Always with You (WIth You Trilogy) (25 page)

“You’ll love them,” Ian smirked, prompting me to shake my head at him.

For a vegetarian, Adam ate very little food of the green variety.

“Don’t listen to him,” Jason laughed. “Me and Ben cooked them every year at Christmas when we were younger. The only way they’re even remotely edible is if you wrap them in a slice of streaky bacon and that’s not really an option for you.”

“Jesus, why have we never thought of that?” Ian grinned, slapping his palm against his forehead. “You’re helping cook this year.”

Ian hadn’t even asked Jason if he was coming, he just assumed he was because Jason was a part of us now. Remembering back to the awkward situation last year had me grinning with how times had changed. A year previously, the idea of having Jason around my brothers was torturous but now they just treated him like a friend who they occasionally threatened to dismember for touching me. The threats carried little weight these days and I actually loved spending time with them together because there was little to no tension left.

“Alright but only if Jamie makes dessert,” Jason answered with his own million-dollar smile.

“Deal,” I smiled
, already in heaven thinking about having the family together two years in a row, only this time the family had grown and Jason was most definitely becoming a part of it.

***

The next morning, Ian was still in a great mood as the four of us sat around the kitchen table. It was contagious and the smiles spread like wildfire. Ian made us eggy bread and I was happy to let him cook because he was so good at it.

“Finished, Jellybean?” Ian asked, motioning to my empty plate.

I nodded and licked my lips, savouring the last of the delicious morsels.

“Alright. Wash up, will you?”
He grinned, tugging gently on the ends of my ponytail before planting a kiss on my forehead and heading up the stairs.

I grinned to myself as I collected the dishes. He’d asked me to wash up, not demanded. I knew he expected me to do it anyway but I appreciated the gesture. It was only fair seeing as he cooked. Adam dried and we were done in no time. He seem
ed so happy after being invited slash ordered to our house for Christmas. I couldn’t imagine growing up with no real family at all. We weren’t a conventional family but we were still a family filled with love, a family which would embrace Adam with open arms.

“Right, you three,” Ian pointed at us, coming back down the stairs. “Outside.”

“Yes, sir,” Adam drawled with a laugh.

I was surprised to see that Ian just winked at him. Even Jason looked pleasantly surprised that Ian didn’t mind.

“What for?” I prompted, already following them out.

Ian didn’t reply, instead he motioned to a cobalt blue car parked in the driveway.

“We going somewhere?” I frowned at him.

“Maybe,” Ian shrugged. “That’s up to you.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, wondering what he meant. Ian just grinned and motioned me closer to the car. I obliged and approached the very shiny looking car which I assumed he’d rented for some purpose.

“Volvo V40,” Ian explained.

“Okay…” I hesitated, looking to Jason to see if he knew what Ian was up to. It appeared he did not.

“Safest car in its class,” he continued. “Like the colour?”

“Um, yes?” I replied, my confusion growing by the minute.

“Good,” he nodded with a
grin, tossing the keys at me.

I scrambled and caught them at the last second, still not really cottoning on.
“Ian, you know I can’t drive,” I frowned, holding them out for him to take.

He gave me a condescending look, like I was being stupid for pointing out something he already knew.
Clearly I was missing something here.

“I thought it was about time you learnt,” Ian shrugged eventually.

“What?” I blurted.
Not what I was expecting
. Whereas the others had been encouraged to learn to drive, at their own expense, nobody had really said anything when I’d turned seventeen and gotten my provisional license.

“Can’t do that without a car,” he shrugged again.

“What?” I repeated. “A car?” My mind was racing at a million miles an hour trying to compute this.

“Yes, Jelly,” Ian sighed. “Automobile. Vehicle.
Chasse, four wheels, and an engine. You get the gist.”

“You borrowed a car for me to learn to drive in?” I ventured, still blown away by the notion that he wanted me to learn to drive.

