Link Dane

FIVE

My Father and Link's Father were nowhere in sight and I wondered where they trailed off to. Probably to collect some more greetings and best wishes.

"Hi, Mrs Hard." I greeted and leaned in for the cheek kisses. Her strong scent hit my nose unexpectedly and I suppressed the urge to rub my nose and cough. There was always something going on with Mrs Hard and it never bypassed me that she always used to look at me in a weird way.

"Orianna dear, it's always lovely to see you," she said, showing her white teeth with the broad smile she slapped on her face.

"Same here, Mrs Hard. You look lovely today." I told her and she honestly did look lovely with a knee-length black dress with green embroidery running down the front of the dress. She had pearls around her neck which looked stunning and complimented her tanned skin perfectly. Just like her boys, she had a mass of dirty blonde hair but hers were accented with streaks of greys. But no one could complain because Mrs Hard worked those grey hairs.

"Thank you dear. How's it going with the boys? Are they behaving themselves?"

I smiled at the thought of her boys behaving as a stab of pain coursed through my stomach. "They most definitely are." I told her but she didn't look convinced.

"Is he still going around the girls?" she asked, her forehead crunching up. We all knew who she was talking about.  Just as someone came to stand next to me.

"Mum," he groaned out in deep voice. I craned my neck upwards and held in my laugh at the explosive face Thomas had on. He looked well-groomed and pampered for the event and I couldn't deny his good looks. However, I stared at his face, trying to spot any cuts or bruises. He had a small cut on his chin and it was only visible to the scrutinizing eye. I wasn't entirely sure if Thomas knew Link was here as well. And I wasn't sure how he'd react to that.

"I'm just looking out for you dear." Mrs Hard replied back with a huff and I found that holding in my laugh seemed like the hardest thing to do. My Mother looked between Mrs Hard and her son quietly but she was assessing everything about them.

She opened her mouth to voice her opinion but then someone else joined us. I stiffened when their hand snaked around my waist and tugged me closer. I kept my eyes locked on Mrs Hard's face, putting on my best poker face. They could not know anything. Not right now. Not ever.

His lips came to settle on my temple and I nearly puked. I seriously couldn't deal with this. No, I simply couldn't.

I shifted so I was partially facing him, with my front kind of facing Thomas. This way, it looked like we were touching but we weren't. It gave my mind a piece of sanity. His hair looked ruffled and since I knew exactly where he had been the stench of the unfamiliar perfume hit my nose instantly. It was a feminine scent and my blood started to boil up again. And it also didn't go amiss that he didn't come back with the drinks he left to get more than thirty minutes ago.

"Mum, you being Mum again?" Brandon asked on a sigh, sticking up for his twin brother.

Mrs Hard narrowed her eyes on her other son. "No I'm not."

Thomas quickly interjected her. "Yes you are Mum. We're here to celebrate not to have you ask Orianna about my sex life."

My Mother gasped at the use of the crude word and I nearly doubled over with laughter at the look she was firing towards Thomas. Mrs Hard just rolled her eyes at her sons before she turned her body around to face my Mother. She was making it clear she did not want to speak to any of her sons.

Which unfortunately, left me to speak to them.

I shifted my gaze to Thomas' face, deciding he was a much better alternative to Brandon's. I couldn't stand to look at him right now. But I couldn't throw a show for everyone to see and shame my Father.