After the Storm (manxman)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

(Beach Front Vacation Home)

God, putting up with well meaning family members can be a pain in the ass. I thought as I threw the my shaving kit into my suitcase and zipped it closed. If I could muster the energy, I would strangle the very life out of my sister. She has invaded my house and my life making me do things I really didn't feel like doing, and she was as determined about it as a pitbull with a bone. She's even brought in reinforcements with her in the form of our mother.

It was two against one and I just gave up trying to have a say in my own house. It was easier to let them do what the Hell they wanted to do because fighting those odds was just too much for me to handle right about now. If I opened my mouth to protest against something, they would turn their heads and stare at me like I was some sort of alien species and go right back to whatever it was they were discussing like I hadn't said anything in the first place.

Swinging the luggage off the bed, I pulled up the handle and rolled it behind me as I made my way out of my room. I fought the urge to make a run for it, but whatever chances I may have had to get away from the women was cut short when Thomas, Melba's husband, and our driver met me at the top of the stairs and cheerfully took my case from me and carried it back downstairs to load it in the car.

They were taking me to our family's cottage by the sea, a place I haven't visited since I was in my late teens. I knew my family went there occasionally but between college and getting a job at the Clinic, I didn't have the time to go on vacations with them. Then I met and married Jackson, and taking care of him full time definitely didn't leave the time to go anywhere.

Now the determined pair of woman gave me no choice in the matter, and to be honest, I was too emotionally overloaded trying to come to terms with the recent changes in my life to really care where they care carting me off to. I was going to go, spend some time with them and then hopefully they will get off my back. They meant well, but I needed to find my center and gain my elusive piece of mind all over again.

For them , I will go to the cottage, sit on the beach, breathe in all the fresh air they wanted me to, and then I can come back home to my house. That was my plan and I am determined to stick to it. They just don't understand and in order for them to understand there were things I would have to reveal that was nobody's business but mine and Jackson's. So I will just deal with being by the ocean for a few weeks, maybe they are right, and the fresh sea air will help clear my jumbled thoughts and I can figure out what to do with myself.

My foot barely touched the marble tiled floor at the bottom of the stairs when Dani came bouncing towards me like a happy bunny on crack. "Hey big bro, are you ready for some R&R." She chirped as she practically vibrated with excitement in front me. I looked at her and wondered what is was like to be so carefree and open. Was I ever like her? Did I ever find in joy out of everything, even something as simple as going on vacation? Geez, I have become such a cynical prick, wonderful. I mentally rolled my eyes at myself while I attempted to give my sister a sincere smile. After all, they were just putting me through all of this because they cared about me.

"Let's get this show on the road." I said and Danielle happily squealed and grabbed me by the hand. I was dragged across the foyer and almost thrown head first into the limo waiting at the bottom of the steps in the driveway. My mother was already seated and waiting for us. I could hear Thomas' low chuckle at my sibling's show of exuberance as he shut the car door leaving me enclosed in the luxurious interior with my doting mother and my hyperactive sister. Did I say I was not looking forward to the next four hours, the time span it will take us to reach our destination?