Pathfinder

Part 2 - 26

TWENTY SIX—BRODY

Fuck. Why did I even answer the door? Now I was surrounded by woman, in my living room, and half of them were hostile. My mother and Whitney had apparently pulled into my driveway at the same time Cammy had. Cammy appeared happy to find me and Lexi in our post coital, half-dressed state, but the other two women were glaring daggers. I didn't care. They could glare until they turned purple. Nothing was going to come between me and Lexi this time.

"I cannot believe you. I knew you dumped me because of this bitch." Whitney said, nastily.

Lexi stood, looking uncomfortable, in just my t-shirt. So I stepped in front of her, telling Whitney, "You don't address her like that. Actually don't talk to her at all. I'm surprised you haven't latched onto your next Country Club victim by now. Why are you even still trying with me? I quit my job, or didn't my mother tell you that? I'm selling this idiotic monstrous house. I'm jobless and about to become homeless. I'm not exactly the picture of rich husband material at the moment."

Whitney appeared horrified and glared at my mother, who simply rolled her eyes, "Oh please, Son. You act like you're penniless, but even without a job you still have your trust fund and once you sell this house you'll have the proceeds."

I chuckled, "Acting penniless sure did show Whitney's true colors just now though, didn't it, mother? Is that really the type of woman you want me with? Someone who only cares about my money?"

My mom stiffened and then huffed, "Whitney, perhaps you should go wait in the car."

Whitney didn't argue, surprisingly, but sent one last glare my way on her way out. Cammy laughed, "I'm so glad I showed up when I did. I would have hated to miss this show."

"Cammy." Mom said in a scolding tone, before facing Lexi and I. She sighed, "Alright, I'm listening. You two are obviously going to continue this little affair, with or without my blessing. So what does this mean? Brody you've already quit your job. Are you trying to quit this family too?"

I snorted, "Sometimes I'd like to. Listen mom. Lexi and I have been torn apart once before because of a meddling family member. I won't allow it to happen again. I don't know where our relationship stands, at this very moment, but if she'll have me, I'll offer her everything I have. I'd marry her tomorrow if she'd agree. I don't care what you think about that. You will either accept her or I will cut you out of my life. You and dad set Cammy up with Ron and look how that turned out! For six years I've let you or dad run my life. No more. I will no longer be a pawn in the stupid country club game. Every one of the woman you've set me up with has been a gold digger and you're too blind to see it, just because they know how to dress and enjoy tea. They don't give a damn about me or my family. They just care about what kind of life I can buy for them. Lexi isn't like that. She's never been like that. She will never be like that."

Lexi moved quietly and placed her hand inside mine. I squeezed it and prayed that meant she wanted a relationship with me. I'd been fearing that she was just having this little fling to get me out of her system. I'd told her that I loved her, but she hadn't said it back. So, I was downright scared. I couldn't lose her now. I'd survived it once, barely, but I knew I couldn't survive losing her again. I'd probably end up a drunk and have the same fate as Lance.

I faced mom again and asked, "Where is the letter?"

Mom frowned, "What letter?"

"The letter Lexi mailed to me. She said it should have come to your house. What did you do with it?" I asked, jaw clenched. I was trying not to yell, but it was hard. I was so sick of people meddling in our lives.

Mom sighed, "I burned it."

"Did you read it?" Lexi asked.

Mom stared her dead in the eye and said, "No. I saw it was from you and that was enough to know what I had to do. I did it for both of your own good. You two are cut from two very different cloth."

"That is for us to decide, mother. The only woman I want to be with is Lexi. The only people I will ever consider marrying is Lexi." I tell the woman who gave me life. For that, I couldn't completely hate her, but seeing how she held no remorse for what she'd done was making it damned difficult.

"Well, I guess there is nothing more to say tonight. It's going to take some time for me to change. You realize that?" Mom stated and I blinked in surprise. She left before I could comment though.

Cammy laughed, "What the hell just happened? Did mom actually concede defeat?"

"I think so." I said, almost scared to speak out loud. It truly was a rare phenomenon to win an argument against our mother. I shook my head, pushing her to the back of my mind, before facing my sister, "I'm assuming that you're ok with this development."

"Development? Jesus, Brody, she's not a business scheme." Cammy said, winking at Lexi. Then my big sister nodded, "I always sensed a special connection between you two and I hated it when you broke up. A lot of people don't get second chances, so don't screw this up."

"Um, I'm going to go get dressed." Lexi said, smiling shyly, before rushing from the room. How awkward she must have felt during this spectacle, wearing only my t-shirt?

"So?" I asked Cammy.

"So, what?" She frowned.

"What are you doing here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I always enjoy your company, but what brings you by this morning?"

She sighed, "I need your opinion on something. I've had a little trouble dealing with one of the supervisors, at work this week."

I frowned, "Which one?"

"Nate Holbrook." She said, blushing. Wait, blushing? My sister didn't blush.

I frowned, "Is he having trouble taking orders from a woman? I hadn't pegged him as that type of man."

She shook her head, "No, it's me. I'm the problem. I can't seem to think straight when he's in the room. I gave him the wrong daily reports three days in a row. I don't know if I can do this. Maybe I'm not cut out for running the whole company. I just don't understand it. I don't mess up with any of the other supervisors."

I smiled, "Cammy, are you crushing on Nate?"

"A crush?" She snorted. "I'm too old to have a crush."

"Alright, we won't call it a crush, but you like him." I tell her, my grin widening. "I can't remember the last time you actually liked a man. That's awesome. Good for you. I like Nate. He's always been a hard worker and he doesn't have the ego the size of a barn, like some guys at the office do. So are you afraid that people won't take you seriously because you keep fucking up with Nate?"

Cammy shook her head, "No, I've only been fucking up...as you so eloquently put it, in Nate's presence alone. So unless he's spread the word, then nobody else knows. I just...what if I actually take a chance and then it doesn't work out. Then I'll still be his boss and work will be miserable. What if my boys don't like him? I have to think about them first. Am I stupid to even be considering asking him out on a date? I mean, is it normal for a woman to ask a man out?"

I chuckled, "Cammy, calm down. Everything will work the way it's supposed to. Look at Lexi and me. I never dreamed we'd be anywhere near back together and, while we still have a lot to talk about, I hope we're back on the right track. You're not stupid in any sense of the word. If you want to ask Nate Holbrook out on a date, then go for. You're stressing about it not working out, how about I ask you this? What if it does work out? If you don't take the chance, you might be missing out on the greatest relationship of your life. You never know unless you leap."

She nodded, before hugging me, "Thanks Bro. I love you."

"Love you too."