BEST FRIEND’S BROTHER

He frowned as he tried to remember the name of the blonde he’d seen the first time he came to her truck. Was it Mary, or something? “Martha,” he remembered. “Or Miranda….”

“Wrong” she corrected. “It’s Miriam”

He looked at her. “Fine. It’s Miriam. So?”

“So I’d like to know who’s going to do all the ordering? Sort out things? Be there to greet the customers and take their orders. Pay the bills. Keep track of everything. All the unseen things which make the difference between a business running competently and running brilliantly. Who’s going to do all that?”

Kaleb could see where this was leading, and he could also see that there was only one person who could possibly do what she asked. He sighed. “I am, I guess.”

“Exactly! So it obviously makes far more sense for you to come and live with me!”

He looked at her with interest. “How?”

“How, indeed!” she scoffed. “You bring a suitcase and move in!” The interest intensified.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

“Maybe I should have said where?”

She looked at him steadily. “Don’t get any mistaken ideas. I may not have fifty bedrooms, like you-but I do have two. That’s one for me and one for you. Simple”

“Simple,” he echoed, realizing this meant he would be living in the house where he had made love to her. He was about to be reminded of that afternoon every night and every morning. He sighed, and couldn’t help thinking that his new accommodation was going to seem like a sophisticated form of prison. “Fine, if that’s what you want” he said finally, and watched as Sasha smiled triumphantly.

“So I guess you’ll be talking to your girlfriend about it,” Sasha added awkwardly. She’d been trying to bring up the topic about Claire but couldn’t figure out how to. He never spoke about her and Sasha wondered if she knew about the baby? Were they still in their relationship? Or had she finally become the slut who’d ruined a relationship by getting pregnant for another woman’s man?

He stared at her for a few seconds, then went, “Oh… Yeah… Claire. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it,”

Sasha couldn’t ignore the jealousy she felt and she turned away. Judging by his response, they were still together and although she didn’t have to worry that she’d ruined his relationship, it still hurt deeply to be reminded that she just happened to be the vessel carrying his baby. Nothing happening was special, and she had to stop herself from getting carried away. It was one of the reasons why she’d refused to come live with him. She couldn’t imagine herself living in his house and growing bigger with his baby, while having to watch him with his girlfriend. At least this way, if he wanted to be with her, she wouldn’t have to see them and maybe it’d hurt less.

“Are you alright?” Kaleb’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

She nodded, “Yes. Yes I’m fine” she replied.

But she wasn’t.

——–

Miriam giggled like a schoolgirl when Sasha broke the news to her and Tilly.

“Kaleb Luthor-Kaleb Luthor-is going to be working with us?” spluttered Miriam. “Will he wear a pinny?”

“Shut up,” Tilly told her and Sasha tried to stop herself from bursting into laughter. It was surely weird for Tilly to listen to someone talk about her brother that way, but Miriam kept talking as if she hadn’t spoken.

“Well, he could, as long as he wore it with nothing underneath,” she said innocently. “He’s got the kind of body that women fantasize about!”

“Miriam!” cried Tilly and Sasha in unison.

“Well, he has,” said Miriam stubbornly.

“Oh, go and make us all a cup of tea!” laughed Sasha.

“And take a cold shower while you’re at it!” Tilly added, then she stood up, “You know what? I’ll make the tea. You guys can say anything you want about my brother when I’m not in the room. You have five or ten minutes and when I come back into this room, the topic will be changed,”

Sasha chuckled while Miriam smirked. “So, let me get this straight,” said Miriam, once Tilly had disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. “Kaleb Luthor will do everything that you usually do, and he will also provide any extra staff we need?”

“That’s right. He wants to keep a close watch on me.”

“How close?”

“Ever heard of clams?”

Miriam laughed and looked around mischievously. “Oh, I see. So that means he’s going to be sleeping here as well, does it?”

Sasha blushed.” There’s no way around that. He thinks I shouldn’t be left on my own, and even the doctor agrees about that. So you can stop looking at me like that, because it’s not how you think!”

“Really?”

“Really! I shall have my room, and Kaleb will be staying in the spare room.”

“Won’t that fuel his fantasies-having you so close?”

Sasha shot her an incredulous look. “You’re kidding! I don’t think Kaleb will be having any sexual fantasies about a woman who is beginning to resemble a mountain of lard!”

“What was that?” came an interested male voice as Kaleb himself walked into the room.

Sasha blushed again. “Oh, nothing.” she replied,

“Just discussing my sexual fantasies, were you?” he enquired idly.

“If you knew, then why did you ask?”

“Relax. I just enjoy seeing you blush, Sasha,”

“Well, make the most of it! Hopefully I’ll become immune to your off-beat sense of humor,’l” she said sweetly.

“You never did before,” he smiled.

“Ah, but I was younger then!”

Miriam stood up. “Suddenly I feel a little superfluous. I think I’ll go and see what’s happened to that tea.”

“You don’t have to,” protested Sasha.

Miriam smiled. “Oh, yes, I do. You know what they say. Two’s company and three in this case is most definitely a crowd!”

Miriam closed the door behind her and they looked at one another across the room. “We’re going to have to avoid doing that,” said Sasha.

“What? Talking about my sexual fantasies? I agree. Because life here will seem very tame by comparison if that’s what counts as normal conversation over here!”

She looked into his eyes and the mischief and humor in them made a pretty potent combination. She quickly began to straighten a stack of linen napkins.

“You know very well I didn’t mean that. I was talking about excluding Miriam. And we mustn’t.”