Emerald Isle

"I can play too, Nate."

That surprised me. "You can?"

The smile was surprisingly shy. "Well, maybe you'd have to show me the ropes first but I'll give it a go."

"You're serious?"

"If my big brother is going to take me away on holiday for a week, I think I can handle a round or two of golf with him."

We finished breakfast in silence, my sister suggesting a quick walk home to shower would probably be best. Since the holiday was in four weeks' time, she added that she'd hand in her notice on Monday morning so she could leave with me without worrying about work. Unsurprisingly, she popped around on Saturday night too. Whenever I wasn't with Lucy in the past, I would quite happily hang out with my sister. Looking at it objectively, I wouldn't be surprised if Lucy was a little bit jealous of the relationship I had with Lisa. I always put Lucy first regarding anything to do with my life once our relationship turned relatively serious, but I was always left feeling she resented how involved Lisa was in my life. I guess that should have been a red flag. If it had ever come down to a real choice between blood and girlfriend, Lucy would have been removed from my life instantly.

The next four weeks dragged along, actually looking forward to some time away from work. And I knew my sister was looking forward to letting her hair down too. We hadn't been holiday together since we were kids, and that was with our parents, so going away as just the pair of us was going to be an interesting experience.

A fortnight after the break-up, I received a knock on the door one Saturday morning, opening it to find Lucy waiting on the doorstep. "My key doesn't work." I surprised myself by not feeling any anger, sadness or... I didn't really feel anything. After that first weekend, I felt absolutely fine. I guess that spoke volumes about what I really thought of the relationship.

However, I still smirked at her first comment. "I changed the locks because I knew you didn't hand over all your keys."

"I'm here to get my stuff."

I stood to the side and gestured. "It's upstairs." As she walked up the stairs, I asked, "Want a coffee?"

She stopped and turned, surprised at the offer. "Seriously?"

"I think we can have a final chat about what happened. There are one or two things I'd like clarified. More for peace of mind than anything. Trust me, it is over between us. Nothing you say will change a thing. But I've had some time to think and I'm interested in what you do have to say."

Her face immediately fell, as I saw the smallest sign of hope appear. "Um, sure. I'd like one."

I had a mug ready for her at the table once she'd put the rest of her things in her car. She sat down and wouldn't meet my eyes. She seemed rather nervous, like I was going to start shouting at her or something. "What do you want to know?" she asked after taking sip from the mug.

"For how long were you fucking my best friend?"

She shrugged. "Couple of months. Not that often, though." She shrugged again. "I guess that doesn't make it any better."

"No, it doesn't. Was he the only one?"

Now she met my eyes and nodded. "Yes. I was tempted before but... never did."

I believed her. I knew she'd lied about certain things in the past, but I recognised the signs. She was telling the truth, because she no longer had any reason to lie to my face.

"So why him? And why not just break up with me? I mean, if he started going out with you after you'd split up with me, I wouldn't particularly have liked it, but at least I'd still have that friendship... to a point, I guess."

"I don't know," she replied, "It does take two to tango, you know?"

"That's why I won't be talking to him again any time soon either."

"Well, there is one thing... Not a reason, I guess, but still, it was in the back of my mind." I gestured for her to continue. "Your sister." I just scoffed at her. "You didn't and don't see what I see. The way she acts around you. The way she looks at you."

"She's my little sister, Lucy. Nothing more."

"She adores you, Nate. And I don't mean just as an older brother!"

"Of course she adores me. I've looked out for her since she was a little girl. Helped her with homework. Dealt with the bullies who used to tease her, just because she got a little chubby when she was growing up and waiting for her growth spurt. Dealt with a boy or two who thought they could take advantage of her or, if they dared, break her heart. Helped her through university. Helped her buy her own home. I've always been the one person she could rely on without hesitation. That's what a big brother is for."

"I'm left thinking..."

"What were you left thinking? I'd like to see how anything you were thinking could possibly justify you cheating on me."

"I think she wants to be with you. As in, intimately."

I burst into laughter. "You're absolutely insane. She's my sister, for crying out loud!"

"Tell me you're not too close!"

