Siblingly Binding Ch. 10

The pregnancy had made her more hormonal than ever as she was an outright raging bitch most of the time. God forbid if I didn't succumb to her every want and whim. I had once dared to stand up to her when she disturbed my sleep and demanded I would go fetch her favorite ice cream bucket, at 2 a.m.. It was a bad move by me, one that its possible implications I hadn't taken a sufficient time to conjure in my mind. I was being punished severely for that error in judgment, and from that day, Brooke hadn't heard the word "no" coming out of my mouth. I wouldn't dare say no to her again... that fucking hormonal bitch.

Friday noon, my father texted me that he was in South Portland and asked where I could meet him. I texted him the location of a close-by cozy bar that my sister and I had spent many years getting shitfaced at, and I notified Brooke that my heart craved a stroll. She was home that day and was very pleased with my work on the baby's room, so she graciously consented... that fucking hormonal dictator.

I entered the bar an hour past noon and spied him sitting in a remote table, guzzling a pint. He looked so old... his hair grayed out, and multiple wrinkles were etched onto his forehead. He looked somewhat neglected. God, I barely recognized him as my father had always kept himself groomed and presentable. As I approached him, he lifted his head, and his tired gaze met my worried one. He stood up, swiftly and sprightly, surprisingly, as we gauged one another for tense, awkward seconds.

"Hello, Josh," he quietly said, an apprehensive smile on his aging face.

I bobbed my head in silence.

He gestured at the seat in front of him. "Please."

I took my seat, and he ordered a pint for me a moment later.

I never thought I could ever feel this detached from either of my parents, but at this moment, I couldn't have felt more distant and numb.

"Thank you for seeing me," he said, genuinely looking grateful.

I took a sip from my pint, still silent.

"So um... where's your sister?" he asked, though secretly guessing the answer himself.

"Suffice it to say, you are not one of her favorite persons, and neither is mom for that matter. I didn't even tell her you were here, so she wouldn't flip and forbid me to see you."

He achingly nodded, puckering his lips as he would always do whenever he was in deep thoughts. "Yeah, I figured. She didn't even respond to my email."

"When did you email her?" I asked, surprised.

He finished his pint and ordered another one. "When I emailed you."

I swigged my beer, pondering how my sister had dared to hide it from me. I would have to lay down the law to her later though.

"Well, you're here," I sighed. "What do you want?"

"So many things," he sighed back, warmth and pain visible in his eyes.

He commenced a ten-minute speech of how much he missed us and of how wrongly he had tackled this unusual situation. He resurrected memories of us as children, of how we used to be such a tight family...

"So what are you saying here, Dad?" I put a stop to his never-ending trip down memory lane. "What is it that you want exactly?"

"Do you want another one?" he asked, pointing at my almost empty pint glass, eager to please me.

"No. I just want—"

"Excuse me, can we have another round?" my dad blatantly ignored me as he addressed the bartender.

Two pints were coming our way a second later, and he took a big swig from his momentarily.

"I have been sick, for quite a while."

My heart writhed in unbearable pain from the thought my father was terminally ill or was—

"On my god, you're sick?! What do you mean?!"

"Calm down, Josh," he calmly said. "I'm fine now."

"What does it mean, you're fine now?!"

I was so worried for him that I completely forgot I hated him.

"I've been battling some form of cancer for the past year, but you know me, I'm not a quitter. I pulled through about two months ago. Everything is fine now. Strong as an ox." He chuckled.

My blood was boiling with rage. "Jesus Christ, Dad! How could you not tell us that?! For fuck sake!"

"Josh, I'm so sorry. I've made so many—"

"Fuck you! You come here now, want to make amends is my guess, which is complete bull, but when you were dying, you couldn't be bothered with letting us know?! You're such a fucking..."

I took a deep breath and reduced the content of my second pint glass to half.

He sighed. "I didn't know what to say. I didn't do it because I couldn't be bothered. I genuinely didn't know how to approach you." He sighed again and drank some more.

