“Babe, in case you never realised it, al the noise last
night wasn’t just from us, there was one hel of thunder
storm going on.” Michael pul ed the curtain aside. “See,
there’s no sun,” Michael glanced back over his shoulder.
“Just a lot of black clouds and it’s pissing down rain. But
you are right, we got lucky, and next time we don’t stay.”
“So you’re saying there’s going to be a next time? I may
not be welcome after what we just did.”
Stopping in the laundry, Michael threw his sheets into the
washing machine on the way to where his family waited in
the kitchen. “There wil definitely be a next time, and you’l
always be welcome. My mum thinks you’re a huge spunk.
She also thinks you resemble Spike. And I’m pretty sure
Gypsy has a crush on you, but she is out of luck. This sexy
body belongs to me.” Michael said with a grin before he
brought their lips together in a brief kiss. Even with morning
breath, Christian loved the taste of Michael on his lips. He
groaned as his tongue slipped in and explored every inch
of Michael’s mouth.
Every few steps Michael would reach out just to touch
Christian. It was nice knowing his family was so accepting
of his lifestyle, because he wasn’t planning on giving
Christian up anytime soon.
The closer they got to the kitchen they could hear his
mum and dad in a deep discussion.
“What’s going on?” Michael asked when his parents
came into view. His mother had her address book open
before her. Gypsy was sitting across from them,
complaining and rol ing her eyes with each new name their
mother suggested. He could tel his sister wasn’t happy at
al . The more frustrated she got, the more Michael had to
bite his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud, because
he realised his parents were trying to find someone to stay
with Gypsy. What had she done to warrant the need to be
babysat at her age?
“Aunty Kay just rang; she can’t come and stay with Gypsy
while Dad and I are away. Uncle Alex has something going
on and it wil be too much for him. We’re just working out
what to do,” she indicated to the address book.
“Mum, Dad, you do realise Gyps is twenty-two…right?”
Michael glanced toward his sister, and she rol ed her
eyes again. “You go on one little rampage and smash a few
mailboxes and you are never al owed to stay at home alone
again. It’s your fault anyway, Mikey.”
“Me? How is it my fault?”
“Because dumbarse, you had to go and run away from
home. You left me, which pissed me off, and I just…” She
shrugged.
“Language, Gypsy,” their dad said before he continued
discussing possibilities with their mum.
Before Michael had a chance to make a sarcastic retort
to his sister, Christian blurted out. “Gypsy can come and
stay with us. We have plenty of room at our house.”
His dad’s head snapped up and stared at Christian.
“Maybe we should ask Gypsy what she wants to do.
Mikey’s right, she is twenty-two after al ,” he stated, winking
at Michael, though he looked a little nervous as their mother
glared at him. “Do you think you can behave yourself if you
go and stay with Mikey and Chris?”
It sounded to Michael as though his father wasn’t half put
off by the idea. Deep down, Michael knew that his parents
stil worried about them, and if Gypsy real y had vandalised
those mailboxes then his mum wouldn’t think they were old
enough to keep her in hand. Just the thought of his sister
doing this was strange as he had never known her to
destroy anything before. Hit people to protect him, yes, but
never wilful y damage another person’s property.
“Dad, it’s Gyps — what could possibly go wrong? She’l
bring movies and a hairbrush and be in her glory. I promise
not to feed her too much junk food.” Michael laughed as his
parents looked at each other. His dad seemed to be
finding it hard not to laugh, and a smile tugged at the corner
of his mother’s mouth.
His mum rol ed her eyes at his dad in the exact same
fashion Gypsy always used. The Marsden women had the
move down pat.
Snorting, Michael explained to Christian. “So one time
when you are nine you feed your sister so much chocolate it
makes her puke everywhere and they never let you live it
down.”
“I’m sure Jess wouldn’t mind staying,” his mum began
again, and Gypsy grunted in protest at being treated like a
child.
“Dad…” Gypsy complained and Michael knew she was
about to go into a ful on tirade over it al .
In the end, Michael decided it would be best to cut her
off. “Okay, okay, I promise not to corrupt her too much or
take her to too many unsavoury nightclubs. I’l even make
sure you get no phone cal s from police or irate neighbours.
Please, I real y do want to spend some more time with
Gyps. I have a lot of making up to do. Besides, the others
wil love having her around, especial y Charm. It wil mean
another girl in the house and Charm wil definitely love not
being the odd man out. Or woman, so to speak.”
His dad had astonishment clearly written on his face.
“Others?”
