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I stay downstairs, my mind consumed with conflicting thoughts. Should I have been more understanding? Should I have approached the situation differently?
My heart sinks as I see Susan descending the stairs with her luggage in tow. Artie and Ollie, their expressions pleading, try to stop her, urging her to reconsider.
I watch her walk past me.
“Susan, please,” Artie says.
She walks right up to the door when I say, “You can’t leave.”
She turns to face me. “Excuse me?”
“Your car isn’t fixed yet,” I point out.
Susan’s cheeks turn red. “I think I’ll find my own way. Thank you very much.”
My throat tightens, and I realize the gravity of the situation. Losing Susan would mean losing the chance to make things right.
“Susan, wait. Stop—” I say, walking up to her. “It was never my intention to fight with you or hurt you. I let my anger cloud my judgment, and I didn’t consider your feelings. Please, let’s find a way to make things right,” I continue.
Artie and Ollie chime in, their voices echoing my plea. “Susan, we care about you. We definitely don’t want you to leave unless that’s what you want.”
Susan hesitates, her eyes searching mine for sincerity. The room falls silent, the weight of our words hanging in the air.
Time stands still. I almost can’t take it anymore until she says, “I don’t want to leave either.”
As the weight of our words and emotions hangs in the air, Susan suddenly steps forward. Without hesitation, she pulls each of us close, one by one, and plants passionate kisses on our lips.
The shock of her bold actions momentarily renders me speechless. The warmth of her lips against mine sends a surge of electricity through my body, igniting a fire within me. It’s a moment of unexpected intimacy that catches me off guard, but I find myself responding, my lips meeting hers with a fervent passion.
The air crackles with a newfound intensity as Susan moves from one brother to the next. After she’s done, she pulls back to smile slowly.
“So, you’re not leaving?” Artie asks hopefully.
She shakes her head. “All this time, I thought you wanted me gone.”
Ollie shakes his head. “It was sex, but also more than that.”
The two of them turn to me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I clear my throat. Ollie and Artie obviously have deeper feelings for Susan than they’re letting on. And what about me? I’m too scared of the prospect.
“Stay,” I just say. “Please.”
“So I shall,” Susan says. “Now, take me to bed.”
20
OLLIE
“Damn, it feels good to be seen off by a woman,” I say as we walk down the path.
My woman, I think, before correcting myself.Our woman.
Artie smiles and nods. Ed just shrugs but I can tell even he’s pleased by the long kiss Susan gave him.
The crisp morning air fills my lungs as we step outside, bundled up in warm clothing to combat the chill. The sky is a clear blue, in stark contrast to the snow nestled by the side of the roads and on top of trees. The sound of snow crunching beneath our boots echoes in the stillness, and the scent of pine trees permeates the surroundings.
I miss Susan almost immediately, which is ridiculous because I saw her just a few minutes ago. What is this hold she has over me?
Ed takes the lead, his axe glinting in the sunlight as he approaches the stack of old, sturdy trees. Anytime we take one down, we make sure to plant two more nearby.
