Old Wounds Ch. 04

"What's that Hun?" Mamma asked.

"I just saw Matt and Katie making out in the driveway," he laughed, causing me to stop dead in my tracks, not realizing anyone had seen.

"Eeeeeek!" Mamma squealed like a little girl while ambushing me with another hug. "I always knew it would happen. I always knew!"

"Mom, Dad, can you just relax for a sec?" Katie sighed, putting emphasis on the last syllable of relax.

"No I can not relax I've been dying for this to happen for years!" Mamma said.

"Ok well how do you know it's even happened yet?" Katie asked, "maybe we were just happy to see each other again?"

"Ha, yea, no, it was not that kind of kiss," her dad responded before laughing. "Sorry Kiddo, You's have been busted."

I was still frozen on my feet. It was obviously apparent her mom was excited and her dad was in no way angry, but as a guy, I couldn't help but feel impending doom at the thought of a girls dad catching me with my tongue in his daughters mouth. Just didn't sit right.

"On THAT note," Katie groaned, grabbing my hand and pulling me back towards the door. "We are leaving."

"Oh come on Kiddo we're just teasing, obviously we're happy for you guys. No reason to get all worked up," her dad offered trying to restore the peace.

"Sir I didn't mean for anything to look as bad as it did," I said, shrugging my hand away from Katie and offering it to her father.

"Oh can it Matt you couldn't have mad it look bad if you tried," he laughed, shaking my hand. "You know how we feel about you. Catching you macking on my daughter in my driveway is the last thing in the world I'm worried about. Hell I wouldn't have cared even it was the other one!"

"Uhhhhh," I stuttered, not sure how to respond to that.

"Oh calm down Matt I'm just teasin ya, I know you're a good kid, I'm just trying to have some fun with ya," he said as he clapped me on the back. "Now go, I'm sure Katie would rather be anywhere but here."

With that I hustled out the door and into the yard, trying to catch up with Katie who was almost to my truck at that point. She was moving quickly, but it didn't look like she was angry. It more looked like she just wanted to get out of there and away from the embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry about my parents," she said as soon as I opened the truck door.

"Don't worry about it Katie, you know they meant well."

"I know..." she sighed. "Just a little over the top hey?"

"Maybe a little, but they love you, and for some reason they love me, so it's really no big deal."

She didn't say anything back. She just grabbed my head and pulled me in for another deep kiss. I wasn't going to complain. She could kiss me as much as she wanted to. We had only shared a few so far, but I was quickly learning that I couldn't live without them for very long.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked as I fired up the truck.

"I don't care," she said, "we've got all day to do whatever you want, you're the one who just got home."

"Well, all day until tonight," I chuckled. "We've got the party tonight."

"You are not supposed to know about that!" Katie replied, clearly surprised.

"Your sister isn't good at keeping secrets," I laughed.

"That little..." she trailed off, clearly not really upset with Allison.

"Besides, the fuck else have we ever done when I come home? It's always a party," I said, trying to take some of the blame off Allison.

"Ok fine you're right," she allowed. "So, what do you want to do till then?"

"Uhhhhh," I stalled, trying to come up with something that didn't involve going to a bar, which was surprisingly hard to do in this town at this time of year. "Snowmobiling?"

"Oh I'm so in!" She squealed, giving me another kiss before hopping back out of my truck. "Go get your shit. I'll meet you at your house."

"I'll be ready," I laughed at her enthusiasm.

After watching her run through the snow back inside, I shifted the truck into reverse and pulled out of her driveway and headed towards my house. I did miss snowmobiling. It had been a few years since I'd gotten to ride since it seemed I was only ever home in the summer.

My ever calculating brain was trying to figure out the ride as I drove home. Where were we going to go? Anyone who snowmobiles knows the UP is snowmobile heaven. We could go pretty much wherever we want on them, and half the time in the winter we would ride them to school anyhow.

I was pulling in my driveway when I settled on an idea. A little trail riding mixed in with some back country. We couldn't be gone too long since we had the party and it was already around lunchtime. Plus, I figured if we stopped somewhere in the woods, me and Katie could get a chance to talk as well.

"Hey Ma," I said as I walked into the house, stopping to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey yourself," she greeted in kind. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

"Eh, still some figuring out to do, but I think everything's fine now," I shrugged, knowing she was going to rope me into telling her anyhow.

