That One Night Stand

6.

I made sure dad was comfortable in his recliner before heading outside.

Tying my hair back off my face and neck, an old shirt I owned that I left here on and some shorts, I was kneeling on the soft lush grass at the end of the garden with a bucket and pulled out the weeds.

I dug and rotated the dirt, not doing too much as I wasn't exactly a green thumb. I didn't want to kill the plants.

I spent hours out there, constantly emptying my bucket with the weeds I pulled out.

Harry and Susie left ages ago, heading to her father and step mother's house to meet up with her brother. Susie is an only child, not including her step brother who was his mother's only child so this baby will be the first grandchild on both families sides. So this baby was a big deal.

Susie had filled me in early this morning about her brother, Con, and her parents.

She was nervous and I couldn't blame her. It was because in two days, baby will be here.

I had met her parents plenty of times, they seemed like nice people and always happy and jovial.

Susie stated that her step brother was older than her by a couple years as they celebrated his thirtieth recently.

Patty and Ian, Susie's dad and step mum were like the ideal couple everytime I saw them. Always holding each other, smiling at each other, agreeing with each other. I think its cute. Two people so deeply in love after so many years of being together.

Wiping the sweat off my face with the back off my hand, I got up and emptied my bucket again before moving on to the rose bushes.

I have no idea on how to trim roses, so I stuck to the weeding. But before I did that, I went inside and washed my hands to make dad lunch.

After making his lunch and chatting with him, I went back to the rose bushes, getting my hands dirty again, struggling with some tough weeds.

I didn't expect to see my brother or Susie for hours yet but I saw their car pull up in the driveway as Susie got out and slammed the car door.

"Hey, Maya." She chipped out before entering the house. I looked at her confused before turning to Harry, standing up and brushing my hands on my pants.

"Hey, it's looking great." He smiled at me.

"What happened? What's wrong with Susie?" I asked him, concerned. I've rarely seen Susie in a bad mood.

"Her brother." Harry muttered to me.

That left me completely perplexed.

"He brought along his girlfriend, no sorry, fiance now. She grinds Susie. Always sneering down at her, even though Con didn't say he was bringing Tiffany, but I'm pretty sure she told me they split up." Harry looked worriedly at the front door before sighing. "I better go calm the storm."

"Good luck, captain." I smiled at him, picking up the bucket full of weeds.

"Oh, um, do you wanna come out for dinner tonight? It might keep Susie in a calmer mood. Keep her blood pressure down."

I shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

***

I sat next to Susie, talking about my last job and she asked how Amy was going.

Her family had not yet arrived and I could tell she was tensed about the situation.

"Think of it this way, at least you get a hot meal before bub comes." I laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Susie let out a small chuckle and gave me a sad smile.

"I'm so angry at him. He knows I don't get along with this Tiffany person. I was so relieved when I heard they broke up then he tells me to my face earlier that they were engaged! The nerve on him! And her! She is a gold digger! Always out, spending his money, his grandfather's money. It's not right, May, it isn't. I mean, yeah, grandad gives me a nice sum for my birthday and all that but I am very hesitant on taking it. A few times it has helped pay bills, but I don't scalp him for no eyes."

I could see Susie's face going pale with the lack of air as she sucked in a deep breathe.

I took her hand and smiled at her. "It will be fine." I assured Susie.

Then I saw Patty and Ian come in as they spotted us. Patty waved to us, letting us know that we have been spotted. Behind them was a tall man with a tall woman.

I saw the woman first, her slim dress that sparkled dark purple among the black fabric, her light brunette hair, nearly a blonde dead straight down the sides of her face. She was cladded in many gold jewelry on her ears, neck and hands.

She did look pretty to be honest but I told myself to stay neutral even though I wanted to hate her for upsetting Susie.

Then I saw the man she was with. Tall and handsome. Heavily built like a gym junkie. His dark brunette hair was short and looked to be well combed.

I frowned, a nagging feeling eating at me. "Is that your brother?" I whispered to Susie.

"Yeah. That's Conrad with his bitch."

I turned back to Patty and Ian and greeted them. Susie said hi but didn't bother standing up due to her overly large stomach as Harry shook Ian's hand.

Conrad greeted everyone and frowned at me, probably mirroring my face.

"Maya, meet Conrad. Con, this is Maya." Susie said in a flat tone, not bothering with any introduction towards Conrad's fiance.

I smiled a tight lipped one at them and said a polite hello. There was something familiar about both of them and I couldn't point what it was.

We all sat down I kept frowning downwards, trying to think where I've seen them before.

"So, um, Maya, was it? So you're Harrison's little sister?" Conrad spoke politely.

I looked up at him, nodding. The familiarity was buzzing all through me.

Susie whispered to me and I smiled haughtily at her, trying not to giggle when I saw Conrad stiffen. "Have we met before?" I asked him.

"Definetly not." Was his sudden cold voice. Even his eyes went cold.

Then mine went wide and I froze, gripping at the table. Nearly two weeks ago floated in my head of one of the best screws I got in a long time.

I paled even more.

The man sitting across from me was the one I named Mr Hunky.

"Oh fuck." I muttered under my breathe.