on Andrew's hand that he holds. I run a hand through my hair. What do they do, anyway? I haven't seen them go to work the entire week that I've been here, yet they own this huge house. The only time we've really gone anywhere was when we visited the lake or went to the store. It doesn't really matter, though. I don't care. All I care about is them.

"Isaac, Andrew?" I ask, pulling my head away from Isaac's chin.

"Hmmm?" Isaac asks, seeming to be drifting back into sleep.

"Can you tell me some memories? You know, about us, when we were kids...The good ones."

My words hang in the air for a moment before I feel someone's lips on my shoulder. I turn to Drew. He smiles at me, blue eyes sparkling as he remembers something. "Okay," he nods.

"Well there was this one time... when dad was still around, before we even moved. You were about four or so, and you used to always follow me and Isaac around. Anyway, I was given the important task of icing the cake Mom made Dad for his birthday. So you, being the doting brother you were, decided to help me. So there we were, an eight year old and a four year old surrounded my freshly baked cake, chocolate icing and sprinkles. It was a disaster waiting to happen." He pauses to laugh, his blue eyes dancing with mine as if urging me to remember. "You decided it would be a fantastic idea to grab a handful of icing and spread it in my hair. So you did and I, before I was mature, of course, picked up the bowl and smeared some on your face. Then we got into this big thing of throwing icing and sprinkles at each other. The kitchen was a mess." He laughs again, glancing at Isaac who seems to be awake now. He returns Drew's smile as if he's trying to hold back laughter at what happens next.

"Okay, so then Isaac comes in. Now, he was going through this ninja, I'm so tough stage, so he was taking karate classes. There he is in his white clothing, just getting back from practice. We just attacked him, covering him in the stuff. He was furious. So mom came running in and almost had a heart attack at the mess." He pauses for a minute, his smile dropping slightly. "You know—back when she was good." I study his melancholy face.

I understand what he means. I've grown up with good mom. She's tainted forever now, in my mind. I'll never look at her the same way now that I remember her dark period.

"Anyway, Isaac is screaming and she's just standing there. Of course you would expect her to yell at us, but you know what she does?" I shake my head searching for the memory to complete the story.

"She picks up a glob of icing off the wall and throws it at us. Come on, Isaac, she says. Then she hides behind the counter, and it's war." Drew looks at his hands. "I miss that her," he says, leaning back down and staring up at the ceiling.

I remember that now. Dad came home late, probably with the girl he'd soon leave us for a year later. Mom still made us clean all of it up, excluding Isaac, but he helped anyway because that was just who he was. I leaned over Drew, placing a kiss on his lips.

"I remember that time when we went fishing and Isaac fell into the water," I tell them, remembering the time Dad had taken us. He'd been on a fishing kick and took us out to lake, on a boat and everything.

Isaac snorts. "I remember that. You pushed me," he corrects me, ruffling my hair.

Andrew laughs. "Yeah. I dared him to."

I let out a breath and smile. I could live like this forever. With them, laughing and reminiscing.

I remember now. I don't want to ever leave them.

"I'm hungry," Andrew says, untangling himself from us and standing. I watch his naked form as he pulls open Isaac's drawers and slips on jeans. They're a bit big on him, but I wouldn't complain. They show his hip bones beautifully, the way they ride low on him. "Will you make lunch, Isaac?" Drew asks, blinking his eyes a couple times and sticking out his lower lip.

I laugh at the face he pulls, but it seems to get Isaac, because he nods. I hop out of bed, pulling a pair of Isaac's sweatpants on. Isaac wears shorts again.

We head down the stairs and Isaac begins searching through the cabinets.

I lean up against the table behind me and watch Andrew as he bends down to roll the jeans up at the ankles so they don't drag on the ground.

"Shorty," I tease, causing him to look up at me. He raises an eyebrow before striding over to me.

"I would watch what you say, kid. I still haven't had you. Which means you should watch your back." He leans in close to me, our noses brushing against each other.

"Oh, really? You're about as threatening as a teddy bear," I tell him with a smirk.

"Is that so?" He grabs my hips, spinning me around. I place my hands on the table to steady myself, my chest skimming the surface of the table. He suddenly rams against me, making me bite my lip as I glance at him from over my shoulder. He blows a kiss at me before he slowly grinds into me, making me moan.

"You guys are really hot," Isaac says, coming to stand next to us, a glass of water in his hand.

"Really?" Andrew hums. He takes the water from his hand, placing it on the table before grabbing the back of Isaac's neck and bringing him down in a kiss. I watch, slowly getting up to walk behind Andrew. I place my hands on his hips before trailing kisses down his naked back. The sound of the doorbell suddenly draws us away.

"Ah, who's that?" Isaac grumbles, pulling away from Andrew.

"I don't know, maybe Susan." Drew shrugs, stepping away from us.

"Cock block," Isaac mutters and Andrew rolls his eyes.

"I'll get rid of her," he says, picking up the glass and taking a sip from it as he heads towards the front door.

Isaac turns to me, wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me into a kiss.

The sound of glass breaking makes us jump away from each other. Isaac's eyes immediately hold concern. "Drew?" he calls out worriedly. There's no reply and we head towards the door.

Andrew is on his knees, the broken glass cup in front of him, his shoulders shaking slightly.

"Drew?" I ask, Isaac runs over to him and I follow. "What's the matter?" I ask.

He shakes his head keeping his stare on the ground. Someone clears their throat and I look up, my eyes widening at who stands at the door.

"Mom?" I ask weakly.