Suddenly, a pregnant shadow cast on our table. We both simultaneously turned our heads to see what figure was causing it. The very moment I processed who that figure was, I started regretting the day I was born.

"Um, baby"—I gulped—"hey, sweetheart. What are you doing out in—"

"Shut your mouth, Josh," the figure replied.

"Fuck," I sighed, squirming in my seat. "Brooke, baby, please—"

"You shut your fucking mouth!"

"Yeah, I'm shutting it; just please don't get angry."

"Wanted to take a stroll..." She sinisterly snickered. "Luckily for me, I always know where you are."

"Um... how do you—"

"I installed a tracking app in your phone. In case you'd ever get ideas of cheating on me."

"What? I would never cheat—wait a second, you're tracking me?"

"You bet your fucking ass I am! You got a problem with that?!"

"I... I think so." One look at her, and I knew it was the wrong answer. "I mean, no! Baby, of course I don't care! I mean, Brooke, sweetheart, I'm a little confused here. I'm not sure how I'm... feeling about... but I know I like it!" I quickly added, when noticing that ill-boding look on her stunning face. "Please don't be angry with me. Don't forget that you're preg—"

"I swear to god, if you don't shut your fucking mouth..."

"I'm shutting it. I'll just say I'm so terribly sorry, and there, I'm shutting it. Shut. Completely shut. Sorry, baby."

"I will deal with you later," she ominously hissed to me. "Now get the fuck up, and let me sit. Unless you want me to miscarriage right here on this very spot. Or maybe that's exactly what you want? So you could—"

"Jesus Christ, sit!" I sprang to my feet and pulled my chair for her. "I would never, my love. Never."

I put on the most groveling and helpless look that I could muster in fear of her. That scary, hormonal bitch...

She shot me a blazing glare in response and sat in front of our dad. While she was busy assaulting him with a diversity of her hateful stares, I got a chair and sat between them.

"Can I have a whiskey shot, please?" I said to the bartender. "Make it two on second thought," I quickly added after glancing at my wife. "Thank you."

Dad looked to be a bit shocked, confused, and every bit as afraid as I was.

"Hello, pumpkin," he said, his voice trembling.

"Patrick," my sister answer coldly.

He nodded. "I see you're..." he stammered, changing grip on his pint glass.

"Pregnant?" she helped him. "Well, yes. You're very perceptive, aren't you?"

"Brooke, please," he said, his face softly apologetic. He took a moment to carefully choose his words. "I'm assuming it's..." He paused again.

"Your son's? Yes, it is."

I did my two whiskey shots, barely able to endure this strained atmosphere.

"You've got some nerve, Patrick... I didn't reply to your stupid email, so you went after the weak one?" She pointed at me.

It very much bothered me that she belittled me like that, but... whatever. I wasn't ready to go down that path. Her hormones were raging as they had ever had, and she would have chewed me to bits.

"I deserve it," he sighed. "Don't think I don't know that."

"Deserve it? No, you deserve much less. You and that... I don't even want to say her name."

"Brooke, I have a few things I would like to say, and you can do whatever you want afterwards, but please allow me to speak."

"Well, you're here," she said, crossing her arms and resting them on her gigantic belly, barely able to squeeze them under the weight of her massive boobs. "Speak."

Dad spent the next twenty minutes updating us on last few years, and his illness was amongst the subjects he discussed.

"Cancer?" my sister whispered achingly, her eyes wet. "Oh my god, Daddy..." She burst into tears.

Dad got up and took Brooke in his arms. They spent a prolonged moment in this emotional embrace, whispering to each other things I couldn't quite make out as they were too muffled with tears and shakiness. However, I did manage to fish "I love you" being sent back and forth.

He eventually let Brooke go and reclaimed his seat.