"What do you mean fine?"

"Allison wasn't mad at me, she was mad at Katie." I said as I walked towards the hall closet to pull out my snowmobile suit. "So I talked to Allison, then talked to Katie, and we avoided the entire problem."

"What was the problem going to be?" My mom asked, now clearly invested in the story the way all women seem to love gossip.

"She got asked out by someone and she was thinking of saying yes," I shrugged.

"So I take it Allison didn't like this guy?"

"No she likes him, she just figured he was the wrong guy for her," I explained, mentally preparing myself for my moms freak out when she heard the next part.

"So how'd you solve the problem?"

"I kissed her," I said as if it was no big deal. "Hey saying yes was going to be a problem for me too anyhow."

"How was her saying... WAIT WHAT?" She exclaimed as realization kicked in. "YOU KISSED HER?!"

"Well yea?" I said as if it was the only logical explanation. "Did you not hear what I said about what Allison was saying?"

"You kissed her?" My mom asked again in disbelief.

"Allison had a problem with that guy because he was the wrong guy for her. I had a problem with that guy because he wasn't me. Kissing her seemed to be a two birds one stone way of making her say no to him."

"Did she kiss you back?" My mom asked, slowly getting her brain back and realizing what I was saying.

"Like her life depended on it," I smirked.

"It's 'bout damn time," my mom said with a big smile as she got up to come hug me. "I've been rooting for you two for years."

"Apparently you aren't the only one," I laughed.

"I take it Allison knew she was thinking about saying yes and came to warn you?" She asked. "I'd imagine in her mind YOU were the right guy as well?"

"That about sums it up."

"Then I owe her a big hug next time I see her."

"I do too," I laughed.

**

I just about had all my gear out and ready by the time I saw not one, but two sleds pull up the yard. I instantly recognized both sleds, and both riders, and realized Allison must have wormed her way in to coming. My suspicions were confirmed a moment later when I stepped out onto the porch to great them.

"Look who I found and somehow couldn't get rid of!" Katie said with a laugh as she gestured towards her sister.

"Hey! I worked my magic to make this happen," she said, waving her hand between Katie and me. "Least you can do is let me tag along."

"Ever heard of alone time?" Katie laughed.

"With me? Nah. You're stuck with me," Allison joked back. "Plus, it's freezing, it's not like You's were gonna fuck in the woods or something."

"Allison!" Katie admonished her sister. "Ever heard of talking? There's a whole lot of new stuff going on here that me and Matt should probably talk about."

"Talk smalk, you can do that later. You both love each other anyways. What's there to figure out?"

"She's fine Katie," I chuckled. "We can talk later."

"Promise?" She pouted jokingly.

"Of course," I assured her, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. "She's right. There's a lot to talk about, but we're best friends first, so not much is going to be different."

"You're right," she agreed, kissing me again. "I'm just happy I get to do that now."

"Me too Katie... me too..." I sighed. "Let's enjoy the day and we can talk after the party."

"Sounds good to me," she said as I led the two of them inside.

"Runt!" I called up the stairs.

"I wish you wouldn't call him that," my mother sighed from the kitchen.

"Keep wishing," I laughed.

"What's up?" Kyle called back from the top of the stairs.

"Get your shit together."

"Get my shit together as in my life? Or physically get my shit together?" He asked with a laugh.

"Well, both," I laughed.

"Fair. What are we doing?" He asked.

"Sledding," I answered, once again admiring his willingness to blindly follow my lead.

"Alright gimme five!" He called back as he rushed to his room.

"That was nice of you to invite him," my mom said as I made my way back to the kitchen.

"He's a good kid. Never had an issue with him tagging along. Why start now?" I laughed.

I was surprised to find my mom completely calm, not freaking out and making a fuss over Katie. She must have figured she wants more details before she goes full freak out mode like Katie's parents.

**

The snowmobile ride went extremely well. Nobody got hurt, nobody got stuck (too bad), and we covered some good miles and found some good deep powder off the trails on the miles and miles of state land surrounding us.

While it was well below freezing out, none of us were frozen ourselves, but the wood stove in the barn that Mom must have lit when we left was a welcomed solace regardless.

