St. James

CHAPTER 48

The morning dawned bright in my face and woke me from my restful sleep as I rolled over to reach for Brian but the bed was empty. I frowned as I sat up and looked around the room "Did I dream it all?" I muttered out loud to myself as I slid out of bed and pulled on boy short undies and Brian's Pantera shirt. That's when I smelled the hearty aroma of eggs, bacon and toast along with coffee wafting in from my small kitchen. I scurried out to the kitchen and found Brian's bare back to me as he stood at the stove in just his jeans. "Morning Brian" I said gently, so as to not startle him with my presence as I walked in the kitchen and slid on a bar stool. "Morning baby girl" he said with a smile as he finished at the stove and slid a plate over to me; a perfect ham and cheese omelet with hash browns, bacon and toast with jam greeted me from the plate and I felt my eyes fill up with silly, happy tears. "I see you learned how to cook" I laughed as I swiped at my eyes with the napkin as he poured me a glass of orange juice and set it in front of me. Brian shot me an embarrassed smirk as he chewed on a piece of bacon "That's exactly what I did. I drove Suzy nuts with making her show me all she knew. I was half crazed with missing you and I thought somehow that if I learned how to cook I would get you back" he finished with a frown on his face before scratching at his neck. "And you did...I'm right here" I stated gently as I reached across the counter to take his hand and pull him in for a reassuring kiss.

"You know, I was still slightly intimidated and scared by your dad as a teenager but he's got another thing coming to him if he thinks he's going to separate us ever again" Brian stated as he slid down onto the stool next to me and began shoveling food into his mouth aggressively. "Daddy threatened to disown me and write me out of the will the night that everything went wrong" I confessed quietly as we ate side by side "Well I got news for him now...he can do both those things and I won't give two shits. I'm an adult and can make my own money now...as long as I have you that's all I care about" I finished by leaning over to kiss his bicep. Brian smiled hopefully at me before leaning over to kiss me softly on the forehead "Don't leave me baby girl. I'm lost without you." "I won't leave as long as you don't leave me Brian" I stated back quietly, my gaze locked with his. "That is a promise I can most definitely keep" Brian stated softly before pulling me in gently for a soft, tender kiss.

We finished our breakfast in contented silence before getting dressed for the day and heading outside to where Brian's car sat. "Hop in baby, I want to take you somewhere" he stated with a sly, mischievous smirk on his face as he jiggled his keys in his pocket. I slid into Brian's newer car and buckled up before giving him a questioning look as he backed out and headed into town more. Ten minutes later he was taking my hand and leading me up to a rather nice looking house. "Is this yours?" I asked him as he just shot me his mischievous smirk again before knocking then opening the door right away. "Mom! Dad! Come here!" he yelled out as I smiled happily at him first then at Suzy and Brian Sr. who came into the foyer and stopped dead in their tracks. "Callie? Is that you?!" Suzy exclaimed happily as Brian pulled me over towards them before releasing my hand so I could hug both his parents together at the same time. "My god am I happy to see your gorgeous face again!" his dad exclaimed happily as he took my face in both his hands and grinned at me. "Tell me everything!" Suzy exclaimed as she pulled both Brian and I by the hands into the kitchen and pointed at the table. "Sit! I want to hear it all!" We sat down and told her the whole ordeal from the time daddy pulled me out of California right up to last night when Brian and I finally made our way back to each other.

"Well I'm just going to keep my opinions to myself in regards to your father and how he handled that situation but I will say this" Brian Sr. stated evenly in clipped tones before smiling at the two of us sitting side by side "I am so utterly happy to see you two together again. I hope it's for good this time" he finished. "Trust me...she isn't getting away from me this time" Brian stated lovingly as he draped his arm across the back of my chair and kissed my temple. "Well...trust me, I'm not going anywhere, ever again" I counteracted with a smile and leaned over to kiss him quickly. "Ah Mac you're home! Look who your brother brought over!" Suzy exclaimed happily as I heard the garage door behind me open and close. "No offense Bri but I'm not in the mood to...Callie?! Holy crap!" she exclaimed with happy recognition as she came around my backside and saw me. I shot up and hugged his sister...this familiar stranger who was now practically a teenager before me. "Still want me to do your hair?" I laughed happily after releasing her and sitting back down next to Brian. McKenna laughed and tugged at her shoulder length hair "Maybe" she teased before smiling happily at her brother.

We sat around and talked for a while longer before Brian stated it was time for us to head over to Jimmy's condo. I hugged both his parents and his sister fiercely again and promised we would be over often to visit before sliding into his car and heading towards where Jimmy now resided, Brian's hand never letting go of mine the whole ride over. Brian pounded on the door loudly then rang the doorbell like an obnoxious little kid till he was laughing as Jimmy yanked open his door. "You asshole what do you want?" Jimmy laughed as he rubbed at his eyes; he obviously had been sleeping even though it was late afternoon by now. "I wanted to come by and say hi that's what!" I stated happily as I shoved my way in between the two guys and hugged Jimmy's naked torso tightly. "Hey Georgia! This is a nice surprise! Wait! Are you two...are you two assholes finally together now?!" he exclaimed wildly as he pulled me inside his condo. "Yup we sure are Jim Jam!" I chirped happily as I made my way back to Brian's side and pulled him into me, smiling up at him completely till he leaned down to kiss the tip of my nose. "THANK FUCKING GOD! YOU TWO WERE SERIOUSLY STARTING TO PISS ME OFF!" Jimmy yelled happily as he pulled us both into him for our usual trio hug. I laughed through the happy tears dancing in my eyes as I burrowed my face in the crevice between their chests and sighed in contentment.

We ended up spending the rest of the day and into the night hanging out with Jimmy and Allie once she came home from work, eating dinner with them and reminiscing about our senior year. "You'll like this one Georgia!" Jimmy laughed wildly as he took me by the hand and pulled me into a spare room and over to a wall where sure enough sat the Mardi Gras drumsticks I had given him from our trip to Louisiana. "Oh my god you kept them?!" I gasped in amazement. "Of course I did...they are the one thing that's made it through all my various moves" he chuckled before kissing the top of my head and pulling me into his arms tightly "You're my best friend and as close to a sister to me as my real ones without being blood related. When you left it killed me too, not just Brian" he confessed quietly as he hugged me tighter to him. "Trust me Jim Jam, I never ever wanted to leave..." I trailed off with a frown on my face as I looked at the pictures scattered across a desk of the guys from a time when I obviously wasn't around any longer. "Now that you're back you're not going anywhere you know that right? I'll handcuff you to us if I have to" he laughed, trying to lighten up the mood again.

We finally made it back to my apartment in the wee hours of the morning and while I was thoroughly exhausted from all the emotional and mental upheaval I couldn't manage to fall asleep as we lay down in my bed together, side by side. "Brian, I know my apartment isn't that big but I really want you to move in with me" I said softly into the darkened room. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing baby girl...only my condo is a lot bigger than this apartment...and it's right on the beach. What do ya say?" he asked as he came up over me, his arm bracing himself up as he leaned over me. "I say...that sounds like a heavenly idea and can I move in tomorrow?" I laughed as I reached up to pull him down into me, kissing him thoroughly. Brian answered me by keeping me up until the sun rose over the horizon with steamy, long missed sex that had me panting and gasping happily.