Her heart leapt. She felt like a teenager.
Is Lori asleep? X
I think so. These walls are paper thin, I can't hear her x
Lol can u keep quiet enough? X
Oh I can. Can u? X
About to find out x
She crept over to the door, knowing instinctively which floorboards to avoid. Her mother was a ridiculously light sleeper. She'd crept in and out of the house too many times to make any of her old mistakes. She was about to sneak out into the hallway when she remembered something and snuck back for her vanity case.
As she opened the door, she looked down the dark hallway towards her parents room. Silent. She stepped out into the hall and let out an involuntary shriek and she walked directly into her brother, frantically shushing her.
"Chris?! What the fuck are you doing?" She whispered.
"I might ask you the same question!"
They both snapped round to look at their parents door as they heard someone cough. Chris pointed downstairs and Stevie nodded. They tiptoed down the hall like a couple of cat burglars, and Stevie had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at how ridiculous the whole situation was.
Once they reached the screen to the back porch, Chris turned to her again.
"So? What gives?"
"Well I'd think it's pretty obvious in my case!" She tried not to raise her voice as she pointed down to the guesthouse.
"After you then."
"What? Lori??"
"We have an understanding. You of all people should get it."
He had a point. He turned to open the screen door but it jammed after he unlocked it.
"Come here, there's a knack to it." She nudged him aside and slid her fingers behind the fitting, wiggling them until the door swung open. She grinned triumphantly.
He raised an eyebrow.
"You really are good with your fingers, huh?"
She laughed and headed out to the guesthouse. As they reached the door he stopped her.
"Teedee, wait - I'm not sure how this is gonna work. The walls are awful, I know, I put them in."
"Are you trying to tell me you can't keep your woman quiet?"
"Can you?"
"Oh, it's on, little brother."
"What's in the case, by the way?"
"Don't ask."
They entered the tiny cabin and as Chris was about to go into the room on the left, he turned and offered his hand to his sister. She laughed aloud and shook it before going into Sheryl's room.
"Jesus, what in the hell is this?" The 'room' was little more than a cupboard. The single bed filled the whole floor area and Sheryl was in fits of silent laughter at Stevie's reaction. "You still think we are better here than in a hotel?"
"Shut up and come here." Stevie climbed onto the bed beside her and they shared a long, deep kiss. "Do you know how hard it's been to look at you all day and not do that?"
They heard Lori's unmistakable laughter as clear as if she was in the bed with them.
"Oh my god..."
"I told you! No idea what she's laughing about though."