Me and Kyle put our sleds on the rollers and wheeled them back to the corner of the shop where my dad had conveniently sloped the concrete and put a drain, knowing snowmobiles would be going there, so we didn't have to worry about brushing them off any before putting them up.

Katie and Allison originally had planned to come over here around five to help my mom cook for the party while Jack and Jason were supposed to take me out ice fishing or something else to keep me away until it was time for the party, but since I already knew about it phone calls were made and now Jack and Jason were going to swing by the rest of the crews houses, grab them, and head over here around six.

Already being at my house, you'd think the girls would just stay here for the party, but girls being girls, they just absolutely had to go home and get dressed for the occasion, which, I guess I couldn't blame them, because I planned on showering myself, so it was agreed upon that they would ride back, and I'd make my way over there to pick them up once I got done with my shower.

Most women take forever to get ready for absolutely anything, but luckily for me, both of them were almost as fast as I was at getting ready. One of the pluses of growing up running around with a group of guys, neither of them were girly girls on a regular basis. Sure, they could both dress up, put on some makeup, and stop any guys heart in any room with just a smile if they chose to, but on most days, for most occasions, they seemed to go for the simple no makeup, boots, and jeans look, which, mind you, could also stop any guys heart. They truly were both beautiful women.

Kyle and I finished putting our sleds up and made our way to the house while Katie and Allison rode home. Once I'd stepped inside and had my boots and snowmobile suit off and put up, I headed into the kitchen to see if Mom had anything else to say about me and Katie since we had a few minutes to spare.

"Oooohhhhhh yeaaaaa that smells great Ma," I groaned as the smell of ribs in the oven hit me. Usually we smoked them, but with the temperature outside that wasn't really an option, and we couldn't put it in the barn since we were going to be in there tonight, so the oven it was.

"Since when is ribs smelling good a surprise?" She laughed, "I could mess them up beyond repair but they'd still smell good."

"Did you mess them up?" I asked with a grin as I grabbed a glass and filled it with sweet tea from the fridge, setting myself up on a stool at the bar top.

"Have I ever?" She laughed again.

"Not that I can remember," I chuckled as I took a long pull from the tea. "What happened to spaghetti?"

"That was just a cover for the party, good thing you didn't look in the fridge in the garage," she laughed.

"So," she began as she turned to me after finishing adding something to the crock pot of Mac n cheese sitting on the counter. "You and Katie hey?"

"I don't know what it is yet Ma," I chuckled. "It just happened like four hours ago, if that."

"Well what do you want it to be?" She asked.

"Is it crazy to say marriage and children?" I asked with a smile. I hated talking about personal things with anyone but damn if the woman didn't have a way about her to get anyone to spill anything. "That's gotta be crazy right?"

"You've know her your whole life Matt. You've been best friends as long as anyone can remember. No, I wouldn't say that's crazy," she assured me with a smile. "Does this mean I get grandbabies?"

"Not tomorrow," I laughed. "But I think I hope so?"

"Just make her happy." She grinned before adding, "and keep her happy. That's the important part."

"You know I'd never do anything to make her unhappy," I said as I got up and rinsed my glass in the sink.

"I know," she said with a nod. "Now go get ready and go pick them up. I'll need help before too long."

"Yes ma'am," I laughed as I headed outside to start my truck so it could warm up while I showered.

**

The party was in full swing, but it wasn't one of our normal wild parties. My parents, Katie's parents, my Aunt and Uncle, a few cousins, and assorted grandparents were there as well. It was more like a large family picnic you'd have in the summer, but in our barn in the winter.

The wood stove had brought the barn up to around seventy degrees since it was well insulated, and while the women were inside cooking Kyle, my dad, Katie's dad, and I were all out in the barn, moving four wheelers, tool boxes, trucks, and anything else that could be moved out of the way so we'd have as much room as possible for everyone.

Kyle had fired up the plow truck and had plowed some of the yard around the barn, so we'd moved the fishing boat, snowmobiles, mine and Kyle's mud drag vehicles, and the fourwheelers outside. Kyle's truck that I was fixing up for him (that he didn't know about yet) stayed in the corner. When you see all the junk spread around, you'd be amazed it all fit in there, but since we stored everything as tucked away as we could, and it was a seventy by fifty barn, there was plenty of room. Honestly we probably didn't even need to move stuff, but we did anyways so people could kill around.