"Of course my sister and I are close. Because I don't just love my family, I actually like them too!"

"I was always going to come second to her."

"In the end, yes, you were. Because blood is thicker than water, and I would choose family over... well, nearly anyone else, if I was ever to make that choice. And you were probably never going to get a ring on your finger, not after I started having my suspicions, though I would have been happy to have kept the relationship going for as long as possible. But, in the end, you did us both a favour. Though you should have had the balls, figuratively if not literally, to just end it instead of being a cunt and cheating on me. That is unforgivable, which is why, after you leave today, you won't hear from me again."

She said nothing for a while, drinking her coffee in silence. Despite everything I'd just said, I wasn't angry. I was disappointed. The relationship had been great for the majority of the time. I even thought I was the one at fault for being suspicious of her. Even though I'd found out the truth, while it hurt, it was still disappointing that it had to end the way it did.

"What about Dublin?" she finally asked.

"I'm taking my sister."

Now it was her turn to scoff. "That's exactly what I mean, Nate."

"There's nothing wrong with taking my little sister on holiday. It'll be a treat for her, considering the last time she went on holiday was before she started university. She could do with a real break."

The mug, now empty, was pushed forward. She leaned forward to emphasise whatever point she was going to make. "Trust me on this one, Nate. A woman knows these things. And your sister is in love with you." I could only burst into even more laughter at such an accusation. Lucy just shrugged. "Laugh if you want. But I've seen the looks she has given you over the years."

"She's my sister, Lucy. Of course she loves me."

"Not love. In love, Nate. There's a difference. Answer me this one question. When did she last have a boyfriend?"

I'll be honest, Lucy had me there. "I'm sure there was a guy or two at university. I don't really remember. She never really talks about her private life."

"The entire time we dated then lived together, there hasn't been another man on the scene, Nate. There is only one man in her life. And that man is you."

"That doesn't mean she wants me. I'm her brother, for crying out loud!"

Lucy just shrugged. "It's your problem, not mine. But, as I said, I know what I've seen over the years."

Her accusations should have made me angry, but I found them more humorous than anything, left thinking she was almost trying to justify her cheating because apparently my sister wanted me. "So, you going to date Nick now?"

Deer in the headlights. The look she returned would have made me laugh at any other time. She shook her head. "No. We figured it best to end it. I never loved him, Nate. It was just sex. We were attracted to each other, in a physical sense. I wasn't involved emotionally."

"Did you ever love me?"

The eyes and body language suggested that question hurt, and it bit deep. I'll admit, it made me feel good for a few seconds. "Of course I did," she whispered, before her eyes met mine, "I still do."

I just sighed. "I could follow up on that with plenty, but it won't get us anywhere."

"Thanks," she stated rather gratefully.

I got to my feet. "Come on, I think we've both said enough."

Escorting her to the door, I wasn't surprised when she started to cry again. I wanted to be a real bastard and just push her out the door, tell her to fuck off and slam it in her face. But I wanted to end it on a better note than the last time we'd seen each other. So I hugged her, able to read her body language and I knew that was what she wanted.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"I know you are."

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"No, Lucy. Not yet. One day in the future, sure. But you broke my heart." I let her go. "Here's a bit of advice. The next guy you get serious with. Don't cheat on him. Particularly with his best friend."

I stated that with humour, and it made her giggle, though she soon stopped, realising the dark humour behind the joke. "I'll miss you."

"Despite everything, Lucy, that feeling will be mutual. But you'd better go, because it's over, and nothing is going to change. It's best you just accept that."

She looked ready to say something else, before she slumped and nodded. Without another word, she turned and walked to her car. Once she'd reversed and disappeared, I wandered back into the house, feeling the urge to have another drink. I resisted, though did text my sister, letting her know what happened. Of course, she messaged right back, saying she was already on her way. I should have known.

After explaining the entire conversation, Lisa could only burst into laughter at all the accusations. "She was jealous of me?"

"Sounds like it. She was adamant you're in love with me." I'll admit, I was surprised when she fell silent, and even started to blush. "Lisa?"

"I'm not in love with you, Nate. I just love you a lot. I couldn't have asked for a better big brother."

