Home Study - Rated R

Ch 24

Not edited.

Cori put the key in her front door and stopped to listen. She could hear someone whistling and it was then that a cold wave of stark reality slammed through her. The real life. The one that was expected from her.

Her father.

She pushed open the door and shook off the nervous feeling she had as she quickly thought of the bedroom... Had the guys left anything behind?

"Ah there you are!" Her Dad grinned at her from the kitchen doorway.

"Hi Dad! I forgot you were coming." She crossed the floor and hugged him, immediately feeling the warmth he always exuded.

"Oh" he fake pouted as he pulled back and placed a hand over his chest "I see. My baby girl moved out and forgot all about her old man?"

"Oh no Dad! No...I " she broke off as her father started to laugh.

"It's fine honey. I get it. Busy new life and all that."

Cori blushed "Exactly! Settling in and getting used to everything."

"And getting sunburnt! Cori you were raised to use your brains. Look at you! You still have a tinge of pink. It must have been one hell of a sunburn. Thank God for Mr Brown and his stepson finding you when they did. Cori you know that sunburn is just as bad as regular burns and dehydration can..."

"Dad I get it. I was stupid."

"Holy cow! Can I have that in writing?"

Cori looked past her father to see her brother standing cocky with a wide grin.

"Tim you're an idiot."

"I'd rather be an idiot than stupid. You could have been in serious danger sis. You know we both need to cover up outside. Just who's the older of us both? I feel like..."

"OK" Cori raised her hand "I made a mistake. You don't have to go on."

"Oh yes I do."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do. It isn't often I get the better of you."

Their father held his hands up and spoke sternly "Children please. Enough. I'll put you both in time out!"

Cori and Tim looked at each other amd burst out with mocking laughter.

"What? It worked when you were both kids."

"Yeah Dad but we're not kids anymore"  Tim spoke in a duh fashion.

"When you act like it you are" John's eyes sparkled as he tried to keep an admonishing look on his face.

"Or when you call home all soppy and crying to Daddy... that's real mature stuff hey sis?" Tim stood with twinking eyes that mocked his sister.

"Don't even go there Tim" she warned with a pointed finger.

"Or what?" he stupidly challenged before realising that Cori was coming closer and taking a step back with his hands up in surrender. "Just kidding sis. Didn't mean anything at all. Just a joke... See" he pointed to their father "even Dad's laughing at my joke."

"Don't bring me into this son. I rather like that my little girl still needs her Dad at times. Although" he grinned even wider "you may need your Dad soon too if that look in your sister's face is anything to judge by "

Tim looked at Cori in horror as her face took on a determined look with her now standing just mere feet away. He backed up again.

"It's been a while since I had any practice little brother and...."

"NOOOOOOO!"

Tim ran.

Cori chased.

"Damn you Dad!" Tim's voice bounced off walls around the voice to greet the deep tones of John's laugh.

"Come back here Tim Hill! I need to practice!"

"No! I remember the last time... nope. Not going there ever again!"

Tim ran into Cori's bedroom and slammed the door shut. An audible click heard from the hall had Cori banging on the door and demanding to be let in.

Tim laughed and taunted her as his back slid down the wall and he settled in to wait out her mood. He looked around the room and it hit him that his sister really had grown up. She would always be his sister but now she was his adult sister. She grew up!

"Hey sis?" he called out.

"What's it like being away from home?"

There was silence before he got her reply.

"Different. I really miss you and Dad but I..."

She stopped as the lock suddenly clicked and the door swung open to a very dark looking Tim.

"But you aren't exactly lonely are you sis?"

"Wh... what?" she asked nervously. Her eyes bulged as Tim lifted his hand to reveal a grey knitted material.

"Care to explain why you have a man's sock under your bed?"