Chapter Twenty Five — Pete

We’d spent the last couple of nights indoors not doing any of the itinery which I had planned, and Rick usually would be all up in arms about not going along with the plans, but for some reason, he didn’t give a fuck.

He was so into Katie that the last thing he wanted to do was leave her side. He loved his kids, and we checked on them regularly with Aunt Elizabeth, who told us to stop calling. She had everything under control, and she even went as far as to say we need to leave the twins with her more often, not for the odd weekend, but a lot longer, like a week or two at times. She said they were getting older and more fun, so she was enjoying their company more.

“We going out today?” I asked Rick as he came into the kitchen. One eye open and he was either shocked to see me or he was still in a trance.

“I tell ya, Katie is like a tigress.”

I chuckled. “I know. What have we created?”

“We’ve awoken whatever was lying deep down inside of her, and now it’s all out!”

He didn’t even have a shirt one—something he would never do before, especially not at home. He yawned and stretched out. “This place is nice. Whose did you say it was again?”

“Russell Jeffries.”

He opened his mouth wide and stared at me for a brief second. “Bro, you mixing with the high-flyers now. Shit, you said some top hot shot, but you never said the top realtor and property tycoon had you working for him. Well done, man. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

Rick used to mock me, say that I was too friendly and knew too many people. Yeah, I did, but I knew that my social network would come in handy.

“Remember Abe, who I used to shoot hoops with as a kid?”

He sat down attentively as I told him the story, then he nodded his head.

“When you said you were going to be a big basketball star and we should all pay attention.”

I chuckled as I remembered my pipeline dream back then, which lasted for a cool two years. I had a short concentration span back then. As I got older, I developed it a lot more and put my passion into the construction business.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t mock me. Anyway, he’s in construction too, and said we should team up.”

“As so, he’s the reason you’re here. You said Abe, but you were kinda vague. I gathered once we got here, then we would all talk about it. I got news of my own.”

Now, I was the one paying attention.

“Yeah, someone made an offer on the club, and I’m thinking of letting it go.”

He waited for a reaction, but I didn’t know what to say to him. I wasn’t really surprised.

“You’re not surprised, are you?”

“Nope. From the time you took on the manager, it was kind of clear you were taking a step back from it all.”

“With Stan gone, and now you’re going to be here a lot longer, but then I gathered this would be the case. Why else would you invite us here for a long weekend? I just feel like I’m the one who needs to get their teeth into something, the question is what?”

I was hungry, so I headed to the fridge to make something to eat. “Hungry?”

The grumbling sounds from his stomach answered the question. I got to work as I started making tacos, and Rick swiftly disappeared. No doubt to put some clothes on. I turned after getting everything out to start cooking, and he was wearing shorts and a shirt. I knew he couldn’t spend too long just half-dressed and walking around.

“Need help?”

I shook my head. “Got it. So, what you going to do, apart from being a dad?”

He shrugged. “I haven’t got a clue. I’m jealous of you and Stan, seems like you’ve both found your feet and I’m just drifting in the wind.”

“Isn’t that an Elton John song?”

“When did you get so sensitive? It is. Just didn’t think you would recognize it being a rock guy.”

I chuckled. “Doesn’t mean I never listen to the radio or go to a bar. I hear other tracks; I know other songs apart from AC/DC.”

He shrugged. “I suppose.”

“Damn, bro, you’re really like a little lost puppy. Never seen you like this.”

Rick was the one always in control, the one who would always lift us up. I could tell he was the one who needed lifting. He had kids, Katie, and a lot of love in his house. Me, on the other hand, I would be working twenty-four-seven once this contract started in a couple of weeks, yet I was the one with a smile on my face and he seemed down.

His eyes lit up as soon as Katie came in the room wearing one of my shirts. God, she looked so fucking sexy. I wanted to take her over the counter and make love to her over and over again.

“Good morning,” she yawned, then covered her mouth, embarrassed by making such a loud noise.

“Afternoon. I didn’t think I would see you for at least a couple of hours.”

She moaned, “I know. I’m tired, but hungry, too.”

“Good job, you got up in time to get a taste of Pete’s tacos.”

She came up close to me, and then looked over the cooker. “They look too good.”

I pinched her butt. “Just like you.”

She giggled, but she didn’t move away. I moved as the resistance to take her was too strong.

“You could set up the table, if you want to help.”

She agreed, and she moved away from me, then back again. She was teasing me, taunting me as she traced a finger down my arm. She knew she had us under her thumb and now she was trying to test me.

“You keep going like that, you’re going to keep being hungry,” I growled.