I wrapped an arm around her and held her close, sitting back on the couch. "You're my little sister. And it's my job to protect you."

"I remember. How many of those boys did you handle?"

"More than enough. Mum didn't like it, but Dad was proud of me for doing it. 'That's what family is about, son', he'd always say, even if I did come home with a letter of warning. Or the one or two suspensions I got."

"I was a fat little thing. I'm still fat."

I laughed. "You're not fat, Lisa. You're gorgeous."

The smile she returned was something else. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely. If you weren't my..." I paused. "Shit. I'll stop right there, otherwise I'll just prove the ex-girlfriend right."

She just reached up to kiss my cheek. "Well, if you were going to say what I think you were going to say, then I'd definitely be flattered." She was quiet for a moment before asking, "But I'm definitely not fat? I mean, I know I've got curves but..."

I unhooked my arm and shuffled away from her, obviously looking her up and down. "Cute face. Great rack. Nice body. Curves to die for. And I've already seen your arse. Great legs too. Seriously, Lisa, you've got nothing to worry about. Any man you end up with will be incredibly lucky."

Her bottom lip started to tremble as she shuffled towards me. She didn't say anything for a while as I held her. "No other man seems to see or think that," she finally whispered.

"You'll meet the right man one day, Lisa."

She looked up at me, those beautiful blues wide and expressive. "Just like you'll meet the right girl?"

"One day, I guess."

Despite the fact we were going away on holiday together, we spent plenty of time together, meeting up at least every couple of days for dinner or a drink. But I made sure I didn't become a hermit, despite feeling rather positive after the break-up, catching up with plenty of other friends, who were always full of words of consolation, though I'd leave them perplexed when I suggested Lucy did me a favour in the end.

I did have an awkward moment a couple of days before we were due to leave on holiday. I was in one of my locals with some friends on a Friday night, downing a couple of pints before heading home for the evening. The place turned quiet when Nick walked in alone. He recognised the silence immediately, his eyes falling on me and the others, most of whom had been his friends at one time as well. Nick nodded in our direction but, after ordering his pint, walked to the other side of the pub and sat by himself. Did I feel sympathy for the guy? Deep down, a little, because I knew he'd been utterly ostracised from our group, Lucy finding herself on the outer as well. I didn't particularly feel sympathy for either of them, and didn't approach Nick that night. He was smart enough not to approach me. Not that I would have done anything, but one or two friends had my back and wanted words with him too.

I packed the Friday night before we were due to leave, my sister arriving early in the evening with her large bag, figuring it would be easier if she stayed at mine, as even though the flight wasn't until the afternoon, we'd require a taxi to take us to Heathrow considering all the luggage we'd be taking. I'll admit to feeling rather excited about heading away on holiday, though managed to fall asleep rather quickly once we headed to our beds that night.

*****

"Do we really need a car?" my sister wondered again.

"We have a suitcase each. Yours bigger than mine, as expected. Plus, my bag of clubs, your handbag and my backpack. Add to that, the plan isn't just to stay in Dublin. We have time to see one or two places on a day trip."

"Sounds like you have plans, Nate."

"Got to show my sister a good time. I'm under pressure now!"

"She's your sister?" the woman behind the desk asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Oh, I just thought... I mean, you look like a... Never mind." My sister and I looked at each other and burst into laughter, the woman behind the desk blushing as she handed over a set of car keys. "It's the blue one in the car park. Have a nice holiday."

"Thanks."

Once I packed everything into the boot, I turned the ignition and immediately set the GPS to find the hotel. That's when my sister asked, "Do you think we look like a couple?"

"Honestly haven't given it much thought since the lady just told us, Lisa."

She didn't ask anything else as I started to drive, concentrating on the road and the instructions from the Irish voice coming through the speakers. The drive to the hotel didn't take as long as expected, though was slightly further from the city centre than I expected. But the hotel itself was magnificent and the golf course, on first appearance, looked beautiful.

Check-in brought forward the first awkward moment when we signed the paperwork, the receptionist noticing immediately that we had the same name. "Honeymoon?" she asked.

"Huh?" I asked, perplexed.

