Page 34 of Molly: Part One
“Thanks. You sound as bad as I feel,” I comment at his sleepy voice.
“Yeah, I may have gone out after the meal last night,” he explains. “Yes just help yourself,” I hear him say away from the phone.
“Got a friend Daniel?” He’s a bit of a player my youngest big brother. He has never settled down with a woman, ever.
“Yeah, just some blonde I met last ni- yes sorry baby, I know you have a name. Is the coffee ready yet?”
“Oh god, I think I should let you go. If you are up for another night out we are all going out tonight, not sure where yet but I can text you.”
“You know me Molls, can’t turn down a night out.” My brother may be thirty-seven, but he is still twenty-one at heart I’m sure. I’m just waiting for the day he meets a woman who knocks him on his arse.
“Okay, I’ll speak to you later then.”
“Bye.”
I snuggle back down again into my covers when I hear a knock at my bedroom door.
“Yeah,” I groan, no peace for the wicked.
“Happy Birthday,” Ryan chimes as he walks in with a tray full of food and a huge bunch of flowers.
“Wow, is that all for me?”
“Yes, I though you could have breakfast in bed.” He places the tray down on my bedside table and I see he has got me all my favourite pastries, a pot of tea, orange juice and a huge display of dusky pink flowers of all different types. He stands back and heads to the door.
“Where are you going? I can’t eat this all by myself, come join me.”
“I’m just getting your present, don’t worry I’m not leaving the food!”
He comes back in holding a huge flat rectangular present, I instantly think I know what it is. I feel a huge smile break across my face, I can’t help it.
“Can I open it now?” I put my arms out like a little kid to grab the present.
“Of course birthday girl.” I take it from him and rip into the paper to discover what I thought I would find.
“When did you go back and get this?”
“I didn’t, I rang them and had it delivered to Susan and Pete’s house. I knew how much you loved it so it had to be done.”
I feel tears welling in my eyes as I look down at the canvas in my hands. It’s a painting looking out over the bay where we stayed, the roofs of the beach huts are showing and the sun is going down just like the night I watched it from the hot tub.
“I can’t believe you got it for me. Thank you so much, I love it.” I get up and crawl over to him so I can say thank you properly. I straighten up, place a kiss on his cheek and squeeze him tight. It’s when my bare arms touch his bare skin that I realise he is only in pyjama bottoms. A birthday breakfast can’t get any better then this I think to myself.
“Remind me, what’s the plan for later?” Ryan asks me around a bite of croissant.
“Megan is coming over later this afternoon to get ready with me then we are meeting everyone at the Indian at eight before heading on for drinks. Chris and Shane have it all planned”
“Oh what, they better not take us to the gay clubs again.”
“Are you still grumpy about being hit on repeatedly that night?”
“Yes, I have nothing against being gay but I am not. I don’t need to spend an evening with guys coming up to me trying to chat me up.” I can’t help but laugh at the unimpressed face he his pulling.
“Oh come on, you can’t blame them, you’re hot.” This makes his head snap up to look at me.
“You think I’m hot?” I can see the smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Ry, are you serious? Yes you are hot, you know you are hot. Just look at yourself.” I say while waving my hand up and down in front of his torso.
“Yeah maybe. It’s good to know you think so though.” He is smiling wide now. I realise I need to be careful, we’ve managed the week without any awkwardness between us, I would like to keep it that way.
“Whatever Evans.”
We finish our breakfast whilst chatting about nothing important and I try to keep my eyes on his face.
Once we are done Ryan takes everything back upstairs and I run a bath to start my preparations for tonight.
