Extension: By Halves
Written by Jake Collins and Rosey Collins
Beth Rivera's car pulled into an empty space in the parking lot of a hotel in Burlington, Vermont. Three people climbed out of the vehicle: Kevin from the driving seat, Oscar from the front passenger seat, and Jessica from the back. They all took a moment to stretch their cramped limbs and drink in their surroundings.
'Oh God,' said Jessica, nodding towards the hotel's main entrance, 'that's her, isn't it?'
Kevin and Oscar turned to look. Sure enough, Emilia Wallance had run out through the double doors and was already well on her way across the parking lot.
'Yup,' said Oscar, 'that's Emilia.'
'I can't stand people who rush out to greet you before you've had a chance to get your bearings,' Jessica remarked.
'Things can only get better from here, then!' Kevin said bracingly.
'Oscar!' Emilia cried joyfully. 'You made it!'
She ran up to Oscar and gave him a hug, which he returned with some awkwardness.
'Hi, Emi,' he said. 'Yeah, I made it, and so did Kevin and Jessica.'
Emilia took a moment to give Kevin and Jessica a warm smile each, which they both returned to some extent.
'It's so great that you're all here!' Emilia enthused. 'Lars and Hayden are staying at this hotel too. We've all been really, really looking forward to seeing you!'
'Is that a fact?' said Jessica, raising her eyebrows.
'Oh, yes!' Emilia assured her. 'It's been really nice to have them here for the past two days – I've pretty much only been going back to campus to sleep – but it's our grand reunion that's really got us all excited! You managed to get your rooms booked with no trouble, didn't you?'
'Me and Oscar managed to get a double room,' said Kevin. 'I've got the confirmation here.'
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of A4 paper.
'My kid brother gave me hell for printing this out,' Kevin said with a grin, as he unfolded the paper. 'He thinks I'm completely crazy 'cause I don't have a tablet!'
'Aw, love 'im,' said Emilia.
'Here we go,' said Kevin. 'We're in number twenty-one.'
'Oh,' said Emilia, 'that's right next to Lars and Hayden! They're in twenty-two. That one's a twin.'
'What're the chances, huh?' said Jessica.
'Maybe your room's the next one along!' Emilia giggled.
'I don't think there's any possibility of that,' said Oscar. 'Jess has organised herself a penthouse suite.'
'Very nice,' said Emilia, smiling at Jessica as though her life depended on it. 'Okay, well, let's get you all booked in, then!'
With that, Emilia grasped Oscar's hand and led him towards the hotel. Jessica frowned at the sight for a few seconds before mooching along behind them. Kevin quickly grabbed all three overnight bags from the boot, locked the car, and jogged to fall into step beside Jessica.
'Are you okay, Jess?' he asked quietly.
'I just don't know why we're doing this!' said Jessica. 'They lost touch for so long, and she has big brothers and he has a little sister and, okay, so they've met up while she happens to be here but... but why all this?'
Kevin gave her an odd look. 'If that's the way you feel...'
'Then what am I doing here, right?' Jessica said with a dry laugh. 'Well, let's just say I'm curious. Isn't that why you're here?'
'Partly,' said Kevin, as they entered the hotel and drew to a halt in the lobby, 'but mostly it's to support Oscar. And y'know, I'm not harbouring any resentment, so...'
'I guess that is what I'm doing,' said Jessica, suddenly looking pensive. 'I should really give her a chance, shouldn't I? I mean... she seems sort of... well, nice,' she finished grudgingly, looking over to where Emilia was chatting to Oscar at the reception desk while they waited for attention.
'We'd better get over there with our booking references, huh?' said Kevin.
'Yeah, we had,' said Jessica. 'And then I guess we'll go dump our bags in our rooms before we... before we get on with it.'
'I guess we will.'
'And then... well, then we'll get to meet the boys, huh?'
'Yep,' said Kevin. 'That's exactly what's about to happen, Jess.'
'It just got real,' said Jessica, half to herself, as she strode towards the reception desk.
'Oh God,' said Jessica, nodding towards the hotel's main entrance, 'that's her, isn't it?'
Kevin and Oscar turned to look. Sure enough, Emilia Wallance had run out through the double doors and was already well on her way across the parking lot.
'Yup,' said Oscar, 'that's Emilia.'
'I can't stand people who rush out to greet you before you've had a chance to get your bearings,' Jessica remarked.
'Things can only get better from here, then!' Kevin said bracingly.
'Oscar!' Emilia cried joyfully. 'You made it!'
She ran up to Oscar and gave him a hug, which he returned with some awkwardness.
'Hi, Emi,' he said. 'Yeah, I made it, and so did Kevin and Jessica.'
Emilia took a moment to give Kevin and Jessica a warm smile each, which they both returned to some extent.
'It's so great that you're all here!' Emilia enthused. 'Lars and Hayden are staying at this hotel too. We've all been really, really looking forward to seeing you!'
'Is that a fact?' said Jessica, raising her eyebrows.
'Oh, yes!' Emilia assured her. 'It's been really nice to have them here for the past two days – I've pretty much only been going back to campus to sleep – but it's our grand reunion that's really got us all excited! You managed to get your rooms booked with no trouble, didn't you?'
'Me and Oscar managed to get a double room,' said Kevin. 'I've got the confirmation here.'
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of A4 paper.
'My kid brother gave me hell for printing this out,' Kevin said with a grin, as he unfolded the paper. 'He thinks I'm completely crazy 'cause I don't have a tablet!'
'Aw, love 'im,' said Emilia.
'Here we go,' said Kevin. 'We're in number twenty-one.'
'Oh,' said Emilia, 'that's right next to Lars and Hayden! They're in twenty-two. That one's a twin.'
'What're the chances, huh?' said Jessica.
'Maybe your room's the next one along!' Emilia giggled.
'I don't think there's any possibility of that,' said Oscar. 'Jess has organised herself a penthouse suite.'
'Very nice,' said Emilia, smiling at Jessica as though her life depended on it. 'Okay, well, let's get you all booked in, then!'
With that, Emilia grasped Oscar's hand and led him towards the hotel. Jessica frowned at the sight for a few seconds before mooching along behind them. Kevin quickly grabbed all three overnight bags from the boot, locked the car, and jogged to fall into step beside Jessica.
'Are you okay, Jess?' he asked quietly.
'I just don't know why we're doing this!' said Jessica. 'They lost touch for so long, and she has big brothers and he has a little sister and, okay, so they've met up while she happens to be here but... but why all this?'
Kevin gave her an odd look. 'If that's the way you feel...'
'Then what am I doing here, right?' Jessica said with a dry laugh. 'Well, let's just say I'm curious. Isn't that why you're here?'
'Partly,' said Kevin, as they entered the hotel and drew to a halt in the lobby, 'but mostly it's to support Oscar. And y'know, I'm not harbouring any resentment, so...'
'I guess that is what I'm doing,' said Jessica, suddenly looking pensive. 'I should really give her a chance, shouldn't I? I mean... she seems sort of... well, nice,' she finished grudgingly, looking over to where Emilia was chatting to Oscar at the reception desk while they waited for attention.
'We'd better get over there with our booking references, huh?' said Kevin.
'Yeah, we had,' said Jessica. 'And then I guess we'll go dump our bags in our rooms before we... before we get on with it.'
'I guess we will.'
'And then... well, then we'll get to meet the boys, huh?'
'Yep,' said Kevin. 'That's exactly what's about to happen, Jess.'
'It just got real,' said Jessica, half to herself, as she strode towards the reception desk.
Twenty minutes later, Emilia was leading Oscar, Kevin and Jessica into a big function room with a large buffet table and two people standing some way away from it, looking very small.
'Wow, Emilia,' said Kevin. 'How much do you think we eat around here?'
'Please, call me Emi – everybody does,' Emilia said cheerfully. 'And you know, it's better to have too much than too little, but never mind that – the important thing is, the gang's all here! Come and meet my brothers. Champagne for everyone!'
'I don't like champagne,' muttered Jessica, mooching across the room after Emilia's light and carefree steps.
'Is this you giving her a chance?' Kevin murmured, nudging Jessica playfully. She laughed and nudged him back, then found herself standing face to face with the two young, blond-haired men in the middle of the room.
'This is Hayden and Lars,' said Emilia, indicating each of her full brothers and then turning a beaming smile onto her half-brother. 'Oscar, you remember!'
'Er... yeah,' Oscar said awkwardly. 'Hi, guys.'
'Hello,' Lars said non-committally, before tossing back a slug of beer from the can in his hand.
'Hi, Oscar,' said Hayden, offering a handshake, which Oscar accepted. 'Long time no see. And this must be Kevin.'
'Hi,' said Kevin, smiling warmly and shaking Hayden's hand while Lars mooched off to the buffet table.
'Hello,' said Hayden. 'And, um... Jessica, of course. Hello.'
'Yeah,' said Jessica. 'Hi.'
They shook hands stiffly, then stood and stared at the floor while Emilia went towards Lars, looking concerned. Oscar drifted after her with a palpable air of unease about him; Kevin cast Hayden and Jessica a sidelong glance before following.
'So, um...' said Jessica.
'So,' Hayden agreed. 'It's, er... a nice hotel, isn't it?'
'Yeah,' said Jessica.
'It's nice to get away sometimes.'
'Yeah, you gotta get away sometimes.'
Hayden nodded. 'You do.'
'So,' said Jessica, 'how could your brother get away in February? I thought he was a teacher.'
'He is. It's half-term.'
'What's half-term?'
'It's a week off in the middle of the school term,' said Hayden.
'Oh.'
'Yes – see, in English schools, they get a week off in the middle of all three terms. In October, and February obviously and, er... May.'
'Oh,' said Jessica. 'Cool.'
'Well,' said Hayden, 'sometimes they overlap into November or... or... oh my God, Jess, what're we doing? Let's have a proper conversation!'
Once he'd said this, she looked him in the eye for the first time, and then suddenly they both burst out laughing.
'God, Hayden,' Jessica chuckled, 'you were boring the shit out of me!'
'Well, at least I was saying something!' Hayden tittered.
'You know something? I was so nervous about meeting you.'
'Me too... you.'
'Isn't it ridiculous? We've talked face to face a million times, and it was... it was good, wasn't it?'
'Yes, it was. A mic and a computer screen do make a difference, though, don't they?'
