Romance: Yes, Stepbrother!

by Annie Valentine

  Chapter 3

  “I was thinking we could have dinner at the country club tonight.” Harold had a playful tone to his voice. She had been getting ready to head over there when he called.

  “But the kitchen is closed today, Harold, you know that.”

  “I closed it so we could have a romantic evening together.”

  Why would he do that? She wasn’t sure that was a good idea. “You might get yourself in trouble Harold.”

  “No. I paid off the supervisor. All they care about is money. It’s a country club.” he had a good point.

  “Oh. Alright.”

  “Great! Wear something awesome, Lydia. I’ll see you at 6.”

  “I’ll see you then.” She hung up the phone to begin getting ready.

  She chose a gorgeous black evening gown and did her hair up in a curly up do with a diamond necklace and long earrings. She wore black two-inch pumps that made her look like she was just under 6 feet, which she considered to be the perfect height to be able to reach up and kiss him. This was a special evening. It had been a year since he first cooked dinner for her, so she wanted it to be perfect. Nothing could ruin their evening.

  The limo came to pick her up, and she had herself a small glass of champagne to ease her nerves. He was up to something.

  The country club at night was a magical land of white lights and tiny pieces art strewn about the grounds. They made it to be the perfect garden, at night and during the day. When she entered into the reception area, she admired the tiny marbles angel sculptures on either side of the doorway. There was a soft orchestra playing, and the same hostess came up to greet her with a beaming smile.

  “Right this way miss.” She took her coat and ushered her into her favorite table. Lydia held her dress and sat down. The hostess was still smiling down at her. ‘I’ve been instructed to offer you one of our finest wines from the wine cellar below.”

  “I’ll have a chardonnay and a glass of cold water to go along with it.”

  “Wonderful! I’ll have that right out.” The champagne hadn’t done its job and she was still extremely nervous about what was going on. Maybe he just wanted an anniversary dinner. Butterflies were swimming in her stomach, banging against the walls, and the wine couldn’t come soon enough.

  * * * * *

  Crow was not a fan of the country club. He hated everything about it. Terrible things happen when the rich get together. They laugh at other people, they give themselves a circle jerk about how great they are, and they figure out which country is cheaper to outsource too. He didn’t like that fact that the pace was built on the backs of laborers like his father.

  He revved his motorcycle engine when he pulled up to the guard’s house. “Excuse me, sir. I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This place is for members only.”

  He reached in the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a tiny piece of paper. It was a guest pass that his father had gotten for him. He handed it to the guard and yell, “Fu** you,” as soon as the gate opened.

  He took the helmet off to reveal a head of shaggy black hair and walked into the service entrance with it still under his arm. When he walked into the kitchen, he didn’t even bother to wipe his feet.

  “What the fu** do you think you are doing, huh?” His father Harold was running up to him with a mop in his hand.

  “Fu** you,” Crow took out a cigarette and before he could light it his father picked up a glass of water and threw it in his face.

  “You want to get your rent paid this month? I invited you here as a favor. You could just go without the pay and find yourself out on the streets.”

  “WHAT!” The sound was leaving the kitchen. It was a good thing that she wouldn’t be there for a while. He could’ve ruined the whole thing. “You remember that oil fire in the last place? It would be a shame to have this entire thing burn down wouldn’t it.” He’d dried off enough to get a cigarette going.

  “Do the damn dishes and get yourself an apron. I need your help with the salads. I don’t care what you burn down. You’re not going to ruin tonight.”

  “I hope she tells you to fu** off.” he went back to the dishes and scrubbed them as fast as he could. He chopped the vegetables, then went out back to smoke a bowl. He wasn’t about to sit around and wait to see what happened. He had all of the trays ready, and everything they needed to have a great evening.

  Chapter 4

  “How was the steak?”

  “Divine.” Harold took Lydia’s hand and met her eyes, then he took a guzzle form a glass of fine merlot.

  “Come walk on the beach with me.” The moon was a radiant light revealing tumultuous waves ripping back and forth along the shore line and tickling against her bare feet as her dress blew in the wind in back of her.

  He pulled his hands from her grasp and his lips crashed against hers. His warm breath made her shiver. She loved this man. That was probably the first time she’d ever admitted that to herself, but he said it aloud, softly.

  He got down on his knee and pulled a box out of his pocket. “Oh my God!” She burst into tears. This moment was the most amazing moment she’d ever experienced. A year ago, she was sure that it would never happen. Nobody had ever loved her like this, and she had never felt this way before. The only time this happened was in her dreams, but it happened just like this. She loved the beach and she’d always imagined that this was where she’d be proposed to, on this exact spot, and there she was barely able to see through her tears. When he took her hand, he was so warm, a comfort in the cool night air.

  “I think I loved you from the moment I met you, Lydia. I thought for sure you’d turn me away. You were too rich, too beautiful to love a simple cook like me, but over time I came to realize that you were also down to earth and simple just like I am. This has been the most amazing year of my entire life, and I never want to it end.” She was shivering and balling like a little girl. “Lydia Hutchins, will you be my wife?”

