The Radford Boys [Completed]

Chapter 21 Liberation

Chapter 21 Liberation

Jessie

            I entered consciousness Wednesday morning to the wonderful smell of Michael. It was like I was surrounded by him. I felt so close to him that I could have sworn his arms were wrapped around me. My eyes opened to welcome the daylight streaming through my window. It was then, at that moment, that I heard a very male grunt. I peeked over beside me and nearly screamed. Next to me, was Michael. He was actually in my bed, with his arms wrapped around me. I broke out of my thoughts to see that he was looking at me.

“No need to freak out. I came as soon as I heard.” He said this softly before leaning down to kiss my forehead. I pulled out of his arms and jumped out of bed.

“What? I-I don’t know what to say.” I ran a hand through my long tangled hair and walked into the bathroom. It was too early in the morning to fight with him about this.

“Jessie?” Michael knocked lightly on the bathroom door right before I cranked up the volume on my mp3 player. It had been on shuffle and the song that blasted out of the speakers was perfect for our situation. It was Pink and Nate Ruess singing Just Give Me a Reason. I flipped on the knob for the shower that instantly sprang to life. Cletus had fixed it the day after I visited him two weeks ago.

            I soaked under the stream of water for what felt like forever. Michael had eventually stopped knocking on the door. I slipped into a reverie, thinking of what had happened two weeks ago and the reason for not taking his almost apology so well. He agreed with his mother when he should have looked further into what was going on. How can I form a life with someone who will not stand by me in what I say? Maybe Michael is right, maybe I shouldn’t mix my business life and my personal life. I shook my head, attempting to erase Michael from my brain completely. It didn’t work as well as I hoped. I remembered the way he held me that night at my parents’ house. I thought of this morning before I realized it was really Michael .The way my skin seemed to burn under his very touch, and the way his chest rose and fell against my back, or my mind could have been kicking me for thinking of the way my neck tingled as each breath of his blew onto it. I shut off the water and let my thoughts scatter into oblivion.

            Slowly, I made my way down the stairs and into the kitchen. Michael wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so I began making omelets and pressed the on button on the coffee maker. It had become a tradition that I make omelets on Wednesday mornings. Ross entered the kitchen with a curious look on his face.

“What?” I really didn’t need to answer any of his deep, artistic, questions.

“Nothing, it’s just that I heard a door slam and the shower turn on an hour early. “ He was too intuitive for my slow thinking this morning.

“I woke up to Michael in my bed. How did you want me to react?” I asked him this with a look of disbelief.

“You could have reacted a million other ways than slamming a door loud enough for everyone in the neighborhood to wake up.” I was really not in the mood for Ross’ attitude. I slammed the omelet pan down on the counter.

“Well, I’m sorry I didn’t ask your opinion before I moved an inch. I will definitely do that next time.” I was practically yelling now, and realized I was channeling my bad morning attitude at the wrong person. “I’m sorry Ross. It’s just been a rough morning.” I said this cracking another egg for Mets’ omelet. He was due down here any second now.

“It’s okay. You have a lot of stress on you what with the baby and Michael coming home. I shouldn’t have said anything about the door.” He ducked his head and quietly climbed onto a bar stool to eat his omelet before it got cold. Mets wandered in with a dazed look. He plopped himself down on the other bar stool and gave me a disgusted look.