'I wish they wouldn't,' said Jessica. 'When we talk online, you make me laugh so much, but you haven't done any of your jokes yet!'
'I can't think of any,' said Hayden.
'Sure you can.'
'No I can't – I've gone completely blank!'
'Oh, come on!' Jessica tittered.
'Don't hit me!' said Hayden, and Jessica's titters exploded once more into full-on laughter.
They carried on in this way for quite some time while, in another part of the room, Oscar and Emilia were chatting together while working their way through a selection of pizza slices and finger food.
'I knew Hayden and Jessica would hit it off,' said Emilia. 'I suppose that's a bit of a redundant thing to say, really – they actually hit it off twelve years ago, even though they've never been in the same room or even the same country before!'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, looking slightly uncomfortable. 'I, er... I see Lars is enjoying himself too.'
Oscar nodded to where Lars was steadily working his way through a six-pack of beer. Judging by the array of empty cans nearby, it was certainly not his first.
'He's really putting it away,' said Emilia, frowning slightly. 'He was at it the minute they unlocked the room. I've never seen him drink so much!'
'Maybe this whole thing we're doing is making him nervous,' said Oscar. 'I was a bag of nerves the night before you came to New York to reconnect with me. I hardly slept at all.'
'Did you drink?'
'I didn't need to – I had Kevin. He just lay awake and held me 'til I finally dropped off. Then when I got back from seeing you the next day, he was making me a really nice meal.'
'I think Lars would like to have someone special,' said Emilia. 'In fact I think there's a particular someone special he'd like to have, if only he'd... I mean, if only he was...'
'You wanted me to talk to him about that, didn't you?' said Oscar.
'Oh, well,' said Emilia, 'only if it comes up naturally in conversation.'
'Maybe I should go over and speak to him right now,' said Oscar.
'There doesn't seem a lot of point when he's pissed. Tell me more about you and Kevin; he seems like a really nice guy.'
'Then he's exactly what he seems.'
'How long have you two been together?'
'Just over fourteen years.'
'That's practically half your life, Oscar,' Emilia remarked.
Oscar smiled and said, 'The better half.'
'I lost my virginity that night,' said Emilia.
'Huh?' said Oscar. 'Which night?'
'The night before I came down to visit you,' said Emilia.
'Wow,' said Oscar. 'That's... that's big, Emi.'
'Me and Chris – that's my boyfriend – had been out on our first proper date,' said Emilia. 'I invited him back to my room and asked him if he'd like to stay the night, and he absolutely jumped at the chance! The sex was good – really good! But I did do it partly to take my mind off being nervous about meeting you... or seeing you for the first time since I was three, anyway. I explained the whole situation to Chris the next morning. He was really nice about everything and he offered to drive me to the airport. We had sex again before we left. I very nearly missed my flight, actually.'
'You know,' said Oscar, 'I'm surprised you feel comfortable talking to me about that kind of thing. The sex, I mean; not almost missing your flight.'
'Of course I do!' said Emilia, fixing him with a smile. 'You're my big brother, aren't you?'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, laughing slightly, 'that's exactly my point!'
'You just told me about you and Kevin being in bed together.'
'Only in a non-sexual way.'
'Hmm, I suppose you're right,' said Emilia. 'Perhaps I'm starting to think of you as a friend, rather than as a big brother. I mean, I do think of you as a big brother, but not in the same way as I think of my other big brothers. Does that make any sense to you, Oscar?'
'Believe me, Emi,' said Oscar, 'it makes perfect sense.'
Meanwhile, Kevin was filling a plate from the buffet. Lars came up to him and unceremoniously invaded his personal space.
'Well lookie what we have here,' Lars slurred, taking a swig from his can of beer.
'Hello, Lars,' said Kevin, stepping away from him. 'Enjoying yourself?'
'No!' Lars declared, grinning all over his face nonetheless. 'I think Oscar's having a good time, though, and that's... that's why we're all here – to give Oscar a good time now that he wants to see us again! So everything's totally, totally fine!'
'I think we should get you some coffee,' said Kevin.
'He's certainly done... done well for himself,' Lars went on. 'Oscar, I mean. You're a nice big hunk o' man, aren't you?'
'Um... look, I really think you need to –'
'Oscar used to talk about you, you know. The last two or three times he came to see us, it was all Kevin this and Kevin that! He was so pleased your uncle had got the two of you together and you were the best friend he'd ever had, and he was so excited he was gonna be moving back to New York and living a few blocks away from you, and he couldn't wait to have sleepovers with you every bloody week!'
'I felt exactly the same way about him,' said Kevin, smiling nostalgically.
'Fucking sick-making!' said Lars. 'Still, I can see why he's always been so into you. Christ, you're fucking sexy as fuck! You must be... be bored of Oscar by now, aren't you? How'd you like to take a ride on me for a change? My bum's younger and firmer and suppler and it's never, ever been used... well, not for what people like you like to use it for, anyway!'
'Look, Lars,' said Kevin, 'I have to tell you that you're making me feel incredibly uncomfortable, so maybe we should just... oh, Christ!'
Kevin hurled himself backwards as Lars lunged at him and tried to kiss him. Oscar was on the scene in a trice, with Emilia not far behind.
'Oh hey, it's Oscar!' Lars laughed boorishly, while across the room Hayden and Jessica stopped their own laughter abruptly and turned to stare at the scene. 'What's happening, bro?'
'What do you think you're doing, Lars?' Oscar asked, dangerously quietly.
Lars gave Oscar a hard look and said, 'Jesus, calm yourself.'
'Lars, you're drunk,' Emilia said severely.
'So what if I am?' said Lars. 'This is supposed to be a party, isn't it?'
'You just tried to kiss my husband!' Oscar snarled.
'We were talking, that's all,' Lars slurred. 'You know, I could never see the point of you, Oscar.'
'Lars...' Emilia said warningly.
'I never needed you!' Lars persisted. 'I already had a big brother – my real big brother, who I really love! And I have a little sister, and I love her too! But we didn't love you, Oscar – we didn't need you! We still don't need you!'
'That has nothing to do with you coming on to Kevin!' Oscar snapped.
'And it's not true anyway!' said Emilia.
'It is true!' said Lars. 'You can just fuck off, Oscar! Why don't you fuck off over there, you shit? But you can leave Kevin for me!'
'What?' Oscar yelled. 'You piece of trash!'
Oscar leapt forward, and Lars flung his arms up in alarm. Less than a second later, Oscar had Lars's right arm in an iron grip, and Lars was yelling the place down.
'Oh my God!' cried Hayden, running towards them, with Jessica hot on his heels.
'Now you know the point of me, Lars!' Oscar snarled, giving his arm a vicious yank. 'It's to kick your ass!'
'Oh dear,' Emilia sighed, 'this isn't how it was supposed to go!'
'That's enough,' said Kevin, laying a gentle hand on Oscar's shoulder. 'You'll break his arm.'
Oscar nodded, threw Lars into the buffet table with just enough force to move it a little, and stormed out of the room. Kevin gave Emilia an apologetic look, then ran after him.
Hayden ran to help steady Lars on his feet while Jessica turned to Emilia and said aggressively, 'Is that true, what my brother said your brother did?'
'It was just a misunderstanding,' Emilia said helplessly.
'He's completely rat-arsed, Emi!' said Hayden, who now had Lars practically falling asleep on his shoulder.
'Total bollocks!' Lars declared.
'Lars, mate, what's going on?' said Hayden.
'I don't fucking know,' slurred Lars. 'What's going on with you, Hayden? Who are you trying to impress? Look at you! You're wearing all your least smeggy things.'
'I think I need to get him up to our room,' Hayden said to Emilia.
'Why don't I?' said Emilia, shrinking under Jessica's malevolent glare.
'Well,' said Hayden, turning his gaze onto Jessica, 'if you think that's best...'
'Really, it's no trouble,' said Emilia, putting an arm around Lars's shoulders, then stumbling a little as Hayden let go of him. 'Watch out, Lars, I can't take that much of your weight!'
'Thanks, Emi-chops,' said Hayden, smiling gratefully at his sister as she and Lars lurched out of the room together.
'A cute nickname, huh?' said Jessica, raising an eyebrow at Hayden, her malevolent glare now completely gone.
'I think she deserved it just then,' said Hayden. 'Poor kid.'
'Yeah, it's tough on her, I guess,' said Jessica. 'And how do you feel about Lars right now?'
'That's not a very fair question – it was my brother against yours!'
'But you can't defend what he was doing, though, right?'
'Not exactly,' said Hayden. 'Of course he shouldn't have done that... and he wouldn't have, if he wasn't really upset about something. How I feel about him now is worried, if you really want to know.'
Jessica smiled. 'That's sweet.'
'Me and Emi have been worrying about him for a while now, but if I thought he'd do something like that... I don't know what I would've done!'
'Better not to know, then, huh?'
'I don't suppose you're going to concede that your brother was wrong to use violence?'
'No way,' said Jessica. 'I'd have done the same thing myself.'
'You know what?' said Hayden, with a wry smile. 'I believe you.'
'Do you know what, Hayden? It's very interesting, the way you're talking about them: your brother and my brother.'
'Yes, well... that's how we both think of them, isn't it?'
'Absolutely,' said Jessica. 'I guess you kind of agree with Lars, then? That we're two separate families who should've never overlapped?'
'Well,' said Hayden, 'I don't know if I think that exactly. At any rate, I don't now that we're older.'
'I do,' said Jessica. 'I mean, I'm not crazy about Lars right now, but I can see exactly what he means about that. You guys had each other, and so did we; I never understood why Oscar wanted to go and play at having another family when he had us.'
'You mean you were jealous?'
'Yes. I don't mind admitting it. Hayden, I... almost ignored your first MSN message all those years ago, because of how I felt about your family.'
'Yeah?' said Hayden. 'Well, I'm glad you didn't.'
'Why did you even want to contact me in the first place?' asked Jessica.
'Because after we lost touch with Oscar, what I remembered most was you. Okay, I'd never met you, never even seen you before, but he used to talk about you and I thought you sounded brilliant. And then when I found your MySpace page... well, I just thought you were amazing!'
'Amazing? God, what was I even doing back then?'