"I'll be the first to admit that I dealt badly with your uh... situation, but events like this really make you realize what's important in life. You two is what's important to me, to both me and your mother. Mistakes were made, but let's not keep making more of those. We want you back in our lives, and we hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive us." He wiped off a few tears that trickled down his cheeks and let out a long sigh. "That is what I came here to say."

A tense moment followed. My sister was still very much weeping while caressing her enormous belly, and as for me, I couldn't be certain how I felt about it. I was still quite resentful and angry.

"As much as I'm hurt by your behavior," my sister wept, "if you are prepared to accept that Josh and I are a couple, a married couple, with a kid on the way, and if you are willing to do right by us, then"—tears gushed down her cheeks—"I would very much like to get my parents back..."

Dad nodded in tears. "Whatever you say, pumpkin."

"Daddy..." She arose, and they hugged once more.

After they disengaged, Dad approached me. "What do you say, kiddo? Do you want us to be a family again?"

I slowly nodded, and we hugged on it while Brooke was sobbing next to us and was as emotional as I had ever seen her.

*

We all sauntered back to our place minutes after. Brooke and Dad strolled arm in arm, and I lagged closely behind. I couldn't help admiring her for forgiving them. She was infinitely more hurt by them than I had been. I guess life-threatening events do alter one's perspective.

As I looked at my sister, I couldn't believe that she was carrying our baby. She didn't even look pregnant. She was one of those women who were fortunate enough to keep their figure, and from the rear it was impossible to tell. Only her belly and bosom had increased in girth. Her breasts were so bloated now that they doubled in cup, and I was taking full advantage of that in the bedroom. I would motorboat her twice a day, at least, and would make love to her either when she was on top or when I would spoon her, so her milk-brimming tits were easily in my reach.

We entered our place, and Brooke gave Dad the tour, lingering in the baby's room and explaining him her vision for the décor. I was feeling lightheaded and cheerful from the alcohol, and this day had surprisingly turned out to be an incredible day. Minutes later, Dad put Mom on the phone and handed it to Brooke. He joined me in the living room while my sister was crying her heart out on speaker in the baby's room.

"Mom, I'm pregnant!" she sobbed a spell later.

"So, is it a boy or a girl?" He smiled, as if he had never found it inconceivable that his son would sow his seed in his only daughter.

"We don't know. Brooke wants it to be a surprise, so she swore the doctors and ultrasound technicians to silence."

"Just like your mother." He let out a wistful chuckle. "They're both hopelessly romantic." His face suddenly disclosed a wrinkle of worry. "Is... everything alright with the baby though?"

"Yes." I smiled. "As far as the doctors can tell, it's just another baby. A healthy baby."

"Good," he sighed in relief. "With the size of your sister's belly, I was sure she was carrying twins." He laughed.

"Yeah," I chuckled along. "She is quite big."

We sat in silence for a moment, attempting to adjust back.

"You don't know what he's been doing to me!" we heard Brooke sobbing out loud in the baby's room. "He's been nothing but cruel and abusive to me throughout this pregnancy..."

Dad and I locked eyes and burst out laughing a second later.

"Just like your mom: hopelessly dramatic."

A few minutes later, after Dad and I continued to catch up on everything, my wife returned and handed me the phone after bidding Mom farewell with a heartfelt "I love you". She sat in Dad's lap, her hazel eyes still pouring tears, while Mom and I talked for a bit.

"Well, I've missed her," I sighed, returning Dad his phone.

"And she's missed you, Josh. Both of you. You have no idea."

I nodded. "So... how are we going to play it?"

"I honestly don't know... yet," he swiftly added, smiling.

We spent the rest of the day together. We sat for lunch in a luxurious restaurant, having lobsters and whatnot, all at Dad's expense. We proceeded to Greenbelt walkway and took a nice stroll there, indulging in the scenery. My wife insisted that the walk would benefit her despite my obvious concerns for her sore back and swollen feet.

"It's quite beautiful here: Maine." Dad relished the view as we sat on a bench.

