Damon

Catherine came back with some clothes from one of his uncles as promised. She didn't barge into the bathroom, much to my regret.

And before you perverted folks could even think of something, well, perverted, I would like to point out that she missed a couple of items.

She forgot that I, like any other human being would like to provide comfort to uh...

Yeah.

I have nothing against going commando. Heck,I prefer going commando. But it was hardly ideal to wear nothing other than pants on somebody else' home.

Her uncles must really like me.

I mean come on.

Letting me deliver a cow. Providing me clothes.

Nice folks.

You've got to hand it to her uncle for owning a mint green polo shirt.

And letting me borrow that mint. green. polo shirt.

A soft knock came from the door as I was carefully zipping my pants.

"Are you dressed?"

Catherine stood at the partly opened door, half of her body ready to run just in case she saw me inappropriately dressed. Huh. If only she knew.

I took a deep breath before looking down. I told you I don't mind. But if she knew, it would be embarrassing for her. I swear the woman's too innocent for her own good.

I turned around and gave her a smile. Seeing no reason to panic,she opened the door wider and approached me,circling me as she inspected her relatives' choice of clothing.

"I know. I look great."

She stopped just behind me and gave me a pat on the back.

"Well Damon." she stood on her tip toes and placed her head on my shoulder, her nose almost touching the side of my neck. "you look divine."

I know she's smiling. And I was tempted to look back at her but turning around would be bringing my face closer to hers. I've been close enough before. Countless times.

Sometimes,I lay awake at night and remind myself why I was sent here.

For her.

Just to be there for her. Not with her.

We both have jobs and it would be stupid to follow her around. This isn't some sick story about a guy with nothing else to do than piss a girl off.

So I try to do the best I can when we're at home. Cook for her. All the gentle-manly ways my mother used to tell me on how to treat a woman. She never experienced it herself so she made me promise to do it when I get the chance.

And I was doing it for Catherine.

I gave up on stopping myself and turned my head to face her.

"And you smell goo-"

sh*t

She chose that time to come closer and sniff me. Sniff me. And I turned my head and-

she quickly stepped back, her hands covering her lips.

We just stared at each other. For Pete's sake we're adults. We've both done it before. We're not children.

"I-I'm sorry."

sh*t.

She lowered her hands and started touching her lips with her fingertips than looked at them. She lifted her gaze and she had this scared expression on her face.

"Is it bleeding?"

I frowned before fully turning to her. Bleeding?

I lifted her chin slightly and took a good look at her mouth. Why was she even asking.

"What. No." I moved away just enough to keep my eyes off her lips.

Her face looked just as confused as mine. It was almost like a lightbulb lit up on top of her head when she finally caught on to what I thought we just did.

"O-oh. No. We didn't. Your chin hit my mouth. You kis- that- it was my nose." I turned to see her looking at her hands. I don't like it when she looks at her hands that way.

I have a feeling she does this when she feels unwanted.

I slowly took her hands and placed them on my chest. With one hand holding them both,I lifted her chin again and really looked at her mouth. Lifting a hand, I lighlty touched her bottom lip with my thumb. It was on the inner part of her bottom lip that I saw a little bit of blood.

"Does it hurt, bonbon?" I whispered as she shook her head slightly.

"I must have bit into it. You have a sharp chin." she said all this with my thumb still on her bottom lip.

This feels so familiar. Something about a hotdog.

"You're not going to ruin this this time." her eyes widened as I leaned towards her.

"Alright alright. Enough of you two. Separate. Separate." a pair of hands carefully moved Catherine's away from mine and I turned to see her mother looking at us.

"You look great Damon." she smiled then grabbed Catherine's hand. "Come along. You're helping your aunts downstairs." Catherine didn't even dare look my way as she was practically dragged out of the room.

Her mom took one look at my pants before taking a turn to the stairs.

Oh god.

She knows.

***
Catherine

"Where did you meet him?"

I was peeling a potato when one of my uncles's wives nudged my shoulder. I looked around to see the women taking interest on what I was going to say.

"I-uh...on a grocery store." they nodded. I can't tell I was out to get drunk and was almost killed now,can I?

