Chapter 29: Because I said so
"Kathryn, if you're not going to pull over, let me drive. We've been driving around your lot for about 20 minutes now and to be honest, I'm really dizzy." Miles complained as she peaked from the back seat. Kathryn wasn't speaking, she just continued to drive all around the lot. Miles rolled her eyes and glared at Kathryn. Yes, she was grieving but she was already dizzy from the plane ride and whatever Kathryn was doing.
"Are you sure this is my house?" Kathryn asked both Miles and Daniel, pointing to the rest house that was surrounded by Christmas decorations.
"Yes." Both Miles and DJ replied in unison. Miles gave DJ a pleading look to convince Kathryn to pull over and he nodded. DJ put his hand on top of Kathryn's thigh before smiling.
"Kath, Miles is going to throw up in your car. Please, pull over in front." He said. Kathryn looked at DJ before finally stopping the car. She parked in front of her house under a tree. A sigh of relief was heard from the back seat. The three unbuckled their seatbelts, ready to go.
"Christmas decorations aren't usually put up before Papa's death anniversary." Kathryn muttered.
"Your mom must have had a change of heart." Miles smiled.
"Or Lhexine is here initiating the whole thing." DJ added, pointing to the almost 11 year old girl carrying a bunch of tinsel as she ran towards the car. DJ got out of the car first. He crouched on the ground and opened his arms for the little girl. "I've missed you!"
"You're actually here!" She grinned, removing the tinsel that was hung around her neck.
"How've you been?" DJ asked, picking up the little girl from the ground. He felt a hand on his waist and there was Kathryn smiling at her niece. Miles was already marching in the rest house greeting Kathryn's mom and siblings.
"And you're here too!" Lhexine yelled, trying to wriggle out of DJ's grasp and moving to Kathryn.
"Yes, we are. How are you, my little baby?" She asked, walking to the door.
"Bub-- do you--" DJ stopped, as soon as their endearment slip out of his mouth. Kathryn's lips cracked into a teasing smile.
"What did you just call me?"
"I believe he called you, butt." Lhexine replied, laughing.
"Oh." Kathryn joked, joining in her laughter. "No, worries. Come with us, I'm sure mom is excited to see you."
DJ jogged towards Kathryn. He was actually really thankful for Lhexine. If it wasn't for the Christmas decorations and infectious happy mood, Kathryn would probably be scowling until now.
"So, you did all this?" DJ asked the kid, motioning to the tinsel she was holding and the Christmas lights around the wall.
"Kind of and grandma." She shrugged, jumping out of Kathryn's hold and running inside. "Auntie Kathryn and Uncle DJ are here!" She announced.
"She still calls me Uncle DJ, eh?" He grinned.
"Just the way it should be." Kathryn whispered, pulling her two sisters in a hug. They both shrieked because they were startled by her actions but as soon as they saw DJ, they let go of Kathryn and engulfed him in a hug. Kathryn shook her head and walked towards her only brother, giving him a tight hug as well.
"I see, you're still together." He acknowledged.
"We're not like, together - together."
"Are you working out your issues?"
"Something like that."
"Great. Slowly but surely, Kath okay?" He pecked her cheek and walked to DJ, giving him a hug as well.
"Where's mommy?" Just as she asked, her mom was walking down the stairs holding a bunch of Christmas figurines.
"DJ!" She shouted, excitedly walking down the stairs with Miles trailing behind her. "I've missed you!" She shrieked throwing her arms around DJ and peppering him kisses.
"You seem oddly happy." Kathryn remarked. Her mom looked at her and smiled, pulling her for a bone-crushing hug as well.
"You finally brought a boy home." Her mom joked, slipping an arm around her waist.
"Mom, I brought DJ here earlier this year. What are you talking about?"
"I mean, like your boyfriend." She said, wiggling her eyebrows.
"He's not my boyfriend." She stated firmly. She looked at DJ who seemed to be a bit offended but hid it with a smile. "Yet. Not my boyfriend yet." She added, making them both smile.
"Well, that counts as something."
"DJ, are you staying here too?" Kevin asked.
"Uhh..."
"I've got a spare room, I think."
"No, I'm using that!" Miles said, as she played with Lhexine.
"S'all good. He's staying with me." Kathryn smiled, sitting next to Miles. She motioned DJ to sit next to her which he did. "Mom?"
"What?"
"No tears this time?" Kathryn said. It was more of a question rather than a statement.
"Yes." Mommy Min confirmed. "I'm going to cook and all that. You guys can stay here. And Miles, call Marco. Tell him to go here. I don't want you third-wheeling."
Miles nodded excitedly, fishing her phone out of her bag and dialing Marco's number. She walked to the terrace and started talking excitedly. DJ put his arms around Kathryn and poked her nose. She snuggled closer and jokingly bit DJ's thumb that was in front of her face.
"You're not crying anymore, are you?" DJ asked.
"Can't handle me anymore, can you?"
"No." He replied in an instant. "I just don't like seeing you sad."
She lifted her butt a bit to reach DJ's face and kissed his cheek.
"I sometimes feel like I don't deserve you. You're too good for me." She whispered.
"We've had this conversation multiple times now." He whined, rubbing circles on Kathryn's shoulders.
"I know. It's just sometimes I feel like you go an extra, extra mile to see me happy and I don't do that much to pay you back."
"But seeing you so happy is so rewarding."
She blushed furiously, hiding her face on the crook of his neck.
"I want to kiss you." DJ blurted out. Quickly, removing his arm from Kathryn's shoulders and using both his hands to cover his face. Kathryn laughed uncontrollably, even hitting the space next to her causing Lhexine to jump a little. Kevin peeked from the kitchen and gave her a questioning look. She looked at DJ who still had both his hands on his face. She removed it slowly, revealing DJ's face that was as red as a tomato.
