Page 23 of Saint
“Hey, Dad. What’s up?” I try to sound upbeat, knowing him, he’ll see—or hear—right through me.
“You busy?”
“I’m on my way to see Royal.” Please, please don’t ask me to help.
“No point, son. He’s here with Knox and Drake. We’re getting everything we have sorted for Noah’s new place and could do with your muscles and your truck.” I don’t have an excuse, and if Drake is there, then there’s a lot to do. Plus, I haven’t seen my elusive brother for a while now.
“See you in a few then.” I take the next turning to change direction and drive to Dad’s instead. My head is full of Noah and what went down only a few minutes ago. I have no idea how to act normally around him, and while Dad keeps out of any drama, Pops will know, he can read me like a book.
When I pull up onto the wide driveway, the garage door is open, and I can see inside. The two-seater sofa Knox had when he moved out is at the front, then there’s the small dining table and a couple of chairs that I had when I moved into my first flat, the one before the loft. Knox is there, and of course, Noah. Whatever has just been said has Noah cracking up in laughter and almost doubled up, his arms around his stomach. Knox is laughing almost as hard, but I can’t see who’s talking. They’re obscured, just outside my line of vision.
After killing the engine, I get out. The movement catches Noah’s attention, and he turns to look. I’m surprised when his smile doesn’t falter, he says something to make Knox look my way, and the hidden person step into view—Drake, my secretive third brother.
“Hi, guys, I’m here with the muscles.” This makes them all laugh because with all of us spending so much time at the gym, there are muscles galore.
“You’re gonna have to turn your truck around and back it up. And we’ve got plenty of muscles,” Knox tells me.
He’s got a point, so I obey. “I’m going to go see Dad, if you don’t need me.” I smirk and head for the door that leads to the utility room and into the house. Except it opens and both my dads walk out with Royal behind them.
“Ah, Saint, you’re here. Good. We can get this done quickly now,” Dad says with a nod. “Thanks for coming.”
Pops is watching me attentively, assessing the situation with the shrewd eyes. He looks at me then Noah. He knows about our conversation.
Noah walks to me and places his hand on my arm. “Thank you. I know you had plans for this evening.” He also knows what he just said was a lie, an offer of an olive branch.
“Hey, no worries. I’m looking forward to seeing your new place.” I check out everyone else, the only one looking at us is Royal. His eyes narrow as he watches us, but he doesn’t say anything. The problem with having your whole family living your lifestyle in some way is that they are in tune with body language and can read a situation easily. “Would you like to grab some dinner with me afterwards?”
Why have I just asked him that? After everything we said to each other, this is pouring salt on the already open wound. “Just as friends, Noah. I’m not doing this to confuse you. I’d like to get back to the way we were a couple of weeks ago.”
He thinks about it, then grins. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
Honestly, it’s easier being around him than I thought it would be. We slip back to the way we were before Pops put the idea in my head that we were right for each other. He jokes with me about doing more than yoga at the gym, I should join him on the weights.
“I don’t need to. I’ve got you, and you can probably bench press me, which means I’ve got all the muscles I need.”
He can’t disagree as he carries a box full of kitchen stuff Pops says I just have to have. I’m not sure, I think a kettle and a microwave are enough for me. I’m not much of a cook. I’ve been spoilt here with his food. “Why am I having all this?” I ask Pops as he plumps up some cushions on the sofa.
“Because, sweet boy, I’m going to give you some cookery lessons. And don’t wrinkle up your nose at me. I taught all the others the same things. It’s only a few basic things.”
“It’s futile to disagree with him, Noah,” Royal tells me as he carries in another large box containing god knows what.
I’ve learnt to go with the flow with this family, they always get their own way. I watch as they all mess around with each other. Royal seems to be the closest one to Saint. I thought it was Knox, but that’s only because he’s been around the housemore. Saint and Royal seem to be mirror images of each other. Not to look at. Royal is more together than Saint, he seems older even though I know they’re the same age. I think it’s his teacher persona. I can imagine him in a classroom where the boys all want to be like him, and the girls fancy the pants off him, perhaps some of the boys too.
“I think that’s it,” Saint announces as he takes the last box to my bedroom. I’m not sure I want him in that room.
“I can take that.” I lift the box out of his arms before he reaches the smaller room just off the living room. “A boy’s allowed some secrets,” I tell him as I close the door in his face. I don’t hold back the smile as his brothers all whoop and laugh at him. With lots of “Burn!” and “Loser!” called out.
It’s not until I put the box down and look around the room I can see someone, probably Pops has made up the double bed, even adding a throw and some cushions. It looks very cosy and very me. I can already imagine my artwork on the walls. Maybe my more graphic images. I love to draw naked men and have had a couple of them framed. They are in the box I confiscated from Saint, and he doesn’t need to see them. Although I’d love to draw him, I doubt that will ever happen. I wouldn’t dare use my imagination. I put the box on the floor by the dressing table to deal with later.
There’s a knock on the door. “Come on, Noah, let’s go.” Saint being bossy again. I sigh and leave my little private space.
“What’s happening now?” Royal is asking Saint as I close the bedroom door behind me.
“Nothing,” Saint says as I say, “Food. We’re grabbing a bite to eat.”
Royal grins as Saint groans. “Awesome, I could eat. What about you two?”
“Sorry, no can do. I’m going to spend some time with the parentals,” Drake says, “Knox’s giving me a lift back there.”
