The Gray Brothers✔️ (Kindle version)

Snow days

Maggie

I should catch everyone up with what happened since Valentine's Day. Nash and I kept our romance simple and made our relationship much better. Nixon and Kat were going strong, as were the twins with Marcy and Macey. As for Nolan, he tried to hide what he did until his brothers ratted him out. Not only did Nolan get a blue cake, but his brothers razzed him. He couldn't leave his room for a long time.

Nate and Pat weren't happy with what he did, getting himself and Nixon arrested. He's lucky that his parents took it easy on him.

Everyone hung at the Gray's house for the evening when the snow started. I love Michigan weather because it can't make up its mind. Mother Nature needs to change her meds. Since it's still February, it's not only freezing but snowing.

It begs the question of whether we have a snow day. It would help if you had exceptional circumstances when you lived in a northern state to get a snow day. Most schools stay open unless you live far north or live out in the boonies, aka the countryside. The rest of us get to suffer, trudging through this arctic wasteland that we like to call Michigan. Come on. It shapes our state as a mitten which is ironic.

We played Monopoly since the weather confined us indoors. Someone was always a sore loser at this game which was Nixon.

"This game blows." He got up and went into the kitchen.

"I take it that Nixon hates to lose," I said.

"Lose? Nixon hates any game that he can't win." Nash chuckled.

"Every game," Nathan said.

"It can't be that bad," Kat said.

"Oh, it's bad. One time, Nixon played Candy Land with Nolan. He lost and threw the board game out of the door," Noah said.

"That's bad," Marcy said.

"Yep," they said.

"So, what happened to Nolan?" Macey asked us.

"Nolan needs to think with his head on his shoulders and not with the one between his legs." Nash rolled the dice.

"We thought Ma and Dad would kill him when they found out," Nathan said.

"Did your brother tell your parents?" Kat asked them.

"Nope, we ratted out his little ass," Noah said. "Although, the cake was delicious."

"Cake?" Marcy asked.

"Don't ask." I shook my head.

We continued playing with Nixon rejoining us. Hanging out was fun. We talked and laughed when Pat's phone rang with a recorded message.

She came into the living room. "You don't have to go to bed early tonight. They canceled school for tomorrow."

Everyone cheered. No one was leaving because of the snowstorm. Then the power went out.

"Nate!" Pat said.

"I'm checking, Pat!" Nate came up from the basement. "It's not the breaker box. It has to be from outside."

We stood.

"Grab the wood from the garage, Nash, and Nixon. Get Nolan and gather blankets and pillows, Nathan and Noah," Pat said.

Nate gathered candles and flashlights. He brought in a percolator and coffee so that we could have a warm drink. Nash and Nixon brought in wood to make a fire. After getting a fire started, Nate made coffee over the fire.

Nathan and Noah returned with Nolan and lots of pillows and blankets. If we get stuck here, we'll make the best of it.

The girls snuggled with their guys under the blankets. Nolan snuggled next to Pat while she sat next to Nate.

"So, Pat, you told me about you and Nate, but you never told me the entire story," I said.

"Oh, you don't want to hear about us." She tried to brush it off.

"Sure, we do," Marcy said.

"We don't even know the full story. So, spill, Ma and Dad," Nash said.

"Go ahead and tell them," Nate told Pat.

She sighed. "Well, Nate and I were neighbors. His family lived across the street from my family, and my older brother was friends with them. You had Nate, Jonas, and Cayson. I was the little sister they never had and fair game for them to tease."

"We did it out of fun. Patricia took it to heart. She would get so mad at us. It's what siblings do, right?" Nate asked us.

We nodded.

"But I had a huge crush on Nate. I was always afraid to tell him. Plus, with the teasing, we didn't get along."

"Until one day, I saw a boy pick on her. No one could pick on her except for us."

"Thanks a lot."

"Well, it's true. It wasn't until I saw what the boy had done to Patty. She didn't deserve it, and I took matters into my own hands."

"Nate's actions surprised me. After that, we started talking more. The night of my birthday, he gave me my first kiss and asked me out."

"How old were you?" I asked her.

"It was my eighteenth birthday."

"Yeah, she wasn't jailbait." Nate chuckled.

She smacked him and rolled her eyes. "When we had our first date, Nate's mom handed him a compact package. She told him not to forget his raincoat because she didn't need grandbabies."

"My ma embarrassed me in front of Patty."

Pat laughed.

"After that night, if she could handle my crazy mother, I would marry her."

"But I didn't know if I wanted to marry him. We dated and danced around the idea. Then seven months later, we got married. Eighteen months later, Nash arrived, followed by Nixon. Two years later, Nathan and Noah arrive, then Nolan. I never thought I would marry the boy across the street."

"Well, my ma knew."

"Heck, yeah, she did. She kept talking about us when I was fifteen." She giggled.

I laid on Nash while listening to Nate and Pat. I loved hearing their story. It was so romantic. Two people who grew up together had ended up together. They gave me hope. Nash rubbed my arms with his hands and kissed the top of my head.

Listening to Pat and Nate talk about their courtship made me realize how I felt about Nash. I snuggled into him.

We talked and laughed. Everyone fell asleep except for Nash and me.

"You've been quiet," he said.

"I've been thinking."

"About?"

"About us."

"And?"

"I'm ready."

"You're messing with me again, aren't you?"

"No, I'm ready."

"You're serious."

"Like a heart attack."

"Okay. I want to do it right. I'll get a hotel room and make it romantic. I want it to be special for you."

"Okay." I pulled him into a kiss.

He kissed me back. Without a doubt, I'm ready to take the next step with Nash. It would be an unforgettable night for us. The question was when.