  “Yes!” He cried just as much as she did when he sat up and hugged her. He put the ring on her hand and knew for certain that it would never leave. They walked hand in hand up to the country club to enjoy their dessert.

  There were two covered platters on the table when they got back, and Lydia decided a nice sugary treat would be the best way to end their magical evening. He pulled her chair out for her and helped her sit down, then moved to his side and waited till she was seated just like a gentleman.

  “Thank you,” she said. “Did you know I’d say yes.”

  “Everything about you, Lydia, has always seemed too good to be true. I still can’t believe you’re here with me. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.”

  He lifted the cover off of her dish and the alcohol started coming up. She turned to the left and puked violently, then turned back to see a cockroach the size of her fist on top of her flan with a sticky note on top that said, “I love you new mommy.”

  “I’m so sorry. Let me get you home.”

  “What’s his fu**ing name!?” Harold’s face was beet red. “How old is he? Is he there with you? I will hunt that little shit down to the ends of the fu**ing earth!”

  “Calm down, Lydia. His name is Crow. He’s 19 and he is most certainly a little shit.”

  “He can’t come to the wedding.”

  “That’s already been planned out. He knows he can’t go and doesn’t want to.”

  “What crawled up his ass!?” Harry laughed.

  “He misses his mother.” Angie passed away three years before Lydia met him. She died of cancer, and they didn’t talk about it much, because she knew that he still missed her, but he was moving on. “He thinks of this as me betraying her.”

  “Well, he’ll come around.”

  “You don’t know him. He won’t come around. He’ll just try to make things a living hell for us.”

  Chapter 5

  Maggie was Lydia’s best friend, and aside from Harold, one of the few people she trusted in
the entire world. That meant that she was the first person she called when it was time to deal with the wedding planning. Harold didn’t want much part in it. They both wanted an intimate wedding, with very few people and a tiny reception. The entire thing would be held at the mansion to make things easier. They met for lunch at the Garden to talk about the preparations.

  Maggie wore a tight lavender mini-dress that showed off her perfect body with her brown pixie cut and perfect makeup. Her style was simple, but flashy and elegant.

  “Hey, Lydia. So tell me everything.” they both sat down and she began telling her about the proposal.

  “Well, that’s wonderful. It must’ve been a perfect night.” Lydia sighed.

  “It wasn’t. Apparently, he asked his son to help with the dinner and when I opened my dessert plate there was a huge cockroach on it with a note on it.”

  “What’d it say?”

  “I love you new mommy.” Her tone was dripping with disdain.

  “Is he coming to the wedding?”

  “Harold told me that he wouldn’t be allowed to go, and that he’d already told the boy that.”

  “What do you know about him?”

  “His name is Crow. He drinks and smokes. He doesn’t have a job, and he rides a motorcycle.”

  “You know,” Maggie could barely hold back her smile, “when we were younger, that would’ve been the perfect guy.”

  Lydia scoffed and, as they ate their lunch, they began their planning for the wedding. They worked out every detail from the decorations to the flowers, to the dinner. By the time lunch was over, all she had to do was call the various companies and make sure everything delivered and setup on time.

  * * * * * *

  Neither one of them wanted to wait very long. It was April when he proposed and the wedding was set for August. As the weather got hotter, and the cold northwestern air changed into the balmy summer heat, they started to get a little excited.

  Everything was perfect. The foyer, banquet hall and the terrace were covered in white roses and tiny lit candles. The date was set to correlate for the full moon, so during the reception guests could see it shining on the water. Her terrace was overlooking a private beach where they held the ceremony.

  The reception dinner was amazing. All of it came together perfectly and led up to their first night together, when they finally fell into bed and decided that they would never leave.

  They were sitting up and eating a simple breakfast in bed after a passionate evening when Lydia looked over to Harold and said, “You’re staying here. All my things are here, and I have quite a bit more than you do. I’m used to my lifestyle.”

  “What about my house?”

  “Well you paid it off right? Imagine having a few extra hundred thousand sitting in a bank account.”

  “I guess you’re right. It would be nice to live here, Lydia. The mansion is beautiful, and I can’t ask you to give up all your things to live in a cookie cutter.”

  “I wouldn’t have done it anyway.”

  One the preparations had been made, he was able to relocate everything in less than a week. All he had to do was sell the property which would go quickly since it was in relatively good repair, and the neighborhood was in demand.

  Lydia had everything she’d ever wanted. She had her love nest and a beautiful husband that cherished her, everything about her, and would always love her no matter what.