Ian shook his head. “Not exactly. Karl and I thought it was about time you learnt and it’ll make it easier for you to get around and have fun with your friends.”

“
You and Karl?” I prompted.

Ian nodded. “It’s in your name. Insurance is all sorted.”

“In my name? You mean you bought it?” I blurted, eyes wide with shock. I’d thought he’d rented it.

“Karl and I did,” he smiled confidently. “And before you say anything,” he cut me off when I started to protest. “Jake’s got one too. A Golf GTI, Karl figured that’s the one he’d want. You’re both at uni, it’s only fair
you both get one.”

“Ian, I…” I didn’t know what to say. “It’s too much.”

“Jelly,” Ian’s voice turned stern in warning. “Take the car.”

His face was
expressionless but I could see the insistence behind his eyes. I could see this was important to him. I knew he’d said he wanted to make things up to me but I didn’t want him buying me things. I just wanted him to stop being so controlling.

“Ian, I-”

“Please, Jelly,” he added softly, for my ears only.

Dammit
.
I can’t say no to that
. Instead, I nodded my head and wrapped my arms around him in a grateful embrace, whispering my thanks and trying to hold back my tears of appreciation. This was a gift that went beyond a simple exchange of tangible objects. This was something else. This was freedom. I understood what he was giving me and the understanding was truly wonderful.

All my life, I’d been depende
nt on my brothers. I’d needed them for everything. In giving me a car, and encouraging me to learn to drive, they were giving me independence. It meant I could come and go as I pleased and see anywhere I wanted to.

“I love it,” I managed, my voice breaking with the intensity of emotion I felt.

“Good,” Ian relaxed into his cocky grin, clearly pleased I was accepting. “Let’s go play with her.”

Ian drove us to a large industrial site on the edge of the city that was mostly run down.
The industrial park was almost completely empty and the perfect place to practice.

“What are you gonna call it,
shorty?” Adam grinned, walking round the car to admire it.

I looked at my new car and immediately knew what it had to be called. “Berty,” I announced happily.

“Berty?” Ian wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Are you serious?”

“He looks like a Berty,” I nodded, happy with my choice.

“Jelly, cars are girls,” Ian said as if it was obvious and I was crazy.

“Nope. Berty,” I insisted.

“Berty,” Ian muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I like it,” Jason grinned.

“You would,” Ian snorted before turning his attention to Adam. “You got your provisional, right Collins?”

“Yeah,” Adam raised his eyebrow sceptically.

“Good, I put you on the insurance. You too, Jason.”

“Me?” Jason cocked his head.

“Who’s gonna teach them when I’m back in Derby?” Ian grinned.

“Awesome, cheers,” Jason nodded back, flashing me his million-dollar smile.

“I checked your license,” Ian shrugged. “You get a single point on it and we’ll have to renegotiate.”

Jason muttered something about invasion of privacy but he didn’t look too bothered
and I suspected he understood the hidden message behind Ian’s gift as well as I did.

“Jelly, driver’
s seat. Adam, you can go second,” Ian ordered with a grin.

Thursday
, 10th October 2013

“So, what do you
think the chances are of your brother murdering me if I crash Berty?” Adam asked me once Ian had left and caught the train back to Derby.

“Well, you might want to take up running just in case,” I teased.

“Why?” Adam’s eyes widened in horror.

“I ran the equivalent of
three marathons in a week last time Ian wanted to get back at me,” Jason smirked.

“He made you run
three marathons?” Adam recoiled.

“No,” Jason
answered. “More like he required it to prove myself worthy of Jamie.”

“Sick,” Adam shook his head in a combination of amusement and horror.

“They’re not that bad anymore,” I chuckled uneasily.

“No, not quite,” Jason admitted. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Adam. It’s all covered on the insurance.”

Adam didn’t look convinced. Although, seeing as he was a bit more comfortable having his foot on the accelerator than I was, it was probably best to be cautious.

“I still can’t believe he put me on your car insurance,” he shook his head again.

