Today was justwhat I needed after the dreaded hideous hangover I woke up with this morning, after Johnny told me he was still heading on his trip and hadn’t cancelled it. The instant relief flooded through me, knowing that he understood my actions. Yes, I had pushed my boundaries, possibly stepped slightly too far but what girl of my age didn’t?
The emotion between us was thick and tight, but I knew that was because of the connection between us. A constant worry hung, but he never mentioned Elijah or him bringing me home. In my mind, a relief hit as the snipped information had remained hidden between us of my actions. A conversation that definitely didn’t need discussing.
Seafood day at Murphy’s was amazing, better than I ever remembered. As I walked in, I held my head up high and made sure I apologised to both Wayne on the door and Ewan on the bar for my actions. Before we headed over to an enclosed booth and picked the choices available, Johnny said that he would be a few minutes as he had a quick word with both men. He scooted back in, his cheeky,‘up to no good’smirk, played the game.
“Everything alright?” I raised a questioned brow.
“Yeah, of course, I was just saying I was heading out of town, but you were at mine. Just in case anyone was suspicious of seeing someone else in the house. I also wanted to thank Wayne for making sure I kept my temper last night. Everyone looks after everyone around here, Harlow.”
Grabbing the menu from me, it seemed Eastward hadn’t changed its ways since I left.
“That’s good to know, I’m having the seafood platter. Couldn’t decide on just one type, so I thought a collection would be good, then I would know what the best for next time would be.”
As if on cue, my stomach rumbled again with its needed requirement for sustenance.
“Oh, and a diet coke too, no alcohol today.”
Johnny lifted his brow at me.
“Hmm, you sure? Just because of me? Or you a little bit tender this afternoon still, Harlow?”
His deepened laugh hit in the air. The constant swipes of attempts to rile me up today had started to grate at me, but I wasn’t ready to bite at his notions. Probably as my stomach wanted to hurl and I couldn’t muster the backlash or quick-witted throwbacks he thoroughly deserved. I knew he could see it written across my face as I quietly voiced my feelings.
“You got me, yep still feel rubbish.”
Finally, the eased original tension between us both relaxed and became natural as we just caught up and talked together. Eating delicious food, we laughed and smiled over tales that we both had gotten ourselves into. A way in which a brother and sister should do, not ones who had had such turbulence in previous years. The odd thrown subject of Elijah was brought up but that was to be expected. He’d been a hugely influential part of our lives, but I managed to divert the subjects, without having raised too much suspicion, I hoped.
The time seemed to have flown by until Johnny’s alarm alerted us that he needed to collect all his belongings and make his way to the departures’ area at the airport. I knew after that afternoon our relationship would have started to blossom when he returned. I think we both understood the implications, that he knew how much we both needed this time.
Waving goodbye, I managed to contain the bubbled emotions between the pair of us. We thankfully agreed that I remained at home, no point me travelling the few hours each direction to the airport. He had a gut feeling that sentiments would have taken control and made it harder on us both.
How right was he?
At least I could go inside and have a little cry, without anyone seeing me. Johnny let me know that he had left Elijah’s numbers on the side and had upgraded my call plan. As he promised he would keep me updated throughout his time away. Which I thought was unnecessary, but he wouldn’t hear of it.
The time to re-evaluate and focus on the path I wanted to take ahead was now, and there was no chance to back out of it. I needed to make decisions that would change my life. Two weeks may not have seemed very long but to me, it was a detrimental amount of time to know where your future could be set. I couldn’t continue running from my decisions. I needed to make my roots firm and solid, just like Johnny and Elijah.
I knew in a short year my inheritance would be payable but that didn’t mean I should wait. Every decision started somewhere, and that knowledge was what had given me the drive to push ahead. Maybe I could’ve fulfilled my potential, just like Johnny had.
Twenty-Two
Elijah
Trustmy mother to have decided a last-minute visit was required this evening just as I was about to leave the place and head over to Harlow’s. Of all the timings she could have picked, she went with probably the most inappropriate. Typical, though, and I should have expected it of her. My father’s health hadn’t been the best of late, so he’d not managed the short journey across. I noted in my head I had better check in with him in the next week.
I had planned to call her once I had settled at Johnny’s place, less chance of the inquisition there, or opportunity of her coming around. My parents had struggled with the admittance of having seen Johnny and Harlow at the house since the accident. With their friends passing, the hurt was too deep. They were proud that our friendships had proved strong enough and survived through everything.
Johnny had rung me on the way to the airport and let me know that the afternoon had seemed so relaxed and calm, and he hadn’t wanted to break the bubble he had formed. A calmness that hadn’t existed with her in such a long time had grown, he wanted to keep that memory for the flight without tainting it. Therefore, the bombshell news of a house guest being thrown upon her, hadn’t been broached as yet. Leaving yet again, for me to deliver the news.
Harlow would probably be fuming at the fact it was me staying as well. I couldn’t have imagined Johnny going otherwise. It wasn’t as if we had thrown ourselves into large friendship circles. To be truthful, they alleged three’s a crowd and at times I could have seen the logic. Johnny was always my friend, but Harlow had come as part of the package. So, she was very much a person who kept herself alone. I wasn’t sure if that may have been another contributing factor to why she hated me. Anytime someone got close though, we watched. I think anyone would have done the same.
My major panic settled in the depths of my stomach since we hadn’t seen each other since her little attempted seduction last night. I wondered if that could have resulted in more awkwardness than needed. Would she have wanted to have discussed the situation, or dismissed and forgotten everything?
Worse still, she couldn’t have admitted that maybe we were enemies in the past and things had now changed. I knew for myself they had, and I wasn’t about to have jumped in and tell her that, with the giant issue of Johnny to deal with ahead. The thing is, if she admitted anything to me, I didn’t think I would have hidden away any longer, no matter the consequence. After such a short time in her presence, after her return that scared the shit out of me. This girl had me in knots, I was five years older and felt like a bumbling teenager in comparison.
As I voiced a good night to my mother, I acknowledged the lateness as I reached for my suitcase. I double-checked all the appliances and lights were switched off and locked the door for the final time. I took a deep intake of breath, I knew the explosion that was going to greet me, and I mumbled, “Thanks, Johnny,” into the air.
Anything for him to have escaped a few hours’ backlash before he flew in the sky. As I walked towards the harbour side, my dick twitched with joy at the fiery side I knew she’d unleash upon me. I understood it was going to be a long but fucking beautiful two weeks.