My Country Man

Chapter 4

"Jake I miss you! Are you coming home for family dinner tonight?" I asked Jake threw the phone.

"Sheesh, some things don't change. Your still as pushy as always, sister dearest. But to answer your question, yes I will be there tonight." He replied.

"Okay, sorry. I look forward to seeing my brothers! See you tonight. Love you." 

"Love you too, bye." And with that he hangs up.

I started working on tonight's dinner. It’s something I look forward to every week. I love to cook and I love spending time with my brothers.

A half an hour before the boys should get here I pulled the food out of the oven and moved the food away from the burners. I went upstairs to get ready. I put on pair of light denim shorts and a white tank top with brown and gold beads along the neck line. I left my hair wavy and gave up trying to cover up my bruises so I just applied a little blush and eyeliner. I made my way downstairs just in time for the doorbell to ring. I didn't even make it to the door before it opened.

"Hey sis I'm here!" Ben shouted.

"Well thank you captain obvious." I giggled.

"Well hey there Hun, don't you look good. You should be going out partying meeting some guys the way you look." Lindsay, Ben's wife, winked at me.

"Lindz, that's my sister! She doesn't do that kind of stuff. Right, Nell?" Ben asked. If he had his way, I'd be a forty year old virgin. I'm already on my way to earning the title. No one has met my standards, so I decided to save it for the right guy.

"Oh hush up, love. She needs to go out and have some fun!" Lands told Ben. Ben just glared at her and turned to me.

"Ok, so anyways do you know if Jake's coming? I haven't seen him in a few weeks." Ben said. I could tell he was a little upset about that. You see, we became close when we were children. We were each other’s rock, if we needed help the others were there for us. It's pretty strange when we don't get to see each other once a week. We do make sure to text each other once a day though, even if it’s just to say good night or good morning. I always think how did it get to be like this? And I always came to the same conclusion. Dad. He left us for money and it hasn't been the same ever since.

"Yes Jake is coming; he's been busy with teaching and preparing for the beginning of a new soccer season. I don't know if he'll be late but he should be here." I confessed. Jake has a habit of being fashionably late.

Just when I say this, the door opens to reveal none other than Jake himself. With Connor beside him. This should be an interesting evening.

"Nell, I'm here! Now feed me. Oh, and I saw Connor next door and I invited him. I thought you wouldn't mind." Jake yelled.

"So demanding. Fix the table, you know where everything is. I'll get the food ready."

"Yes Ma'am." Jake called. Jake and Connor made their way to the kitchen to get the plates and silverware. I started to carve the chicken and put some on each plate. Next I put some mashed potatoes and corn on the plates as well. I brought the plates to the table to see everyone already seated. 

"Here you go, I'll be right back with the lemonade and sweet tea."

"Let me help you with that." Connor announced. I couldn't very well refuse him when he's already half way to the kitchen.

He followed me into the kitchen and I handed him the sweet tea.

"It's probably best if you carry the stuff that stains. I'm still as clumsy as when I was 17." With that, he laughed and said, "In that case, maybe I should carry both. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do, of course." He winked at me and I swear I felt butterflies in my stomach. Just he being near me makes me feel like that young teenage girl who swore on her life that she loved him.

They made their way back toward the dining room with Connor carrying both pitchers. Not that I'm complaining. 

Just then Ben gave me a weird look. "Nell, what did you do to your eye?" He asked all protective like. Here we go again.

"It was nothing. One of the patients accidentally hit me in the eye when I was trying to catch them when they were falling. No big deal."
"Nell Naomi Douglas, I can tell when you are lying to me. You always look at my nose and you bite your lip. Now tell me the truth."
"Ben, please. It'll just ruin dinner. It's no big deal." I said hoping he would drop it. I also hope Connor didn't mention anything to him.

"She did it, didn't she? Dammit. I told you I don’t want her living here! Jacob helps me on this." Ben snapped.

"I'm sorry Nell, but for once I'm with Ben. You can keep putting up with it."

"How can you say that? She's our mother! She's all we have left. Dad's gone. I can't lose her too. I just won’t." I excused myself from the table.

I walked up the stairs to my bedroom and closed the door. I went to the bathroom to wash off my face. I might as well just wash it all off, why bother trying to hide it. I reapplied my eyeliner and blush. I walked to the bed and laid down thinking back to my earlier question. How did it get this way? And once again thought the same thing. I looked at my bedside table at the picture of my daddy and me when I was a little girl. Everything was so peaceful then. I wish it could be like that again. But of course that's just a fantasy, not reality. All of a sudden I hear a knock on the door.

"Come in." I hear the door open and close not bothering to look at who opened the door. I was too busy looking at the picture of my daddy and me.

"Look Ben I'm sorry for my outburst. I shouldn't have..." I gasped as I turned around to see Connor in my doorway.

"There's nothing to apologize for Nell. I understand it's hard. They just care about you." He said.

"I know. It’s just a little touchy for me. They're still as protective as they were back in high school. I'm not that little girl anymore. I can take care of myself." She said.

"We realize that, it’s just good to have help every now and then." He said. "Is that a picture of your dad?"

"Yes it is." I smiled thinking back on the day we took it.

"You guys look so happy together."

"I was a daddy’s girl. Always have been, I feel like a piece of me is missing without him." I can feel the tears forming in my eyes. 

Connor rushed to my side and hugged me tight. "It's ok, eventually that will fade. You'll move on and find other people to love, but you'll never forget him. He'll always be a part of you." 

I looked up at him and our eyes met each other. I felt things I haven't felt in a long time, the flutter in my tummy, the longing in my heart. 

"Well I guess we should get back down there. I've been a bad host." I quickly said. I didn't want to go back to the love-struck girl I once was.

Connor just nodded and moved to open the door for me. "Ladies first." Dang it. He's making this a little hard. Stupid country boys and their momma's teaching them manners. Gosh.

We made our way down the stairs and I noticed all the food was put away. Everyone was in the living room watching TV. When we walked into the room Ben turned off the TV and both of my brothers came to give me a group hug.

"I know this is all hard. Especially for you. We know how close you were and how you loved him. We all miss him. I'm sorry I shouldn't have said those things to you about mom." Ben confessed.

"No, I admit I overreacted a little."
"A little? Damn girl, I knew you were a drama queen but you've sure stepped up your game." And with that comment everything was good again. Jake always knew what to say to make me laugh, once I laugh I always feel better.

I turned to everyone, "I'm sorry about my little performance there but Jakey, I'm still going to whoop your ass in Just Dance."

"No way in hell is I playing that game, again. I learned my lesson the first time." Jake admitted. With that we had our own little tournament and the rest of the night went well. We laughed and joked around. The perfect night. It was the best dinner we've had in a while now. I wonder if it happened to be because Connor showed up. I guess I’ll never know.