“What does my brother think?”
“That I’ll have to hold them back with a broom until the right man comes along.” That made her giggle, at least. “I won’t be dating anytime soon, though.”
“You need to heal, Mark. There’s no rush to date again.”
“Guess living at home with my mother and sister isn’t exactly going to have women falling over to date me anyway.”
“While that’s true, you now own your own business, you’re good looking…”
“I’m good looking?”
Hmmm, guess it’s time to describe myself. I was the tallest in the family though hadn’t hit six foot by the time I stopped growing. But years of hard work and rugby through school and then playing on a Saturday had helped me broaden out. I kept myself fit otherwise. Light brown hair. Same blue eyes as my mother and sister. Hayley, if I could still believe anything she said, had always said I’d grown more handsome with every year. She’d always loved the stubble I kept, preferring that to clean shaven. I’d been tempted more than once to just grow a beard, but it’s generally too hot for that much facial hair. Basically, years with Hayley had kept self-confidence high, though it had obviously ebbed since discovering the truth.
“My big brother has always been very handsome.”
“Thanks, Amy. Actually does me some good to hear that.”
I needed to go for a pee, returning to find Amy already fast asleep. I managed to get back into bed without her waking up, though she naturally snuggled closer to me once I was relaxed again. I kissed the top of her head and fell back asleep rather quickly.
Mum said nothing when Amy left my room the next morning, smiling as we joined her at the table for breakfast. She already knew we were going out for a few drink that night, and we’d organised it for a night when she’d be catching up with a bunch of her friends. “It will do you some good to get out of the house,” she said, “Maybe make a friend or two during the evening.”
I’d already looked into local sports teams, thankful there were rugby teams in the winter, though with the season well underway, I’d have to wait until next year to register, though cricket season would start in a couple of months, already applying to play in the local league. But I’d left nearly all my friends back down south, as had Amy. We really only had each other until we’d established new circles of friends.
I had no problem working on a Saturday, so put in a few hours on the same job, aware it would take me another week at least to finish up. I got home mid-afternoon to find Mum and Amy on the veranda, already sharing a bottle of wine. I had a shower first before joining them outside with a beer, Mum leaving earlier than us as she was going to a friend’s house first.
Amy cuddled into me immediately. “You know, if I hadn’t been married, I probably would have come up here far earlier if I knew it was going to be this peaceful,” I murmured.
“You don’t miss the city?”
“God no. And it’s not because of what happened. But everything just feels more relaxed here. I guess it is, in many ways.”
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