Page 19 of Wire
“Doing what?” Weston asks, looking confused.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Do you honestly have no clue what she does all day?” I ask as Tyler joins us again.
“I have no clue what she does while we all do everything round here,” Tyler grumbles.
I laugh, and not a funny laugh but an unbelievable laugh.
“Let me ask you this. Who mucks the horse’s stalls out? Who feeds them and the other animals every day? Who tidies the yard? Who cleans the house, does the washing, the food shopping?”
Tyler starts to make a smartassed reply, but I stop him.
“Who weeds and cares for the vegetable patch? Who cooks every meal, cleans the kitchen, loads and unloads the dishwasher, and puts the dishes away. Makes sure you all have everything you need?”
I can see the wheels turning as they try to figure it all out. It’s so fucking pathetic that they seriously have no idea what their own sister does all day but also what she does for them. She does so much. No wonder my thanking her earlier affected her so much.
“To be honest, I never really paid too much attention to it as it was just done,” Weston admits.
“You all have taken advantage of her kind heart and have not appreciated anything she does around here. I helped her today, and with my thigh, I wasn’t much of a help. But I still watched her work her ass off, keeping this house going with little to no recognition or help from you. You who are her older brothers, her family who should be supporting and loving her,” I tell them. Hoping they listen to me.
The silence says it all. Not one single brother had her back for all these years.
“Holy shit, Calamity,” Carter says.
“Oh, she also hates that nickname,” I throw out.
“Seriously? Why have you never said anything to us?” Weston asks.
“Why should I have to tell you? I’ve asked you before not to call me Calamity, but you ignored me, so I gave up. It was a waste of time and breath. Plus, why should I have to explain what I do with my time? The fact these things have been done should mean someone is doing them. It ain’t the fucking cleaning fairy, is it?” she finally says, standing up for herself.
I chuckle at her sassy and the backbone she is now showing.
“Calam . . . Tallulah, I’m so sorry. Wire is right. I should have been a better big brother and noticed more. But also made these two knuckleheads be nicer to you. That’s on me for not picking up on it, but it’s also on them as they shouldn’t need telling to be considerate and kind to their own sister. We have let you down. But I promise from now on we will all make a more conscious effort to be better brothers. I love you, sis.”
By the time Carter has finished his sentence, Tallulah is across the room and in his arms as he gives her a massive hug. He then passes her to Weston, who whispers in her ear, causing her to nod her head and kiss his cheek.
Weston releases her, and she looks to Tyler, who is looking at the floor with his hands in his pockets. It takes him a few minutes to finally look at her.
“We used to be close when we were kids, as I was the youngest. But as we got older and under Dad’s influence, we drifted apart. I’m so sorry I let how dad behaved affect how I treated you. I’ll make it up to you, and things will be better.”
Tallulah nods, and understanding is written all over her face.
She then comes over to me and kisses my cheek.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
With a nod, I move and help her finish dinner while her brothers go get cleaned up.
It’s an enjoyable dinner and evening of us all sitting on the porch while they tell funny stories from their childhood.
CHAPTERNINE
Tallulah
Wire has been with us a week now while he’s been recovering. My brothers have been fixing his bike up enough that he will be able to ride it safely until he can get it repaired back to normal. I don’t want him to leave. In the past week, we have been doing some heavy petting and little touches. We don’t seem to be able to keep our hands off each other. Although we haven’t gone any further than a make out session on the couch and a little over the clothes grope.
I’m sitting on the porch, cold beer in hand, watching the sunset when the screen door squeaks, letting me know someone is coming outside. Looking to the door, I see Wire step out and walk to me.
“Can I join you?” he asks