At some point in the night, everyone who knew how to play, which was everyone (including my six and ten year old cousins), had started playing euchre, so we'd half way organized an impromptu tournament, winning team take all, so everyone put in five dollars (my uncle obviously paid for the little kids), and we set up the brackets.

We decided on double elimination, drawing cards to decide what partner pair moved to which table to start, then using the bracket to determine after. Katie and I obviously paired together, and ever since this morning we'd seemed to be on the same wavelength, even more so than we usually were.

The beers were flowing, except for those driving home, they just sipped on one or two, and everyone was having a great time. Laughter was heard above the country music on in the background, even from those who were losing.

Jack and Jason were the first pair out, their heavily accented ribs at each other causing even more laughter from everyone else.

"Why'd ya play the left der bud? I already had it with my king?" Jason scolded his brother.

"Oh for cryin out sideways Jason you know I'm 'bout near Cooter Brown I thought ya laid off der." Jack laughed, clearly drunk. Hell, he was drunk when he showed up.

"I don't care if ya are Cooter Brown, three sheets to the wind, or absolutely belted ya oughta know what the pictures on da cards are ya idiot!" Jason laughed back.

It's a good thing Jason was only two or three beers in so he could drive them home. Even though they were the first out, they weren't mad about it. Figuring Jack should probably get on home, they bid their goodbyes, hugged my mom and thanked her for the food, and headed out the door.

Little by little pairs started getting eliminated and heading home until it was just me and Katie, my mom and my dad, Kyle and Allison, and Todd and Danny left in the tournament.

Katie and I had just beaten her parents, sending them home, when she leaned over to me and whispered in my ear.

"I'll give you two hundred kisses if we win this thing, so play right," she breathed with a slight chuckle.

"And what will ya give me if we lose?" I grinned back.

"Probably still two hundred kisses, but don't be a spoil sport," she giggled.

I hadn't had a kiss from her all night. We hadn't said anything to anyone, so to everyone else, it was business as usual for us until we had a chance to actually sit down and talk about it.

"I'll drive you home after this, and we can have our talk," I smiled at her as my mom and dad sat down to play us.

It was a really good game, very few mistakes on either side, I named trump when we were both in the barn, and Katie had the left I just somehow knew she had, leading us to take three and win the game.

"It's like you two are the same person," my dad laughed as he got up. "Making calls that could only possibly work if your partner has the exact right cards, and somehow, the other always seemed to have the right cards."

"We're definitely in a groove tonight," I grinned. "We ain't done winnin yet either!"

"Well goodnight You's, we're headed to bed. Make sure everyone gets home safe hey?" Dad said as he shook my hand and made his way towards the door with Mom in tow.

Right around the same time we were finishing beating my parents, Kyle and Allison were beating Todd and Danny. Everyone had been drinking, but since it had been a rather tame party, more of a family and friends outing, nobody was really over the legal limit, well, except for Jack, but he'd been a sixer up on arrival since he did wind up going ice fishing.

With a hand shake and a fist bump, Danny and Todd headed for home, taking my beater truck with a promise to bring it back in the morning since they'd rode over with the twins who had already left.

In hindsight, we should have had Danny and Todd stick around a few minutes longer to give Allison a ride home since me and Katie planned on talking, but that might have looked suspicious so we thought better of it at the time.

I got really lucky in the game against Kyle and Allison for the championship. We were down six to nine, and Kyle turned up a jack. I passed on it, Allison passed on it, as did Katie, and to everyone's surprise, so did Kyle. I just so happened to have a lay down loner in clubs. Left, right, ace, king, and an off suit ace to back it up, so obviously I named clubs trump, laid down all five, and laughed as everyone stared at it in shock.

Katie and I should have lost that game. It's hard to come back four points when your opponent is in the barn, so Kyle and Allison were already counting dollar signs, and rightfully so. Though I did have to steal their thunder and made a big show of getting up and going to grab the stack of fives and tens from the workbench and started counting it.

"Fucker," Kyle laughed as he got up and threw his empty beer in the can. I'd given him one once our parents went to bed.

"Don't think you can just beat me Runt, you've gotta work for it," I laughed back. "Headed to bed?"