The Brotherhood and Me

Chapter 5

Booooooring-filler stuff. But mucho important in the big scheme of things.
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Gabriel found a quiet public restroom to change into my evening dress, which we decided would be the green lace and satin dress. The first dress they all agreed on. After I change and Gabriel does some kind of magic with my hair, we head to the restaurant.

The restaurant, ironically named “Il Ristorante”, is a beautiful red-brick building, but the inside is what takes my breath away. All the tables are covered in white tablecloths with a single red candle in the middle. The lighting is muted to the point that you can’t really see any of the walls surrounding the room.

The hostess guides us to a secluded room in the back where the rest of the boys have already gathered. I notice there are three tables for four of the guys and further away is a table for three, which is where Victor leads me gently by the elbow. Axel and Owen stand as soon as I reach the table and Victor pulls out my chair for me. Once I’m seated, Owen and Axel take their seats and Victor rejoins the loud, rowdy boys at their tables.

“Miss Sorenson” Owen greets me formally.

“Mr. Blackbourne” I return the formality.

“I hope you don’t mind” he begins, “but Mr. Toma and I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the coming week with you.”

“Of course” I reply, smiling at them both. Happy that someone would deem it important to discuss plans with me.

“Do you have any questions before we start?” Axel asks.

“I wouldn’t know where to start, honestly” I tell him.

“How about we order some food and then we can explain a few things? If you have a question, just jump in anytime. Okay?” Axel says.

“Yes. Thank you” I reply.

I pick up the menu and see so many options, I’m quickly overwhelmed. I take a deep breath and study each item on the first page, reading through the ingredients.

“Sang?” Axel asks quietly. “Is something wrong?”

“No” I murmur. “I’m okay.”

“Miss Sorenson” Owen says. I look up to meet his grey eyes and see them staring back at me, calculating. “Have you ever eaten Italian food, Miss Sorenson?”

“My grandmother has made spaghetti” I tell him. “But I can’t seem to find it on the menu.”

“Oh you won’t find that here” Axel tells me, smiling brightly. “This place is authentic.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Sorenson” Owen assures me. “Take your time, read through the menu. Order whatever you think you might like. Those boys over there will devour whatever you can’t manage.”

“Thank you, sir” I tell him, thankful that he didn’t take over like my grandfathers would have. He’s still going to let me choose what I want, even if I just want to try it.

I finally decide to try four varying dishes, but I’m most looking forward to the lasagna. The picture next to it had my mouth watering immensely.

“Did you get everything that looked good?” Axel asks me.

“I think so” I tell him. “Did I miss something?”

“No, Sang. That’s not what I meant” he clarifies. “I just want to make sure you’re happy with what you picked.”

“Oh. Yes, thank you. I’m really looking forward to the lasagna.” I tell him, smiling.

“I believe you might enjoy the caprese salad you ordered quite a bit as well” Owen adds. “Now, Miss Sorenson. We need to discuss a few things about what you should expect over the next seven days.”

“Yes. Go on” I encourage him, smiling slightly at Axel shifting next to me. He obviously has issues with ceding control over to Owen.

“We have rented a townhome near the city that will accommodate all of us comfortably” Owen begins, but pauses to run his hand down his tie.

I hear Axel huff a sigh beside me and turn to look at him in question. “What Owen here is trying to say eloquently, but seems to be having trouble spitting out, is we have a place close by and we want you to stay with us for the week.”

“I thought we could use the opportunity to attempt integrating the two teams now” Owen continues. “I know that ultimately the decision is yours, but should we end up as a family of 15 I thought it would be nice to know what that might be like.”

“A family of 15” I say quietly, still shocked at the possibility. “Wow. Okay, Mr. Blackbourne. I will stay with the Blackbourne and Toma Brotherhoods for the week. I can’t promise that I’ll be able to keep up with your physical needs without some practice, but I…”

I trail off at the shocked look on both older boys’ faces. Confused, I look to Owen hoping he can explain why they seem so surprised by my agreeing to their request. Should I have said no? Was this some kind of test?

“Miss Sorenson” Owen begins, stops, shakes his head and looks to Axel for help.

“Sang, sweetie, I’m not sure what you think might happen while you’re getting to know us” Axel says. “But neither my team, nor Owen’s, will lay a finger on you unless you ask them to. And I don’t just mean for the next week. That goes for however long we’re together.”

“Where would you get the idea that you’re meant to perform for us at our whim?” Owen asks.

“Isn’t that my place as a woman?” I ask him.

