Benefits And Baggage

Jack

I slip out of my sheets not wanting my feet to hit the cool floor. I test it with my toes as I would a pool and gradually let my feet flatten against the ground wincing at the freezing ache it sends up me. I stretch momentarily forgetting about my lack of clothing before snapping my green eyes towards the window which faces Jack's  bedroom.

Once seeing that it was empty I slowly tip toed to my closet grabbing my robe from the door as I slide the silky cover over my nakedness. I take a deep breath as I push my fingers through my brown hair to brush out any tangles. In the morning I like to take my time and enjoy being alone before I have to go out and deal with being a make-shift-mother.

eventually once my feet match the temperature of the floors I push myself out into the hall and towards the kitchen. It's still quiet on this Monday morning. I walk past the giant whole that is Mckenzie's bedroom door and see her red hair stretched across her drooling face. I continue past the family pictures from when we were little and towards Liam's door.

I put my ear to the door and can hear him snoring very loudly I might add. I do a little bit of a dance as I go towards the kitchen knowing that I get to be alone for a while longer. I open the white cupboard doors and reach for a pan before changing my mind and grabbing the skillet. 

I look to my left and see the back door frozen over with ice. The snow is still coming down and It won't stop till this after noon. I watch as it falls down and then my vision moves past the snow and catches on Jack's backdoor. No movement still. Realizing that I have apology breakfast to make I grad out the flour, eggs, vanilla, and sugar and set them down getting ready to make pancakes. I go to the fridge and pull out maple sausage links throwing them into a warm pan as the sweet maple smell fills the room.

Once everything Is in full swing I hear so rustling coming from the hall. I turn my head towards the door way and a barely awake Liam stand in his pajamas rubbing his eyes and smiling. "I smell sausage." He smiled starting to lean against the door. "It's almost done just a few more minutes. You want to wake Kenzie up, don't forget to mention the pancakes." I add as he nods tiredly and turns around and down the hall. I turn off the burner finishing off the last of the pancake batter and putting the sausage on a paper towel to remove excess grease.

I go to the dining room table and set out three plates and some silver wear. Kenzie walks in and sets down three glasses followed by lean who is carrying orange juice. I smile at the slumped and tired bodies as they settle down into their chairs. The table is pretty large. It sits eight so since it's just the three of us we only ever take up the end. I turn into the kitchen grabbing the warm plate of pancakes and the other warm plate of sausage. Setting them down on the table I turn back into the kitchen grabbing the butter and the syrup. 

Breakfast is in full swing as I stuff my mouth full of syrupy deliciousness. Kenzie smiles at Liam who has a whole sausage link between his cheeks. "I always new you were gay." She giggles and Liam glares at her. It's not as bad of a breakfast as I thought it would be. I hear a knock on the door and I turn towards my siblings trying to see if they're expecting someone but they both look confused. I get up walking to the front door before realizing it must have been the back.

Peering through the frozen glass is a shivering man with light blue eyes and black hair. Jack I let out a sigh and open the door. "geez you going to let me freeze out there Andy." He pushes past me with his tools. "That was the plan yes." I retort taking in his tall figure as Jack looks down the hall towards Kenzie's bedroom. "whatcha doing?" I ask as he realizes he hasn't yet told be. A smile appears on his normally emotionless face. 

" I came to see you." I give him a confused look and he heads down the hall. He isn't here to see me I know that for a fact. I hop out of the kitchen towards the hall after him. Jack stops in front of Kenzie's door and begins to take it off the hinges. I could kick myself obviously thats why he is here with his tools. I look away from him once jack realizes i'm watching him. 

I run my hand over the glass picture frame admiring The portrait of us siblings. There are a lot of pictures of us but only a handful of us with my parents. This one shows a four year old Me with my brown hair pulled into a pony tale while I look down at Liam who is I'm his hospital blanket. The blue and pink strips wrap around him as a duct of brown hair sticks up. Mckenzie is only two and she stares down at Liam uninterested as she sucks on her pacifier. Her red hair is curly and it is braided back into two tiny braids. I laugh knowing not much has changed. Especially the sucking thing for Kenzie. 

"That's sweet, you were a cute kid." I jump not hearing jack come up behind me. He laughs and slides his hands over my hips. The movement is slow like he is trying to see if it is okay. He leans down and I can feel his warm breath hit my neck and blow around a few strands of hair that didn't make it into my ponytail. "You scared me." I almost whisper not knowing how to act around him. His hands squeeze my hips before letting go of me. I real ease a breath I hadn't realized I was holding until now.

I turn around and see Jack lifting the door out and down the hall. "Can you get the back door for me?" I don't move and finally rush after him barely making it to the door before him. I pull it open and the freezing wind blows in and my rob pulls over with it reveal my breast for just a split second. I pull it closed hoping he didn't see anything. Once he is out side he puts the door in the back of his truck and hops in the other side driving off. 

I close the door and lean against it. I don't know what it is about him but when he's around I forget how to function. It's like looking at him makes me melt and I have never felt like this before. It must just be the fact that I haven't been laid in years or maybe it's because he is so good at making people uncomfortable. Whatever it is I need to get a grip before I do something I regret.