It Started With You + Me

Chapter 10: first 'date'

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I woke to someone shaking me gently, I carefully opened my eyes and stared around, blinking as my eyes adjusted. As the blurred shapes came into focus I was surprised to find myself in the midst of dark skies and the beginnings of a starry night. I turned to see the person that I was lounging on, who had dared wake me, and was even more surprised to see Shea's neck by my side. Shea was looking straight out to the middle of lake that was currently dotted with dozens of man-made lights to lure the fish in, reflecting the amazing starry night sky above, his face crinkled as he seemed deep in thought.

I scooted closer to him, placing a delicate kiss on his flexing jawbone.  His head snapped out of his trance as he was made aware that I was awake again. He scanned my face as I began to sit back up, as my fingers trailed his jawline.

"So sleeping beauty has decided to finally wake up and give my shoulder a rest. How kind!" His husky voice added jokily.

"Bet you enjoyed being so close to me and 'seeing me'," I retorted, quoting his poem. His smile was unwavering.  

"So there's still more coffee,  the chocolate is finished but there's still loads of cookies. What do you suggest we do now?" I teased.

"Lets talk..."

"About what?"

"You. Me. Your life. Mine. I'm sure we have enough cookies and coffee to get through the night."

"Okay... you start then," I said.

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"What's Mia's deal?" I rushed, perhaps too quickly as he chuckled quietly to himself.

"Well I don't really know where to start with her," he sighed.

"The beginning?" I asked inquisitively hoping he would provide some form of explanation.   

He sighed outwardly and started very slowly. "Well her dad had been a smoker since his late teens. But uncle Joey was able to quit them at least 5 months before he died, the doctors said that did little to help, the damage had already been done. Only two weeks before he passed he finally let us take him to the hospital to find out and treat the ever-increasing pains in his chest. He couldn't breathe properly and that was constantly worrying our whole family. But no-one could prepare themselves when he was finally diagnosed him with lung cancer, the tumours had already and kept spreading at terrifying rates, and they had already started taking over his airways... it was a horrible time for us all, it hit Mia the hardest."

I could see his eyes watering but no tears spilt as he blinked away the remnants of his anguish. I held Shea closer and cradled him as he opened up pieces of his past, ripping the seams of all the patchwork stiches that had 'formed' throughout the years.

His silent pain was pulling at my heartstrings, it was surprisingly raw. I took his head gently in my hands, thumbed his cheek and kissed him there. His adorable blue-tinted brown eyes were set on me and he smiled.

"You don't have to continue Shea." I whispered concerned. "You dont have to"

His hands cupped mine and brought them into our laps, as he continued his story. "I was eight when uncle joey died, and Mia was only six. It shook everything in her life. Her mum was working late almost every night, then she started drinking at the local pub repeatedly, blowing most of her savings and the life insurance money on men and drinks. They were loaded before and pity money from her dad's friends kept them afloat for almost two years. After that they went bankrupt, so me and Mia were sent off to a boarding school whilst issues at home were continuing to brew over. Mia was bullied over the first few weeks of us being there whereas I got most of the attention. Being the popular boy in school and her cousin I stood up for her naturally and no-one interfered, so she started clinging. After those first few years we went to separate schools so we grew really far apart. She went back to live with her mum, and that's where we changed dramatically, her being influenced by her mothers poor choices and me becoming who I am today. Last year when we came home one summer we were told that aunt Lindsay was getting married to a big-shot banker. And this holiday we went on a whistle-stop tour through Africa when we heard that he took aunt Lindsay off for a vacation so Mia had to come down here and stay with us. I guess since as long as I can remember, its just been me and her. And she hasn't had to share me with any other girl, with you here I think she's kinda out of her comfort zone." It was quite a lot to listen to, but to understand what his relationship with his cousin was I mulled it over. "Well now its your turn." He chuckled "I've told you a little piece of myself, now its your turn."