Chosen Families

Chapter 5

TW: self harm, EDs

Reece's POV

I head over to Marjorie's after dropping Carly off at home. I can't help but hope, beg and pray that neither Aut nor Carly have told her anything. I'd rather not explain to her why I've been so distant lately. I love Marjorie with my whole heart, I want nothing more than to keep her happy and therefore she doesn't need to know anything. I walk into her house to see that she's left lit candles, leading an obvious path to the bedroom. I follow the trail of light to see her seductively lying on her side, a hand between her thighs on the bed, dressed in a tight, dark green dress. "Hey, you," I whisper, going to kiss her. She reciprocates, pulling me in even closer. She pulls away from me, her hands toying with the hem of my jumper, "I've missed you." She pulls my jumper over my head, and I go back to kiss her but her eyes are transfixed on my arms. Shit.

"Reece," I tried to stop her from talking and went back to kiss her. She moved her head away from me and just held me in her arms. "Reece, sit down, what's happened." I give in, slowly lowering myself onto the bed. I'm stuck, frozen, my breath slowing, as the woman I love is fighting with the emptiness to figure out what's wrong with me. She's knelt on the floor in front of me, head resting on my legs and her hands holding each of mine, stopping them from covering my face as my eyes begin to burn. "Reece, come on baby, talk to me, I'm here," I finally manage to hear her as I snap back into the moment. "I'm sorry Marjorie, I didn't want you to find out so that you wouldn't have to worry about me," I mumble, my eyes not leaving hers. "Don't apologise, just tell me next time, hey? You need to stop hiding from me when something goes wrong, I know you like to think you're strong but clearly, you need some support and I am here to give you that." Marjorie's words circle my head as I try to come up with a response. At my lack of words, she brings herself up and sits on my lap, straddling me into a hug. My hands move to explore her body but before I even had the chance to do anything Marjorie stops me. "Not a chance mister, you will not deflect your emotions by having sex with me, we need to have a chill night together and you need to try and open up."

After I put my jumper on again, we go back downstairs blowing out every candle on the way. "What do you want for tea? I can cook or we can get a takeaway?" Marjorie asks me, observing. I know she knows about my eating disorder, I suspect Aut told her because every time we eat she lets me have the overruling decision. "Takeaway, Chinese, the place from the other week, I want the same as last time please," I reply to her, sitting on the sofa and turning on the TV. A couple minutes later Marj turns to me "Ordered." She comes closer to me, wrapping an arm around me and resting her head on my shoulder. "You gonna tell me what's up then?" she looks at me inquisitively. Her eyes stabbed through my heart as I choked everything up. I told her, everything from the past couple of days, and all I could see was the beautiful woman's mouth fall further and further open. "So that's why Autumn asked me what was going on, and why Carly was so concerned about something. They both knew something was up and I.. I didn't. Reece, I'm so sorry." Tears formed in her eyes as she realised her lack of knowing. The brunette cuddled so close into me that it felt like she was trying to merge into my body. "Wait, Aut asked about me? And Carly was concerned about me?" I ask her. She finally brings her head back up, "Yes of course they did, you should know as much as anyone that behind Autumn's cold exterior she really cares for you. And as for Carly, she sees you as a father figure, and don't tell her I told you this but you remember how she gave me a mother's day gift, she got you one for father's day, but also I didn't tell you that so act surprised when she gives it to you." "She got me a father's day gift?" I'm almost shouting from shock. I didn't know she saw me as a father figure. "Yes, she did, and why do you think she tells you about the dates she's going on and other things like that? She adores you, she calls you her work dad but really to her it is so much more, and I can tell that it's so much more for you too," Marjorie added. I couldn't help but replay her words in my head. All my questions about Carly have been answered, she was so attached to me because she saw me as her dad. And I therefore treat her like I treated Aut and Mia. All of us looking for some sort of gratification and comfort from each other.

A/N - this is minorly derailed from just Reece and Carly but I promise it will all come together