The Switch Pt. 04

Author's Notes:

All characters in the story are 18 and older. This is a story about incest between a brother and a sister. If that's not what you are here for, I suggest you not read any further. Also, to understand what is going on, I recommend starting from Chapter 1 if you just found this story.

I would also like to thank Writersblock22 for the edits and rush of getting this back to me.

Sorry for the extremely long wait between chapters. I really am. The last year has been one of the most challenging times of my life. From the accident to rehab (twice), I'm finally feeling myself again. Well, somewhat. My pinky on my left hand still doesn't respond as I would like, but it's slowly improving. Most of all, I would like to thank everyone who reached out to me during my time away. Your support and comforting words are what made me want to finish this and not quit. Thank you all again!

To all my readers and followers, I hope you enjoy it.

Happy reading!

Chapter 4

"This is he. Who is this?" I asked, not recognizing the man's voice.

"It's Matt."

"Where's Annie?" I demanded.

"I don't know, but...."

"How in the hell do you not know? Where's my Dad? Tu es imbécile" I cut Matt off, furious that he was the one calling me back, not knowing where she was.

"Je ne suis pas un imbécile. Calme-toi et laisse-moi t'expliquer.," Matt replied, startling me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you that. Please explain," I said, switching back to English. Matt's French was clearly better than mine, but I was impressed with myself for understanding what he said without processing it.

"She was granted a paid sabbatical and left yesterday on her way back to Paris."

"How is she even able to travel abroad?" I asked.

"She mapped out a route of countries that would allow her entry--some by plane, others by bus, car, and train. I reviewed the route she emailed me before she left, and it shouldn't take her longer than a week to arrive in Paris."

"Give me her phone number," I asked aggressively.

"It's 609-555-1212. Call me back after you talk to her," Matt rattled off the number so fast I almost missed it.

"Ok, bye," I hung up the phone and dialed the number immediately.

"Hi, it's Annie. I'm sorry I can't answer the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number, I will return your call. Thanks," her cheerful tone wasn't present, as in her previous recordings, but just hearing her voice gave me hope.

"Annie, it's me. Please call me back as soon as you get this. My number is +33 2 9 55 22 11 11. I love you so much," I hung up just before I broke down. It took another ten minutes before I could compose myself enough to call Matt back.

"What did she say?" Matt asked, answering the phone.

"She didn't answer. I tried calling her back a few times, but she must not have a signal," I lied, not wanting him to know I was so distraught for not reaching my sister.

"She'll call you back as soon as she gets the voicemail, I guarantee it," Matt spoke confidently and matter-of-factly. "I see that you've been learning some French."

"I've been staying busy, trying to keep my mind occupied. It's definitely been a stressful few months. Sorry, I couldn't call."

"Don't worry about that. You went through hell, and I can't even imagine having to go through that. I'm just glad you're out," Matt sounded sorry for me.

"What?" I asked.

"Just so you know, nobody other than your Dad, me, and Bryan know about you and Annie. When your Mom called and told Bryan what you and Annie were up to, he came straight to me with the news, and that's as far as it went," Matt sounded happy for us. "You still have your job, by the way, and you have been getting paid this entire time."

"That's cool, but did you say 'you're glad I'm out?" I asked to double-check that I heard him right.

"Yes, out of jail. Didn't you just get out?" It was Matt's turn to sound confused.

"I haven't been in jail. I never went. They had to release me because they didn't have the staffing or a place for me to go. I've been staying with the doctor who cared for me in the hospital. Wait, Annie thinks I'm in jail?"

"Yes, that's what they told her when she called the station. Why didn't you call?" Matt asked in bewilderment.

"I didn't have her phone number. Otherwise, I would have," I said defensively.

"Ummmm," the way Matt hummed really got under my skin.

"I DIDN'T HAVE HER GODDAMN NUMBER, MATT!" I yelled. "Or a way to get a hold of her. How could I just call her? " I said while trying to take a few deep breaths to try to calm myself.

"You could've called headquarters. They would have transferred you to her," Matt responded tentatively.

I dropped the phone with the realization. How could I be so stupid? I wasn't old enough for the tightness in my chest to be a concern, and since I hadn't taken a breath in what felt like five minutes, I went with the assumption that it was a lack of air causing the pain in my chest.

