The Big Brother's Mission (#3)

Chapter 25

"Leaving?" Casey asked me as she stirred her cereal and milk in a bowl for breakfast.

"Yeah, I'll be back by 10 p.m. tonight." I told her over the jiggle of my keys as I pocketed them. "Do you have any plans today?"

Casey shook her head, "Get home as late as you'd like, I'm not a kid, I'll be alright. I'll just be chilling inside, binge watching netflix and enjoying my ice cream."

I didn't want to argue with her about going home later. It was more for my peace of mind than anything else. For the past year, I've tried very hard to never let Casey be alone. Especially in an empty house late at night. Of course she didn't understand where my worries and anxiety was coming from but that's alright. I'll do the worrying and being the anxious one, she can live in blissful ignorance that comes with being oblivious to the dangers that seem to lie everywhere around us.

I stopped by the door to put on my shoes. "What about your friends?"

"Boyfriends." She answered simply. I could feel her eye roll without even having to look up and see her doing it. I chuckled.

"You'll get there someday." I said, trying to be encouraging. I'm overprotective but not unreasonable. I know that one day each of us will meet someone and have our own families. We can't be glued by the hip to each other forever.

Casey shrugged, "I don't mind the single life. Hearing their stories about the fights they have is enough to convince me that I've chosen the right path." Her eyebrows were slightly drawn together and her lips were set into a firm line, as if she strongly believes what she was saying.

The expression she made drew a chuckle out of me.

"Okay, Case. Enjoy the single life." I played along.

Casey turned to look at me, nodding, "Yeah, sure will. Have fun on the date!"

"Thanks, I'll see you later tonight." I waved, getting a wave back from her before I shut the door and locked it, knowing that Casey would get lazy to walk all the way to the front door and end up forgetting to lock it. I don't want to risk leaving the front door unlocked while she's in the house alone. Call me paranoid all you want, we all know that I have a damn good reason to be.

I turned around to walk to my car when I saw a familiar car pull up in front of our house.

I frowned, waiting for Dom to step out of his car as I watched and listened to the engine die.

The driver's door opened and Dom stepped out and shut the car door with one hand while the other held a flower bouquet.

My heart grew heavy, anticipating the talk I know we're going to have very soon. There's no way I'm letting him get past me and towards the house. Casey wasn't dumb, if she saw him standing on our front porch, with flowers in his hand, she'll know what he's trying to do. Then, she'll have to reject him again and it'll hurt her because she knows she'll be hurting a friend that's dear to her. Casey has been in such a good mood this morning, I don't want her to be spending the rest of today crying because of this asshole, who couldn't take a hint.

I looked behind me. I know the chances of Casey walking out at that second and witness this was little to none but I still felt the need to check anyways.

Once I tried listening for any footsteps coming to the front door and heard none, I met Dom halfway and grabbed him by the elbow, basically dragging him along and forcing him to come with me as I walked around the corner and to the side of the house.

"Man, what are you doing?" I asked, letting my frustration towards him come to the surface.

He looked at me, confused, raising the flowers in his hand to show it to me. "Isn't that pretty clear?"