'Captaining your school soccer team and binge-watching Jimmy Stewart films,' said Hayden. 'You were just doing what you felt like because it made you happy, no matter what anybody else thought, and I really admired that.'
'Yeah, I remember,' said Jessica. 'You wanted to know how I could not care about all the hate comments telling me old movies were for losers and soccer was a wimps' sport and shit like that, and I was like, why would I care? And you told me you didn't feel brave enough to do stuff your dad wouldn't like, and I thought... well, I guess it doesn't matter now what I thought about him.'
'You really inspired me, Jess,' said Hayden. 'My parents... especially my dad... they've always had this very conventional lifestyle that they just present as what you're supposed to do. They don't mean to, of course, and if I'd just had the courage to talk to them I'm sure... well...'
'I get it,' said Jessica. 'You love your parents and you know they've done their best for you guys. Please continue.'
'Well,' Hayden went on, 'Emi's all right – the things she wants to do are all the kinds of things our mum and dad approve of... up to now, anyway – but if you hadn't coaxed me out of my shell back then...'
'Then maybe you'd have ended up blurting out a lot of repressed emotions in a drunken rage and gotten yourself thrown into a snack table, huh?'
'Maybe. For different reasons, I suspect, but... yes, something like that. Anyway, that was all after you answered my message, wasn't it? So, why didn't you ignore it?'
'Honestly?' said Jessica. 'I don't remember. But whatever it was that decided me, I'm glad,' and with that she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.
'Wow, Emilia,' said Kevin. 'How much do you think we eat around here?'
'Please, call me Emi – everybody does,' Emilia said cheerfully. 'And you know, it's better to have too much than too little, but never mind that – the important thing is, the gang's all here! Come and meet my brothers. Champagne for everyone!'
'I don't like champagne,' muttered Jessica, mooching across the room after Emilia's light and carefree steps.
'Is this you giving her a chance?' Kevin murmured, nudging Jessica playfully. She laughed and nudged him back, then found herself standing face to face with the two young, blond-haired men in the middle of the room.
'This is Hayden and Lars,' said Emilia, indicating each of her full brothers and then turning a beaming smile onto her half-brother. 'Oscar, you remember!'
'Er... yeah,' Oscar said awkwardly. 'Hi, guys.'
'Hello,' Lars said non-committally, before tossing back a slug of beer from the can in his hand.
'Hi, Oscar,' said Hayden, offering a handshake, which Oscar accepted. 'Long time no see. And this must be Kevin.'
'Hi,' said Kevin, smiling warmly and shaking Hayden's hand while Lars mooched off to the buffet table.
'Hello,' said Hayden. 'And, um... Jessica, of course. Hello.'
'Yeah,' said Jessica. 'Hi.'
They shook hands stiffly, then stood and stared at the floor while Emilia went towards Lars, looking concerned. Oscar drifted after her with a palpable air of unease about him; Kevin cast Hayden and Jessica a sidelong glance before following.
'So, um...' said Jessica.
'So,' Hayden agreed. 'It's, er... a nice hotel, isn't it?'
'Yeah,' said Jessica.
'It's nice to get away sometimes.'
'Yeah, you gotta get away sometimes.'
Hayden nodded. 'You do.'
'So,' said Jessica, 'how could your brother get away in February? I thought he was a teacher.'
'He is. It's half-term.'
'What's half-term?'
'It's a week off in the middle of the school term,' said Hayden.
'Oh.'
'Yes – see, in English schools, they get a week off in the middle of all three terms. In October, and February obviously and, er... May.'
'Oh,' said Jessica. 'Cool.'
'Well,' said Hayden, 'sometimes they overlap into November or... or... oh my God, Jess, what're we doing? Let's have a proper conversation!'
Once he'd said this, she looked him in the eye for the first time, and then suddenly they both burst out laughing.
'God, Hayden,' Jessica chuckled, 'you were boring the shit out of me!'
'Well, at least I was saying something!' Hayden tittered.
'You know something? I was so nervous about meeting you.'
'Me too... you.'
'Isn't it ridiculous? We've talked face to face a million times, and it was... it was good, wasn't it?'
'Yes, it was. A mic and a computer screen do make a difference, though, don't they?'
'I wish they wouldn't,' said Jessica. 'When we talk online, you make me laugh so much, but you haven't done any of your jokes yet!'
'I can't think of any,' said Hayden.
'Sure you can.'
'No I can't – I've gone completely blank!'
'Oh, come on!' Jessica tittered.
'Don't hit me!' said Hayden, and Jessica's titters exploded once more into full-on laughter.
They carried on in this way for quite some time while, in another part of the room, Oscar and Emilia were chatting together while working their way through a selection of pizza slices and finger food.
'I knew Hayden and Jessica would hit it off,' said Emilia. 'I suppose that's a bit of a redundant thing to say, really – they actually hit it off twelve years ago, even though they've never been in the same room or even the same country before!'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, looking slightly uncomfortable. 'I, er... I see Lars is enjoying himself too.'
Oscar nodded to where Lars was steadily working his way through a six-pack of beer. Judging by the array of empty cans nearby, it was certainly not his first.
'He's really putting it away,' said Emilia, frowning slightly. 'He was at it the minute they unlocked the room. I've never seen him drink so much!'
'Maybe this whole thing we're doing is making him nervous,' said Oscar. 'I was a bag of nerves the night before you came to New York to reconnect with me. I hardly slept at all.'
'Did you drink?'
'I didn't need to – I had Kevin. He just lay awake and held me 'til I finally dropped off. Then when I got back from seeing you the next day, he was making me a really nice meal.'
'I think Lars would like to have someone special,' said Emilia. 'In fact I think there's a particular someone special he'd like to have, if only he'd... I mean, if only he was...'
'You wanted me to talk to him about that, didn't you?' said Oscar.
'Oh, well,' said Emilia, 'only if it comes up naturally in conversation.'
'Maybe I should go over and speak to him right now,' said Oscar.
'There doesn't seem a lot of point when he's pissed. Tell me more about you and Kevin; he seems like a really nice guy.'
'Then he's exactly what he seems.'
'How long have you two been together?'
'Just over fourteen years.'
'That's practically half your life, Oscar,' Emilia remarked.
Oscar smiled and said, 'The better half.'
'I lost my virginity that night,' said Emilia.
'Huh?' said Oscar. 'Which night?'
'The night before I came down to visit you,' said Emilia.
'Wow,' said Oscar. 'That's... that's big, Emi.'
'Me and Chris – that's my boyfriend – had been out on our first proper date,' said Emilia. 'I invited him back to my room and asked him if he'd like to stay the night, and he absolutely jumped at the chance! The sex was good – really good! But I did do it partly to take my mind off being nervous about meeting you... or seeing you for the first time since I was three, anyway. I explained the whole situation to Chris the next morning. He was really nice about everything and he offered to drive me to the airport. We had sex again before we left. I very nearly missed my flight, actually.'
'You know,' said Oscar, 'I'm surprised you feel comfortable talking to me about that kind of thing. The sex, I mean; not almost missing your flight.'
'Of course I do!' said Emilia, fixing him with a smile. 'You're my big brother, aren't you?'
'Yeah,' said Oscar, laughing slightly, 'that's exactly my point!'
'You just told me about you and Kevin being in bed together.'
'Only in a non-sexual way.'
'Hmm, I suppose you're right,' said Emilia. 'Perhaps I'm starting to think of you as a friend, rather than as a big brother. I mean, I do think of you as a big brother, but not in the same way as I think of my other big brothers. Does that make any sense to you, Oscar?'
'Believe me, Emi,' said Oscar, 'it makes perfect sense.'
Meanwhile, Kevin was filling a plate from the buffet. Lars came up to him and unceremoniously invaded his personal space.
'Well lookie what we have here,' Lars slurred, taking a swig from his can of beer.
'Hello, Lars,' said Kevin, stepping away from him. 'Enjoying yourself?'
'No!' Lars declared, grinning all over his face nonetheless. 'I think Oscar's having a good time, though, and that's... that's why we're all here – to give Oscar a good time now that he wants to see us again! So everything's totally, totally fine!'
'I think we should get you some coffee,' said Kevin.
'He's certainly done... done well for himself,' Lars went on. 'Oscar, I mean. You're a nice big hunk o' man, aren't you?'
'Um... look, I really think you need to –'
'Oscar used to talk about you, you know. The last two or three times he came to see us, it was all Kevin this and Kevin that! He was so pleased your uncle had got the two of you together and you were the best friend he'd ever had, and he was so excited he was gonna be moving back to New York and living a few blocks away from you, and he couldn't wait to have sleepovers with you every bloody week!'
'I felt exactly the same way about him,' said Kevin, smiling nostalgically.
'Fucking sick-making!' said Lars. 'Still, I can see why he's always been so into you. Christ, you're fucking sexy as fuck! You must be... be bored of Oscar by now, aren't you? How'd you like to take a ride on me for a change? My bum's younger and firmer and suppler and it's never, ever been used... well, not for what people like you like to use it for, anyway!'
'Look, Lars,' said Kevin, 'I have to tell you that you're making me feel incredibly uncomfortable, so maybe we should just... oh, Christ!'
Kevin hurled himself backwards as Lars lunged at him and tried to kiss him. Oscar was on the scene in a trice, with Emilia not far behind.
'Oh hey, it's Oscar!' Lars laughed boorishly, while across the room Hayden and Jessica stopped their own laughter abruptly and turned to stare at the scene. 'What's happening, bro?'
'What do you think you're doing, Lars?' Oscar asked, dangerously quietly.
Lars gave Oscar a hard look and said, 'Jesus, calm yourself.'
'Lars, you're drunk,' Emilia said severely.
'So what if I am?' said Lars. 'This is supposed to be a party, isn't it?'
'You just tried to kiss my husband!' Oscar snarled.
'We were talking, that's all,' Lars slurred. 'You know, I could never see the point of you, Oscar.'
'Lars...' Emilia said warningly.
'I never needed you!' Lars persisted. 'I already had a big brother – my real big brother, who I really love! And I have a little sister, and I love her too! But we didn't love you, Oscar – we didn't need you! We still don't need you!'
'That has nothing to do with you coming on to Kevin!' Oscar snapped.
'And it's not true anyway!' said Emilia.
'It is true!' said Lars. 'You can just fuck off, Oscar! Why don't you fuck off over there, you shit? But you can leave Kevin for me!'
