AllFreeNovel
Share Us
If James is right, that may prove more problematic than I thought. We’ve all been together so long. But lately I’ve felt like I was losing myself. I want a relationship with my brothers, but I want it to be on my terms. And I feel that over the past couple of years that has changed. As James grew, I needed them less. But they clung on tighter, and I felt trapped. Then Kellen arrives back on the scene and the past few months have highlighted things I wasn’t happy with.
Well, too late now. Decision made. Onwards, Evie girl, forward only. Only ever forward. It’s the only thing I know how to do.
It’s after 10 p.m. when we arrive, but Marshall is waiting for us. “Midarlin’, I’ve got dinner for us all.” He drags James and Bucky from the car and pulls them in for a man hug with lots of back slapping. He then pulls me to him. “All good, Midarlin’?” I can see he’s checking out my face and eyes. I tear up. “Midarlin’,” he says softly, and holds me close to him.
Tears leak from the sides of my eyes as the dam of emotions that threaten to overwhelm me nearly breaks.
“Mum, we’ll be fine.” Both James and Bucky come in for a hug.
After a long few minutes, I gently pull away from them all and take a deep breath. “Right then, let's show you our new house.”
We walk out of the gargantuan garages towards the house and James stops dead in his tracks. “You are kidding me, Mum! What have you been doing? It's beautiful.”
The house stands in front of us, proud and square, a big old manor house with proportionate five sets of windows on either side of an oversized double front door. Wisteria is hanging all over the front of the house, the bows ancient and twisted.
“It’s huge.” The awe in Bucky’s voice would be comical if I didn’t know him better. “How many bedrooms?”
“Ten. And bathrooms. But I’ve only managed to get ours and yours done. It’s got a lovely living area, kitchen, and a couple of formal rooms which we’ll probably not ever use, so I’ll do them last. Come on in, boys. I’ll show you your rooms, but the rest you can find on your own. Nowhere is off limits, except maybe Marshall’s set of rooms.''
“Uhhh, Marshall, got your own suite of rooms, have you?” James mocks, grabbing Marshall's arms.
”You and you,” he points to Bucky, “keep out.” He’s smiling at them. “Time for whiskey,” he asserts, like that answers everything.
“Marshall, no, they’re not, no Marshall…” I look at him in hope. Bucky and James look ecstatic.
“Whoa, Marshall, really? You’ll let us have some of your whiskey?” They can’t contain themselves.
“On your own heads. Good job I’m calling you in sick at school tomorrow,” I tell them. They’re not listening. They've followed Marshall like lambs to the slaughter, towards the entrance and down in the cellars to grab Marshall’s ‘elixir of life’ as he calls it. We’ll see how lively they are tomorrow when it does its work.
When they return, I smile at them all like everything is normal, plate up the food, and we all wait for Marshall to do the honours on the whiskey.
It's well into the wee small hours, the sun starting to rise—as we are already into daylight saving hours—the air outside is still. The boys have long since fallen asleep, Marshall shoving and pulling them up to bed. He never said a word when I sat down in the big comfy window seat to wait for the dawn. He just kissed the top of my head and went off to bed himself.
I finally look at my phone, noticing the texts from Jonno first.
Jonno
why u at Cornhill?
Jonno
thought it was derelict?
I mull over not responding, to telling him, to not, and back again. I want my brothers in my life, but I definitely need time. I decide to be open and honest. He probably knows by now that I own it anyway.
Me
I live here now. Marshall and I bought it a year ago.
Jonno
never thought you’d live in it though
He knew I’d bought it. I did wonder. Even though I’d bought it through different companies, Jonno has always been the master at tracking the internet for information. I also knew he had alerts on for any buying or selling in our home areas.
Jonno
we need you here. Come home, Evie. We’re sorry, so fucking sorry, baby sis. WE LOVE YOU
