Relaxed is an understatement for how I feel, and have felt since we arrived home a week ago. Home. It still sounds so strange to say when thinking about this place, yet it's how everyone has made me feel. Wanted, needed, like I belong.
David had insisted that we take a few weeks to just rest and relax post exams before we start working at the family company, Cameron Property Management and Developments. I wasn't one to argue, not having had real time off to just act my age for years now.
Joey and I had both gone in this week however for somewhat of an orientation. I was introduced to Alana, the current receptionist who I will be job sharing with. I immediately got along with her as together we gushed over her pregnancy. David and Joey both warning me not to get any ideas so soon, I still had three more years of college.
So that's how I found myself floating in the pool on this warm summer afternoon, drowning out the sounds of Joey and Ryder discussing basketball and Jessica and Jayda practicing flips into the pool. Harper was out with Ethan for the day.
With my eyes closed and the sun beaming down warming my skin and hopefully helping my naturally tanned Californian skin, I was in a state of bliss.
That was until I suddenly found myself being tipped off the float and hitting the water in what was an entirely ungraceful belly whack.
I rose to the surface, wiping the water from my face while looking around for the culprit. I easily spotted a cackling Ryder and Cooper next to the now upturned pool float.
I shot them a scowl and turned to find the probable instigator behind their attack. Joey was leaning cockily on the side of the pool, arms outstretched and that shit eating grin on his face as he tried not to laugh.
"You!" I pointed my finger at him with narrowed eyes.
"Me?" He feigned innocence while pointing to himself. "I'm pretty sure it was the boys, I had nothing to do with it."
"Oh, so you didn't plant the idea in their head? Encourage them? Bribe them?" I questioned while swimming right up to him.
"Now why would I do that? You were obviously relaxing, I wouldn't disturb that," he said, wrapping his long arm around my waist and pulling me flush against his body.
"It was all his idea Morgan! He promised to sneak us a beer later if we did it!" Ryder called out, dobbing Joey in.
I laughed, "Promising to give kids alcohol when you aren't of age yourself? That's bold of you!"
Joey scoffed, "Fucking suck ups!" He muttered. "Can't you two keep your mouths shut?"
"Nah, we like Morgan better than you and would rather stay on her good side," Cooper shot back, laughing himself.
I smirked at Joey, "What can I say, I'm loved around here."
"Mmm," he murmured in agreement. "You are, but seeing you in a little bikini all day is doing dirty things to my mind," he whispered in my ear.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, our faces now only inches apart. Looking directly into his eyes, I playfully cocked my head, "Like what?" I asked innocently.
"I can take you inside right now and show you," his voice husky and low in my ear as he pushed his growing hardness against me. "As much as I like seeing you in this bikini, I like you better out of it, so I would strip you naked then run my tongue from here," he licked just below my ear, "All the way down to where I know you like it."
I stifled a moan as I felt my body heat up from more than the sun and I glanced around us, trying to silently remind him that we were very much not alone. I needed to get myself out of this situation and as much as I wanted to exit the pool and drag Joey upstairs to make good on his word, I didn't want his siblings and cousins to know.
"I don't know how you intend on getting out of the pool with that, but I'm going to get a drink," I said softly.
"A drink, then meet me inside?" He asked hopefully.
"Because it's not totally obvious if we both suddenly leave what we are doing," I pointed out.
"They all know we sleep together Morgan," he insisted.
"Can you two get a room or something? Your family is right here and you look ready to jump each other's bones!" Jessica yelled out to us.
Joey looked at her, grinned and then pulled me in quick for a hard, passion filled kiss. I wanted to be embarrassed, but with the way his words had just made me feel and then his lips on mine, I was like putty in his hand. As soon as I heard the gagging sounds behind us though, I was brought back to reality and broke the kiss with my laughter.
"You're just jealous no one wants to kiss you like that little sister!" Joey retorted back, trying to be humorous but I could tell he was annoyed at the disruption.
"Be nice to your sister! If someone did kiss her like that you would turn into protective big brother and try to scare them away!"
"She's right!" Cooper called. "There's no way you would even let a boy our age or any of my friends over here while they are in their bathing suits, let alone kiss them."
"The boy has a point," I said winking at him. "I'm going to get that drink, want anything?"
"You. In our bed," Joey replied soft enough for only me to hear, squeezing my ass suggestively.
I rolled my eyes and swam away from him, getting out of the pool knowing that his eyes hadn't left my body the whole time. I'd never admit it to him because it would inflate his ego even more, but it felt really, really good to be desired by him like this. It did wonders for my self confidence.