'What?' Oscar yelled. 'You piece of trash!'
Oscar leapt forward, and Lars flung his arms up in alarm. Less than a second later, Oscar had Lars's right arm in an iron grip, and Lars was yelling the place down.
'Oh my God!' cried Hayden, running towards them, with Jessica hot on his heels.
'Now you know the point of me, Lars!' Oscar snarled, giving his arm a vicious yank. 'It's to kick your ass!'
'Oh dear,' Emilia sighed, 'this isn't how it was supposed to go!'
'That's enough,' said Kevin, laying a gentle hand on Oscar's shoulder. 'You'll break his arm.'
Oscar nodded, threw Lars into the buffet table with just enough force to move it a little, and stormed out of the room. Kevin gave Emilia an apologetic look, then ran after him.
Hayden ran to help steady Lars on his feet while Jessica turned to Emilia and said aggressively, 'Is that true, what my brother said your brother did?'
'It was just a misunderstanding,' Emilia said helplessly.
'He's completely rat-arsed, Emi!' said Hayden, who now had Lars practically falling asleep on his shoulder.
'Total bollocks!' Lars declared.
'Lars, mate, what's going on?' said Hayden.
'I don't fucking know,' slurred Lars. 'What's going on with you, Hayden? Who are you trying to impress? Look at you! You're wearing all your least smeggy things.'
'I think I need to get him up to our room,' Hayden said to Emilia.
'Why don't I?' said Emilia, shrinking under Jessica's malevolent glare.
'Well,' said Hayden, turning his gaze onto Jessica, 'if you think that's best...'
'Really, it's no trouble,' said Emilia, putting an arm around Lars's shoulders, then stumbling a little as Hayden let go of him. 'Watch out, Lars, I can't take that much of your weight!'
'Thanks, Emi-chops,' said Hayden, smiling gratefully at his sister as she and Lars lurched out of the room together.
'A cute nickname, huh?' said Jessica, raising an eyebrow at Hayden, her malevolent glare now completely gone.
'I think she deserved it just then,' said Hayden. 'Poor kid.'
'Yeah, it's tough on her, I guess,' said Jessica. 'And how do you feel about Lars right now?'
'That's not a very fair question – it was my brother against yours!'
'But you can't defend what he was doing, though, right?'
'Not exactly,' said Hayden. 'Of course he shouldn't have done that... and he wouldn't have, if he wasn't really upset about something. How I feel about him now is worried, if you really want to know.'
Jessica smiled. 'That's sweet.'
'Me and Emi have been worrying about him for a while now, but if I thought he'd do something like that... I don't know what I would've done!'
'Better not to know, then, huh?'
'I don't suppose you're going to concede that your brother was wrong to use violence?'
'No way,' said Jessica. 'I'd have done the same thing myself.'
'You know what?' said Hayden, with a wry smile. 'I believe you.'
'Do you know what, Hayden? It's very interesting, the way you're talking about them: your brother and my brother.'
'Yes, well... that's how we both think of them, isn't it?'
'Absolutely,' said Jessica. 'I guess you kind of agree with Lars, then? That we're two separate families who should've never overlapped?'
'Well,' said Hayden, 'I don't know if I think that exactly. At any rate, I don't now that we're older.'
'I do,' said Jessica. 'I mean, I'm not crazy about Lars right now, but I can see exactly what he means about that. You guys had each other, and so did we; I never understood why Oscar wanted to go and play at having another family when he had us.'
'You mean you were jealous?'
'Yes. I don't mind admitting it. Hayden, I... almost ignored your first MSN message all those years ago, because of how I felt about your family.'
'Yeah?' said Hayden. 'Well, I'm glad you didn't.'
'Why did you even want to contact me in the first place?' asked Jessica.
'Because after we lost touch with Oscar, what I remembered most was you. Okay, I'd never met you, never even seen you before, but he used to talk about you and I thought you sounded brilliant. And then when I found your MySpace page... well, I just thought you were amazing!'
'Amazing? God, what was I even doing back then?'
'Captaining your school soccer team and binge-watching Jimmy Stewart films,' said Hayden. 'You were just doing what you felt like because it made you happy, no matter what anybody else thought, and I really admired that.'
'Yeah, I remember,' said Jessica. 'You wanted to know how I could not care about all the hate comments telling me old movies were for losers and soccer was a wimps' sport and shit like that, and I was like, why would I care? And you told me you didn't feel brave enough to do stuff your dad wouldn't like, and I thought... well, I guess it doesn't matter now what I thought about him.'
'You really inspired me, Jess,' said Hayden. 'My parents... especially my dad... they've always had this very conventional lifestyle that they just present as what you're supposed to do. They don't mean to, of course, and if I'd just had the courage to talk to them I'm sure... well...'
'I get it,' said Jessica. 'You love your parents and you know they've done their best for you guys. Please continue.'
'Well,' Hayden went on, 'Emi's all right – the things she wants to do are all the kinds of things our mum and dad approve of... up to now, anyway – but if you hadn't coaxed me out of my shell back then...'
'Then maybe you'd have ended up blurting out a lot of repressed emotions in a drunken rage and gotten yourself thrown into a snack table, huh?'
'Maybe. For different reasons, I suspect, but... yes, something like that. Anyway, that was all after you answered my message, wasn't it? So, why didn't you ignore it?'
'Honestly?' said Jessica. 'I don't remember. But whatever it was that decided me, I'm glad,' and with that she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.
A few hours later, Kevin had put on a hotel-issue white towelling robe and was arranging his clothes neatly on a chair. He looked up as Oscar emerged from the en-suite bathroom, wearing an identical robe.
'Okay?' Kevin asked.
'Not really,' Oscar replied, shrugging slightly. 'I'm glad you stopped me from breaking Lars's arm, though.'
Kevin smiled and said, 'So am I.'
'I shouldn't have attacked him,' said Oscar. 'And I especially shouldn't have used my karate to do it!'
'Emotions are running high for everyone,' said Kevin. 'It was a totally understandable reaction to what happened.'
'Kinda like the time you attacked your dad's tenant 'cause you thought he was a drug dealer?'
'Exactly.'
'I hope Emi doesn't think I'm a total jerk now,' said Oscar.
'Just Emi, huh?' Kevin queried.
Oscar shrugged again, then he said, 'I hated seeing Lars all over you like that.'
'You had nothing to worry about,' Kevin assured him.
'Oh yeah?' said Oscar, allowing a mischievous smile to play on his lips. 'I'm not so sure – Lars is your type, you know.'
Kevin laughed and said, 'You mean he looks kinda like you.'
'Yeah.'
'Thought I might want to trade you in for a newer model, huh?'
Oscar giggled and said, 'Not really.'
'Good,' said Kevin, 'because I don't. It's always been you – just you.'
Oscar fixed Kevin with a loving look, then the two of them met in the middle of the room and fell into each other's arms.
'God, I love you,' Oscar breathed, as Kevin kissed his face and neck in a series of rapid movements.
'I love you too,' Kevin whispered in reply, as Oscar's left hand slipped between the folds of his robe.
'Even after I almost beat the shit out of my brother?' Oscar asked, caressing Kevin's abs.
'Even after anything.'
Kevin's lips met Oscar's and they kissed each other passionately. Both towelling robes quickly dropped to the floor.
'Okay?' Kevin asked.
'Not really,' Oscar replied, shrugging slightly. 'I'm glad you stopped me from breaking Lars's arm, though.'
Kevin smiled and said, 'So am I.'
'I shouldn't have attacked him,' said Oscar. 'And I especially shouldn't have used my karate to do it!'
'Emotions are running high for everyone,' said Kevin. 'It was a totally understandable reaction to what happened.'
'Kinda like the time you attacked your dad's tenant 'cause you thought he was a drug dealer?'
'Exactly.'
'I hope Emi doesn't think I'm a total jerk now,' said Oscar.
'Just Emi, huh?' Kevin queried.
Oscar shrugged again, then he said, 'I hated seeing Lars all over you like that.'
'You had nothing to worry about,' Kevin assured him.
'Oh yeah?' said Oscar, allowing a mischievous smile to play on his lips. 'I'm not so sure – Lars is your type, you know.'
Kevin laughed and said, 'You mean he looks kinda like you.'
'Yeah.'
'Thought I might want to trade you in for a newer model, huh?'
Oscar giggled and said, 'Not really.'
'Good,' said Kevin, 'because I don't. It's always been you – just you.'
Oscar fixed Kevin with a loving look, then the two of them met in the middle of the room and fell into each other's arms.
'God, I love you,' Oscar breathed, as Kevin kissed his face and neck in a series of rapid movements.
'I love you too,' Kevin whispered in reply, as Oscar's left hand slipped between the folds of his robe.
'Even after I almost beat the shit out of my brother?' Oscar asked, caressing Kevin's abs.
'Even after anything.'
Kevin's lips met Oscar's and they kissed each other passionately. Both towelling robes quickly dropped to the floor.
Hayden looked nervous and bashful as Jessica led him into her hotel room, hanging the Do not disturb sign on the exterior door handle as she did so. When he took in his luxurious surroundings, however, his expression was transformed to one of sheer amazement.
'Wow, you must be rich!' he said. Then he looked awkward, adding, 'That was a bit rude – sorry.'
'That's okay,' said Jessica. 'I thought you'd be prepared, though – you know what I do for a living.'
'You obviously do it very well.'
'That's not the only thing I do well.'
Smiling seductively, Jessica draped her arms around Hayden's shoulders and kissed him. They stood by the door like that for some minutes, until Jessica pulled her head back and said, 'You're a really great kisser.'
'Thank you,' said Hayden. 'You're amazing... I'm glad to know I'm all right too. I'm very nervous.'
'Why?'
'I didn't know this was going to happen.'
She kissed him again. After a few seconds, she pulled out of the kiss and said with a smile, 'Hey, I know just how to help you relax.' Then she took his hand and led him into the en-suite bathroom.
'Wow, you must be rich!' he said. Then he looked awkward, adding, 'That was a bit rude – sorry.'
'That's okay,' said Jessica. 'I thought you'd be prepared, though – you know what I do for a living.'
'You obviously do it very well.'
'That's not the only thing I do well.'
