The Brothers Down The Street

Chapter 26

Months later:

"That everything?" Liam asked.

"Yes." I replied in a blunt tone.

"Look, I get it you don't want to be here but at least act like you like me." He sighed.

"Sure." I scowled, flinging a jacket over myself.

"And where are you taking my baby?"

"Home for the day." I said. "My job and family are back in my town, not here."

"I didn't move you here for you to just go back there." Liam argued.

I shrugged. "Not my problem."

I walked out of the house and got in my car, driving to work.

I parked up and walked inside, passing Ross who was almost shoulders deep in a car.

"You're risky." Ross stated, looking over at me from the motor he'd been working on.

I gave him a confused look before walking into the office and picking up some of the books that needed finishing.

"Coming into work when you could pop any minute I mean." He continued, appearing in the doorway and wiping his hands with a rag.

I shrugged. "Anything's better than being in that house."

"Speaking of, how is Mr Snooty-pants?" Ross asked.

"Boring, irritating, stuck up, take your pick." I replied, not looking up from the checklist I was answering.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice changing from comical to concerned.

"I'm fine." I replied, getting up and digging around for a pen. "I just need to keep busy."

"In the time I've known you, I've practised and perfected your silly little language you think no one knows about." He said, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame.

"What are you talking about?" I sighed, tearing open draws and rooting around inside.

"Fine means not fine."

"Then what do I say if I am fine?"

"I ask you and you say yes." He answered.

"Well I think you'd be a little stressed if you had to shove a watermelon out of your vagina in less than a month." I snapped.

"Yeah, I guess I would. I'd be even more worried that I don't even have a vagina." He said in a serious tone but joking matter.

Ross noticed my lack of laughter and asked, "What are you looking for?"

"A friggin' pen! I put it down before and can't find it again." I snapped, searching the desk again.

"Um, Mads." He said.

"What?" I asked in frustrated tone, turning around.

He reached a hand up and pulled the pen off the top of my ear, giving me a small smile as he handed it me. "Oh." I said, taking it from him.

"You need to relax, you shouldn't be here." He said.

"Ow." I complained as the baby launched a foot at the inside of my stomach.

"What, are you okay?" He questioned in a panicked tone.

"Yeah, this baby just thinks my insides are a football ground." I huffed.

"Well should it hurt?" Ross asked, sorry written all over his face.

I shrugged. "Let me stick a person inside of you and allow them to kick you and you can tell me if it hurts." I retorted.

He smirked at my anger and raised a brow at me.

"I'm sorry." I sighed. "I guess it's different for everyone."

"And yours makes you super moody." He smirked.

"I'm not moody! I'm just- never mind." I sighed, rolling my eyes at my own temper which caused him to scoff.

"Talking to yourself Ross?" My dads authoritative voice asked, waltzing into the garage.

"No, Mads." Ross replied.

"Funny that, you should be working." He said.

"Yes boss." Ross said in a sarcastic tone, saluting him and heading back over to the car he'd been fixing.

"So you made it out of there?" My Dad questioned.

I nodded.

"Sorry I couldn't help this morning, duty called." He said.

"Which duty?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Garage duty." He replied. "I gave Ross the task of the other stuff."

"Dad stop bringing Ross into your dodgy deals." I ordered.

"You're kidding right? He brings them to me." He laughed.

"What?"

"You got the good brother Maddy, the other isn't as innocent as you think."

I turned back to the clipboard to hide my look of shock. I knew Ross wasn't exactly a good guy but I didn't know he was the leader of all this stuff. Who was I to judge? Me and my dad used to nick cars together to get this place started but now there was no need for this stuff.

I shrugged and carried on ticking the checklist.