Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 12 - Favourites

"So I got groceries in the back. I hope you like spaghetti because it's pretty much the only thing I can make." October turned the truck onto a secondary highway.

Bam nodded. "Lesson two, she doesn't cook." 

October laughed. "It's not that I don't cook. It's just that I live alone and there's never really a reason to cook." She slowed the truck down and turned onto a winding gravel driveway lined with evergreen trees. They travelled around a gradual curve in the road and a two-storey house came into view. "This is it." October waved towards the yard.

Bam took in the sight through the windshield. "Wow." Bam said appreciatively.

"It's not much but I consider it my little slice of heaven away from the city." October explained. The house was about twice the size of the main cabin in Browntown. It was painted a cheery yellow with bright white shutters at every window. A large verandah wrapped around one side with steps down to a walkway that led to a matching, detached garage. October pulled the truck onto the concrete pad beside it and turned off the engine.

Bam got out of the truck and walked around behind it to unload his bag and help carry groceries into the house. October met him there and put a hand on his arm to stop him from reaching into the back.

"Wait." She commanded, then in a much softer voice. "We didn't get a chance to say a proper hello." She moved her hand up behind Bam's neck and pulled him down to meet her kiss. The cold winter air of November made her feel all the more warm to Bam as he covered her mouth with his and swept his tongue inside. Bam's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest. He deepened the kiss, exploring the inner recesses of her mouth as she offered them up to him. Bam ran his hands down her back to crush her hips against the front of his body. She moaned into his mouth and he pulled away and smiled.

"Hello." He whispered while running his thumb along her jawline.

"Hello." She replied breathily.

A light came on inside the house and spilled out onto the snow covered lawn. "I thought you said you live alone?" A tiny crease formed on Bam's brow.

October closed her eyes and let out a little groan. "Lesson three." She started, pulling from his embrace as she picked up a few grocery bags. "I have a dear, sweet, older brother who likes to drop in to check on his baby sister at the most inopportune times imaginable." She said with only a tiny hint of annoyance.

Bam reached over the side of the truck and grabbed his bag and the rest of the groceries. "He's not going to run out here and point a shotgun at me. Is he?"

October giggled. "No, no, not a shotgun. Maybe a spatula, but no guns."

"A spatula?" Bam repeated as they walked up the verandah steps.

"He's a chef." She stated before grasping the doorknob and flinging the door open.

"August?" She called as she stepped over the threshold.

"In the kitchen!" A friendly voice called back through the house. October turned to Bam apologetically. "So much for being alone." She whispered. She dropped her bags and stripped off her boots and jacket while Bam did the same. She nodded for him to follow her. "What are you doing here, Auggie?" Bam followed her through a room lined wall to wall with books and down a narrow hallway.

The voice called back through the house. "I knew your gallery exhibit opens tomorrow and I didn't want you to have to go alone." October walked round the corner into the kitchen to be enveloped in a warm embrace. August's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Bam's entrance into the kitchen behind her.

Her voice was muffled by her brothers tight hug. "But I'm not alone."

"I can see that." He said with a grin as he moved towards Bam with his right hand out. "I'm August, October's big brother."

Bam smiled at the similarities between the two. August was no taller than October. He had dark, sandy hair and a small frame with the same twinkling eyes and quick smile. Bam wasn't tall by any means but next to the two of them, he was a giant. Bam shook his hand firmly. "Bam Brown. I've heard a lot about you." 

"Nice to meet you Bam. I've heard-" August looked back accusingly at his sister. "Absolutely nothing about you."

October groaned. "Auggie!"

August widened his eyes at her. "Toby!" He shot back.

"Don't call me Toby!"

"Then don't call me Auggie!"

Bam chuckled. "Yes, I can see the family resemblance." August made a disgusted face as October stuck her tongue out at him.

Bam crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorframe to watch the siblings interact.

October walked over to the stove and took the lid off one of the pots. "Are you at least making dinner since you barged in completely uninvited?" 

August took the lid from her, replaced it back on the pot and hip-checked her into the fridge. "Yes, you ingrate. I'm making your favourite because sometimes I love you."  He stirred another pot with a wooden spoon. "Even though you keep secrets from me."

October leaned her hip against the counter and crossed her arms. "Whatever." She said with an eye roll. "I was going to cook." 

"Oh no!" August chortled. "You know that if it wasn't for me and my barging in uninvited, you would starve."

October pushed away from the counter. "How ever did you fit that ego of yours through my front door?" She walked past Bam with a smile and gave his arm a light squeeze as she left the room.

"You just dodged a bullet, you know." August levelled at Bam.

Bam raised an eyebrow and replied. "Oh? How's that?"

"She can't cook to save her life.  I just saved yours." 

"I can hear you, ya know." October's voice carried from the hallway. 

August called over his shoulder. "Yeah, I know." He smirked at Bam. "Got any sisters?"

"Two." Bam replied holding up two fingers. "Both younger."

August put his hand over his heart dramatically. "So you feel my pain."  He poured three glasses of red wine and offered one to Bam.

October appeared at the doorway again with groceries in tow. She set them on the counter and accepted a glass of wine from August. "Bam has four brothers and two sisters." She replied.

"Good god!" August exclaimed. "Could your parents not keep their hands off each other? I only have one sister and that's plenty enough for me!"

October reached over to ruffle his hair. "Aw, Auggie, you're so sweet."

October put away the groceries as Bam and August fell into an easy conversation. When she was finished, she quietly sipped her wine and watched them chatter away like two old friends.

True, it was a little early in their relationship, if it could even be defined as that yet, for him to be meeting her family but since August was the only family she had, she was relieved that it was going so well. Having her two favourite people in one room was very gratifying. She took another sip of her wine and mused to herself about exactly when had Bam become another of her favourite people and precisely what that meant to her heart.