Smiling seductively, Jessica draped her arms around Hayden's shoulders and kissed him. They stood by the door like that for some minutes, until Jessica pulled her head back and said, 'You're a really great kisser.'
'Thank you,' said Hayden. 'You're amazing... I'm glad to know I'm all right too. I'm very nervous.'
'Why?'
'I didn't know this was going to happen.'
She kissed him again. After a few seconds, she pulled out of the kiss and said with a smile, 'Hey, I know just how to help you relax.' Then she took his hand and led him into the en-suite bathroom.
Emilia entered her room at the University of Vermont, locked the door behind her and took off her dressing gown. After hanging it on the back of the door, she turned to look at the brown-skinned, broad-chested guy who was waiting in her bed and said, 'It's all gone to shit, Chris.'
'You don't think there's much chance of your brothers working things out, then?' said Chris.
'I don't think there's any chance!' said Emilia. 'Oscar would've kicked seven shades of shit out of Lars if Kevin hadn't stopped him, but I completely get why he reacted in that way – Lars's behaviour was inexcusable! But I do know why he did it and I can tell he's really struggling at the moment, and I think Oscar could actually help him if the two of them would only give each other a chance! And I wish Hayden had spent a little more of the afternoon with someone other than Jessica. I just don't know what to do, Chris!'
Chris smiled reassuringly and held out an arm to her; she crossed the room and got into bed with him. As Emilia snuggled against Chris's manly torso, he kissed her on the top of the head.
'Emi, it's not your responsibility to make your brothers get along with each other,' said Chris. 'You just need to leave them to it and see what happens.'
'Yes, I suppose so,' Emilia sighed.
'Maybe they'll all be the best of friends by the morning.'
'That's... that's certainly possible.'
'It'll be okay, you know,' said Chris. 'You'll go back to that hotel in the morning and find that you're all family, just as you always should have been. And even if you're not, Oscar and his entourage will be leaving soon.'
Emilia laughed and said, 'Yes, that's true.'
'Do you want me to come with you?'
'That's really sweet of you, Chris, but no. This is something I have to do alone.'
'You don't think there's much chance of your brothers working things out, then?' said Chris.
'I don't think there's any chance!' said Emilia. 'Oscar would've kicked seven shades of shit out of Lars if Kevin hadn't stopped him, but I completely get why he reacted in that way – Lars's behaviour was inexcusable! But I do know why he did it and I can tell he's really struggling at the moment, and I think Oscar could actually help him if the two of them would only give each other a chance! And I wish Hayden had spent a little more of the afternoon with someone other than Jessica. I just don't know what to do, Chris!'
Chris smiled reassuringly and held out an arm to her; she crossed the room and got into bed with him. As Emilia snuggled against Chris's manly torso, he kissed her on the top of the head.
'Emi, it's not your responsibility to make your brothers get along with each other,' said Chris. 'You just need to leave them to it and see what happens.'
'Yes, I suppose so,' Emilia sighed.
'Maybe they'll all be the best of friends by the morning.'
'That's... that's certainly possible.'
'It'll be okay, you know,' said Chris. 'You'll go back to that hotel in the morning and find that you're all family, just as you always should have been. And even if you're not, Oscar and his entourage will be leaving soon.'
Emilia laughed and said, 'Yes, that's true.'
'Do you want me to come with you?'
'That's really sweet of you, Chris, but no. This is something I have to do alone.'
Back at the hotel, Kevin and Oscar were spooning under their king-sized duvet. Kevin planted a series of soft kisses across Oscar's shoulders, then leaned to whisper in his ear.
'You want to talk about your feelings?' Kevin asked.
'You want to hear about them?' said Oscar.
'Always,' said Kevin.
'They're not all very nice feelings.'
'All the more reason not to keep them bottled up.'
Oscar sighed and said, 'I like Emilia a whole lot, but I'm not feeling at all brotherly toward the two guys. Hayden's just been hanging around with Jess the whole time, and all Lars has done is get drunk and try to steal my man!'
'I think making a connection with Emilia is still a really good thing,' said Kevin, 'even if you're never gonna have any kind of a relationship with the boys.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Oscar, allowing himself a small smile. 'But is it good enough to be worth driving five hours up here today and five hours back home tomorrow, and paying for the hotel room and everything? Worth it to you, I mean.'
'If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me,' Kevin said solemnly.
'You want to talk about your feelings?' Kevin asked.
'You want to hear about them?' said Oscar.
'Always,' said Kevin.
'They're not all very nice feelings.'
'All the more reason not to keep them bottled up.'
Oscar sighed and said, 'I like Emilia a whole lot, but I'm not feeling at all brotherly toward the two guys. Hayden's just been hanging around with Jess the whole time, and all Lars has done is get drunk and try to steal my man!'
'I think making a connection with Emilia is still a really good thing,' said Kevin, 'even if you're never gonna have any kind of a relationship with the boys.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Oscar, allowing himself a small smile. 'But is it good enough to be worth driving five hours up here today and five hours back home tomorrow, and paying for the hotel room and everything? Worth it to you, I mean.'
'If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me,' Kevin said solemnly.
Some time later, Oscar snuggled into Kevin's arms and whispered, 'That was really nice.'
Kevin smiled mischievously to himself and said, 'I'll just shoot into the next room and do the same thing for Lars, shall I?'
'You might as well do Hayden too while you're in there and complete the set!'
'I think Hayden would rather do that kind of thing with someone else.'
'Mmm,' said Oscar, 'you could be right.'
'You know,' said Kevin, 'in all seriousness, there's still time for things to work out between you and your brothers.'
'You think so?' Oscar said doubtfully. 'We're leaving in the morning.'
Kevin gave him a squeeze and said, 'A lot can happen in a morning.'
Kevin smiled mischievously to himself and said, 'I'll just shoot into the next room and do the same thing for Lars, shall I?'
'You might as well do Hayden too while you're in there and complete the set!'
'I think Hayden would rather do that kind of thing with someone else.'
'Mmm,' said Oscar, 'you could be right.'
'You know,' said Kevin, 'in all seriousness, there's still time for things to work out between you and your brothers.'
'You think so?' Oscar said doubtfully. 'We're leaving in the morning.'
Kevin gave him a squeeze and said, 'A lot can happen in a morning.'
The sun was streaming through the window onto Jessica's hotel bed as she lay with Hayden wrapped in her arms, his head resting comfortably on her chest.
'You seem very happy there,' she remarked.
'I am,' he murmured sleepily.
'So, honey... were you hoping this would happen?'
'Only in my deepest dreams. I didn't want to get my hopes up. We were meeting for the first time, after all.'
'Well yeah, but we've known each other forever. Half our lives, anyway. I had every intention of taking you to bed if you were everything you seemed from our online chats.'
'Then I'm very glad that's what I turned out to be,' said Hayden. 'I didn't dare to hope for anything sexual, but I was certainly hoping something would happen... a long night of baring our souls and then a kiss goodbye, perhaps.'
Jessica laughed and said, 'Seems silly now, huh? Well, we've already spent more than enough hours baring our souls to justify our kiss hello.'
'Mmm, and much more besides. Whatever I might have imagined, Jess, I had no idea you were so...'
'Kinky?'
'Adventurous.'
'I'll try just about anything,' she said, 'but there is stuff I'm not really into, like dressing up and role-play and stuff like that. Unless you wanted to try it – then I would, to please you.'
'That's sweet of you,' said Hayden.
They lay in silence for a few moments, then Jessica said quietly, 'I don't want to go back to New York and leave you here.'
'I don't want that either,' said Hayden, raising himself abruptly onto his elbow and looking deep into her eyes.
'How many days did you take off work?'
'The whole week. I'm staying 'til Saturday. Will you stay with me, Jess?'
'I don't know,' said Jessica. 'I'm working on a house right now; I told the tradespeople I'd be available this afternoon if they needed me, and definitely back on-site tomorrow.'
'You can trust them for the rest of the week,' said Hayden. 'You're too clever to hire cowboys.'
'Flatterer. Look, why don't you just come back with me?'
'Well, because... because I came to see Emilia; she'd be a bit miffed if I just naffed off after half our visit. And what about Lars – how can I leave him like that?'
'I really hope he's not “like that” after a good night's sleep,' said Jessica. 'And besides, Emilia took care of him yesterday, didn't she? They've still got each other if you come with me.'
'I really want to go with you, Jess,' said Hayden. 'I can't tell you how much!'
'So do! You'll see your brother again real soon, and you'll see your sister in the summer – it's really not that far off.'
'Mmm... which means it's not long at all until I'll have to leave you.'
'Then let's make the most of it,' said Jessica.
'All right,' said Hayden. 'Unless Lars is looking suicidal or something.'
'Well, I wouldn't expect you to leave him if he was actually suicidal, but I bet he's not. I really, desperately want to take you home with me, Hayden.'
'You seem very happy there,' she remarked.
'I am,' he murmured sleepily.
'So, honey... were you hoping this would happen?'
'Only in my deepest dreams. I didn't want to get my hopes up. We were meeting for the first time, after all.'
'Well yeah, but we've known each other forever. Half our lives, anyway. I had every intention of taking you to bed if you were everything you seemed from our online chats.'
'Then I'm very glad that's what I turned out to be,' said Hayden. 'I didn't dare to hope for anything sexual, but I was certainly hoping something would happen... a long night of baring our souls and then a kiss goodbye, perhaps.'
Jessica laughed and said, 'Seems silly now, huh? Well, we've already spent more than enough hours baring our souls to justify our kiss hello.'
'Mmm, and much more besides. Whatever I might have imagined, Jess, I had no idea you were so...'
'Kinky?'
'Adventurous.'
'I'll try just about anything,' she said, 'but there is stuff I'm not really into, like dressing up and role-play and stuff like that. Unless you wanted to try it – then I would, to please you.'
'That's sweet of you,' said Hayden.
They lay in silence for a few moments, then Jessica said quietly, 'I don't want to go back to New York and leave you here.'
'I don't want that either,' said Hayden, raising himself abruptly onto his elbow and looking deep into her eyes.
'How many days did you take off work?'
'The whole week. I'm staying 'til Saturday. Will you stay with me, Jess?'
'I don't know,' said Jessica. 'I'm working on a house right now; I told the tradespeople I'd be available this afternoon if they needed me, and definitely back on-site tomorrow.'
'You can trust them for the rest of the week,' said Hayden. 'You're too clever to hire cowboys.'