“Our car insurance,” I grinned. “My brothers think you’re ace, Adam. Especially the twins, you guys have got some sort of bromance thing going on.”

Adam just smiled cheekily and wiggled his eyebrows in response but I could tell how much it meant to him.
I was about to start warning him not to hurt little Berty when my phone rang.

“Hi, Jake,” I grinned upon answering. “How’s the car?”

“Fucking awesome!” He cried excitedly. He started rambling about suspension, engine sizes, and god knows what else so I humoured him and chipped in with semi-enthusiastic “yeahs” wherever it seemed appropriate.

“We need to race them!” He declared after he’
d gone through his cars specs.

“Jake, I can barely change gears. I’m not racing
with you.”

“I can wait ‘til you get your license,” he answered, still giddy over his new car.

“Seriously, Jake, I doubt Ian would want us racing them,” I frowned.

“You’re no fun, you know that?” He sighed.

“Sorry,” I grumbled.

“I’m just kidding, Jelly,” he
answered kindly. “I wouldn’t wanna wreck this beauty anyway.”

“Okay,” I answered timidly. I still wasn’t quite used to Jake being nice to me.

“I can’t believe they got us cars,” Jake continued incredulously. “That’s just… wow, right?”

“Right,” I agreed, nodding my head even though he couldn’t see me.

I got up from Jason’s lap and wandered into the kitchen so that he and Adam could go back to watching TV.

“It’s insane, they didn’t need to do it,” I continued, putting the kettle on so I could make some tea.

“Why did they?” Jake asked curiously.

“I dunno,” I shrugged. “I think it’s their version of an apology, maybe.”

“For what?”

“The
way things have been, I guess,” I said uncertainly.

“Maybe,” Jake said, sounding hopeful. “They were pretty cool about everything in Manchester.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Except the twins.” I frowned at the memory of them attacking his hair.

Jake grunted in agreement. “Shaving their ow
n heads was pretty cool though. I didn’t expect that.”

“Me neither,” I grinned. “Sorta made up for it, I guess.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Sorta.”

“You forgiven them?”

“Yeah, but I kinda wished I hadn’t. Could have gotten something out of it.”

I laughed. “You’re awful.”

“Awfully awesome.”

“If you say so,” I scoffed. “Hey, I’m gonna go call Karl to say thank you. I’ll talk to you later, ‘kay?”

“Okay. See you, speed racer.”

“Bye, whacky racer.”

I grinned to myself as I made the pot of tea and took it into the lounge. Adam and Jason had set up the Xbox 360 and were jumping around pretending to box each other.
They’re like children,
I smiled to myself. I put the teapot and mugs on the windowsill because I figured they’d be safer there than in front of the boys.

Jason winked at me, which gave Adam the opportunity to knock down his character. Jason groaned and returned to the game. I left them
to it and went up to my room to call Karl.

“Hey, Jelly!” Elise answered Karl’s phone.

“Hi, Elise,” I grinned. “How are you?”

“I’m good. I take it you
’re after my grumpier half?”

“I am,” I laughed. “Bu
t not if he’s grumpy right now.

“He’s not so much
grumpy as covered in baby poo.”

I giggled at the mental images. “Seriously?”

“Yeah,” she laughed. “He was changing her nappy and well… she clearly wasn’t done.

“Stop… stop,” I collapsed in a fit of giggles, gasping for breath. “I can’t breathe!”

“Oh, oh… here he comes. Don’t tell him I told you,” she whispered through her giggles.

“Hello?” Karl’s slightly irritated voice came through the speaker.

Oh God, I can’t stop laughing
. “Hi,” I squeaked.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was
rough and I could tell he was stressed.

I could here running water in the background and was having mental of images of him trying to wash vast amounts of baby excrement off.

“Um, nothing,” I squeaked again. If I tried to talk properly I’d giggle and that would just piss him off more.

“Why does your voice sound funny?” He growled. “For fuck’s sake. Elise?” He shouted and I could hear Elise giggling in the background. “She told you didn’t she.”

