Incessant Pt. 08

This turned out to be a little 'in-between' part. It did take me a little longer to write; life got busy and I wanted to make some changes on the fly. Hopefully, you'll enjoy the finished project, which I think is a good mix of fun and serious!

All sex is between characters eighteen and older. Any resemblance to real persons or events is coincidental. Be safe out there, and enjoy! ;-)

Chapter Twenty-Three

The damn hospital was miles away...

I'd never driven so fast or so focused — racing my aunt to the nearest emergency room. It still took forty-five minutes to pull up to those gloomy sliding doors... Three-quarters of an hour before nurses pried her limp body from the car. Every now and then, I would look at her; seeing no signs of life.

I thought she was dead.

Having found Terry unconscious, I pulled her onto the passenger seat of her car and rushed to help. My feet were bare and my sleep clothes torn where I'd sat on shattered glass. By the time I got to the hospital, tears were beginning to flow. A day before, I had chased this woman away from her twin and her family. Now, I wasn't sure if she was going to live.

I was already blaming myself, and I was going to be doing it for a while. Part of me thought this wasn't related to me — part of me knew I was overestimating the role I played. Yet, guilt was tearing away at me. I was feeling sick, looking pale, and an agonising headache blanketed my brain.

Using the landline at the nurse's station, I called our home and woke everyone up. Blake answered the phone — the calmest of us all — and she managed to put together a plan. My family would soon be with me, and all I had to do was wait.

Terry had been parked in the street when I found her. The little Fiat she drove was a mess. Its floor was covered in burnt-out cigarettes and rubbish littered the back seat. A few empty pill bottles had frightened me, but the doctors had no interest in those. They said they were old, harmless, unlikely to have caused the reaction they were seeing...

Also in the car, a decades-old photograph of Mom and her twin sister. They looked so happy, and yet it all went so wrong.

Chapter Twenty-Four

My family took about an hour to get to the hospital. Our secret coastal hideaway was far from everything. At first, that was a feature, but now I saw it as a flaw.

I hadn't told my mother that Terry came to town looking for us. My whole soul seemed to think she would hate me for keeping that secret; hate me for chasing her sister away. Yet, when everyone arrived, Mom was the first to embrace me. She held me so tight that I could feel every rhythm of her body. I swore I felt the blood in her veins; pumped by her restless heart. There wasn't a trace of anger — not even an ounce — in the way she held me.

While I was still in my night clothes, the girls had managed to throw on some outfits. Still, they looked tired and concerned. The strongest of us all seemed to be Riley. She didn't have as much of a stake in our aunt's health as the rest of us. That allowed her to put us first in a way that was so beautifully kind and selfless.

We were a strong bunch — almost unshakeable — but this was a curveball no one expected. What stood out most was the fact that everyone seemed to set aside any past contempt for our aunt. Instead, we acknowledged that she remained family, no matter what happened in the past.

As we waited for news, Emily and Riley stuck close while Blake and I did the same. The two couples strengthened one another so that we could channel that strength to our mom. This was the beauty of the life we'd made: intricate, never complicated, resilient... Still, it wasn't quite enough to make the hurt feel better or to wash away our anxiety. No, those things would remain for a while longer, and so would my feelings of guilt.

It was another fifteen minutes before the doctor came to give us a full update. He was a tall man with a full head of grey hair and a calm voice. It was incredibly early in the morning, but a neurologist would soon be on call. The doctor explained that tests would be done, and that these could be uncomfortable. For now, our aunt was out of the woods, and they're treating it as a severe seizure.

"Like, epilepsy?" my mother asked.

"Exactly," the grey-haired man replied.

"My sister doesn't have epilepsy, Doctor."

The doctor smiled sympathetically, "It isn't unheard of for adults to develop epilepsy. This is even if they've had no prior history, and it can be due to many factors. Still, a severe seizure of this nature is unlikely to come out of the blue."

So far, I hadn't mentioned the pills I found in Terry's car to my family members. When I asked the doctor about them, the mood became even more uncomfortable, but his tone soothed us. He spoke carefully and precisely, and I could sense he was even pacing his speech to make his words clearer. Fearing an overdose, I asked my question indirectly. "Are any of those medications related to what happened tonight?"