She whispered, “I know.”

“Well, I for one would like real food for a change, then after, if Katie’s not too tired… we can play like before,” Rick said as he moved Katie away from me.

She giggled. “Spoiled-sport.”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to keep my ever growing erection under control. She’d teased me and my cock wanted her for the taking, that was for sure. I knew if Rick wasn’t here, tacos for sure wouldn’t be on the menu.

“It’s burning!” Rick shouted, bringing me back down to earth. Yep, I had to keep everything in check and make sure I didn’t burn the place down. I was hungry for Katie, it was as if I couldn’t get filled up satisfying her. I wanted to explore her more and more all the time.

***

We were filled with tacos and too sloppy to leave the table. Rick offered to clear up, but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it. He sat, talking about it, but made no attempt to get up and actually do it.

“There’s no rush. I need to check in with the twins,” Katie said as she sluggishly got up from the table. “Just need to find my phone.”

“It’s on the side table, next to the bed,” Rick said. Then he smiled at me, but I could tell he had something on his mind. “Before I came in here, I got a message from Stan. Kind of shocked me.”

I cleared my throat, thinking I had something to tell him. “I know. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about him, but I’ve been distracted. He says that he wants to come home. I told him I wouldn’t be around and you would welcome him with open arms.”

“So, you’ve been in touch?” Rick’s stare was intense, and it was clear there was nothing but disappointment in his voice.

“Yeah. Just with work and everything, I just didn’t get to tell you.”

“Don’t play a virgin, Pete. I don’t fucking get it. Both you and Stan act like I’m the big fucking bad wolf or something.”

He got up, ready to storm out. I was trying to think of the right things to say. I could have played along and pretended I knew nothing, but I hated to lie to my bro since he deserved a lot more than that.

“Boys, calm down,” Katie said as she entered.

“I thought you were calling the twins?”

She smiled. “I was going to, but then I remembered Aunt Elizabeth said I needed to stop checking in with them and just enjoy my time here. What happened in the five minutes I left you alone?”

Rick pointed at me. “Well, remember I told you I hadn’t heard from Stan. Then he just texts and says he’ll be back home the day before Thanksgiving. Just like that. No explanation. No sorry for scaring you, cause you know our mother committed suicide and I have the same fucking traits as she does, so I know you would be worried and I fucking don’t want you to be.”

I stood, feeling uneasy about Rick’s words, even though I knew he was right. He wanted an apology, and me being the stubborn fool, I wasn’t going to give it to him.

“Well, maybe Pete didn’t know how to tell you. Stan had so much shit going on that it was as if he was ready to explode. Maybe he exploded, and now he was ready to face you both again. I mean, he’s human. We all are. Just calm down, Rick.”

Her eyes were soothing, and I knew Rick always got angry when someone told him to calm down, but as Katie took his hand and they both sat down together, I knew Katie was someone we needed in our lives. Everything was evidential about it before, but the more time we spent with her, the more it became crystal clear.

“Sorry, Pete. Just feel like you guys are treating me like Dad. I’m not fucking Dad.”

That was the problem, as much as he denied it and we hated to admit it. Rick was a copy of Dad. He spoke to us with orders, never giving us a chance to express how we feel, just like Dad did.

“Pete?” Katie asked as she stroked Rick’s hand, and it was as if they’d both remembered I was in the kitchen.

“That’s the issue, Rick. You are every bit a copy of Dad. Both Stan and I are worried about disappointing you, so sometimes we forget you are our brother and not our dad. You’re not hundred percent like him, but you know there are similarities.”

“It sounds nuts, seeing as you’re triplets. But you guys are so different,” Katie said.

“Yeah, just wish my brothers could see that.”

Once again, he stood up to leave, but this time, Katie motioned for him to sit down and then she sat on his lap. She calmed him, something I never knew anyone could do but him.

“We’re just talking, there’s nothing wrong with talking and expressing how you feel. Something I haven’t been able to do for so long, and you guys showed me that it’s okay to be weak, to cry, to be strong, and just be me. I want you guys to feel the same way, too.”

I stood as she pressed her lips against Rick’s. I stroked her hair, listening to the sounds they were making, hearing my brother getting aroused, as I kneeled and moved her head away from Rick’s to mine.

“Katie, you really are special,” Rick groaned as I stood and lifted her and headed to the bedroom. I didn’t want to fuck her. No, I wanted to make love to her. I had one eye open making sure I was moving in the other direction, the only sounds were Katie’s moans and the footsteps of my brother behind us as we all headed to the bedroom.