  * * * * *

  Crow pulled up to the apartment and got off his bike. He was tired. He’d spent all day applying for shit jobs, one after the other. His friends at the Burger Plank had promised him a place on the line, so he was able to give himself some time with Jerry. He walked up the flimsy staircase to the second story and took out his key. When he opened the door, he was assault by the smell of old resin, rotten feet and rancid dishes. He couldn’t come back every day and deal with that, but as long as he was unemployed, Jerry was the best thing he could find.

  He looked disgusting. He hadn’t showered in months and his greasy hair was everywhere. He was wearing nothing but some old stained gym shorts and a tank top.

  “What are you doing here,” he asked.

  “The hell do you mean what am I doing here? I live here.” He must’ve been so high he forgot where he was.

  “No you don’t. You gotta pay up. You said that you were getting that job today and I called them. You didn’t; I talked to the manager.”

  “Looking like that?” He got up in his face. His breath smelled like rotting roadkill.

  “GET THE FU** OUT!” A tiny fleck of spit landed on his face, like he was being drenched in a pile of old shit.

  He picked up three hundred dollar bong on the rancid coffee table and threw it off the balcony outside the front door. It shattered into a million pieces. Jerry tried to run at him, like a filthy rhinoceros but Crow tripped him and ran out the door.

  Curtis was the first person he called. They’d been best friends for more than 10 years, and he was always good for a place to stay if he was in a bind. He’d never say no. Crow rode his bike out to a nearby park where he could sit down and get his head together then he dialed his number.

  “Hey, what up?”

  “Fu**ing Jerry just kicked me out.”

  “Shit.” He was silent for moment, which sounded terrible. “I wish I could help you, but Janet kicked me out and I’m headed over to my parent’s house right now.”

  “Fu** man, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  Chapter 6

  Lydia went to bed every single night as though she were being serenaded by a thousand sweet cherubs. She found her place in her lover’s arms and drifted off, just like she’d always wanted to. Her life had become the fruition of a dream, and she had the comfort and love that she had always wanted. The one thing that she loved was the ability to always look over at him and tell him what she was thinking. They’d spend hours on the terrace asking each other questions and soaking up one another’s knowledge. He hadn’t seen the things that she’d seen, but he had a perceptive outlook on society and life that she hadn’t expected. She learned a lot from him, and he learned from her too.

  Mornings were hard for her at first. She would have to wake up to an empty bed and wait around all day until he came home. He had to work, but she didn’t and she didn’t like spending so much time away from him. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for couples who both had to work to survive.

  She got up and got ready for her day. She ate a quick breakfast the put on some loose pants and a blouse. She made her way out of the terrace and let the cool air wash over her. It helped her wake up in the morning to feel the nice salt air and sea the waves moving in and out. Sometimes she picked up little sand dollars or run in the waves a bit. It centered her to have that time to contemplate things, and she loved it. She just wished she could spend it with Harold.

  What she really wanted was to have him there with her alone for a few weeks. She felt like that was more natural. Lovers shouldn’t have to break apart right after their wedding so they could go back to work. She didn’t have enough time with him. Sometimes she did go to the country club to have lunch or something, but he was busy when he was there that he didn’t have much time for her, and her presence there became disruptive.

  Instead she lounged about at home and did the things she always used to do. She’d read out on the terrace. She might meet her friends for lunch or watch T.V. It was boring and she needed to find a way to spice things up.

  “Hello,” Dante’s flamboyant sing song voice rang out on the other end of the phone. He was her party planner and all around fun guy. He knew what she needed and provided it.

  “Hey Dante. I’m here all alone and I’m trying to get things setup for a romantic night with my new husband. Can we get things setup?”

  “Of course, sweetie! What are we thing?”

  He flitted around the house and arranged petals leading up the stairs. They chose the perfect musical compilation to titillate the sense
s, the perfect meal so he wouldn’t have to cook and a bowl of strawberries next to the bed with flowing fountains of white and dark chocolate on either side.

  Every step on the staircase had vanilla candles and they led straight to the bed.

  He got off around 8, and it usually took him about half an hour to get home. That meant she only had 20 minutes left to get everything perfect. She had the chef on hold to get their dinner setup. The wait staff was standing by for to give the signal. She ran around straightening vases and making sure the candles were going. She took a strawberry and dipped it in chocolate, just as she was about to put it up to her ruby lips. She heard the door slam.

  She cued the music and walked down to the top of staircase to see Harold, looking like he’d just climbed out of a dumpster. His chef clothes were covered in a layer of grease, from head to toe. His face was red and sweating. He looked exhausted.

  “Hey, Lydia.” He looked around and sighed. He walked up the stairs to give her a hug. “I wish I wasn’t so tired. This all looks so wonderful.” he had a bright look in his eyes, but he didn’t seem very happy. He was going to disappoint her. “I’m just gonna head upstairs and change and I’ll be down in a bit.”

  He marched his way up, trampling the rose petals with his chef shoes. They were soaking up the grease and sticking to the bottoms. Lydia wasn’t sure how things were going to go, but she decided to wait and see. She went out onto the terrace and poured herself a glass of wine.