Michael knew his father was more comfortable now that
he knew he was gay, and his dad would now have no
trouble leaving Gypsy with him. It had always frustrated
Michael how his father never ful y trusted him around Gypsy.
One innocent misunderstanding when they were eighteen
had tainted him in his father’s eyes. Michael shuddered,
because having sex with your sister was not only wrong it
was just… gross!
“We live in a house with three other people. She won’t
be alone with the five of us there — there’s Charm, Doyle,
and Kerr living there as wel ,” Christian said as he
explained a little about the house dynamics. Michael
grinned at Christian’s excitement.
Michael realised his parents knew nothing about his new
life or the people in it. “They’re real y nice people, you’l like
them.”
Gypsy rol ed her eyes at Michael. “Hey! I’m right fricken
here, people. You do know I can hear everything you’re
saying? It is not as though I have suddenly gone deaf, or
become invisible, or anything. I am an adult. You do realise
this, don’t you?”
“A point yet to be proven,” their mother mumbled under
her breath.
“And Gypsy wil just love Drack,” Christian said with a
grin, pretending he hadn’t heard her.
“Drack?” His dad asked.
“Our pet owl. He’s only a baby, and he is so damn cute,”
Michael said as he gestured how smal Drack was with his
hands. “He is just this tiny bundle of feathers.”
His dad was actual y listening and seemed genuinely
interested. “Why would you have named the p
oor thing
Drack?”
“Wel , you know, Dracula, creature of the night. Just like
an owl. Wel it sounded cool in my head when I thought of
the name in the first place,” Christian frowned, “I guess I
could always rename him.”
“I think Drack is an excel ent name,” Gypsy laughed.
“Can you pick him up? Can I pick him up? Wil he let me
carry him around? Wish he was a bat. I love bats.”
“Sure!” Michael said, “I have to keep moving him off my
side of the bed, so he doesn’t mind being handled.”
“It’s just because your side is just more comfortable,”
Christian retorted. Michael glanced at his parents warily to
gauge their reaction to what had just slipped out. He
blushed when he saw his mother was staring at him.
Michael turned and poked his tongue at Christian before
turning to his parents and asking. “So, are we taking dufus,
or not?”
Gypsy punched Michael in the arm. “Hey, dumbarse!”
Their dad tried to sound casual, “She’l love spending
time with her brother again. And I trust she wil act al of her
twenty-two years and not the twelve-year-old she has been
“It was one time, Dad. I have been perfectly wel behaved
ever since. Cost me a damn fortune to replace al those
bloody mailboxes. I’m not dumb enough to go and do it
again. Besides, there is no need to get angry. Mikey wil be
right there with me. He can’t run away if I am watching his
every move.”
Michael winced; he knew his family were al tip-toeing
around the fact he had been gone for over a month without
any contact whatsoever.
“Come on, Peg. Love, it’s only for a week. What do you
say we trust her? I mean she is an adult, it isn’t like we can
ground her or anything.” Michael marvel ed that his dad
said that without laughing.
The boys knew they had won the argument when his
mother sighed, and began to bul y Gypsy into getting her
stuff together. Breakfast seemed to be forgotten as she
gave them a long list of names and numbers they could cal
if something went wrong. Why did she always think
something was going to go wrong? She always thought he
and Gypsy went searching trouble where ever they were.
What she didn’t realise is they didn’t have to look. Trouble
just usual y found them.
His mother insisted on packing food for them to take,
even when they protested they had enough at home. She
slipped in three family blocks of peppermint chocolate
knowing it was Michael’s favourite and Michael couldn’t
stop the grin forming on his lips. God, he loved his family.
“Peg, honey, how wil they get everything home?” Their
dad grinned. “You have given them everything but the
kitchen sink.” His dad turned to Christian. “Don’t worry
she’s not always this crazy, you’l get used to her in time.”
“Chris, come and help me pack,” Gypsy demanded
grabbing his arm in passing.
Worriedly, Christian glanced at Michael for help before
fol owing Gypsy to her room. Al Michael did was chuckle at
Christian’s dilemma. Gypsy was going to want his opinion
on everything, from what clothes to take, to what everyone’s
hair was like. His sister had a serious hair fetish; she was
going to want to play with everyone’s hair. She had always
loved playing with hair since they were about five. And she
was just going to love Doyle’s hair, because even Michael
found himself wanting to run his fingers through those dark
locks. Shaking his head, he pushed Doyle and his hair from
his thoughts.
“You can help me pick what to wear to al those
unsavoury nightclubs we’l be going to.” Gypsy laughed as
her mother tossed a tea towel at their retreating backs.
