Graceland: Family Affair

Chapter Forty-One

Ethan latches onto my hand and we start to walk towards my bedroom again.

"You know, if you or Ethan ever need to talk, then I don't mind being a listening ear. I'm only a phone call away, okay?" Mike says to Jackson.

"Thanks, Mike", Jackson replies. "You're a lot nicer than Sarah's other boyfriends –"

"She's had more than one?" Mike interjects.

"No...not really..." Jackson says thoughtfully. "I meant James...He was a piece of work! I mean, James was just a pain in the –"

"We're back!" I cut Jackson off, swinging the door open as Ethan bounds towards the bed, jumping on it and sitting himself on the other side of Mike so that Mike is between my little brothers.

"He was a complete and utter –" Jackson tries again.

"Don't you boys look cosy!" I sigh loudly, stopping Jackson from finishing his sentence before he says something rude.

"Well, your little brothers are pretty cool", Mike smiles as he stares at me.

"They're the greatest..." I smile back.

Mike offers to sit with the boys a little longer while I nip downstairs to see how things are between Paul and my parents. I walk into the living room to see my parents and Paul hugging.

"That's really great news, Paul!" Mum snuggles into his shoulder. I stand there with my mouth slightly open in disbelief that Paul's drug confession has earned him hugs and cuddles from my parents. He must have come up with something really good to wriggle his way out of this one.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, more than a little confused as I walk slowly towards them, completely caught off-guard by the scene before me. It most definitely not what I expected after your brother tells your parents that he was a drug addict.

"Precious, sweet Sarah", Mum extends her arm signalling for me to join their huddle.

"Uhm..." I murmur to myself before being pulled into the circle by Paul.

"My babies all grown up!" Mum beams, stroking each of us on the cheek as Paul wraps an arm around me. Paul grins widely as I squint my eyes at him, trying to figure out what he must have said. "I am so proud!"

"Proud that he was on drugs?" I mutter under my breath to Paul, who nips my shoulder, gritting his teeth through his over-the-top smile.

"Paul – you've come through so much. And yes, you made mistakes...but you have to live your best life –" Mum smiles.

"And stay clean –" Dad adds.

"Do it for Charlie, and for the baby – they need you!" Mum finishes.

"Oh! So you played THAT card?" I raise an eyebrow at Paul.

"You're going to have a family of your own, Paul – you really need to pull yourself together", Dad says.

"I will...you have my word..." Paul answers.

"I can't believe it – my babies all grown up and starting families of their own!" Mum beams just as Charlie walks into the room. "Charlie! The Mother of my grandchild!" Mum outstretches her arm to her and yanks her into the huddle. "I am so thrilled. And if there's anything you need! I just can't believe my babies are starting families – with Paul and Charlie and the baby...and Sarah and Mike –"

"Sarah and Mike?!" Paul interrupts swiftly.

"Sarah and Mike?!" Dad echoes.

"Me and Mike?!" I try to shrug it off.

"You and Mike?!" Paul turns to face me. "What about you and Mike? Since when were you and Mike on the same level as me and Charlie?" He seriously furrows his brow. "Sarah?" I don't answer. "Mike!" Paul yells upstairs as he starts to shake in fury. "If I can't get the truth from you, Sarah, then I'll get it from him!"

Paul starts to bound up the stairs and I run after him. Johnny and Jakes run after me.

"Uh-oh..." Johnny murmurs under his breath.

"Not good...not good!" Jakes mutters.

"MIKE!" Paul shouts as he runs into my room. Mike's head snaps up from looking at my younger brothers who were deep in conversation with him. Paul's tightened fist hits the bottom of Mike's jaw, sending Mike flying from off the bed. I fly to Mike's side, standing in between him and Paul, ready to take the next hit should there be one. Johnny and Jakes restrain Paul, holding his arms behind his back. I crouch down to Mike's side, dabbing at the blood on his lip with a tissue.

"What is wrong with you?!" Jackson screeches at Paul.

"Michael here made a move on our sister!" Paul yells.

"Excuse me?!" I exclaim. "Mike did no such thing!" I turn back to look at Mike. "Honey, are you okay?" I ask in a low voice.

"I'm fine..." He lifts a hand to my pale cheek in an attempt to calm me. Meanwhile, Mum, Dad and Charlie have joined us in the room, with Charlie rushing over to little Ethan who looks pretty traumatised after what he's just witnessed.

"He's not done anything!" Jackson tries to cover for us. "Didn't you tell them to be a couple? For your mission? Just pretending? Isn't that what you told them to do?"

"Well...yes...but –" Paul tries to justify himself.

"Then that's where we must have got mixed up!" Mum exclaims as she tries to salvage Mike and I's secret, trying to make a convincing excuse in our defence. "They were doing such a good job that we all thought it was real! We must have just completely misread the situation!" Mum turns to Dad, giving him the look – you know the one you give your nearest and dearest when you want them to join in on the act with you. She starts nodding slowly at Dad as she talks. "Isn't that right, dear?"

"Oh...uh...yes!" Dad clears his throat, finally catching on as he joins forces with Mum and Jackson in their mission to stop Paul from finding out the truth. "That's two wonderful Agents that you've got there, Paul – they had us completely fooled!" Dad chuckles. Paul starts to lighten up a little as I continue to dab at Mike's face, my hands shaking a little in shock. Charlie is still cradling Ethan, comforting him after the shock of the last few minutes.

"Okay..." Paul says a little more softly than he's been talking so far. "I'll believe you...I just want Mike to tell me..." He smiles smugly.

"Tell you what?" I stare at Paul, praying that the worry of my mind didn't come across in my voice as I help Mike to his feet.

"I want Mike to assure me that you two aren't together", Paul states as if it's no big deal. "I mean, if you're really not together, then it shouldn't be hard for you to say. And I've known you long enough, Warren, to know when you're lying, so don't even try to". Paul slowly steps toward Mike so that they're staring each other down. "I'm going to ask you once, and I want the truth – are you dating my sister?"