Wicked Desire

35- the accident

"Ben, could you help me with the timber?" Patrick patted him on the back with a wide smile on his face trying his best to convince him

"What the timber you were meant to sort out a week ago? That timber?" He shot back amusingly as he ate some grapes

"Yeah I seem to recall that was Patrick's job" Connor humored, "be a damn shame if he didn't get it done with all this rain coming in tonight" he joined Ben eating the same bowl of grapes as they both looked up at him stifling their laughter.

"Well, it just so happens that I am an excellent brother... husband, friend... comrade! And I may consider such a task for the sake of my poor lazy baby brother." Ben let out a large sigh and crossed his arms with a grin on his face. "only because without me he wouldn't know what to do with himself" I looked at ben and mock scolded him as my mouth shot open

"yea alright alright, I get it... now will you be the best big brother and help me out?" clasping his hands together in a prayer style as Patrick gave him puppy eyes

"yea I suppose I'm going to have to with all this rain! Don't think Dad would give me the choice anyway" he grunted as he got up off the sofa, Patrick celebrated as ben and George both assembled themselves, Patrick saying goodbye to the kids and George taking a few bites of his sandwich before dusting the crumbs on his t-shirt. 

"stop that you uncivilized boy!" eve scolded him quickly as she hit him with her dish towel. "what?" George replied with a mouth full of bread and the tone of a 13-year-old boy as she wiped his shirt 

"I did not raise my boys to be so uncouth, be a gentleman for Christ's sake! Hopefully this afternoon with ben some of his gentlemanliness can rub off on you, now out of my kitchen" Ben looked back at me as I snuggled up on the couch. he walked over to the back of the chair and leaned down to kiss my temple.

"you'll be alright here for a few hours?" he said as he caressed my hair

I nodded and smiled "I'll be fine, don't be too late..." I brought my hand up to the side of his face feeling the rough short hair along his jaw "you know I won't be..." he gave me a suggestive look as I giggled back and he laid a soft kiss on my lips. He leaned into it making a low humourous sort of moan as I giggled more, his hand coming to the back of my head as he sunk me further into the couch until I broke away smiling widely "go do the timber! ugh men" I chastised 

"men! phh what do you mean men! she's making fun of us" he turned to his brothers as they all mocked hurt, George holding his heart and Patrick pretending he just received a punch to the stomach. "well these men will leave you to your solitary bliss m'lady" he took my hand and kissed it "and hopefully you'll change your mind about men when I come back tonight hot and sweaty from a long day's work" I ripped my hand away gasping and hiding my red face as George and Patrick both pushed him and shouted in embarrassment "c'moonnnnnn man, that's gross" George covered his ears walking away "I didn't need to hear that today, excuse me while I go throw up," Patrick said with a painful look on his face. 

"off you boys go! Wet wood is not surprisingly hard to burn in a fire, so away with you!" they all slumped out of the room pushing each other as ben looked back giving me one last glance, his smile so bright it made my heart fill up with pride.

I was surprised there was no debriefing and telling me exactly what to do this afternoon, he just left with his brothers without any suggestive comment about behaving. Maybe I've gained his full trust and he doesn't feel the need to do any of that anymore. Perhaps a baby on the way changes everything...

"you must be exhausted from today, you should lie down for a bit, and put your feet up," Eve said as she sat down with her sewing kit, turning the tv on as she got her threads and needles out.

I didn't feel tired but suddenly at the suggestion I took it. "Actually I might, I think I'll just lie down upstairs for an hour if that's alright?" eve nodded and smiled motherly back at me "ill bring you up a cup of tea in an hour to wake you up darling" she leaned back getting comfy for the movie about to start. "thankyou eve that's so kind" 

As I got up and walked around the couch she cut in once more "Eve feels so formal... family just call me mum, auntie, or granny. I think we are so familiar with each other, call me mum. If you like" I loved that she felt so close to me, I came over to her side and kissed her cheek "mum, then" we both smiled at each other and I took myself upstairs.  

BEN 

We'd spent the last 3 hours lifting the wood into the trucks, driving them to get stacked up in the barn and back to do the next load. 

"I'm glad this all worked out, Ben. You're happy, and I missed seeing that" Patrick held my shoulder "' We're all so happy for you man " George patted my back as he passed by me. 

I hadn't planned on saying anything but I looked at my brothers and how supportive and proud they were and have been through this whole process, I guess I couldn't keep it to myself.

As they both leaned down to get back to work I took my opportunity, "clo is pregnant" I said suddenly and I couldn't contain my pride, a huge smile spreading across my face.

Both of them straightened up "what! HaH that's- that's incredible! Congrats man" Patrick bounded over to give me an enormous hug as George joined us "I can't believe it..." George said with a weird tone of voice "what's that?" I chuckled, "I can't believe we're gonna have more of you running around the place, one is enough" he dodged by hand as I tried head-locking him, he ran away laughing dodging the piles of wood "shut up you" I laughed back, running my hand through my hair I took a breath. "we're having a baby." I looked at Patrick with slightly glassy eyes "I'm going to be a father." 

George hugged me immediately "and you are going to be amazing, you helped raise me so I know firsthand how good you are for the job" he squeezed me tighter "thanks Georgie" I tussled his hair as he drew back. I hadn't called him Georgie in such a long time, it feels as though Clo is putting this family back together again, patching up everything we damaged and lost along the way. Like she was a missing piece this family never knew we needed so desperately. 

"Well, we better get a move on so we can get home early and celebrate! I can't believe I dragged you away from her today, you should have told us!" Patrick exclaimed. "I didn't know when we would tell anyone, I just had to tell you guys first." we all patted each other on the back and started finishing off our job even faster now so we could get home. 

PATRICK POV

As Ben got back to work my smile dropped slightly and I looked at George, who was looking at me the exact same way. We didn't know what the look was from each other, it's one of those reactions that is gut instinct, and I couldn't explain it. George gestured to Ben as he was standing back up again and we both quickly kept ourselves busy. I pushed what I was thinking into the back of my head, it was happy news, I was happy for him.

BEN POV

Loading up the truck at the end was always hell. You're tired, it's getting dark, you're hungry... we just labored through it thinking about dinner on the table when we got home. thinking about Clo kissing me as I come home, soon enough I'll come home to a round belly and have 2 people to kiss. I couldn't help myself smiling like an idiot as Patrick caught my eye and laughed at me "shut up" I nudged him. 

The logs are never-ending and they keep getting heavier, one after the other thrown in the back, just one pile more, just one more. And then a tumbling came, I had my head down and I looked up to be met with a log rolling off the pile and smacking me right in the face. And then it was all dark, the faint voices of my brothers saying my name and then nothing.