I thought it was over but another question was thrown my way.

"Is that a thing you young folks do now? No commitment just fooling around?"

"We're friends." my face was beginning to burn and peeling these potatoes were hard. I'd rather focus on the potatoes really.

"We're friends."

"That's what I said when I was asked about Al." they all laughed and I was almost tempted to bury my face in peeled potatoes.

"Now ladies. Leave her be. I'm sure she knows what stage they're in right now."

I turned to my mother as she checked on the pasta at the stove. "What stage?"

One of them stopped chopping and pointed her knife at me. "You know,the I-hate-him stage. Then the he's-kinda-nice stage."

"Then there's the I-want-to-know-him-more stage."

"He's-not-so-bad-after all stage."

"The I-think-I -like-him stage."

"The I-like-him stage."

"Then the baby making stage."

They all took turns on telling me all these stages and the last one almost made the peeler slip from my hands.

"Vivian, that's too soon." then they all looked at me expectantly.

"We're just friends!" I grumpily threw the last potato on the bowl and they all smiled at me. I'm one of the older children. It would be nice if they treated me like one. Although this is quiet a change since we rarely talk and I rarely joke around with them.

"Trust me Aunt Viv, they really are just friends."

Everybody turned towards the doorway as Audrey made her way to the fridge. She decided that she wanted to play hostess and get some wine for the men on the living room. I wonder if Damon's there.

That was one close encounter we had there. I remember that one time on how he made the wounds on my neck...would he...

"How can you tell?" my mom placed the drained pasta on the table and started putting another pan on the stove.

"She's not his type." she said this while catwalking her way out.

"I swear Elise,that child of yours..." Aunt Vivian shook her head as she wiped her hands.

I couldn't look at my mom. We both know this is normal. And we try not to make a big deal out of it. I overheard them talking about this before.

She needs to let Audrey know she's the older one,Elise. We can't keep disciplining both of them.

So they just kind of like stayed out of it. Besides,everybody knows it gets ugly when people try nosing in. She gets louder and I try covering my ears.

I don't like arguments. Especially with her. I'm being the mature one here and they know it.

***
Dinner was awkward. Well for me. I think this was done on purpose.

"Eat bonbon." Damon pointed a fork at my plate before continuing his conversation with Uncle Joe.

Once they found out that Damon owned a bike, that's all they've been talking about. All the big boys stuff.

I didn't even dare join the conversation.

"How have you been?" I turned to my left. Glen was holding his fork and we probably looked like children trying to eat veggies.

"I've bee doing great. You?" I wasn't even making eye contact.

"I missed you." he murmured,just enough for me to hear while Audrey was in the bathroom and the others were too occupied to notice.

Well okay.

I almost jumped when I felt a hand on my thigh,near my knee. I whipped my head to see Damon still talking about the Garage. I eyed his hand now resting on the sunflowers at the bottom of my dress.

"You're with my sister now." I whispered back, with every word, I tried moving my leg away from mint green dude but he kept his hold and decided to place his bare foot over mine. People didn't seem to mind.

"It's different." I turned my attention to Glen who was now looking at me with what looked like a face of misery. I didn't get to answer when Audrey made her way back to her sit, beside Glen.

I was relieved when Damon finally removed his hand. His foot though...

I glared at the back of his head as it started moving on mine.

Is he trying to play footsie with me?

"Catherine ,will you pass me the pasta?"

I smiled and made a deal of standing up,slightly stepping on his foot on the process. The table shook as his knee hit the bottom of the table. I passed my aunt the pasta and looked innocently at him.

"You alright?"

He tried smiling at me and gave me a quick nod. "Yyup."

***

"You need spare parts,you call me."

I've been sitting on the passenger seat for a while now and they're still talking on their way out.

My aunts took their time hugging him. Audrey and Glen left a little after dinner when nobody seemed to take interest on his line of work.

He had a private talk with my dad before we all decided to head out.

When the car's door finally opened,he had a big grin on his face.

"Your dad talked to me."

He threw his dried clothes at the back and started the engine.

"Guess what, bonbon?"

I turned to him,his eyes on the road.

"What?"

"He got my name right."