The Step-Brother

Troubles a Foot!

Jade plopped a piece of turkey in her mouth and smiled at her family. It was nice to see the whole family sitting together without any worries, even though there were some things that needed to be asked, but that didn't really matter. She was sitting beside Zach, across from her were Sarah and Jacob and on the opposite ends of the table were Grams and Pops. 

"This turkey is divine!" Sarah said, after taking a bite.

"Zach helped in preparing it, so he should get some of the credit," Jade informed her mother. She caught Zach's smiled and looked over at Jacob. "How does it feel to have a son who can cook?"

"Proud, to know my boy can be taught!" Jacob laughed. "I'm even more impressed that he found a woman."

Zach smiled brightly, glancing at Jade. "Well she's quite a woman to hold onto me…or for me to hold onto her."

"What's he talking about?" Kimberly asked. She glanced quickly across the table at Henry, as he too was wondering the same.

"Oh, just his new female acquaintance," Sarah informed her. "He hasn't told us much about her, but she sounds wonderful."

"She is!" Zach said excitedly.

"But, is he having sex with this woman?" Kimberly asked.

"Grams!" Jade shouted, unaware that she was now blushing.

"A fine young man as himself should be. Why if I was his age I would be getting under the young hot mama's underwear by now," Henry chuckled raspy.

"Pops!" Jade shouted. "I very much doubt that Jade or he would be up to anything like that."

"Jade?" Henry and Kimberly questioned in unity.

Sarah sighed. "Yes, the young ladies name is Jade. Her last names Hickery, she's 19 and in the same college as our Jade there."

"What a coincidence," Kimberly said, looking at her granddaughter. "But, how would you know if they we're having sex or not?" she asked Jade.

"Be…because she's not the type to be with a guy for a short while and jump into bed with him. Dammit, she has self control." Jade gave the table a self-satisfying grin, as if she just won something, grabbing for some bread.

"How do you know she has self control?" Zach asked, speaking to Jade. 

"She's…she's…almost like me…"

"And you have self control?" Zach chuckled amusingly. He wiped his mouth with his napkin calmly and turned his chair around so he could face Jade.

Jade looked at him nervously. "Yes, I do." She gasped loudly when Zach reached across her small frame, sliding her chair so now she was looking directly at him. She looked up into his eyes intently and couldn't help but stare into them. He was going to say something and embarrass her wasn't he? Just the way he was looking at her gave her enough reassurance of that. She was about to open her mouth to utter something…even though she had no idea what, until Zach's lips brushed hers. What the hell was he doing? She didn't have much time to think when he kissed her gently…and she couldn't stop from kissing him back.

"Was that self control?" Zach asked, after the kiss. "Because…if you consider you kissing me back self control, let me have some more of that," he joked.

"Fuck…me!" Jade heard her mother say. She looked over at her mother hesitantly and looked down at her hands.

"Ma…it's not…"

"I told you that they were having sex in the pool!" Kimberly laughed.

Jade frantically faced her mother and sighed. What could she possibly say?

"So, what's going on between you two?" Sarah asked, anger could be heard in her voice, but she stayed calm.

"Nothing…" Jade sputtered, sliding her chair back under the table.

"Like hell nothing's going on!" Sarah yelled.

"Now, Sarah honey…" Jacob said, rubbing his wife's arm gently. "I think it's nothing to be alarmed about, it's just a misconception."

"What if it isn't?" Zach said quietly. Everyone at the table gazed at him alarmingly. His head was bowed down and he stared down at Jade sweetly whispering, "I'm sorry."

"Zach," Jade said softly, cupping his hand underneath the table. 

"Sarah I very much like your daughter and I think she likes me too," Zach stated. "We didn't want to bring all of this out now, but under the circumstance….I think you have the right to know."

"Is this true Jade?" Sarah asked her daughter.

Jade froze when her mother's eyes locked on hers. There was something there that frightened Jade terribly. Her mother's eyes weren't filled with the love and warmth that it usually had…it was filled with disappointment.

"Ma…" Jade whispered out, looking quickly at Zach. She was afraid, but she guessed he didn't since it because of the warm smile that played on his lips. That one smile was the only thing that she needed to see to reassure herself that now was the right time. "What Zach said was true."

"Well…I forbid it!" Sarah screamed and stood up. "I will not let you carry on this…this…shameful act. God, your stepbrother and stepsister!"