"Alex, are you still there?" I barely heard Matt's voice come through the phone's speaker in my lap.

"Yes, tell my Dad I will call him back later, and thanks for flying up. Thanks, Matt, talk to you later," I said and hung up the phone. My previous anxiety wasn't even in the same realm as what I was feeling now.

"Fuck, fuck, fuuuuck!" I screamed out. The destructive rage that coursed through my veins was a new feeling for me, and I despised it. I had never felt so disgusted and embarrassed with myself in my short life. Even if they weren't there to witness it, the Paris police were victorious over me. I had let the anger and animosity I had for them control me and my thoughts.

"Alex, what can I do to help you?" The soft voice of Belle's carried up the stairs.

"Just a minute, please," I replied, holding back the tears. The tantrum I just threw was most likely the culprit for the attention I was receiving from Belle. She wasn't one to pry or ask questions, but she would offer an ear to someone in need.

Finally able to control myself, I headed to the main house to let them know I was okay.

"Alex, veux-tu nous rejoindre pour un verre de vin?" Arthur asked, holding up an empty glass and bottle of wine.

"Oui je voudrais," I replied.

Over the last month, I enjoyed sitting with them on the patio and having a glass of wine. The air was still cool, but the sun kept it pleasant--nothing like the Florida weather I had experienced over the past four years. Wine wasn't my drink of choice, hell, it wasn't even my eighth drink of choice. If I had to put it on a scale, I would place it last. The often bitter flavor that seemed to linger in your mouth entirely too long was an acquired taste, and that's what I had done since sitting with them in the courtyard. Being the only alcohol I could get my hands on helped me appreciate the aroma much faster.

"Sorry for the outburst earlier," I said after unconventionally downing the entire glass of wine.

"Alex, please don't apologize. We certainly understand that you've been under an eminence amount of stress. I'm saddened that your call wasn't what you hoped for, but if we can assist you in any way, please let us do so," Arthur said.

"There's nothing that can be done. The Paris authorities told Annie I was in jail, and over the past couple of months, she has been planning a route to get back to Paris. With the travel restrictions the way they are right now, it will take her a week to get to Paris," I sounded defeated.

"When she arrives, we will go and retrieve her immediately, I promise," Belle said, flustered on my behalf.

"I know, it's not that," I reassured Belle. "I'm pissed with myself for not thinking. When I talked to Matt today, he's the guy that referred me to my job. He asked me why I had not just called headquarters and had them transfer me to Annie. I can't believe that I had not thought of that," just repeating the words reignited the anger. "Fuck!" I cursed out.

Not wanting them to see me cry, I swiftly popped up from my chair and darted back to the apartment. I needed to be alone. The hatred I had toward myself had a greater intensity now that I had time to process my ignorance. Just looking in the mirror sickened me as I paced the floor throughout the house.

"Hello?" I answered the phone in a panic, having run across the flat hearing the phone ring.

"Hey, Alex, it's Dad. Have you connected with Annie yet?"

"No. Have you?"

"I haven't either. From what I've been reading online, it can be difficult to connect to cell towers. The fix seems to be restarting your phone until it finally connects or jumping onto a local wifi," Dad stated.

"Dad, I'm so disgusted with myself, I really don't want to talk on the phone. I know it's not your fault, but it seems everyone I speak to just has more sense than I do, and it's discouraging."

"If you need to talk, please call me. She'll call soon. Love you, son," I could hear the sincerity in my father's voice.

"Love you too," I said and hung up the phone.

She didn't call soon, and I panicked just a little more with each passing day. It was killing me inside to know she was out there alone and heading to a place I hadn't resided in quite some time. By the end of the week, I was in full meltdown mode and had completely isolated myself from everyone, including Matt and my father. How I was still functioning on the ten or eleven hours of sleep was a mystery.

"Alex, I brought you something. Would you like me to bring it up or leave it on the stairs?" Belle asked from the first riser.

"Please, just leave it. Thank you," I said, managing to keep my voice from cracking.

"If we can do anything, please let us know. Also, everything will be okay," Belle waited for me to respond, but I never did, and she left after a few moments.

