Chapter 5
I got off the bed and washed my hands in the sink before going back to the ersatz bed and stripping the sheets off of it, throwing them and my clothes in the hamper to be laundered. I then went into the bathroom and took a shower, muttering to myself as I washed off.
Idiot. I couldn't even begin to guess how horrified Alexa would have been if she'd witnessed my moronic behaviour.
It occurred to me that I was more worried by her reaction than I was about my parents', seemingly. Where the hell had that come from?
I finished and dried off, putting on a new set of sheets before resolutely turning on some video games and playing for about two hours. I needed to get my head together.
This had been a very strange day.
***
"There you are," my mom said, smiling at me as I came from the basement. "Your timing for meals, as always, borders on prescient."
"Yeah, thanks. I'm the Kwisatz Haderach of food." I mumbled. "What's tonight's fare?"
"I had to think it through," mom admitted, still working on one of the pans she was cooking in. "I had to remember that my sister's lived in Europe pretty much her whole life and their diet is considerably different from ours, even when they eat the same foods."
"Yeah, I guess," I mused. "They go for generally smaller portions and aren't so heavy on the greasy food, are they?"
"My thoughts too," mom agreed. "So we're having poached saffron salmon with roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus."
"Sounds awesome!" I said, grinning. I loved every single thing she'd mentioned, so this would be great. "Where's dad?"
"Sent him to the liquor store," she replied, checking the steaming baskets. "White wine goes with salmon, so I sent him to get a Riesling or a Gewurtztraminer, whichever one appealed."
I laughed. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to impress your little sister."
She blushed slightly. "Maybe a little. While I love where we live, darling, I don't want her to think we're provincial."
"I somehow doubt she thinks that," I said cheerfully. "You gonna wake her up?"
"Oh, I can't," mom replied, still hustling around the kitchen. "Not done yet, would you be a dear and go get her?"
I nodded, secretly pleased that mom had asked, since I didn't want to volunteer and seem eager. I headed upstairs and knocked on the door to my former room, which was slightly ajar.
"Alexa?" I called gently, hoping she could hear me. I rapped on the door with my knuckle again. "Alexa?"
No response. Unsure of what to do, I pushed the door open slightly and peered in.
The sun was still out but westering, allowing enough like to come through my shades to give the room some illumination. She was still passed out as I'd left her, sleeping peacefully. I watched as her chest rose and fell, her magnificent bust drawing my eyes.
I took a chance and slipped quietly into the room, praying she didn't have a bad panic reflex or anything. I crept up to my- her bed, and knelt down next to her, giving her arm a gentle nudge.
"Alexa?" I said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Alexa, it's me, Alex. Time to wake up for dinner."
She shifted slightly and let out a little moan in her sleep before slowly rolling onto her side. I waited for several seconds before giving her arm another gentle squeeze, calling her name. Slowly, her eyes opened, looking at me for a few moments before she smiled.
"Alex," she murmured in that lovely voice. "Hi..."
"Hi, sleepyhead," I said cheerfully, glad she was finally awake and I no longer had to feel like a creepy stalker. "Think you're ready for some dinner? Mom tried to cook Euro-style for you."
"Oh, well that was kind of her," she said as she sat up, rubbing at her eye. She yawned and stretched, forcing me to look at her burgeoning bosom again while she did so. She opened her eyes and looked at me, cocking her head. "You changed clothes."
"Oh, uh, yeah," I said, realizing she was indeed right. "I kinda took my own nap in the basement in my clothes and I was a little rumpled, so I put on some new stuff."
"Oh, well," she mused, sitting up straighter and looking down at herself. "I slept in mine, should I change as well?"
"Doubt it," I said, trying not to stare. "Your shirt is unlikely to rumple and I doubt those jeans will, either."
She smiled. "Are they a little too tight or immodest?" she asked.
"Not at all, you look great." I replied, meaning it.
"Thanks, Alex, it's nice to have someone compliment you and know they mean it, isn't it?" she declared, standing. "I'll just do my hair quickly, make sure I don't have bed head."
"Okay, I'll go tell mom you're on your way." I said, heading to the door.
"Oh, Alex, stay," she almost pleaded, looking at me. "It'll only take a minute and, well, to be honest, I'm not terribly interested in being alone right now. So much has happened recently, even just having someone stay with me while I do my hair feels wonderful."
"Sure, no problem." I said, waiting for her. Since I'm a guy and don't have an appropriate mirror in my room, she asked me to lead her to the bathroom where she could utilize the big mirror there. I waited by the door while she brushed out her hair and then pulled it back in a queue. She then smirked at me and winked, mouthing the words 'stay there' as she closed the door. About a minute later, I heard the toilet flush and she was washing her hands. When she emerged from the bathroom, she smiled at me and turned around, like a model might.
"So, how do I look?" she asked.
"Like you stepped off the runway at some place I've never been to." I replied, causing her to giggle and give my arm a gentle pinch. She then wiggled her way down the stairs, allowing me to watch her glorious, toned butt the whole way down. We made our way to the kitchen and she skipped up and hugged my mother and father when she saw them. They both hugged her back readily.
It occurred to me that this was a really big deal for my mother and by default for my father as well. This was an important piece of my mother's life that was slowly being re-introduced and possibly healing. It was certainly a bigger issue than me losing my dumb room. The epiphany made me resolve to not be selfish about this anymore. My family was going to be whole and happy.