'Flatterer. Look, why don't you just come back with me?'
'Well, because... because I came to see Emilia; she'd be a bit miffed if I just naffed off after half our visit. And what about Lars – how can I leave him like that?'
'I really hope he's not “like that” after a good night's sleep,' said Jessica. 'And besides, Emilia took care of him yesterday, didn't she? They've still got each other if you come with me.'
'I really want to go with you, Jess,' said Hayden. 'I can't tell you how much!'
'So do! You'll see your brother again real soon, and you'll see your sister in the summer – it's really not that far off.'
'Mmm... which means it's not long at all until I'll have to leave you.'
'Then let's make the most of it,' said Jessica.
'All right,' said Hayden. 'Unless Lars is looking suicidal or something.'
'Well, I wouldn't expect you to leave him if he was actually suicidal, but I bet he's not. I really, desperately want to take you home with me, Hayden.'
Kevin and Oscar were also still in bed.
'I don't want to go back out there,' said Oscar, nodding towards the door to the corridor.
'I think we have to, really,' said Kevin.
'Can we just sneak down to the parking lot and drive off?'
'No. We need to pick up Jess first, for one thing.'
'We might as well get on with it, then,' Oscar sighed, dragging himself into a sitting position.
Kevin grinned and said, 'That's the spirit!'
'I don't want to go back out there,' said Oscar, nodding towards the door to the corridor.
'I think we have to, really,' said Kevin.
'Can we just sneak down to the parking lot and drive off?'
'No. We need to pick up Jess first, for one thing.'
'We might as well get on with it, then,' Oscar sighed, dragging himself into a sitting position.
Kevin grinned and said, 'That's the spirit!'
Kevin and Oscar emerged into the hotel corridor and ran straight into Lars. Kevin opened his mouth to say something, but Lars got in first.
'Guys, I'm really, really sorry!' he blurted out. 'Bloody hell, what must you think of me?'
Kevin and Oscar exchanged a look.
'I shouldn't have attacked you,' said Oscar. 'I'm sorry.'
'No, no, you were right to do it!' said Lars. 'I wish you'd punched my lights out, Oscar – that's what I deserved!'
'Do you want him to do it now?' Kevin suggested.
'Yes, if he still feels like it,' said Lars.
'I don't want to hit you, Lars,' said Oscar.
'Well... thanks,' said Lars, with a small, tentative smile. 'Still, I made a complete arse of myself for no reason and... well, I did have a reason, but that's absolutely no excuse for what I did!'
Lars was now staring at Oscar with wide, pleading eyes; Oscar frowned slightly.
'What do you want from me, Lars?' he asked.
'I'll tell you exactly what I want, Oscar,' said Lars. 'I want us to call each other brother, and I want to talk to you about coming out of the closet.'
'You mean... about you coming out of the closet?'
'Yes, exactly.'
Oscar raised his eyebrows and said, 'Okay, brother – let's talk.'
'I've been a closeted, non-practising homosexual for almost ten years now and I fucking hate it!' said Lars, real desperation evident in his voice. 'I wish I could be like you two – out and proud!'
Kevin and Oscar exchanged another look.
'You know, Lars, neither of us ever exactly came out in the way I think you mean,' said Kevin. 'We met and we became friends and we fell more and more in love with each other every time we were together, and when the time was right we became a couple. That's... that's all there is to it, really.'
'We've always just followed our hearts and done what's felt right to us,' said Oscar. 'We're not... gay icons or anything.'
'Oh, but you are!' Lars said insistently. 'What you two have done is so, so brave, even if you didn't mean it to be. I wish I could be even half as brave! But I've been a coward – I've been lying to myself and I've always known it! I remember going to a Bonfire Night party when I was sixteen and spending the whole of the fireworks display trying to get to grips with my sexuality. Emilia and Hayden and Christine – that was Hayden's girlfriend at the time – were really enjoying the bangers and the sparklers and the toffee-apples, but I was just worrying, worrying, worrying about whether the feelings I was having for my schoolfriend John were wrong! I... I don't want to feel like that anymore!'
'Lars,' said Oscar, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, 'how about the three of us have breakfast together and talk this whole thing through?'
Lars beamed at Oscar and said, 'Yes please.'
'Guys, I'm really, really sorry!' he blurted out. 'Bloody hell, what must you think of me?'
Kevin and Oscar exchanged a look.
'I shouldn't have attacked you,' said Oscar. 'I'm sorry.'
'No, no, you were right to do it!' said Lars. 'I wish you'd punched my lights out, Oscar – that's what I deserved!'
'Do you want him to do it now?' Kevin suggested.
'Yes, if he still feels like it,' said Lars.
'I don't want to hit you, Lars,' said Oscar.
'Well... thanks,' said Lars, with a small, tentative smile. 'Still, I made a complete arse of myself for no reason and... well, I did have a reason, but that's absolutely no excuse for what I did!'
Lars was now staring at Oscar with wide, pleading eyes; Oscar frowned slightly.
'What do you want from me, Lars?' he asked.
'I'll tell you exactly what I want, Oscar,' said Lars. 'I want us to call each other brother, and I want to talk to you about coming out of the closet.'
'You mean... about you coming out of the closet?'
'Yes, exactly.'
Oscar raised his eyebrows and said, 'Okay, brother – let's talk.'
'I've been a closeted, non-practising homosexual for almost ten years now and I fucking hate it!' said Lars, real desperation evident in his voice. 'I wish I could be like you two – out and proud!'
Kevin and Oscar exchanged another look.
'You know, Lars, neither of us ever exactly came out in the way I think you mean,' said Kevin. 'We met and we became friends and we fell more and more in love with each other every time we were together, and when the time was right we became a couple. That's... that's all there is to it, really.'
'We've always just followed our hearts and done what's felt right to us,' said Oscar. 'We're not... gay icons or anything.'
'Oh, but you are!' Lars said insistently. 'What you two have done is so, so brave, even if you didn't mean it to be. I wish I could be even half as brave! But I've been a coward – I've been lying to myself and I've always known it! I remember going to a Bonfire Night party when I was sixteen and spending the whole of the fireworks display trying to get to grips with my sexuality. Emilia and Hayden and Christine – that was Hayden's girlfriend at the time – were really enjoying the bangers and the sparklers and the toffee-apples, but I was just worrying, worrying, worrying about whether the feelings I was having for my schoolfriend John were wrong! I... I don't want to feel like that anymore!'
'Lars,' said Oscar, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, 'how about the three of us have breakfast together and talk this whole thing through?'
Lars beamed at Oscar and said, 'Yes please.'
Two groups of three people, both deep in conversation, were having breakfast around adjacent tables in the hotel dining room. Kevin, Oscar and Lars were at one table, while Hayden, Jessica and Emilia were at the other.
'I'm madly in love with one of my colleagues at school,' Lars was telling Kevin and Oscar. 'His name's Nathan Gilbert and he teaches science. I... I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about me.'
'You should try asking him out, then,' Kevin said encouragingly.
'But what if I'm wrong?' said Lars.
'Put yourself out there a little, man!' Oscar advised. 'If you don't try, you'll never know.'
'Yeah,' said Lars, managing a small smile. 'Yeah, you're right, Oscar.'
Oscar opened his mouth to say something else, but his attention was diverted as Jessica stood up from the other table and left the room, apparently in something of a hurry.
'Did Hayden come back to your room last night, Lars?' Oscar asked in a whisper.
'Um... no,' said Lars. 'No, he didn't. I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear, Oscar, but...'
Frowning slightly, Oscar jumped to his feet and ran after Jessica. Hayden and Emilia stopped their conversation rather abruptly, and Emilia smiled over at Kevin.
'So, who'd have thought the four of us would ever end up in this position?' Kevin remarked, now uncomfortably aware that all three Wallance siblings were staring at him.
'I hope you don't feel at all awkward about that, Kevin,' said Emilia. 'We're all family now.'
'Are we?' said Hayden.
'Yes, we are!' Emilia said insistently.
'Would you like another cup of tea, Kevin?' said Lars. 'I'm having one, and there should be at least two decent helpings left in the pot.'
Kevin smiled wryly and said, 'You're not trying to seduce me again, are you?'
Hayden and Emilia burst out laughing; Lars looked slightly uncomfortable for a few seconds, then he joined in the unrestrained mirth.
'You'll never be able to speak to Kevin again without him thinking you're chatting him up!' said Hayden.
'You can never make a second first impression, Lars,' Emilia giggled, 'unfortunately for you!'
'Come on, guys,' said Kevin, 'it wasn't that funny. You know what, Lars? I will have another cup of tea with you. Thanks.'
Lars smiled at Kevin and reached for the teapot.
'I'm madly in love with one of my colleagues at school,' Lars was telling Kevin and Oscar. 'His name's Nathan Gilbert and he teaches science. I... I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about me.'
'You should try asking him out, then,' Kevin said encouragingly.
'But what if I'm wrong?' said Lars.
'Put yourself out there a little, man!' Oscar advised. 'If you don't try, you'll never know.'
'Yeah,' said Lars, managing a small smile. 'Yeah, you're right, Oscar.'
Oscar opened his mouth to say something else, but his attention was diverted as Jessica stood up from the other table and left the room, apparently in something of a hurry.
'Did Hayden come back to your room last night, Lars?' Oscar asked in a whisper.
'Um... no,' said Lars. 'No, he didn't. I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear, Oscar, but...'
Frowning slightly, Oscar jumped to his feet and ran after Jessica. Hayden and Emilia stopped their conversation rather abruptly, and Emilia smiled over at Kevin.
'So, who'd have thought the four of us would ever end up in this position?' Kevin remarked, now uncomfortably aware that all three Wallance siblings were staring at him.
'I hope you don't feel at all awkward about that, Kevin,' said Emilia. 'We're all family now.'
'Are we?' said Hayden.
'Yes, we are!' Emilia said insistently.
'Would you like another cup of tea, Kevin?' said Lars. 'I'm having one, and there should be at least two decent helpings left in the pot.'
Kevin smiled wryly and said, 'You're not trying to seduce me again, are you?'
Hayden and Emilia burst out laughing; Lars looked slightly uncomfortable for a few seconds, then he joined in the unrestrained mirth.