I wasn't in the mood to eat, but having not eaten all week, the aroma of her homemade soup caused my stomach to growl. Only able to last another two minutes smelling the bouillabaisse, I made my way down the stairs and grabbed the large porcelain bowl. After searing my lips with the first taste, I sat impatiently, waiting for it to cool down. My hunger intensified with each passing second until I could wait no longer and started in. The first several spoonful's were torture, but I managed to eat the entire dish in minutes.

"Man, I needed that," I said aloud, flopping down in the recliner to let my food settle and hoping for a slight rush of energy. It was just after midnight, and even though I needed the nourishment and calories, they did very little in giving me any extra boost. It only accelerated my body to shut down and forced me to sleep without knowing.

"ALEX!" Arthur shouted, causing me to roar back to life and jump from the recliner.

"Yes!," I answered, startled and confused as to why he was shouting at me.

"Annie is on the phone!," he stated.

Having paced by the phone at least a million times, waiting and hoping for her call, I found myself almost running in a circle, befuddled about what to do and where to go.

"Alex, it's right here," Arthur picked up the handset and held it out for me to regain my composure.

"Annie?" I asked in a frenzy.

"Oh my god, Alex!" She sounded relieved and on the verge of crying.

"Yes, baby, it's me," I said, but she couldn't contain her emotions and broke down in response. "Are you okay? Where are you at? Please don't cry," I rambled everything in one continuous sentence.

"Yes, baby, I'm okay, and I'm trying not to cry," She said between sniffles.

"Are you in Paris? I'm not there anymore, but I can be there in a couple of hours. Just tell me where you're at, and I will come to get you," again I babbled, unable to control myself.

"I know. I just got all of your emails. I'm in Saarbrücken, Germany. It's a town right on the border of France. I've been here for a week in quarantine and have another week to go before they let me into France...."

"Another week? That's bullshit!" I cursed, cutting Annie off.

"I know, but I've tried everything, and they still won't let me leave," Annie cried out.

"Fuck!" I let my emotions get the best of me as I paced back and forth.

"Baby, please relax. I know you're mad, and trust me, I am too, but there's nothing that can be done. I'm safe, and they're feeding us surprisingly well," Annie giggled through the last part of her statement.

"Us?" I asked.

"Yes, there are actually quite a lot of people here. One of them lives in France and is just trying to get home to his family. He's the only one that speaks very little English that I'm aware of. It's sad to hear them crying at night when they think everyone is sleeping."

"I'm just glad you're safe. I've been worried sick, and I'm sorry...." I took a deep breath in an effort not to cry.

"Baby, don't be. I can only imagine what you have been going through. I'm so happy that you're not in prison. Those pieces of shit, uggggg!" Annie followed my lead and filled her lungs with extra oxygen, trying to calm herself. "Let's not allow them anymore sadness in our lives. We will be together again soon enough, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it," Annie sounded confident and proud.

"That's Goddamn right!" I kept her same enthusiasm.

"I love you so much, baby. Do you mind if I eat my dinner?" Annie asked

"Of course. I love you too. Will you call me back when you're done eating?"

"I was talking about while we're on the phone. I know you hate when people eat on the phone," Annie said with a smile in her voice.

"Oh, it's fine. I don't mind at all. You said you're having dinner?" I asked.

"Yes, they're usually here by five, but I was so caught up in reading all your emails I never noticed they hadn't come through yet,"

"What the hell time is it?" I asked but looked at the clock for myself. "Holy shit, six o'clock," I was stunned.

"Did you just wake up?" Annie giggled.

"Yes, apparently, I slept almost eighteen hours."

"Wow. Have you not been sleeping well?" Annie questioned.

"Not really. I've been restless with everything going on in the last week," I admitted.

"Puis-je vous apporter autre chose?" I heard the woman ask Annie.

"Ummm, thank you," Annie replied, not knowing what else to say.

"She's asking if you need anything else," I said.

"Oh, I would really love some water," Annie rattled off.

"Ummm, Je suis désolé, je ne comprends pas."

"Put the phone on speaker," I told Annie.

"Okay, I have it on speaker."

"Peut-elle avoir un peu d'eau supplémentaire?" I asked for the extra water.

"Bien sûr bien sûr. Je vais aller le récupérer tout de suite," she sounded relieved that she was able to help Annie.

"Holy crap, you speak French?" Annie sounded thrilled.

"Just a little bit."

"A little bit, my ass! That was awesome. Will you teach me?" Annie asked.