The doctor nodded to show that he understood the intention of my question. "I'm hesitant to say too much, and it would be better if you could talk to your aunt. I will say that those pills are neither very addictive nor very dangerous. They're most often used to treat mild depression."

My mother began tearing up as she heard about her twin's use of medications for her mental health. She felt like she'd abandoned her sister; that this was her fault. Of course, I felt the exact same way. Sensing that, it was my sisters who supported us; soothing our insecurities by being close.

"It's not uncommon for people to keep these things to themselves," the doctor added. "Hopefully, this experience will help your sister realise that she needs to confide in you."

Everyone got a chance to ask the doctor some questions, and he answered each one. We wanted to know about timelines, future treatment, specialists, support... All questions that indicated a clear intention: that we would be there for our family member. We'd be able to speak to her once the sun was up. Meanwhile, I had to go sort out the insurance while the girls settled into our hotel.

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Blake always lived in the same chain-hotel when she needed to be in the city for work. So, it was the best and easiest place to get rooms for the rest of us.

The place was built of yellow-brick — four-storeys tall — with rooms facing both directions. Its narrow corridors were bleak in comparison to the ocean vistas of our home. Yet, there was something soothing about the place and the way it shielded us from the outside world. We were all still shell-shocked, and it was nice to enjoy the small pleasures of hotel living.

Trying to look 'normal', we had booked two rooms. The one we'd be using had two twin beds that would be pushed together to accommodate us all. However, I started out in the second room, with Blake. We planned on distributing our things to avoid funny looks or clutter, but we hadn't arrived with much. As we unpacked, I asked my sister what she made of the situation we were in, and she pondered for a moment. Her eyes found mine and looked at me softly; in that comforting way that big sister can look at you. "You found her in time and did what you had to, and that makes me so proud."

I turned red, and not out of shyness. What would've happened had I not chased her away? Would all this have been avoided if I'd let her see her family?

Blake made sure to catch my eyes with hers. She gave me a featherlight smile — stretching her full lips into a crescent. "You got her to a hospital that's an hour away, in thirty minutes. I don't know what's wrong with her, but I do know that my little brother saved someone's life tonight."

"I still think Mom is going to be upset at me—"

"Josh," Blake interrupted, "Mom decided to tie her life to ours. She did it because you attracted her to what we have, and she trusts your judgement."

"You make me sound very important," I smirked.

"That's because you are," my sister declared. "I will warn you though, this will make Mom climb into her shell a little. She's been a real libertine lately... Yeah, she's embraced that side of herself, but this will be a shock."

"You with your fancy words," I teased. "Luckily I learnt what a libertine is through first-hand experience."

Blake snorted before I felt her hands grip my sides. "Would you like me to teach you more about it, Baby Brother?"

"How are you not exhausted?" I quizzed.

Blake chuckled, pulling her body towards mine and starting to sway as we embraced. We shared a kiss like only we could — familial and romantic all at the same time. I felt her ring press against my skin, and all my worries faded away because I was with my partner-for-life. We didn't usually wear the little bands we'd given each other. Yet, before leaving to meet me at the hospital, Blake had decided to put hers on.

We shared our warm hug until a knock on the door announced the arrival of our younger sister. She used her keycard to open it and greeted us with a little, "Hey."

"Hey," I answered.

"We've pushed the beds together," Emily indicated.

I beckoned my little sister closer and pulled her onto my lap as we fell on the bed. She giggled a little as my arm tugged at her, and wiggled her butt as she found her seat. On her finger, I felt a similar band of metal as I felt on Blake's, and I decided that I should wear my matching ring more often.

"Of course, we'll be right over," I accepted Em's invitation.

"Don't take too long — I'm tired as all hell," she replied.

Emily went back to their room as Blake and I made a few final arrangements. Some of it had to do with paying for Terry's hospitalisation, and some of it was about practical stuff. "We need to either go home for more clothes, or go shopping," I said.