'You'll never be able to speak to Kevin again without him thinking you're chatting him up!' said Hayden.
'You can never make a second first impression, Lars,' Emilia giggled, 'unfortunately for you!'
'Come on, guys,' said Kevin, 'it wasn't that funny. You know what, Lars? I will have another cup of tea with you. Thanks.'
Lars smiled at Kevin and reached for the teapot.
'Jess, wait up!' Oscar called as Jessica pressed the button to call the elevator.
'I was going to have to anyway,' she said, turning round and indicating the closed doors behind her.
'Oh yeah, right,' said Oscar, and he began to look uncomfortable. 'So... you and Hayden, huh?'
'Yeah,' said Jessica, avoiding his eye.
'I'm not completely surprised, Jess, because Emilia told me you've been friends with him on social media for years.'
'She did, huh? I guess he told everybody all about it, then.'
'Yeah.' Oscar paused for a moment, then added, 'You didn't, though.'
'No,' Jessica agreed.
'Why not?'
'So you're here to challenge me about keeping secrets from you, huh?'
The elevator pinged and the doors flew open. Jessica ignored them and stood looking at Oscar, somewhat defensively.
'I'm not challenging you,' said Oscar. 'I know it's none of my business if you don't want it to be. I just... wondered.'
Jessica softened her expression, sighed and said, 'I want it to be your business now.' The elevator doors closed behind her, and she let them. 'Because now it's serious. But I didn't know before, so I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be weirded out, and it could've been over nothing. But now... well, now you're getting weirded out over something.'
'Who says I'm weirded out?' Oscar said airily.
'I'll bet you are,' said Jessica, smiling in amusement.
'Well...'
'And before you ask, back when we were just kids and I didn't like him like him yet, I didn't tell you I'd made friends with him because you'd lost touch with that family and I assumed you hated all of their guts. Does that satisfy you?'
'Yes,' said Oscar. 'That's all completely understandable, Jess. Sorry if I came across as confrontational about it.'
'That's okay,' said Jessica.
Kevin chose this moment to emerge from the dining room. He spotted Oscar and Jessica smiling at each other in front of the closed elevator, and walked briskly over to join them.
'Everything okay?' Kevin asked, putting a supportive arm across Oscar's shoulders.
'Yeah,' said Oscar, slipping his own arm around Kevin's waist, 'we're okay.'
'Kevin,' said Jessica, 'would it be all right if Hayden rode back with us in your mom's car? He's gonna come stay with me for a few days.'
'Sure, no problem,' said Kevin.
Jessica's face lit up and she rushed to kiss Kevin on the cheek.
'Thanks, Kev,' she said. 'It's true what everyone says about you, you know – you really are the nicest person in the world!'
'So... so you're actually taking Hayden back to New York with you?' said Oscar.
'Yes, I am,' said Jessica.
'Do you think everyone's gonna be... okay with that?' said Oscar.
'Are you okay with it?' Jessica asked pointedly.
'Okay, I'll admit I'm a little weirded out by that idea,' Oscar said with a small smile. 'But if it's what you and Hayden want to do, Jess... well, you should go ahead and do it.'
'I don't think Emilia's very happy about the whole thing,' Jessica admitted. 'She was making me feel a little uncomfortable when we floated the idea to her over breakfast, but... well, it's not like she can stop us, is it?'
'I think we're about to find out,' said Kevin, nodding towards the dining room door. 'Here come Huey, Dewey and Louie right now.'
Oscar and Jessica could not help giggling at this remark as Hayden, Emilia and Lars crossed the lobby to meet them.
'All sorted, then?' said Emilia, with more enthusiasm than she obviously felt.
'Yeah, it is,' said Kevin. 'We're giving Hayden a ride to the Big Apple.'
When he heard this, Hayden looked like all his birthdays had come at once; he exchanged an anticipation-filled glance with Jessica.
'How are you planning on getting back up here, Hayd?' Emilia asked. 'You can get a train – the Vermonter – from Penn Station in Manhattan, but that takes forever and it only runs once a day. I flew from Burlington to JFK and back when I visited Oscar; you could do that.'
'Yes, I could,' said Hayden. 'Or I might see if I can cancel my plane ticket home and rebook it from JFK.'
'I can get Chris to pick you up from the airport if you fly back,' Emilia said coaxingly. 'He gave me a lift both ways when I did it.'
'Thanks, Emi,' said Hayden, 'but I think I'll probably rebook my original flight instead.'
Emilia frowned slightly and said, 'You mean you're going to stay with Jessica until you leave the country?'
'Well... yeah, I am,' said Hayden. 'I mean, if she'll have me.'
Jessica gave him a meaningful look and said, 'You bet I'll have you!'
'So... that's the plan, then,' said Hayden.
'Oh,' said Emilia, looking a little miffed. 'Oh, right.'
'Sorry, Emi-chops,' Hayden said in a rather small voice. 'I'll see you in the summer – it's really not that far off.'
'Yeah, I know,' said Emilia, managing a small smile. 'Bye for now then, Hayd.'
She gave him a heartfelt hug, then Lars came to take her place.
'Could you do me a favour while I'm gone?' said Hayden, wrapping his arms around his brother.
'What favour's that, Hayd?' asked Lars.
'Don't be a Muppet, mate!' said Hayden. 'No more boozing, okay?'
Lars laughed and said, 'Never again!'
'Happy birthday for Saturday if I don't see you before,' said Hayden.
'Thanks,' said Lars, giving him a final squeeze before stepping out of the brotherly embrace. 'Have a good time, bro. Perhaps we'll bump into each other at Heathrow on Sunday, eh?'
'Yes, perhaps,' said Hayden. 'You, er... you will be okay here on your own, won't you?'
'He's not going to be on his own,' said Emilia. 'I'm going to stay with him in the twin room while you're gone, Hayd; I'll have to pop back to campus for lectures, of course, but that's fine. We're going to talk at length about your feelings, aren't we, Lars?'
'We certainly are,' said Lars. 'And we're going to decide exactly what I need to do when I get back to England. I already know the first thing, though – I'll tell Nathan the truth about myself and... well, see how he reacts.'
'Hmm, well I don't want to know too much about how you're hoping that's going to pan out!' said Emilia.
'Oscar, I really can't tell you how sorry I am about yesterday,' said Lars.
'You already did,' said Oscar. 'And I've already forgotten all about it, brother.'
'Thank you,' said Lars, venturing to give him a quick hug. 'Thanks for everything.'
'Let me know how it goes with Nathan,' said Oscar, patting Lars on the back in a slightly awkward manner.
'I'll email you a full update,' said Lars.
Oscar smiled and said, 'I'd like that.'
'I was going to have to anyway,' she said, turning round and indicating the closed doors behind her.
'Oh yeah, right,' said Oscar, and he began to look uncomfortable. 'So... you and Hayden, huh?'
'Yeah,' said Jessica, avoiding his eye.
'I'm not completely surprised, Jess, because Emilia told me you've been friends with him on social media for years.'
'She did, huh? I guess he told everybody all about it, then.'
'Yeah.' Oscar paused for a moment, then added, 'You didn't, though.'
'No,' Jessica agreed.
'Why not?'
'So you're here to challenge me about keeping secrets from you, huh?'
The elevator pinged and the doors flew open. Jessica ignored them and stood looking at Oscar, somewhat defensively.
'I'm not challenging you,' said Oscar. 'I know it's none of my business if you don't want it to be. I just... wondered.'
Jessica softened her expression, sighed and said, 'I want it to be your business now.' The elevator doors closed behind her, and she let them. 'Because now it's serious. But I didn't know before, so I didn't tell you because I thought you'd be weirded out, and it could've been over nothing. But now... well, now you're getting weirded out over something.'
'Who says I'm weirded out?' Oscar said airily.
'I'll bet you are,' said Jessica, smiling in amusement.
'Well...'
'And before you ask, back when we were just kids and I didn't like him like him yet, I didn't tell you I'd made friends with him because you'd lost touch with that family and I assumed you hated all of their guts. Does that satisfy you?'
'Yes,' said Oscar. 'That's all completely understandable, Jess. Sorry if I came across as confrontational about it.'
'That's okay,' said Jessica.
Kevin chose this moment to emerge from the dining room. He spotted Oscar and Jessica smiling at each other in front of the closed elevator, and walked briskly over to join them.
'Everything okay?' Kevin asked, putting a supportive arm across Oscar's shoulders.
'Yeah,' said Oscar, slipping his own arm around Kevin's waist, 'we're okay.'
'Kevin,' said Jessica, 'would it be all right if Hayden rode back with us in your mom's car? He's gonna come stay with me for a few days.'
'Sure, no problem,' said Kevin.
Jessica's face lit up and she rushed to kiss Kevin on the cheek.
'Thanks, Kev,' she said. 'It's true what everyone says about you, you know – you really are the nicest person in the world!'
'So... so you're actually taking Hayden back to New York with you?' said Oscar.
'Yes, I am,' said Jessica.
'Do you think everyone's gonna be... okay with that?' said Oscar.
'Are you okay with it?' Jessica asked pointedly.
'Okay, I'll admit I'm a little weirded out by that idea,' Oscar said with a small smile. 'But if it's what you and Hayden want to do, Jess... well, you should go ahead and do it.'
'I don't think Emilia's very happy about the whole thing,' Jessica admitted. 'She was making me feel a little uncomfortable when we floated the idea to her over breakfast, but... well, it's not like she can stop us, is it?'
'I think we're about to find out,' said Kevin, nodding towards the dining room door. 'Here come Huey, Dewey and Louie right now.'
Oscar and Jessica could not help giggling at this remark as Hayden, Emilia and Lars crossed the lobby to meet them.
'All sorted, then?' said Emilia, with more enthusiasm than she obviously felt.
'Yeah, it is,' said Kevin. 'We're giving Hayden a ride to the Big Apple.'
When he heard this, Hayden looked like all his birthdays had come at once; he exchanged an anticipation-filled glance with Jessica.
'How are you planning on getting back up here, Hayd?' Emilia asked. 'You can get a train – the Vermonter – from Penn Station in Manhattan, but that takes forever and it only runs once a day. I flew from Burlington to JFK and back when I visited Oscar; you could do that.'
'Yes, I could,' said Hayden. 'Or I might see if I can cancel my plane ticket home and rebook it from JFK.'
