Sanity || j.d

40

I helped Cole set the table and dish the food out for dinner, not asking questions about the fourth person who I hadn’t actually seen, rather heard. He seemed to have half of the total amount of food we had made. “Will, dinner’s ready.” Jeanine called once we’d put the plates on the table.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute.” He called back.

We sat at the table, waiting for him to arrive. A gangly teenager emerged in a white tank top and jeans. He had a round nose like Jeanine and brown, curly hair. His jawline was well defined, same as Jeanine’s cheekbones. His eyelashes were long like Jeanine’s; in fact he was the spitting image of her except for his eyes. Unlike Cole or Jeanine, his eyes were a dark brown, setting him apart from the two.

He sat opposite me, next to Jeanine as Cole had sat next to me. “Will, this is Sarah. Sarah this is Will, my other son.” Jeanine introduced us and we curtly nodded at each other, not sharing a word.

I waited until someone else started to eat before I did myself. In my family as much as we value religion, I myself was not religious. Therefore I didn’t see it fit to have to hold these people up if they didn’t value religion either.

We ate with light chatter between mouthfuls and I wondered why Will hadn’t come to help Jeanine when he heard her scream or why Jeanine hadn’t introduced him as Cole’s brother, rather as her son. I had a hunch that they were in fact step brothers rather than directly linked. Cole and Will didn’t seem to have much in common in the way of how they looked; Cole was about my height but had gangly arms, Will was tall and had broad shoulders but skinny wrists expanding at his palms to enormous hands. 

The two boys didn’t look like they liked each other, and that was clearly played out when Will tried to play footsie with me during dinner. So while I sat trying not to rouse anybody that anything was up, Will was smirking at me the whole time. “So,” He began casually. “Sarah,” He said my name like it was poison on his lips, he seemed to hate it. “Any tattoos or piercings?”

Jeanine scowled at him but awaited my answer. I squirmed awkwardly in my seat, my hand brushing over the belly button piercing I got last year. “Not exactly.” I lied. I don’t know why I did, it wouldn’t have changed anything if I’d said yes.

“Just your ears?” He asked. And I nodded. “Ever think of getting anything else pierced? Eyebrow, bellybutton?” He paused and sniggered. “Nipple?”

“Would you shut up and leave her alone?” Cole growled, protectively placing a hand on my thigh even though Will couldn’t see it.

Will’s cocky grin didn’t wear off though. “She seemed to be enjoying it.”

“That’s enough from the both of you.” Jeanine boomed silencing us all and Cole’s grip on my leg instantly tightened making me nearly jump in my seat. “Sarah, honey, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to cause such a conundrum.” She sighed and got up, beginning to clear the empty plates. I went to help her, but Cole held me down, slowly shaking his head.

Maybe I didn’t want to be a part of his life if I had to deal with all this grief.