The Story Of Us

Chapter 3 ◇ Erick Steinburg ◇

As Catherine made her way through the hotel lobby, her mind was filled with thoughts of Lerato. The young woman's flustered expression had stuck in her mind, making her heart race in her chest. She couldn't get the image of her flushed cheeks out of her head.

Arriving at the restaurant, she placed their food order to go, trying to focus on the task at hand and not get lost in daydreams of a certain young woman. It was hard though, each time her thoughts drifted back to the moment in their room her heart would flutter.

As she waited for their order to be prepared, Catherine leaned back against a wall, closing her eyes for a moment.

She had been telling the truth when she'd said she wanted to drive the young woman crazy. There was something about Lerato's flustered reactions that stirred something in her, a need to tease and fluster the woman even more.

The thought made her smile, her eyes opening again as she pushed away from the wall. She caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the glass of a display case nearby, the look on her own face surprised her.

There was a softness to her expression, an affection that she hadn't seen or felt in a long time. Her heart was full, her chest warm from thinking of Lerato.

She took out her cellphone from her pocket. She breathed in and out before dialing Erick, her brother. She walked out of the restaurant and stepped into the fresh air.

As she waited for Erick to pick up, she walked outside, the cool evening air a relief from the heat of her own thoughts. The hotel lights glittered against the night, a gentle breeze stirring the air.

The phone rang once, then twice, and then Erick's voice filled her ear.

"Catherine, what's up?", he greeted, his voice immediately bringing a fond smile to her face.

"Hey, Erick," she answered, leaning against the hotel wall, her gaze going back to the lights of the city. "Just calling to check in." Erick chuckled softly. "Oh, now you finally remember you have a brother? I was beginning to wonder if you'd fallen off the face of the earth." His words were teasing, but there was a hint of genuine worry underneath.

"I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, smartass," she shot back, rolling her eyes. "I've just been a bit busy, that's all."

"None of your business, little brother," she deflected with a scoff. "I'm allowed to have a life outside of checking in on you, y'know?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Erick responded. "I just worry about you, that's all. You've been pretty reclusive for a while now." Catherine sighed, her brother's words stinging a bit. She knew he was right, but hearing it said out loud made her feel a pang of guilt. "Yeah, I guess I have," she admitted, her voice a little quieter than before.

"So," Erick pressed, his tone shifting again, "This busy life of yours... got anything to do with a certain..girl?" Catherine's cheeks heated up at the implication in Erick's tone, her heart rate increasing slightly. She was grateful he couldn't see her right now.

"And what if it does?", she retorted, trying to sound defiant in spite of her flustered state. "I thought so," Erick replied, clearly smirking now. "You've never been good at hiding things from me, Cat."

"Oh, shut up," Catherine muttered, scowling lightly. But there was no real irritation in her voice, only a kind of resigned acceptance. Erick had always been annoyingly perceptive when it came to her."So, am I gonna get to meet this mystery girl?" Erick asked, the teasing tone still in his voice, as well as a hint of curiosity.

"Or is this your way of not introducing me to your new bae yet again?"

"Oh, you're insufferable," Catherine shot back, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice. She could picture the grin on her younger brother's face, and it made her smile despite herself. "Come on, you know you can't hide it from me forever," Erick pressed, the familiar determination in his voice. "We're siblings, Cat. I have a right to meet the woman that's got you in such a twist."

Catherine rolled her eyes, knowing that once Erick got an idea into his head, there was no dissuading him.

"Fine, fine," she conceded, the hint of a resigned sigh in her voice. "You'll meet her. Just... not now, alright?"

"Why not now?", Erick protested, clearly not happy with the half-answer. "I'm not busy. I could meet her tonight, if you wanted."

"No," Catherine said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. She understood Erick's eagerness to meet Lerato, but she also knew that she wasn't ready to introduce them yet. "I.. I just need more time, alright?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Catherine could practically feel Erick's disappointment. But thankfully, he gave in.

"Alright, fine," he grumbled, his tone a bit pouty. "But you better introduce me soon. I'm dying of curiosity here." Catherine chuckled, her heart feeling a little lighter. "I will, I promise," she assured him. "Just.. give me a bit more time, okay?"

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Erick replied, the pout still evident in his voice. "But I'm holding you to that promise, Cat. Don't leave me hanging too long."

"I won't," Catherine promised, a smile on her lips. "You know I always keep my promises."

Her mind darted briefly to the young woman in the hotel room, still in the bathtub. As much as she would love to introduce her brother to Lerato, she knew she needed more time. She needed to be sure that the girl would be comfortable doing that.

"Alright, I've wasted enough time on the phone," Erick drawled, the teasing tone back in his voice. "I know you're probably eager to get back to your little rendezvous." Catherine blushed profusely, her skin feeling like it was on fire. Damn it, her brother was as observant as ever.

"Shut up," she said weakly, trying to sound annoyed but failing. Erick barked out a laugh. "Oh, I hit the mark, didn't I?" He said smugly. "You're not denying it, after all." Catherine groaned, burying her face in her hand. "I hate you," she muttered, although there was no real malice in her tone.

"You know you love me," Erick retorted, his voice oozing with amusement. "Debatable," Catherine shot back, rolling her eyes. But she couldn't help the fond smile that tugged at her lips. She did love her brother, even if he was a pain in the ass. "Bye, Erick." She said chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah, bye," Erick replied, still sounding far too smug for his own good. "Have fun with your girl. Don't get too lost in each other, alright?"

"I'll try not to," Catherine quipped, shaking her head at her brother's audacity. "Now, go find something productive to do with your time, you brat."

"I will," Erick agreed. "And you go back to your little... whatever the hell you're doing right now."

He hung up before she could formulate a retort, leaving her standing there with an annoyed yet amused expression on her face.Shaking her head, Catherine slid her phone back into her pocket. She glanced back at the entrance to the hotel, her mind already back on the young woman who was waiting for her back in their room.

With a soft sigh, she started walking back inside, her heart racing in anticipation.

🎀

Another one down..