"We know that Sarah, but if you would listen to how it's all played out…" Zach started.

"Jade!" Sarah said, pointing her finger at her daughter sternly. "I can't believe you didn't speak with me about this?"

Jade stood up quickly. "Because I knew you would react like this you always do. Whenever something in my life may not be exactly the way you want you always make a big fucking deal over it."

"You leave me and this is what happens! This is bullshit!" Sarah said, slamming her hands down on the table.

"NO! NO! WHAT IS BULLSHIT IS YOU NOT TELLING ME ABOUT JACOB AND YOU GETTING A GODDAMN DIVORCE!" Jade yelled out. She stared back at her mother angrily as her face fell to a sad and hurtful look. What did she just do? "Ma, I…"

Sarah raised her hand quickly. "Don't speak to me!"

"Ma, I'm sorry…I just," Jade tried apologizing. 

"Sarah honey, maybe you should tell your daughter about the divorce and why we want one," Jacob added after a minute of silence.

Sarah took in a deep breath and grabbed her plate. "As far as I know I have no daughter. Whatever the hell is sitting opposite of me doesn't need to know anything about my fucking personal life."

"Ma?" Jade said urgently. "You can't be serious!"

"Don't Ma me…I'm going to give you two options. You can choose…to keep up this act with Zach or to break it off now."

Jade looked down at Zach, and then back at her mother. "Let me get this straight. You want me to choose between you and Zach?"

"That's what I'm saying!"

"Don't ask me to…" Jade said a tear rolling down her cheeks. 

"Sarah honey, I don't think you should make her…" Jacob stated.

"Shut the hell up! It should be easy for her since she's my…"

"I CHOOSE ZACH!" Jade informed the whole table. 

"Fine…" Sarah said pushing her chair in. "I disown you!"

Jade felt dizzy and sick at the same time. Her mother disowned her? It didn't quiet hit her, the pain that thumped in her chest, the pain that closed her throat up and made her not able to breath. She sat back down in her chair and covered her face with her hands. The sound of a door slamming caused Jade to jump a bit.

"I'm going to go see if I can talk to her," Jacob said, excusing himself from the table. "I'm sorry about all of this Jade, but if it makes you feel better I think what Zach and you may share is great," Jacob stated, walking away from the dining area. 

"Henry let's leave these two for a second," Kimberly said getting up from the table herself, walking over to her husband. He lazily got up and walked out of his chair quietly. 

"Come here," Zach said standing up. He grabbed Jade by her waist and picked her up, bridle style, taking her to the couch in the living room. He sat her down on the couch softly and then sat beside her. She climbed into his lap the instant he sat down, clinging to his chest sadly. "Are…are…you ok?"

Jade sniffed. "She disowns me Zach!"

"I don't think she mean's it. You both were pretty upset and yelling things you both didn't mean," Zach smoothly reminded her. He wrapped his arms around her body possessively, placing his chin on top of her head. "She needs time to take everything in."

"She's such a damn hypocrite," Jade said, a bit muffled with her head being on Zach's chest. "I just don't know what the hell is going on with her anymore."

"I think she's just trying to be that strong mother that she was when your dad died. Now, that we know that the divorce if final. She may be feeling all alone right now because of that and then having you go off into the cruel world may have hit her. That's probably why she wanted me to let you stay at my place, so you could have someone looking out for you."

Jade lifted her head. "I'm still here for her…doesn't she know that?"

"I…I…don't have the answer for you there."

"But, we're leaving tomorrow I don't think I can fix this with her now."

"I think she needs this time to think, but maybe next time you'll be able to work this out," Zach said, brushing his thumb over her eyes to wipe away the salty-tears. "But, I'm glad you stood up for me in there."

Jade let out a little giggle. "Shut the hell up, I feel bad about everything going on, it was an impulse thing."

"It meant a lot to me," Zach chuckled lightly, kissing her forehead.

"Well that's me, trying to make people feel good about themselves."

"And that's what I love about you," Zach admitted, stroking her cheeks affectionately.

Jade kissed him softly. "Thanks for being her for me, Zach," she said, tears strolling down her cheeks.

"Shhh, don't cry anymore. I'm here for you and I always will be."

Jade smiled weakly, throwing her arms around his neck. "Oh…I love you!" she sighed out happily. That's when she first realized that wasn't just the spur of the moment kind of thing. It was real and truthful. She loved Zach….she loved Zack!