"Yes, it is," my sister replied. She wasn't looking at the scenery though.

She sat in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.

I stroked her cheek. "You're not mad at me anymore?"

"With that face?" she softly said before shaking her head. "It's not possible for me, sweetheart."

She pressed her succulent lips to mine and awarded me a mouth to mouth right there in front of our dad.

"Well, that will take a while to get used to," Dad said and chuckled to soften his uttering.

My sister broke our kiss, yet her eyes didn't release mine. "You'll get used to it faster than you might think since this goes on around here quite a lot. Isn't that right, my love?"

Her eyes twinkled at me in vast love, and her touch was softer than butter when she cupped my cheek and caressed me with her thumb.

My wife had the innate ability to get effortlessly sentimental and to move me to my very core in the process.

I propped my forehead against hers, holding her snugly. "It sure is, beautiful."

***

"Push!"

"I can't," my sister whined. "I can't..."

"Brooke, look at me," the midwife said. "You're doing amazing, but now you have to push! With everything you have! The baby cannot wait!"

"Oh my god... Josh, you fucking son of a bitch! AHHHHHHHHHHHH—"

"Excellent! I can see the head! Again!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... Oh god, I think I'm dying..."

"No, you're not dying; you're giving birth." The midwife laughed. "Take a moment to gain enough strength for the final push."

"Can I leave now?"

"YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE! You did this to me, so you're fucking staying!"

"Brooke, don't waste your energy," the midwife said. "You'll need every bit of it in a minute."

"Josh, sweetie, try not to upset her now," Mom whispered. "It'll all be over in a minute."

"Just please let it be over with... I'm not cut out for this."

"No one is," Mom giggled and returned to my sister, clasping their hands together.

"Mom, is the head really out?" Brooke wept.

"Yes! And that was the hard part! It's a piece of cake from here, baby." Mom caressed her hair and kissed her.

I kept sitting in the corner, facing the wall. I couldn't suffer my wife's scorching glower, and I certainly wasn't about to watch the crowning. I heard that shit scars you for life.

"It's time," the midwife said, placed between my sister's legs. "Come on, Brooke. Final push."

I plugged my ears with my fingers and got mentally prepared.

"I wanna fucking kill you now," I barely heard my sister say. To whom? I could only guess.

"I love you, baby," I replied subserviently, eyes shut, facing the wall.

"Let's go! Let's go!" the midwife said.

A few heinous screams later, I was declared a father to—

"A baby girl!" Mom said.

I could hear my sister emotionally weeping as well as my daughter's first perfect cry.

"Oh my god, a baby girl?!" I said. "Can I look now?!"

"You can," the midwife said, "but just so you know, we're about to yank out her sibling, so you might wanna rethink it."

I almost fainted. "Her sibling?"

"Surprise..." my sister feebly wept at my back, physically spent.

"You knew?!" I said to the wall.

"Of course she knew," Mom excitedly giggled. "You didn't think the doctors would actually keep it from her that she was having twins, did you?"

"JESUS CHRIST!" I whispered to the wall. "Are you insane?! How could you keep this from me?!"

"She'll have plenty of time to answer that later," the midwife said," but now what she really needs to do is push!"

"No, not again," my sister tearfully whined. "Let's keep the baby in a little longer."

"No can do, Brooke. It's now or never. Push!"

"God damn it, Brooke, push already!" I said to the wall, eyes shut, ears plugged.

"You mother... when I'm done here, I'm murdering him. Did you hear me?! You fucking cunt! I'm offing you!"

"Brooke, calm down and concentrate on the task in hand," the midwife said.

"Josh, now be nice to her," Mom whispered to my back. "All she wanted was to surprise you."

"SORRY, BABY! I LOVE YOU! NOW FUCKING PUSH!" I said, ears plugged, volume clearly not calibrated.

I could hear my wife laughing in tears. "I LOVE YOU TOO, BABY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."

*****THE END*****