“Don’t take al day about it either. No getting side
tracked with gossiping or listening to music,” his mother
cal ed after them, “And for the love of God, don’t talk his ear
off! We want him to come and visit again.”
Michael teased Christian fondly when they had returned.
“Think Gyps has made a new friend?” His hand reached to
take a hold of Christian’s, and pul ed him into his embrace,
blushing deeply as Christian kissed him. His gaze flashed
to his mother’s over Christian’s shoulder. She smiled at him
and he relaxed, knowing she was happy for him no matter
what way of life he had chosen to fol ow.
His mum refused to listen to any of their protests. “I won’t
take no for an answer. If you’re taking her home today then I
insist on driving you there. Gyps can’t go out in the rain. Her
hair wil never bloody dry, you know how thick it is.” Michael
bit back the joke he was going to say about thick hair to go
with a think head mainly because he thought Gypsy would
king hit him. It had been known to happen before.
“You know they invented hair dryers for a reason,” Gypsy
mumbled so only Christian and Michael heard her.
His mother had made Christian and him load al of the
gear into her car and forceful y tried to bul y them in as she
locked up the house.
Knowing ful wel his mother was only doing this so she
could see where she had just al owed her daughter to stay.
Michael also knew his mother wanted to also make sure he
take care of their kids, no matter how old they got. And his
mother was a prime example of a mother who ruled her
family. Gypsy was a close second and it was no wonder,
because she had learnt from the best.
Christian had been sent back in to get Gypsy’s favourite
karaoke DVD from where it had been left in Michael’s
room. His eyes lingered longingly on the bed and he felt his
body stir with recol ection. Their scent of being together
was so overpowering; he wondered how the others couldn’t
smel it. For a moment he had a sense of déjà vu, as if he
had stood in this room in the exact same spot and thought
this. A shudder ran through him at the weirdness of it al . As
he came back out of the house, he showed them he had
stopped off to grab a few more DVDs from Michael’s
cupboard just in case they wanted to watch them. Michael
was stil gazing at his mother when he got there. Christian
could only imagine how happy Michael was feeling right
now.
They talked about inconsequential things on the drive to
Ambrose Street. As they got closer to home, Christian saw
Peg’s eyes widen in surprise as the house came into view.
“You know,” she said as she pul ed into the drive, “I’ve
always wanted to see inside this house. I bet the attic is just
ful of wonders.”
In the back seat Michael started laughing, and his
mother looked at him in the review mirror in confusion.
“Actual y Mum, it’s just ful of crap, but please feel free to
come by and clean
it any time you want,” Michael teased
her. “It’l save me from having to finish the job by myself.”
Christian could feel Michael’s happiness, it was as if it
flowed through him as wel .
Peg’s eyes lit up at the prospect, “I’m going to hold you
to that. Don’t think I won’t. When I was a little girl, a very old
man lived here with his son. If I remember, the boy used to
be gorgeous and al the teenage girls had a crush on him.
Wel , the man seemed old to us kids, but real y he was only
probably only in his forties. It’s funny now, but when I was
younger the kids used to always cal him Dracula, mainly
just to creep each other out I think.” She shivered. “We used
to dare each other to come up and touch the door.”
A sudden coldness ran through Christian’s body. A
tingling sensation as if a memory was trying to break
through. Something deep inside him was saying how he
should know this. But what he should know was just outside
his grasp of understanding and it frustrated him to no end.
Michael and Christian stared at her as she told her tale.
Christian’s insides were crawling and he hated the queasy
feeling her story was causing. He was almost afraid to ask,
but he knew he had to.
“Do you remember his name?” He asked uneasily, but
Peg didn’t seem to notice. He just hoped it was a
completely different person. Please let it be a completely
different person.
She shook her head, “It was a weird name, foreign I
think, but I do remember his first name was Sebastian. I
only remember his first name because my younger sister’s
favourite book was cal ed The Tale of Sebastian Mouse.”
A slight tremble sounded in Michael’s voice. “Mum, Gyps
wil be okay here. I promise there’s no old guy named
Sebastian living here. We have a Charm, a Kerr, a Doyle, a
very sexy Christian, and a Michael, but definitely no
Sebastian. Man or mouse.”
Christian couldn’t help but smile at the way Michael had
described him. It was good to know Michael thought he was
sexy.
While piggy-backing Gypsy, Christian almost slipped as
they ran through the rain to the house, they were laughing
hard as they opened the door so Peg could enter.
They had left Michael to grab al of his sister’s things,
seeing as they hadn’t bothered to take anything. Grumbling,
Michael dropped the bags inside the front door as he went