"You're so cute." She giggled.
"Har, har. Way to ruin a moment, Kath." He joked, attempting to hide the smile that was creeping up on his face. She was slowly leaning in, smiling at him genuinely. DJ put his hands on his lap, waiting for the next move she was going to make. She was going to kiss him. He hasn't kissed her in so long, he craved for it so much. This is it. His lips against hers. Or not. She pressed a kiss on his cheek and on his forehead. She pressed a kiss on the other cheek and on his nose. "You're such a tease." He mumbled, but still feeling flustered from all the kisses.
"Yeah, I know." She teased even more. DJ grabbed her waist and tickled her sides. Lhexine stood behind him, laughing. She was sprawled on the floor, laughing and begging DJ to stop. "Please? Please?" She said in between laughs. She would have the chance to sit up and breathe but DJ would resume the tickling again. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again." She breathed. She had tears in her eyes from too much laughing and she was kicking her feet towards different directions. She had the chance to sit up again but DJ's hands remained on her sides, threatening her for another tickling session. "I swear, I won't do it again." She promised. But DJ, was slowly digging onto her sides. "Another round again." She thought. DJ wiggled his eyebrows, and started running his hand on Kathryn's sides. So she did, what she could. She pulled him by the neck.
She pulled him by the neck and tickled him. That was DJ's weakest spot. She stood up, running away from him. She hid behind Miles' who was still on the phone with Marco.
"Is he coming?" She asked. Miles mouthed a 'yeah' and ignored Kathryn again.
"That hurt!" DJ whined.
"You deserve it." Kathryn shouted to the window.
"I'm going to die. Get back in here." He said sternly. Kathryn laughed, jumping up from her seat and walking back inside. DJ was sat on the couch, holding the back of his neck with his eyes closed.
"Where's Lhexine?" She asked.
"She left because her aunt is possibly a serial killer." His eyes were still closed but he knew Kathryn was rolling her eyes at him. Indeed she was. "You could have killed me." DJ moaned, clutching to the back of his neck as if it was dear life.
"I could have but I didn't." She retorted. She leaned a little to DJ and his eyes were still closed. A little bit more and their lips were almost touching but DJ was too occupied with whining and moaning at Kathryn that he didn't have the time to prepare for when Kathryn pressed a kiss on his lips. He was startled. His eyes flew wide open but he slowly closed it again. He removed his hand from his neck and held Kathryn's cheeks. He melted in to the kiss. It was as if it was just the two of them. They had forgotten that they were in Kathryn's mom's house. He pulled her in her lap, still kissing her. Kathryn's hands were tangled in DJ's hair. She pulled herself closer to him, kissing him with all the energy she has.
"Why'd you stop?" DJ asked Kathryn when she pulled away. His lips were swollen just from that kiss.
"You have lipstick on your lips." She giggled, wiping the pink stain on the corner of his lips.
"Why'd you stop?" He asked again, his eyes whined, pleading for more.
"I couldn't breathe anymore?" She answered jokingly, pressing their foreheads together. "You can get a tonne more kisses soon."
"Soon?"
She nodded, her forehead still pressed against his.
"Soon, yeah."
They stayed in that position for a couple of minutes, both enjoying just staring at each other.
"Your lips are swollen, Jesus." Kathryn said, pecking it twice, leaving DJ wanting for more.
"Why did you kiss me?"
Kathryn's smile faltered. "I'm sorry?"
"It was just a question."
She was going to get out of his lap but DJ held her tight.
"We're not together right?" He asked again, as if purposely trying to piss her off.
"Yeah, because you're not fucking ready." She muttered.
DJ tilted her chin so his eyes can meet his.
"No need to swear." He cooed. Still observing the reactions he was getting from Kathryn. "Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked.
Kathryn's eyes widened but she resisted the urge of nodding continuously like a child. So, instead she pressed her lips against his again. But not moving. She pulled away and gave him a meek nod.
"I love you, you know that right?" DJ said, grinning.
"I think I've loved you for over a decade now."
DJ raised an eyebrow, tickling her nose using his.
"That's good to hear."
"DJ, are you going to let me go now? My mom or any of my siblings can walk into this living room at this very minute." She whispered, but holding him as tight as he was holding her.
"I'll think about it."
"Or Miles can come in and punch us both in the face." Kathryn shrugged. DJ had a look of playfulness on his face before kissing her again and again and again and again and again.
"I swear, if you tell me one more time that you both are just friends, I will slit your throat in front of each other." Miles warned, standing by the door with both his hands on her waist.
"I--we're together?" Kathryn said.
"I figured that one out, myself." Miles replied, walking to the both of them and giving them a kiss on top of their heads. "Marco's flying out right now, too."
"That's good." Kathryn and Daniel said in chorus. Kathryn stood up from DJ's lap and sat beside him. Miles disappeared to the kitchen, leaving Kathryn and DJ who was still grinning from ear to ear.
"You reckon we could be like Miles and Marco?" DJ asked.
"What, engaged? DJ, we've hardly been together for 5 minutes." She laughed.
"No. Like so, strong. I mean, Miles just called Marco and now Marco's dropped everything and flew in here. You reckon we could be like them?"
"We'd be different. We'd be better."
DJ smiled, tucking Kathryn's hair behind her ear.
"We're not breaking up this time, are we?" DJ suddenly tuned serious. Kathryn could sense a bit of uneasiness and fear just by looking at DJ. She smiled, taking his hand and pressing a kiss on every knuckle.
"No, we're not."
"How do you know that?"
She flicked his nose and rolled her eyes.
"Because I said so."
*