Better Than Before

Chapter Five

"I thought I told you to wait in the hallway?" Kelsey spun round at the sound of Sean's voice, steadying herself against the side of the counter. He stood leaning in the door way, now fully clothed in grey sweats and a white t-shirt, the shoulders clinging to his skin where it was still wet, his hair tousled but pushed out of his eyes. She raised her hands and smiled.
     "Sorry."

  Sean walked across the kitchen bending down to pick up the miscellaneous items that had fallen out of Kelsey's bag as he approached her. He placed them onto the counter next to the wine bottle, inspecting it as he did so.

    "You never struck me as the Merlot type." He quipped with a raised eyebrow, pulling one of the bar stool chairs out, gesturing for Kelsey to take a seat. "I think it might be a good idea for you to be off of your feet."

Taking the seat, Kelsey swung her legs gently back and forth watching as Sean retrieved a steaming plate of lasagna from the microwave, the rich aroma causing Kelsey's stomach to growl once again.

  Sean opened a draw next to him, removing two forks before sliding the draw shut with a nudge of his hip. He placed the plate in the centre of the kitchen island, pulling out the chair opposite Kelsey.

      "You still haven't told me why you're here," He said as he offered a fork to her. His eyes staring, unblinking. Kelsey reached out for the fork eagerly. He moved it away just before she could grasp it. "Uh-uh. Answer my question first please, Kelsey."

  Kelsey theatrically rolled her eyes. "Fine." she dragged out. "I was hoping to speak to your brother, Jake." Her nose scrunched up as if she smelled something foul when his name left her lips. Sean's eyebrows shot up at this revelation, scooping a heap of steaming lasagna onto his fork he took the bite nodding slowly as if things were starting to make sense.

       "Explains the need to get drunk," He acknowledged before handing Kelsey the fork, she immediately took a small chunk sighing with delight as it hit her tastebuds. "but as you may have guessed. Jake's not here."

      "Yeah, no shit." Kelsey exclaimed in a childlike frustration.

  Sean almost choked on his mouthful, he'd never heard Kelsey be so brass before. She had barely spoken to him throughout her entire relationship with Jake, Sean was present but stuck to the background. The version of herself he probably remembered-if he did recall her at all-was a timid, soft spoken girl. But here today, the woman sat before him was most definitely not timid, her confidence blindingly radiant.

   She watched as an entertained smile pulled slightly on the edge of his lips, this bizarre evening taunting her one final time with just how much of a failure this trip has been.

       "Now I'm stuck with the other brother." Kelsey spoke threw a mouth full of food, jabbing the fork in his direction. She watched as Sean's eyebrows shot up, seeing him ignited the flame that had been sitting dormant within. He may not be Jake but the emotions were colliding inside and the words were beginning to tumble out of her mouth. "Sat speaking to a man who really couldn't give a single fuck back then about his silly little brother's relationship so why on earth would he care now," Words flooded out of her mouth, the drink breaking down the dam that previously held all these emotions back.

       "Kels, please."

       "No Sean. I've had one hell of a day." she laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation she'd gotten herself into. "I may not get to speak to Jake and I know you do not want to listen but I need to vent to someone." Kelsey said, looking Sean directly in the eyes. His tense posture softening as he lent forward resting his elbows on the counter.

      "Ok." His voice was calm. "I'm listening."

   Kelsey's mouth went dry, she wasn't expecting that response. Her outburst felt silly and childlike, Sean had no reason to listen to her problems, yet he sat patiently and alert.