Honeyblonde Curls

||35||

A week later...
Christian

The doorbell rings and my eyes avert to the door from my laptop where I'm sorting out work related business.

"I'll get it!" Sophia runs to the door and immediately gasps, "Luke!"

I cock a brow as I watch my elder brother walk into the lounge. He hasn't changed much; same gingered stubble on his edgy face with his signature German cut and his bold demeanor courtesy of his broad shoulders and extra muscle.

"Thought you'd never return," his voice booms through the room as he walks to where I'm seated in the dining area and I stand to embrace him.
"Good to see you, Luke," I pat his back.
"Likewise,"
"Are you two competing with height?!" Sophia jokes.
"Now that you mention it, Liv..." Luke takes a step back and frowns, "You really want to be the big man here huh, Christian?"

We all laugh and settle down back in the lounge when mum descends the staircase.

"I heard some chatter I knew it'd be my boys," she walks over to hug Luke, showering his face with kisses.
"Ma," he growls but she pays no mind.

"And what brings you to this cloudy side of town?" She takes a seat in her designated chair.
"Isn't it obvious? Christian came back, I thought I should pass by and greet him before he disappears like he always does," I roll my eyes at his surprisingly truthful response.
"Your brother is right, you know," mum gives me a stare.

"But how have you been?" Luke elbows me.
"Quite alright," I sigh.
"Christian," Sophia whispers. I turn to her and she knows I'm not being frank with him or myself.
"Surviving," I rephrase.
"Soon as he arrived he went straight to Brisk and it's been work and work and more work," my mother drawls, curling up in her seat, arms folded.
"Are you serious?" Luke chuckles.
"I have some things that require my attention ," I scowl.

"Oh we all know, Christian. What are you running away from this time?" Luke leans closer to me.
"Can we not ?" I sit up with my hands extended to the side as though to halt any further questions.

So far the only person in the room with an idea of my sudden visit is Sophia. When I started college, my elder sister Lydia and her were frequent visitors on campus and so I bonded with them better making it easier to confide in them, especially Sophia. She knows just about everything my mother knows about me, even about Imani and I.

I have not broken it to them yet on how I left things between her and I though.
But I will, all in due time.

The day goes by and I leave with Luke to  the local gym which is a twenty minute drive from the house.

"Some sparring to ease up?" He asks while grabbing a pair of gloves.
"I'm up for it," I grab a pair as well as we make our way to the punching bags.
"So, mum tells me you have a special lady now," he throws a few punches at his bag.
"I'm surprised we haven't heard anything from you," I tease.

If there's one thing I know about Luke it's that it is close to impossible to find him in the company of a woman. He dismisses the idea of dating immediately, I'd say he's just like Imani. Kind of.

"Focus, Christian," he growls, a smirk surfacing.
"Alright, yes. I am currently seeing someone," I continue sparring.
"She's not the Annabelle kind, is she?"
"Are you seriously bringing up my college traumas?" I stop at his question.
In my defense, I was young and in love and did not know any better so Annabelle was single and available, not to mention a mess. But enough about her...

"Liv told me. Besides, I'm here to look out for you," he says so casually but I felt my heart warm to it.
"Well this one is far from her kind, I'll give you that," I smile to myself, even though we are surprisingly not on the best of terms.
"Any woman should be blessed to have a Greear man in their life. I mean of course she'd be the prize and the blessing, but a Greear man is a keeper of treasure," he takes a deep breath of satisfaction with his statement and I couldn't agree more.