Enemies By Law

Chapter Two

He laughed giving me a hug while I wrinkled my nose at how tall he was, it was like hugging dad all over again, except Stephen was a bastard, "Good to have you back, did you get fat?" he joked and I ribbed him. 

"You're the fat one,"

"Am not, these are called muscles"

"Fat," I coughed making him narrow his green eye at me, did I hurt the baby's feelings?

"Alright kids help clean up," yelled mum interrupting us and we both groaned. She stood there crossing her hands and smiling.

"Are you going to help mum?"

"Of course not, I don't want to destroy anything and then your dad will yell at me for ruining the kitchen" 

There was a loud clattering noise making us all wince, "What's that?"

"Tristan?" I called out, I should go check up on him.

'I"m all good, some idiot left their shoes here and I tripped over," I winced, my bad.

Mum looked up frowning at me and I shrugged, old habits. Why was she shoving her face in the oven?

"Mum what are you doing?" Stephen grabbed her shoulder pulling her out of the oven.

"There is burnt crumbs in there,"

"You know what, how about we clean up and you go sit around or something?  Adrian's dropping by tonight and we'll make him cook?"

"Adrian's coming?" I asked excited. Uncle Adrian's food was heavenly, as much as dad disagreed, I don't get why he didn't just start his own restaurant lines.

"We should get child safety locks," Stephen joked as mum rushed off grumbling about how she was never stepping into the kitchen again. I agreed, anything to keep our mum out of the kitchen, anything.

By the time we both finished cleaning the kitchen we were tired, sweaty and definitely hungry. That was it, I was definitely getting mum child safety locks. 

"I'm home,"

Stephen and I both looked at each other dropping out napkins in the bin, "Dad," we said at the same time rushing towards the living room. Stephen shoved me and I kicked him back. 

"Me first," I said, he got to do this everyday

"Nah uh dude I'm the oldest,"

"I just got back from inter-state, be nice ow!" I grunted as he stepped on my foot.

Dad turned around putting a briefcase down next to my shoes, habits ran in the family, as we both rammed into him. I heard him chuckle before wrapping his arms around us and patting our backs.

"Look what the rubbish truck brought in" I glared at Stephen, excuse you I was very worthy rubbish. Dad hugged me kissing my forehead, "Here for the holidays?"

I frowned, I just saw him-oh right, act cool.

"Um, yea?" I said stepping back. I turned around and looked at Tristan who was sprawled on the carpet clicking his tongue, "What a cute family moment, want me to take a picture," he asked as I bent down pulling up a suitcase. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Isn't your dad waiting for you at the office?" he grimaced, "Oh yea, well I better head back,"

I nodded as Stephen came up grabbing the suitcase from me making it seem effortless.Tristan sprang up from the carpet and walked towards the door. 

"Where's al-your mother, is she sleeping?" 

"Duh," said Stephen and I at the same time as we pulled the bags up the stairs, if the house was quiet and she didn't greet him at the door, she was probably passed out in her bed from all the hard effort of cooking. 

"Are you staying for Christmas?"

"Huh, oh yea," I said as I kicked the door open to my room, it looked exactly like I left it, bed in the middle, curtains drawn closed and a table scattered with items.

Stephen stood in the door way, his hands on his hips looking around, at that moment he looked too much like mum. He might have gotten the height, eyes and strong jaw from dad but everything else was mum, especially his gentle eyes and his kindness. 

And his thick hair, well that was definitely from mums, untamed and wild. 

"Alright, I'm going to go pick up Adrian,"

I nodded as he placed my bag in my room and walked out and I closed it behind him, home. I smiled walking to the curtains and pulled them open looking down at the garden. God I missed home so much.

I pulled my small bag towards me unzipping and smiled at the teddy bear that sat on top. I bent down picking it up and straightened its ears out and placed it on my bed, you were never too old for soft toys, my mother was the example.

I slowly started to unpack everything and placed the suitcases under my bed and grabbed my laptop sitting on my bed. I switched it on logging in as I charged my phone that was already dead after only three hours, pathetic technology.

I opened my emails and froze as I stared at the email: Re: File 394

My door burst open and I quickly slammed it shut my heart beating fast.

"COUSIN!" was the only thing I heard before something heavy suffocated me by landing on top of me, I didn't even have time to mention that we weren't cousins.

 Sorry this is just all introductions etc, the story will start next chapter :)