"I'll go shopping with our sis. Unfortunately, I have to get back to the courthouse from tomorrow, but it'll be nice having you close."

"Isn't that also when Riley's leaving?"

"That was the plan. Hopefully, she stays a little longer," my sister winked.

After getting dressed in comfortable PJs, we headed to the second room. The ladies had already pushed the beds together while finishing their nighttime routines.

No sooner was I through the door than my mother came up to me. "You did good, kiddo."

I felt a little warmth in my cheeks as I received the affirmation. Even with everything we did and do, that other families don't, Mom was still... Mom. A thumbs up from her meant the world to me. Especially because I had this mix of doubt and guilt swirling around in my head. That night, I slept between her and Emily, with Blake and Riley attached on Mom's other side.

I'd never really felt my mother hold me the way she did. It was intensely tight, with her one leg wrapped around me, and her lips pressed to my shoulder. Something about it was different — not the pose, but the emotion behind it. She was frightened, and she was going to be relying on me to help her get through it.

Chapter Twenty-Five

The next morning, Mom made her way to the hospital. Meanwhile, the rest of us settled into what was going to be our temporary home.

My sisters went shopping for some basics, including clothes. In fact, they were buzzing with excitement at the chance to update their wardrobes (and mine). Riley also offered to loan them her card so that they could pick something for her. What followed was a three-way argument between me and my sisters, over who gets to pay for Riley's stuff. This was what Emily cheekily called her girlfriend's, "First taste of being a kept woman."

While everyone else was out, Riley and I grab breakfast. There was a buffet downstairs and even though the bacon looked a lil' stiff, who could resist a hotel breakfast? After a glass of refreshing orange juice, I was beginning to feel human again. I followed it up with a trip to that toast conveyor-belt that all these hotels seem to have. The thing fascinated me, even though there seemed to be no way of getting its settings right.

Riley and I had gotten closer, and there was an ease between us as I sat down. Though, we seemed to be avoiding the topic of Terry — choosing denial. That was something that came easily to the both of us. I realised that some of the things that attract Emily to me would also be present in her girlfriend. In a way, that made everything about our life a lot easier.

I asked Riley if she was still heading home tomorrow; a question that seemed to deflate her. Her heart was set on staying, but she had to go home for a while. Of course, she missed her parents, and they missed her. She still had a degree to finish, and she had to start making arrangements for the next phase of her life.

The grim topic of my friend's departure faded. As we ate, it was clear we weren't very hungry (or very awake) and we poked at our food listlessly. Chitchat kept us occupied as we enjoyed an unhealthy hotel buffet. Then, I perked up when Riley asked me to explain "the hierarchy."

"The hierarchy?"

The blonde sat back and gave me a knowing smile. "It's you, then Blake, then Emily, then your mom—"

I caught on to what Riley meant and chimed in, "It's flexible, and it doesn't mean anyone is less than anyone else."

"No, I get it," Riley assured. "If you have one man and three women in a relationship, there has to be some kind of system. You're the centre of it all—"

"The luckiest man alive?" I joked.

"Definitely." Riley said matter-of-factly. "So, you're number one and then there's Blake. She keeps the other two in line and helps run the big picture. Like, when she spanked Emily the other day... It was sexy and playful, but it was also to show who's in charge."

I decided to play along with Riley, "Okay, fair enough. So, why do you say Emily is second and my mother is third?"

"That's obvious. Your mom gets some kind of therapeutic value out of being third."

I agreed with Riley's assessment, and she took a moment to ponder. She rubbed her chin and looked at me with her steel-grey eyes. A little smile crawled across her face and I found myself wanting to freeze the moment forever. We were a little in love, and it was a love strong enough to distract me from the Terry situation.

With a self-affirming nod, my meal-mate seemed to ground herself. "I suppose I'll slot in just above your mom. Now, I don't mind being under Em in the bedroom, but when it comes to running things at home..."

"You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?" I cocked an eyebrow.

