The Right Direction

"Peg...um..." You shift and fidget. "I...think...maybe...we..." You reach out for her.

Peg, seeming to read your mind, takes your shoulder and looks you deep in your eyes. "You are making the right decision Jesse, stay strong. Don't start something now hun. Trust me, it is powerful stuff. When the time is right you give yourself to Casey, or whoever you choose, with all of your heart and soul."

You let out a sigh...your moment of weakness passes. Your hand lowers and you nod. "Yeah, of course. Thank you."

She kisses your cheek. "And thank you. I can't say that I'm not flattered." She gives you a wink.

The pair of you return to making the fruit salad. Along the way your aunt teaches you the proper way to hold and wield your sharp pairing knife. She just couldn't seem to help offering you a guiding hand. You were sure she would have been an incredible lover, yet you were also glad she talked you down. She was right. Now, as the Bailey way was coming to an end, was no time for you to dive in for the first time. Besides, this was your family...you wouldn't judge them for what they have done but it really wasn't something you wanted to have to think about going forward.

No, things were moving in the right direction. You had to keep leading the way.

Fruit and berries are chopped and stirred together. Your aunt makes a light sauce of juice, sugar, and zest as you whip the cream. As your white liquid just starts to firm up and create nice peaks you hear giggling elsewhere in the house. It was Elsie and it sounded like she was in a very good mood. Soon after you hear a loud zerbert and El squeals with more laughter. Was Fiona being...playful!? You and Peg look at each other and chuckle.

You then hear the duet voices of both your sisters call out at once in a sing-song tone. "Ohhhh Jesse!"

Your aunt shifts over to take the whisk from you. "Sounds like you are needed." She picks up whipping where you left off. "Enjoy the show. I'll be up here if you need me."

You nod then hurry off in the direction of Elsie's room. You head down the stairs. There at the bottom were your two sisters. Smiling, laughing, and in each other's arms. They both looked up to watch you approach. Fiona was in a long thick white bathrobe while El still had on her street clothes. You could see they were frisky just by the way they interacted.

El, her eyes twinkling happily, says. "My Master wished for some company while she waited. Would you wait with her while I get ready Jesse?"

Picking up on the sprightly mood you roll your eyes to pretend it was a big inconvenience. "Yeah, of course. I guess."

El blinks and titters. "Thank you!" She skips off, back up to the main washroom to freshen up herself.

Fiona watches her go with a calm smile. "God I love that girl." She says happily.

You offer your arm to Fiona to lead her to the room. She cocks and eyebrow then offers her arm to you. Always a power play with Fiona. You chuckle and give in. You slip your arm through hers and allow her to lead you to Elsie's room.

You ask the same question you had asked El. "Looking forward to it? Being with El?"

Fiona nods but doesn't say anything. She opens the door for you and the pair of you walk in. Peg's guest room had a very Elsie look to it now. Computer set up in the corner. Anime characters here and there around the room. And...messy. She'd only been here a little while and didn't even have much stuff here yet there was still clothes strewn about, her bed wasn't made, and empty wrappers sat next to the keyboard instead of in the bin only a few feet away.

You look at your big sister. "You sure? You don't seem as...excited as she is."

She looks at you. "Oh I'm excited. Fuck, I can't wait actually. I'm just afraid I might hurt her. Elsie likes things very gentle, like all the time gentle. Not my forte." She strokes your cheek and says. "If you ever decide to be with her you might want to try feathers or...."

"Fiona. I'm not going to be with her." You look at her sternly. "Stop. We need to put this behind us. Once and for all."

She sighs. "I know. Fuck, I know."

"Peg is ending the family stuff too. Fiona, I think you should as well." You lay your head on her shoulder. "I don't think it is healthy for you guys anymore."

Fiona laughs lightly and strokes your hair lovingly. "I don't think it ever was." She rests her head on yours.

"El and Peg are moving on. I'm not doing it. Chloe's got a guy." You say.

"Okay, okay. I get it." She says. "Mom will be pissed."

"Yeah, probably."

"She'll stop making my car payments, I'll lose that. Car for sex, that was kind of the unspoken deal. She'll probably kick me out of the house. And now I don't have a job." She ponders. "I do have a nest egg I was saving for something..."

"I don't know Fiona. She might surprise you. She's still our Mom. And if she does kick you out, Fiona...you have to reach out to Peg. She's lonely and she loves us so much! These past two weeks have been so incredible." You say. "Wait...you had a job?"

"It was complicated." Fiona says. She takes you by the shoulders and spins you toward her. Looking you in the eye she says. "Okay. What the hell. Without you or El I don't really care anyways. I'm out too, no more family fucking...on two conditions."

"Conditions?"

She nods. "Yeah, conditions."

"Fiona, this is for your own good. I'm not getting anything out of it. Why do you get to make conditions?" You had a smile on your face despite your words, you knew she was making the switch.

"You want me to do this or what?" She snips.

"Fine, lets hear them." You say.

"That's better. Okay...first." She takes you by the sides of your head and looks into your eyes. Gathering her courage she says. "First you accept my apology. No wait till the end of the month stuff. You take it and you accept it. Period. I need to get some of this shit off my conscience."

"Apology?"

"Jesse...fuck, I'm not good at this shit." She regathers herself. "Jesse...I am sorry. I AM SORRY. I am sorry I bullied you. I am sorry I belittled you. I am sorry I dragged you down when I ought to have been lifting you up. I...I wanted you to feel...weak and helpless. I saw you making it in the world and I wanted to make you come running back to us. I wanted to break you down. I wanted you to have to turn to me for strength. It was horrible and it wasn't the monster. That was all me." She takes a breath. "I'm sorry Jesse. For all of it. I was a fuckin bitch to you and you didn't deserve that."

You stare at her.

"Fuck Jesse...if you make me fuckin cry again I swear to God I'll kick your ass right now!" She says, obviously not serious about the threat. She then says in a much softer voice. "Please. Forgive me brother."

You wet your lips. You swallow. You take a long breath. You savor this precious moment. "Fiona. I accept your apology."

She lets out a sigh of relief and pulls you in for a strong bear hug. You don't get to enjoy it long before she pulls back and looks at you again.

"Okay, second. If we're doing this normal family bullshit I want to do it right! I'm still your big sister god damn it. I want you to come to me if you need something. Yeah? I want you to depend on me. I want you to need me again, like when we were little. If someone messes with you, you come to me. If someone hurts you, you call your big Sis. If you just need someone to kick you in the ass or give you some straight talk, you come to me." She thinks a moment. "That's what normal families do, right?

You laugh. "I guess."

"I wanna be there when you graduate College and walk you down the wedding aisle and all that wholesome shit."

You continue to laugh.

"What!?" She asks.

You finally nod. "Sure, Fiona. Sure. We'll be a normal wholesome family."

"Are you teasing me!? I swear I'll..."

You stroke her shoulder. "I do need you big sister. I agree to your conditions. I love ya Sis."

She smiles. "Love ya Bro."

Another long hard hug.

"Oh...third condition! You have to give me the Caddie!" She quips.

"Too late." You say. "Deal's done."

"Shit!"

You both let out a mirthful laugh, filling the room with sisterly joy and brotherly love.