I decided the best way to deal with that was to have a huge fry up breakfast. Nothing cures a hangover quite like fat and protein. So bacon, eggs and baked beans with grilled tomato on toast was what was served. Max was the last to surface and he seemed to be dragged from his bed by the nostrils. He was following his nose out and when he spotted the food his eyes lit up.
“Danny my dear boy, if things weren’t already exceedingly awkward I would kiss you. This is just what the doctor ordered.”
I really liked the way Max cut through the bull shit and got straight to the heart of the matter. I decided that no matter the outcome of this I liked Max.
Every one dove like lions on a sick gazelle and between the food and the coffee we were all beginning to resemble actual human beings fairly soon. Again Max was the one to break the silence.
“So… how did everyone sleep? Nice and restful I hope.”
There was a bit of nervous laughing but all in all the mood was beginning to thaw a little. There was some talk of another barbecue that evening but that idea was pretty quickly crushed. Eventually Sarah put an end to it all.
“Look, I really appreciate the way you are all being very supportive of Neil and I but there are some realities that we both need to face and deal with. The longer we drag it out the harder it’s going to be for both of us. We have some serious stuff to sort out and we need to do it without an audience. I know you’re being supportive and a little protective of Neil, but I promise we’ll be kind to each other. It’s just the uncomfortable reality of this situation, some things need to be sorted and discussed. “
Max looked at the others.
“You heard the lady bitches, time to roll.”
I decided that it would be best if I didn’t hang around either, family or not.
“I’m going to head off too.
Both Sarah and Neil looked at me like I was throwing them to the lions.
“Look guys, I’m Switzerland in this. I love you both and I’m here for you both but you two need to do this alone.”
The scary part was, when I said I love them both I felt that perhaps that type of love had changed. For Neil it felt as though I was relearning my love for my brother. For Sarah though I was wondering if I was falling for her or was it just lust? I had some serious thinking to do as well.
I spent most of the day moping around and feeling at a loss. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I felt I should be achieving something but couldn’t seem to focus on anything. My mind kept going back to this morning. Not the awkward breakfast or even the fact that Sarah and I had actually had sex, although the thought of that did bring a smile to my face and a twitch in my pants. It was what came after that that was running through my mind.
The comfortable way in which Sarah lay in my arms, her back pressed against my chest and my arm still wrapped around her. Her holding my hand to her chest where I could feel the steady beat of her heart. I had never felt so comfortable with another person. In my head I felt that we had perhaps done the wrong thing but in my heart nothing had ever felt more right.
All I could do was wait for Sarah or Neil to call me. I know they had a lot to discuss and sort out and I would never rush them, but this waiting was killing me.
An interminably long time later, it was actually four hours but felt like four months, I received a message. Immediately I was concerned. It was from Sarah.
“You need to get over here. Neil wants to talk about things.”
“I’m on my way.”
