Don't Tell My Brother

Chapter 33 - Meet the Castillos

Luckily for Lucas, Alex and Mona had offered to walk with him part of the way to Damien's house, because she was heading to a rehearsal anyway, and Mona wanted to walk her dog. Unluckily for Lucas, they'd taken the opportunity to berate him. Well, only Alex was berating him. Mona was more of an impartial witness.

"You know, Lucas, you act very stiff and serious, but we know deep down you're soft."

Lucas rolled his eyes, checking Google Maps again. This wasn't the first time Alex had brought this up, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. "I'm not soft. I'm helping him, like a friend would."

"You're just giving him a lot of chances, and I'm not sure if he deserves them."

"I think it's sweet." Mona chimed in, Boo trotting along by her side. "Lucas likes to see the best in people. And the night at the park was actually not very bad. I met some nice people."

Considering Mona had only spoken to one person that wasn't Lucas for most of the night, he thought he could guess who 'nice people' were.

"I've forgiven him, we're on good terms now. Can we please just drop it?" Lucas said, with a finality that ended the conversation then and there.

But not before he caught Alex muttering something suspiciously like 'soft' under her breath.

Soon enough, they reached a fork in the road, where Lucas would have to take a left, towards the outer edge of the suburbs, and Alex would have to turn right, towards the town centre. Mona would go wherever she pleased.

"You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Alex asked, chewing on the edge of her thumbnail as she looked at Lucas. "I've got time, and Mona can bring Boo."

Lucas sighed. "Don't you start babying me too." He loved her, he did, but he didn't always need her protectiveness. This was a normal day out, going to a friend's house, a normal thing to do. "I'll be fine, I promise. And I really don't think Damien needs the Spanish Inquisition showing up at his door the day of his sister's birthday."

"Spanish Inquisition? I was only going to ask him a few questions..." Alex said, though she gave him a mischievous little smile.

Lucas could practically see her putting Damien on trial. Knowing Alex, 'a few questions' would be a Guantanamo Bay- level interrogation. It wasn't what either of them needed.

"It'll be fine, Alex. Go to your rehearsal." Lucas knelt down to scratch Boo behind the ears, and the little white dog tossed his head back and forth, trying to lick his fingers. "You too, Mona. I'll be okay."

Mona nodded, understanding without needing to say anything, and with a quick tug at Boo's lead, the two were off. Lucas turned, and began to walk up the street, heading for Damien's house.

It wasn't what Lucas had expected. Maybe it was because Damien was loud, a little obnoxious, larger than life, but when Lucas came to a stop outside the address that Damien had texted him, what surprised him most was how normal the house was. It was single storey, white clapboard, with a crooked mailbox and two children's bikes leaning against the front. The lawn was slightly overgrown, and as he walked up the front path he crushed a cigarette butt underfoot.

When he arrived at the front door, Lucas took a deep breath. Checked his watch. It was exactly nine o' clock. He could hear voices inside, very faintly. Maybe they had other guests over? It definitely sounded like more than one or two people. Taking a deep breath, and wiping his palms on his pants to make sure they weren't sweaty, Lucas rang the doorbell. He could hear its shrill call echo throughout the house, followed by footsteps. Moments later, the door swung open, and Lucas was greeted with the sight of an out-of-breath Damien. He was panting, as if he'd sprinted there. A second later, Lucas saw why.