My response was to join in her giggling.

“I swear all the women in my life are out to get me,” he muttered.

“Sorry,” I grinned, trying hard to stifle my laughter.

“I swear for a baby that cute, she produces ridiculous amounts of
the worst
smelling bodily waste.”

“Aw,” I cooed in sympathy. “Maybe you should teach her uncles how to change nappies so she’ll get them instead.”

“Not a bad idea,” he grumbled. “What were you calling for?”

“To say thank you,” I said earnestly.

“What for?”

“For Berty.”

“Berty?”

“My beautiful new Volvo.”

“God, tell me you didn’t call it Berty?” Karl groaned. “Tell me Ian didn’t let you?”

“He looks like a Berty!” I insisted.

I heard him curse under his breath and mutter something about women.

“Seriously though, Karl. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“It’s nothing,” he mumbled awkwardly. “Now you can come visit us whenever you want.”

“Once I learn to drive,” I grinned.

“Could be a while then,” he laughed. “Listen, I’m glad you called. I need to talk to you.”

“Oh?” I prompted.

“Yeah, gimme a sec.” I heard him shutting the door and what sounded like him walking into his garden, judging by the slight wind rustling the phone.

“So, I’ve been looking into Jason’s Mum.”

I clenched the phone tighter in my hand in anticipation. I really needed some good news on this front. With the serious chat with Jason coming soon, I knew that everything would be out in the open. I wanted to be able to give him the chance to confront his Mum if that was something he one day wanted to do.

“What did you find?” I asked anxiously, clicking the lock into place on my door in case Jason came up. I didn’t like locking him out but
neither did I want him to find out by overhearing half a conversation.

“Not much, I’m sorry, Jelly,” he sighed.

My shoulders slumped forwards. I’d really been hoping he’d have found her. “It’s okay,” I answered dejectedly. “I don’t know what else to try.”

“There pretty much isn’t anything left to try,” Karl grunted in obvious frustration.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I tried everything. There are literally
no traces of her since July 1996.”

I did some quick mental arithmetic and came to the obvious conclusion. “Jason would have been almost nine then. He said she disappeared when he was eight so that must have been around the same time.”

“That’s what I figured,” Karl replied. “But when I say no traces, I mean
no traces
, Jelly. No bank accounts, no employment history, no passport, address. Nothing.”

“That’s… weird?”

“Yeah, it’s also almost impossible unless she left the country.”

“I think she was Swedish, maybe she went back?”

“Being abroad is pretty much the only option, but she can’t be in Sweden. I checked. They use social security numbers and hers hasn’t been active since she was eighteen.”

“Oh,” I frowned.

“So she must be somewhere else?”

“I guess,” Karl answered half-heartedly. “But there
was no activity on her bank account for a while before that, nothing on her cards. If she travelled outside the country, she must have done it with cash.”

“She must really not have wanted her husband to find her,” I mumbled, more to myself than to Karl.

“Well it looks like he’s still trying.”

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously.

“He’s still getting her post forwarded to his new address.”

“That’s odd.”

“Yeah, I guess he must want her back. He never remarried according to records.”

I breathed a sigh of relief on behalf of womankind. I wouldn’t wish Gregory Reed upon anyone.

“Well, sorry I couldn’t be more help, Jelly,” Karl apologised.

“It’s okay,” I assured him. “I really appreciate you trying. It means a lot to me.”

“No worries. I gotta go back in there and check on Grace. Be careful driving.”

“I will,” I smiled. “Thanks again, Karl, and give Elise and Grace cuddles from me.”

“Once she’s been bathed,” he mumbled before hanging up.

I was so disappointed that my search for Jason’s mother had come to a dead end. Karl was right, there was nothing else left to try. No matter
what Jason said about his mother, I knew he needed a way to move past her abandonment and I couldn’t see how he’d do that without confronting her. Now that wasn’t even an option.