Riley beamed, "Three years worth of journalling! I really want to be a part of this life, Josh. It's not easy for someone to look at what you guys have, be okay with the incest bit, and also decide they want to be a part of it. So, you best believe that I've thought about this, and I'm committed. I want the amazing partnership, the love, the sex, the romance, the family... But when it comes to running the day-to-day: let's say, I've looked at how you guys do things, and improvements can be made."

I was overjoyed to hear Riley express her desire to be a part of our lives. Also, I had to confess that she was right about the way we ran things. At the end of the day, no one in my family was any good at domestic living. But, it seemed like Riley could bring order to chaos. We spent a long while talking about all her ideas until it was decided that we'd have to make a list. That was something we could do later.

Soon, my sisters were back, and they distracted us with tales of their short shopping spree. We'd reached the point where the hotel buffet closed, so they had to make due with scavenging off our plates. Their hunger drove us to make plans for dinner that evening, which would also be Riley's going away party.

The previous night had devolved into something of an orgy. I say 'something of' because I have much higher ambitions for group-play, but let's set that aside for now. I was still exhausted, and knew Riley's last night wouldn't have the fireworks of the night before.

On the other hand, everyone still had half of their minds on Terry. I knew the tests they would run were uncomfortable, to say the least, and we didn't expect our mom back until late. We assumed that she'd stand by her sister, no matter what happened in the past. For everyone else, there wasn't much of a debate. We were going to support our aunt, regardless of our feelings towards her.

Our afternoon was quite relaxed with Blake working from her laptop while the rest of us loitered. I called Penny to let her know I couldn't show her the apartment as planned. She was understanding and graciously offered to help us with a discount at our hotel. "I've been to conventions with the general manager there, and he'll definitely help."

"Thanks, Penny. I'm sorry that I had to cancel our appointment."

"Don't be silly, Josh. I know family always comes first!" the teen assured.

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Mom had a sadness about her when she returned from the hospital. Her twin was awake and in good spirits, which seemed like cause to celebrate. Yet, all Terry wanted to talk about was getting back into our lives. I suppose you could've expected it, buy it was still a conversation that no one was ready for. So, we all got dressed up as best we could and focused on our farewell dinner for Riley.

The restaurant was a short walk away from our hotel. I always enjoyed walking city streets at night. There was something romantic about walking from the glow of one streetlight to the next. This was even truer when I looked at who I was I walking with: four women I loved immeasurably.

After making our way to the restaurant, we grabbed a secluded table and ordered a first bottle of wine. It was a little Mediterranean, which we picked coincidentally. This gave Riley a chance to show off her Greek. Her eyes were electric as she spoke to the owner and regaled us with stories of her heritage. We ate a hearty meal, with her being able to link a story to each dish. Her love of family was another thing that made me feel she was perfect for us. I didn't want her to go back home, not even for a second, but I knew it was what she needed. One step closer to her living with us, permanently.

I suppose this is when I started thinking about 'closing the circle.' Riley and my little sister were bound to get hitched. The three siblings were married in our own kind of way, and I wondered how we might tie everything together. For now, I wanted Riley and Em to have their moment to themselves; earned by years of commitment to each other.

The night was filled with talk about Terry. During the day, we'd avoided the topic, but it soon became all we wanted to discuss.

We heard that our aunt was fine, and that the neurologist confirmed a diagnosis of epilepsy. Apparently, she'd experienced seizures before, which she first believed to be panic attacks. This revelation unsettled Mom, who felt she wasn't there when her sister needed her. It was all very complicated; on the one hand, Terry deserved our shunning, on the other, she was family.

"With these things, it can all get quite muddled," Mom explained, referring to the diagnosis. Yet, she could just as well have been talking about the scenario as a whole.

Everyone was happy to defer to the doctor. Instead of speculating about Terry's health, we moved on to talking about what came next. I asked, "When will she be discharged?"

"Tomorrow afternoon," Mom answered. "And... Well..."

My mother's stutters were characteristic of someone sitting on a tricky request. I cut into her mumbles, "You want her to come stay with us for a while?"

"I know she poses a real risk to us, but—"

Blake interrupted, "That doesn't matter. She's your sister, and our aunt, so there's no way we're not taking care of her. Even though I don't trust her, nor should any of you."