"Belle is the teacher, damn sure not me. But, I'm sure she'll be delighted to teach you," I laughed.

"I can't wait to meet them. I bet they're wonderful," Annie sighed happily.

"They are," I agreed.

I went on to tell her how I learned the language and was shocked to have picked it up so quickly. We talked about everything that had been happening in the past few months and how sorry I was for being so stupid. Neither of us wanted to get off the phone, and I ended up having to hang up the phone after listening to her sleep for twenty minutes after she unexpectedly fell asleep.

Having Annie back in my life calmed me, and as much as I wanted to hold her in my arms, just being able to talk to her was enough to hold me over for now. With eighteen consecutive hours of sleep under my belt, I set out for the woodshop to finish the project I had started for her. I knew I wouldn't be able to finish it in one night, but with her arrival imminent, I needed to work swiftly but also carefully.

Following Arthur's directions to a tee, I began the tedious process of hand sanding each piece. It was a crucial part of ensuring all the hard work you had done wasn't wasted because the finish was poor. I started with the lower grit sandpaper and worked my way up to the finer grits. It all had to be done by hand in order to maintain the curves and not remove too much wood.

"Bonjour, Alex," Arthur said, startling me as he greeted me.

"Bonjour," I replied, stepping back and taking in all the work I had done. "Quelle heure est-il?"

"Presque neuf."

"Wow! I can't believe it's nine in the morning," I switched back to English, shocked that it was already nine.

"What's the plan for this wonderful day?" Arthur smiled.

"I should probably go in the garden and do the chores I have been slacking on. Sorry about that, by the way," I wanted to apologize for my lack of effort over the last week.

"Please don't be. It's not something you have to do."

"It's the least I can do after everything you have done for me and the money you have spent on me. I will pay you back, by the way, as soon as I get my bank card," I reassured Arthur.

"Your money is no good here. I will not accept it. Please don't even try," Arthur chuckled.

"Fine, but you can't stop me from doing my chores," I smiled. "But before I do, I'm going to grab a quick nap. Will you please call me if you don't see me in the next few hours? I don't want to sleep too long," I knew if I did, I would be in the same predicament I was in now, and being up all night did me no favors.

"I sure will. See you in a bit," Arthur replied.

After a quick shower, I closed the blinds and crawled into bed. Even without Annie next to me, I noticed my underlining irritation over the past couple of months wasn't there. I thought I did well hiding it from Belle and Arthur, but the small things didn't harass my thoughts anymore. It wasn't anything that either of them did, but I would find myself getting extremely impatient with learning French, woodworking, and the garden. They were all petty, and now, with a free mind, I lay here remembering the first time I let my emotions get the best of me.

It was our eighteenth birthday, and Annie showed up to our party an hour late wearing a skirt that was entirely too short, and the edge of her V-neck barely covered the edges of her areolas. I made her change her shirt after catching the first glimpse of her hardened nipples when she leaned over shortly after arriving. There was no way I would allow some of my perverted friends to see them. With Annie being overly attractive, I'm sure that most of them had already jerked off thinking of her, and the thought of them adding her nipples to their spank bank wasn't going to happen on my watch.

Her facial expression confused me at the time. She looked at me as if she had disappointed me when I whispered aggressively in her ear, "I just saw both of your nipples!" My tone wasn't pleasant. In fact, it was downright hateful, and thinking back now, I realize that I ruined her whole day. Annie wasn't as bouncy as she usually was afterward, and she did more to make the day more about me and less about her. I lied to myself then. It wasn't my perverted friends she had to worry about, it was me. I was the one pleasuring myself a few days later, and just before my release, the image of her breast flashed into my memory, giving me my best orgasm to date.

"Alex, it's noon," Arthur called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Would you like to have lunch with us?"

"Thanks. Yes, I will be over in just a few minutes," I said, startled and confused by his sudden voice. I had drifted off to sleep without even knowing it!

"Bonjour," I answered the phone just before walking down the stairs to the door.

"Can I please speak to Alex?" Annie asked.

"Hey, babe, it's me," I smiled, just hearing her voice.

"Oh, Hi, baby. Whatcha doing?" Annie asked happily.

"I was heading over to the main house for lunch, but I would much rather talk to you. Give me just a minute to tell them so," I said.