'I can get Chris to pick you up from the airport if you fly back,' Emilia said coaxingly. 'He gave me a lift both ways when I did it.'
'Thanks, Emi,' said Hayden, 'but I think I'll probably rebook my original flight instead.'
Emilia frowned slightly and said, 'You mean you're going to stay with Jessica until you leave the country?'
'Well... yeah, I am,' said Hayden. 'I mean, if she'll have me.'
Jessica gave him a meaningful look and said, 'You bet I'll have you!'
'So... that's the plan, then,' said Hayden.
'Oh,' said Emilia, looking a little miffed. 'Oh, right.'
'Sorry, Emi-chops,' Hayden said in a rather small voice. 'I'll see you in the summer – it's really not that far off.'
'Yeah, I know,' said Emilia, managing a small smile. 'Bye for now then, Hayd.'
She gave him a heartfelt hug, then Lars came to take her place.
'Could you do me a favour while I'm gone?' said Hayden, wrapping his arms around his brother.
'What favour's that, Hayd?' asked Lars.
'Don't be a Muppet, mate!' said Hayden. 'No more boozing, okay?'
Lars laughed and said, 'Never again!'
'Happy birthday for Saturday if I don't see you before,' said Hayden.
'Thanks,' said Lars, giving him a final squeeze before stepping out of the brotherly embrace. 'Have a good time, bro. Perhaps we'll bump into each other at Heathrow on Sunday, eh?'
'Yes, perhaps,' said Hayden. 'You, er... you will be okay here on your own, won't you?'
'He's not going to be on his own,' said Emilia. 'I'm going to stay with him in the twin room while you're gone, Hayd; I'll have to pop back to campus for lectures, of course, but that's fine. We're going to talk at length about your feelings, aren't we, Lars?'
'We certainly are,' said Lars. 'And we're going to decide exactly what I need to do when I get back to England. I already know the first thing, though – I'll tell Nathan the truth about myself and... well, see how he reacts.'
'Hmm, well I don't want to know too much about how you're hoping that's going to pan out!' said Emilia.
'Oscar, I really can't tell you how sorry I am about yesterday,' said Lars.
'You already did,' said Oscar. 'And I've already forgotten all about it, brother.'
'Thank you,' said Lars, venturing to give him a quick hug. 'Thanks for everything.'
'Let me know how it goes with Nathan,' said Oscar, patting Lars on the back in a slightly awkward manner.
'I'll email you a full update,' said Lars.
Oscar smiled and said, 'I'd like that.'
From his position in the front passenger seat of Beth's car, Oscar looked into the rear-view mirror and watched the outskirts of Burlington disappearing into the distance. He could not help but notice something else in the mirror too, namely Jessica and Hayden sitting on the back seat and staring at each other with hungry eyes.
'Just so's you know, Jess,' said Oscar, 'I think I've now reached a crescendo of being weirded out by you and Hayden. I'm not saying I have a problem with it – I'm just acknowledging how right you were when we talked in front of the elevator.'
Jessica met his eye in the mirror, gave him a wry smile and said, 'That's very big of you, Oscar.'
'Man, just imagine what our family tree would look like if someone actually bothered to write it all down!' said Oscar. 'It'd be... really weird.'
'Not weird,' said Jessica. 'Just unique.'
'So,' Kevin said from the driving seat, 'how's everyone feeling in the aftermath of the reunion?'
'Deeply satisfied,' said Jessica, then she gave Hayden an intense look and added, 'for now.'
Hayden's mouth fell open a little as he met Jessica's gaze, and he folded his hands across his lap. Kevin glanced to his right; as he had suspected, Oscar was looking more than a little uncomfortable.
'How about you, Hayden?' Kevin asked quickly.
'I... I've very literally never been happier in my entire life,' said Hayden, still staring into Jessica's eyes. 'I came to the US to visit my sister, get reacquainted with my estranged half-brother and finally meet Jess in person. I got everything I wanted and more... a lot more! And I've loved every second of it.'
'It's not over yet, honey,' Jessica said meaningfully.
Oscar winced and said, 'Oh God.'
'I think we all know how you're feeling, Oscar,' said Jessica.
'Well, maybe you don't,' said Oscar. 'I'm pretty happy overall, and no one could be more surprised about that than me! I feel at least a little brotherly toward all my siblings now, and as for what I think about the two of you hooking up, I'm really... quite pleased. It'll just take a little getting used to, that's all.'
Oscar looked into the mirror again and saw that Jessica and Hayden were now kissing each other voraciously, both of them obviously using plenty of tongue.
'Or maybe a lot of getting used to,' Oscar sighed.
'Sorry, Oscar,' said Hayden, breaking the kiss. 'Would you rather we didn't snog in the car?'
'I don't want you to stop on my account,' said Oscar.
'That means he would rather we didn't,' Jessica said to Hayden.
'How about we have a little sing-along?' Kevin suggested.
'Great idea!' said Oscar. 'The Spice Girls' greatest hits?'
'How could it be anything else?' said Kevin.
'Excellent,' said Hayden. 'I love the Spice Girls!'
'You do, huh?' said Jessica, giving him a playful look. 'Well, I guess I can look past that.'
'Just so's you know, Jess,' said Oscar, 'I think I've now reached a crescendo of being weirded out by you and Hayden. I'm not saying I have a problem with it – I'm just acknowledging how right you were when we talked in front of the elevator.'
Jessica met his eye in the mirror, gave him a wry smile and said, 'That's very big of you, Oscar.'
'Man, just imagine what our family tree would look like if someone actually bothered to write it all down!' said Oscar. 'It'd be... really weird.'
'Not weird,' said Jessica. 'Just unique.'
'So,' Kevin said from the driving seat, 'how's everyone feeling in the aftermath of the reunion?'
'Deeply satisfied,' said Jessica, then she gave Hayden an intense look and added, 'for now.'
Hayden's mouth fell open a little as he met Jessica's gaze, and he folded his hands across his lap. Kevin glanced to his right; as he had suspected, Oscar was looking more than a little uncomfortable.
'How about you, Hayden?' Kevin asked quickly.
'I... I've very literally never been happier in my entire life,' said Hayden, still staring into Jessica's eyes. 'I came to the US to visit my sister, get reacquainted with my estranged half-brother and finally meet Jess in person. I got everything I wanted and more... a lot more! And I've loved every second of it.'
'It's not over yet, honey,' Jessica said meaningfully.
Oscar winced and said, 'Oh God.'
'I think we all know how you're feeling, Oscar,' said Jessica.
'Well, maybe you don't,' said Oscar. 'I'm pretty happy overall, and no one could be more surprised about that than me! I feel at least a little brotherly toward all my siblings now, and as for what I think about the two of you hooking up, I'm really... quite pleased. It'll just take a little getting used to, that's all.'
Oscar looked into the mirror again and saw that Jessica and Hayden were now kissing each other voraciously, both of them obviously using plenty of tongue.
'Or maybe a lot of getting used to,' Oscar sighed.
'Sorry, Oscar,' said Hayden, breaking the kiss. 'Would you rather we didn't snog in the car?'
'I don't want you to stop on my account,' said Oscar.
'That means he would rather we didn't,' Jessica said to Hayden.
'How about we have a little sing-along?' Kevin suggested.
'Great idea!' said Oscar. 'The Spice Girls' greatest hits?'
'How could it be anything else?' said Kevin.
'Excellent,' said Hayden. 'I love the Spice Girls!'
'You do, huh?' said Jessica, giving him a playful look. 'Well, I guess I can look past that.'
In Jessica's apartment later that very day, Jessica and Hayden were lying in the spooning position, with Hayden's back to Jessica's front and her arm draped over him.
'This is nice,' he said.
'Mmm,' said Jessica, who was clearly thinking of going to sleep.
'Intimate,' he added.
'You like being the little spoon?'
'Yes. If we did it the other way, I'd get your hair caught in my throat.'
She chuckled and snuggled further into him. They lay quietly for a while, and Jessica was almost asleep when she heard Hayden say in a small voice, 'How can I ever go home?'
'Oh, honey,' she said, waking up at once. 'You can always come back. I want you to come back. And before you do, I'll fly out to visit you.'
'For how long?' said Hayden, still speaking in that small voice.
'Months and months. I'm my own boss; I can take as much time off as I want.'
'It could never be enough.'
'Hey, come on now,' Jessica said soothingly. 'We have to play this thing by ear. I don't think now is the right time to say it's forever or never again – do you?'
Hayden rolled over in her arms and looked at her with a troubled expression. 'Well... it's definitely not never again, right?'
'Absolutely right. Y'know, babe, I was afraid it wouldn't be the same when we met in person but, if it's possible, you're even better in the flesh. This has been...'
'There are no words for what it's been, Jess.'
'That is so true,' she said, smiling and reaching up to stroke his cheek. 'I'm going to come visit you as soon as I've sold my latest house. And then you can come visit me any time you want.'
'And then what?' asked Hayden.
'And then,' said Jessica, 'we'll see.'
'This is nice,' he said.
'Mmm,' said Jessica, who was clearly thinking of going to sleep.
'Intimate,' he added.
'You like being the little spoon?'
'Yes. If we did it the other way, I'd get your hair caught in my throat.'
She chuckled and snuggled further into him. They lay quietly for a while, and Jessica was almost asleep when she heard Hayden say in a small voice, 'How can I ever go home?'
'Oh, honey,' she said, waking up at once. 'You can always come back. I want you to come back. And before you do, I'll fly out to visit you.'
'For how long?' said Hayden, still speaking in that small voice.
'Months and months. I'm my own boss; I can take as much time off as I want.'
'It could never be enough.'
'Hey, come on now,' Jessica said soothingly. 'We have to play this thing by ear. I don't think now is the right time to say it's forever or never again – do you?'
Hayden rolled over in her arms and looked at her with a troubled expression. 'Well... it's definitely not never again, right?'
'Absolutely right. Y'know, babe, I was afraid it wouldn't be the same when we met in person but, if it's possible, you're even better in the flesh. This has been...'
'There are no words for what it's been, Jess.'
'That is so true,' she said, smiling and reaching up to stroke his cheek. 'I'm going to come visit you as soon as I've sold my latest house. And then you can come visit me any time you want.'
'And then what?' asked Hayden.
'And then,' said Jessica, 'we'll see.'
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