I made my way to the outdoor kitchen where there was a pitcher of fresh made lemonade, thanks to Sophia who wouldn't have it any other way, and a plate of fresh fruit. Pouring a glass for myself and taking a handful grapes, I sat down on the lounger and checked my phone for updates.
Harper had posted a new photo of her and Ethan to Instagram, which I immediately liked then continued scrolling. There were a few updates from people I went to high school with and others from college, all enjoying their summers.
Just as I popped the last grape into my mouth, my phone started vibrating in my hand. 'Unknown number, San Diego' flashed on my screen. I frowned, wondering who could be calling me from an unknown number, but assuming it was Ali calling from another phone or maybe Helen I answered it.
"Hello?"
An automated voice on the other end sounded.
You have an incoming call from Las Colinas Detention and Reentry facility. To accept the call and associated charges, press 1.
That's the prison my mom is in, surely she isn't trying to call me after all this time. She was never the one to tell me that she had been incarcerated, let alone to just call and say hi. I'm sure she had erased my existence from her memory just like I had tried to do the same.
Curiosity as always got the better of me though, so I pressed 1 while gripping on to my glass a little tighter.
As I waited for the call to connect I glanced around. The girls were back to practising their flips now with the help of Ryder and Cooper who were throwing them in the air and acting as bases. Joey however was watching me, his eyes seeming to ask me who was on the phone. I shook my head slightly to tell him not to worry.
"Hello, is this Morgan Walters?" A female voice I didn't recognise sounded on the other side of the phone. It certainly wasn't my mom, even if I hadn't heard her speak for a year, I would still know the sound of her voice. This lady was older, deeper, probably a smoker.
"Yeah, this is Morgan. Who am I speaking with?"
"Morgan, my name is Polly. I know, well knew your mom."
"If you know my mom, then you would know that I want nothing to do with her and that she isn't much of a... wait, you said you knew her," I asked, my breath catching as I felt my grip on the glass tighten even more.
"Yes Morgan. I knew her. I'm calling to tell you she died Morgan, she managed to get her hands on some heroin hot shot and killed herself. She had been doing so well, she was getting clean, getting better."
"Ok. Thank you for informing me," I replied coldly, not quite able to process the sudden emotions that I felt about what she was telling me. Was I sad? Relieved?
From the corner of my eye I could see Joey getting out of the pool and coming towards me, concern filling his eyes as he mouthed 'everything ok?' to which I nodded.
"Morgan, she left a few notes, one here for you and one for me too in which she asked me to call you. She wanted you to know that she really did love you. She knows she made plenty of mistakes and she should have been a better mother-"
"No!" I yelled angrily now as I stood up, still griping my glass hard. "You don't get to call me and tell me this, tell me that she cared. If what you are saying is true then she should have told me while she was alive. She had 19 years to act like a mother and to tell me that she loves me or at the very least even cared for my well being. Instead she wasted her life away on drugs, choosing to get high over raising her daughter and that was long before my father died. She hated me from the moment I was conceived. So I don't give a fuck what you have to tell me, what bull shit she fed you about me, and most of all Peggy, Penny, Polly, whatever the fuck your name is, I'm glad she's dead. That's one less problem for the world to deal with, one less burden in my life!"
"I'm sorry you feel that way Morgan. But there's more." She continued calmly, as if she was expecting my reaction.
"More!? What more can there possibly be? How much more could she have screwed up?"
"You have a brother, his name is Beau Sanders and he is 6 years old. Your mom wanted you to find him."
I dropped the glass and my phone, not even feeling as it shattered around my feet. I felt like I was going to vomit, or faint, or cry or maybe all of the above. Everything was swimming in front of me, my vision hazy. A brother? I have a brother? How could I not know this?
Suddenly I couldn't hear anything, my breathing increased, hands shaking, legs unsteady. I was no longer in control of my body as I succumbed to a panic attack.
Vaguely I could sense Joey in front of me, guiding me out of the sun and to sit.
"Morgan!" He tried to gain my attention. "Morgan, look at me. Come on babe, look at me and slow your breathing."
Slowly, his words strayed to make sense, but my breathing was still rapid, heart rate elevated.
"Morgan, slow your breathing. Look at me," he begged and I lifted my eyes, seeing his bright blue eyes full of worry.
As I stared into his eyes, I slowed my breathing. "That's it baby, big deep breath in your nose and out your mouth. And again," he encouraged.
My breathing came back to normal as I looked around me at all the concerned faces, then back to Joey.
"She's dead Joey, my mom is dead," I whispered. "And... and I have a brother."