"Are you here on honeymoon?"

I looked at my sister, who was struggling not to giggle at my denseness. "What makes you ask that?"

The receptionist glanced at my sister before sighing. "Same last name, and you look young and in love, so..."

"What?" I asked, my voice pitching a few octaves higher.

Then my sister cuddled into my side. "Excuse my rather dense husband. No, it's not a honeymoon. Just a well-deserved holiday for the pair of us."

I looked at my sister, whose look suggested I should really just go with it. So I wrapped my arm around her in turn. "Yeah, holiday. Sorry, the honeymoon thing threw me."

Once all the paperwork was complete, we were handed a keycard each and wished a happy stay. Dragging all out stuff up to our room, the next thing I realised upon entering was that there was only a double bed. A large double bed, looking very comfortable, but only one bed all the same. After dumping all our things, my sister and I stood side by side, staring at it.

"Um, I guess I'll sleep on the couch."

"You'll do nothing of the sort, Nate."

"Do you really want to share a bed with me?"

I glanced at Lisa, who just returned a rather blank look. "It won't bother me. Will it bother you?"

I thought for a few seconds before I could only shrug, feeling a little helpless, left thinking I'd really offend her if I said it did. Which it actually didn't, though I did have what Lucy said to me previously float through my mind. "No, I guess it won't." Then I had to ask, "Why did you tell the receptionist we're married?"

"I can't remember the last time I did anything romantic with anyone. So, even if it has to be with my brother, I'm hoping he may spend a little time wining and dining me."

I could only blink rapidly, surprised again. "Um, the food served here gets rave reviews. And I'm sure there are some good joints in the city."

My sister just smiled. "There are plenty of good joints. I've researched, Nate. I have a list of places on my phone you can take me."

I just turned towards her and folded my arms. "And are you expecting your big brother to pay for all this?"

"My big brother gets the pleasure of my company," she retorted in a tone that caused involuntary blood flow to certain parts of my body. Again, those words of the ex-girlfriend filtered through my mind. "So, what are the plans for now?"

"I'm gasping for a drink now that we're finally here."

"Bar?"

"Bar."

That first night was a bit of a washout, as we ended up getting a little bit drunk without moving from the bar, satisfying our appetites with some bar snacks in addition to the Guinness and Irish whiskey we helped ourselves too. In a drunken haze, I figured just opening a tab would be a good idea, not realising I'd probably regret it by the end of the week.

Finally, staggering back to our room some time after midnight, my sister was definitely in a worse condition than myself, almost falling over as she got out of her jeans and shirt, eventually standing in front of me in just her bra and panties. I couldn't help but stare. My sister had a great body, just the sort I liked. And her bra left little to the imagination, the cleavage on display mouth-watering in its appeal. I must have been staring for longer than I realised as she looked me in the eyes and smiled.

"Like what you see, Nate?"

"Yep."

"You're not bad yourself." I'd already removed my shirt and took off my jeans, barely aware I was erect until I heard my sister giggle.

"Damn, Nate, you really are my big brother."

I just shrugged. "I usually sleep naked, so these things will be staying on."

"You can sleep naked if you want."

"I'm not sleeping naked next to my sister. Despite how much I've had to drink, that won't be a good idea. It's bad enough you're in bra and panties and we'll be sleeping together."

We both passed out rather quickly once under the covers.

And, of course, it got awkward immediately the next morning, as we woke up spooning, my sister practically moulded into my body. And I had my usual morning wood, and it was poking into her, and there is little doubt she would feel it. What didn't help me is that both my arms were wrapped around her, feeling her skin under my palm, one of my hands clutching her breast. And I immediately had too many thoughts about my sister I definitely shouldn't be having.

Then Lisa decided to shuffle her butt into my crouch. "Mmmm. Is that because of me, Nate?"

"Please don't shuffle into my crotch," I muttered.

She giggled and immediately turned around to face me. "I think we drank a little bit last night."

"Feeling rough?"

"I need a good, hearty breakfast." She then leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "Thanks for being nice last night." I must have looked confused, as she just smiled, adding, "I excited you, despite whatever you may say or think. That made me feel really good about myself."