“No, Sang” Axel breathes out on a sigh. “As a woman, your place is to be worshipped, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your body to us whenever we ask. You have a choice. You will always have a choice.”

Suddenly, I remember what Lily said earlier today about keeping her husbands out of her bed. I’m not sure if that’s normal or if the male-dominated house I grew up in was normal. Either way, I rather enjoy the idea of having options.

“I think I might have questions now” I tell them both quietly, staring down at my food.

“I’m thinking I might have a few questions of my own” Owen says thickly. “Miss Sorenson, I would like to table this discussion until tomorrow morning. I would like to do some research and call Dr. Roberts.”

“Who’s Dr. Roberts?” I ask after nodding my agreement.

“He’s that old crazy guy at introductions today that wouldn’t stop smiling” Axel replies with a chuckle. “His family has always been good to us. All 14 of us.”

“Oh” I say, not sure what else to add. Dr. Roberts mentioned both teams meant a lot to him. It would appear he was telling the truth.

“Incoming” Owen warns just before I hear someone approaching behind me. I smell ginger and something else like cedar, maybe a bit of citrus.

“Hi, Pookie!” Sean says, plopping himself down in the chair opposite mine.

I can’t help but giggle again at the nickname he’s given me. “Good evening, Sean.” I say, smiling at him.

“So did you agree to do it?” Sean asks excitedly.

“To stay with all of you? Yes, I agreed” I tell him.

“No, no. That’s a given. The other thing, did you agree to it?” He asks. “You didn’t ask her? Owen, you are slow as molasses. Pookie, Gabriel and I have been watching movies from before the virus. You know those old girlie movies? We wanted to get an idea of what kind of things girls like. Anyway, would you like to have a sleepover with us? We can eat junk food, play games, fix our hair. Will you, please?”

I started giggling when Sean started talking about girlie movies with Gabriel, but I stop suddenly at the thought of all of us hanging out together like in those movies. I might not have seen the movies they watched, but I saw a few and I know what he’s talking about. They would do that for me? All of them?

“Yes. It sounds lovely” I tell Sean, smiling through my happy tears.

“What’s that? Why is she crying?” Axel says in a panic.

“Girls do that all the time, don’t worry” Sean reassures him. “Happy, sad, mad. Doesn’t matter. There will be waterworks."

I giggle again at his over exaggeration. “And how would you know?” I ask him.

“I’m a doctor” he tells me. “I know everything.”

Dinner progresses quickly and before I know it, I’ve eaten over half of everything I ordered. Once the check is paid, we gather together outside the restaurant and begin walking toward the parking lot.

“Dibs!” I hear Luke shout from somewhere behind me.

“Dibs on what?” Nathan asks.

“Riding with Sang. Duh” he replies laughingly.

I look at Sean beside me with both eyebrows raised, “what’s ‘dibs’ mean?”

“It means, Pookie, that you will be riding to the townhouse with North, Luke and Silas” Sean replies, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze before pulling me over to a large, black SUV-type-thing.

“What’s this?” I ask. “And why is it so large? It looks like we’re going to war.”

“Not war, Baby. The Jeep is just safer than a car” North says, opening the passenger door for me.

We arrive at the townhouse quickly and I’m shocked at the size of it. It could almost be considered a small mansion. The plain white brick isn’t ornate in design, but makes up for that fact in size.

“Let’s get inside and get this slumber party started!” Luke says from behind me. “Are you excited, Sang?”

“I’ve never been to any kind of party before, so I’m not sure if what I’m feeling is excitement or nerves” I tell him honestly.

“No parties? Ever?” He asks, shocked. “Not even for your birthday?”

“You guys keep forgetting that I’m a girl” I laugh. “I’ve spent the last 16 years in a basement with no contact with anyone other than my grandparents.”

“Basement?” Silas asks at the same time Luke says, “what do you mean ‘no contact’?”

I look to North for help, but he just shakes his head. “Don’t look at me. I remember you’re a girl.”

I laugh and am still chuckling when Corey and Raven help me down from the Jeep. “What’s so funny?” Raven asks.

“Nothing. Just North being silly” I say to him.

Corey and Raven both stop mid-step and look over my head to the man in question. “Compass boy is never silly. Did he hit his head?” Raven asks, resuming his stride toward the front door.

I hear a thump behind me and Raven grunts a bit, causing Corey beside me to chuckle quietly. I turn to look and see Raven rubbing the back of his head and scowling at a smiling North who sends me a mischievous wink. He seems plenty silly to me, I’m not sure if they know him as well as they think they do.