My Mother's house

20 Seas

I don't remember when Nath had gotten to my house, or when he had stripped to his boxers and snuggled close to me under the covers.  But I woke up to his heart under my ear.  His breath rocking my body like a ship in gentle seas.  I laid like this, for as long as I could, until I felt his fingers move in my hair.  I turned my head to look at his face and we caught each other's glances.
"Good morning Lex."
"Mmmm"  I closed my eyes and snuggled closer.  His chest shook in a chuckle and he kissed the top of my head.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, things just caught up to me, and they were more than I thought were going on.  I didn't mean to take it out on you."  When he didn't say anything, didn't stop playing with my hair I continued.  "It really bothered me you weren't talking to me, or looking at me and I couldn't take it any more.  I get mean when I get angry sometimes."
"It wasn't that bad."
A cheshire grin grew on my face, pushing my cheek into his chest.  "That's because I walked away."  I drew a lazy shape, skating my fingers over his bare skin.  God his skin was soft.  "Did I do something wrong for you to act like you were?"
His chest heaved under me, and I dared not look at him.
"My sister said you told her you were only using me to get this house fixed.  That you were using our past against me.  When you told me to leave last night, I knew that wasn't the case.  People who use other people will put up with a lot if they are getting what they want."
"Is that why you haven't talked to me in a few days?"
"Kind of.  That and I had to learn your Dad's filing system.  He is ocd or something.  He even updated my software for renting rooms.  That was a nightmare.  I had to call him at work to get my login and then have him walk me through how to run my own business."
There was a pause in our conversation before I spoke up.  "I missed you.  And you don't have to work on my house if you don't want to, just as long as you teach me what to do, I can do it on my own."
Nath pulled me back and away from him, so he could look at me better.  "I want to help you.  I want to do things for you and spend time with you."
Now was as good of time as any.  "Why?  Why do you break your back for me when you can barely carry your own load.  Friends don't normally do so much for the other.  There has to be a reason."
He rolled to his side and pulled me to his chest, resting his chin on my head.  "Because I owe it to you."
"You don't owe me anything Nath.  I don't want you running yourself ragged like you were for me.  Just come hang out with me once in a while, and don't listen to your psycho sister about me."  I kissed his chest, just a peck and got up out of bed.  I checked my phone and sent David a text, wishing him a good day at school and that he could come home tonight.
He sent me one back, letting me know he signed up for football tryouts and needed to start working out after school.  I chortled at the screen and turned to Nath who was pulling on his jeans.  "David is trying out for football."
Nath zipped his pants and grabbed his shirt off the chair.  "He might make a good half back if he can run like you can.  He's smaller and if he can move quickly, he would be hard to hit."
Obviously, I didn't know that much about football.  I thought all players were supposed to be big and bulky, I guess I was wrong.  Nath left shortly after, needing to get back to the hotel.  He told me he would be by this afternoon and teach me how to properly install a window.  The sad thing was, doing work on this house was the only thing I had to look forward to. 

I wished I would have signed up for at least one online class.  Anything to do to keep me from boredom.  I had read through all of the good books in the study and had gone as far as I could go with fixing up this house.  I could have gotten started with painting, but that was punishment for the boys.  There wasn't too much left to be done for me, and I wondered what I would do with myself then. 
I spent the morning lazying about, I cooked lunch for myself, and I rarely cook for just me.  Nath made it over a little after two.  The bar was also the local diner, and it made me think of a way to both pay Nath back for helping me, and spend time with him.
We were standing in the bucket of the tractor next to a window.  Nath had raised me up in it, along with all of the tools and the window and then climbed the ladder up.  I only had one ladder here, but this worked better.
"So, I already taught you how to take out a window, after you get done with that, it's pretty simple, just kind of tedious."  He showed me how to put it in right, how to silicone where the water would be able to drain out if it got caught.  How to level using shims, how to make sure I left room for insulation, which I didn't even know had to be done.  Nath had done the whole first floor by himself.  It took us forty five minutes of me asking questions and him explaining the whys and don'ts before he had to leave.
I thanked him, and gave him a quick hug before getting back to work.  I needed to have the whole upstairs done before the boys came to paint.  It was starting to get dark by the time I had gotten two sides done.  It would have been easier if I had someone to lift me and the tools in the tractor and drive me to the next window, but I was stuck using the ladder and hauling tools an whatnot up and down.  I figured I could put in the rest in the morning while the boys scraped loose paint and if I needed more time, they could start on the side I had done.
I ended my reign in the air and headed to make dinner.  I had gotten used to cooking for David and I after school, one of my motherly duties.  We had even started to eat at the table and hold conversations instead of taking our food to our rooms, plus carrying things up and down the stairs was a waste of time.
"How was school and your workout?"  David had gotten home late, so I assumed that was what he was doing.
"Good."
"That's all I get is good?  Well this is going to be boring."
David shoved a bite of his burger in his mouth and then chewed slowly and swallowed before talking again.  "Yeah good, I already feel a little sore.  Got a few good pointers for when we play too."
"Just make sure you keep your grades up.  I can't have you trading in your nerd costume for a dumb jock."
He rolled his eyes at me and took a smaller bite, then proceeded to talk with food in his mouth.  "What did you do today?  Pick out a few cats for when you're old?"
"Har har.  I started replacing the windows upstairs."
His eyes got as big as saucers.  "Do I need to leave?"
I squinted my eyes at him.  "You're just full of jokes aren't you?  Well jokes on you, I'm doing your side of the house in the morning so make sure your room and your bathroom are clean."
David stopped chewing his food for a moment, then went right back and didn't say another word. 
"When is Dan and Chuck coming over with the rest of your crew?"
"When ever they get up I guess.  Around ten maybe?"
I shrugged.  "Just wondering.  I don't care as long as the house gets painted tomorrow.  It's supposed to rain Monday.  I don't want to cut it close and have the paint wash off."
"You're so stupid.  Paint doesn't work like that.  It should only take a few hours to dry and Dan has an air tank and spray gun, so it should go pretty fast.  He's going to paint my car in a few weeks.  I just have to pay for the paint and help him take it apart."
"That car is not even worth the rust that's on it.  Don't waste your money."
"That car is a panty dropper and is going to be my ticket once I have it restored."
I shook my head at him.  That car wasn't old enough to be a classic.  It was just an old hunk of junk.  It was nice talking to my brother though.  We seemed to be getting along better and picked on each other less.  I gave him space and he gave me mine, and he knew I was here to lean on if he needed to.  I didn't let it go the other way around though.  I should be the adult here, and didn't want to put him in that position.  Being the adult can be stressful.