Chapter 12

Jairus's eyes felt as if gravel was grating around inside them once the blinding sunlight hits his eyeballs the moment he opened them up. Disoriented, it finally dawned on Jairus that he was in his bedroom. The last thing he recalled was drinking at the local bar. Sliding out of bed, he stretched and flexed his muscle to get the kinks out---suddenly his face started to hurt. Making his way to the bathroom mirror, Jairus saw the now obvious black eye he was sporting and wondered how that happened.

The scent of blueberry and bacon pushed the brooding mechanic to hurriedly brush his teeth and wash his face with the intent of seeing Olivia again. Much to Jairus's dismay, it wasn't Olivia who occupied the kitchen, but his baby sister. "Jessica, what are you doing here?" Jairus raised the question and couldn't help the sound of disappointment that laced his voice as he took a seat on one of the plush bar stools that surrounded the kitchen island.

Instead of responding to her older brother, Jessica placed a heaping plate of easy eggs, pancakes, and bacon along with a small bowl of fruits and a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice in front of Jairus before sauntering back to the sink to finish tidying up the small mess that was created during breakfast preparation. Jairus thought about questioning his sister further or eating but the rumble in his stomach decided for him.

By the time he finished eating, Jessica had already made his bed, cleaned his room, and started laundry. Washing the dishes and utensils he had used before drying and putting them away, Jairus came face-to-face with a scowling, crossed-arm Jessica---who has been waiting for him to explain himself since the day Olivia called asking if he had been there at her home.

"Qu'est-ce qui se passe avec toi frère (What's going on with you brother)?" Jessica sternly asked.

"Ça ne te préoccupe pas (It's none of your concern)," Jairus replied, it's been a while since they talked this freely in their native tongue.

"C'est des conneries totales(That's utter bullshit)!" Jessica yelled as her hands ball into fists.

"I'm not in the mood for your shit," Jairus answered back sighing heavily with a groan.

"Good, neither am I," Jessica snapped which surprised Jairus. "What the heck happened between you and Olivia? She called me two weeks ago asking for you and I couldn't help but hear the desperation in her voice." Jessica further clarified.

"We broke up, there, you happy!" Jairus yelled only for his face to be unexpectedly swiveled sideways causing him to snap it back as he stared wide-eyed at his sister whose fist still trembled at her side.

"You fucking inconsiderate asshole, you always do this. Always pushing people away when you think we can't handle whatever you're going through and frankly, I'm sick of it!" Jessica yelled over and over as she leaped at her brother, hitting his chest. "I hate that part of you! I hate that part of you!" she continued her assaults.

The last time Jessica was this hysterical was the day they said their final goodbyes to their parents. Taking all his sister's hits until she became too weak to continue, Jairus gathered his sobbing mess of a sibling and led both of them to sit down on the couch.

"She's fighting so hard for you, to clear your name and you won't even try to return the favor," Jessica mumbled into her brother's chest once she managed to calm down.

Jairus almost missed what his sister said, but his sharp hearing caught her statement anyway. "What do you mean by that?" Jairus asked, shaking Jessica's shoulders.

Wiping her face with the back of her hands, Jessica sniffled. "Despite what you think about Olivia, she's not some child that needs coddling.” She stated matter of fact. “Have you ever seen her in action, I mean in the courtroom?” Jessica asked her brother. “She's fire, and defends her clients with such passion I wished you had an attorney like her back then," she answered her question as her brother stared at her in confusion.

"She was running late once for a lunch date I had promised her and I decided to meet up at the courthouse, but even then she got held up. Taking a peek inside the room they told me she was in, I couldn't believe it was the same person," Jessica added when Jairus said nothing.

Jairus tried processing what his sister just told him, Olivia has been digging into his past even after he treated her like shit. He was a broken man who forgot what love was and what it meant. Maybe she was better off. Especially with the news of the odds of him being a father.

"Don't...you have that far-off look again. Don't do it, tell me what you need me to do for you to quit looking like that. I want to return all the love, care, and protection you've given me, Jackson, and the boys. Let me finally do something for you big brother, " Jessica pleaded, grabbing hold of Jairus's hand.

"The reason Alicia wanted my number so badly is she's pregnant and it's a strong possibility the baby is mine," Jairus answered after hearing how desperate his sister wanted to help him.

Imbécile téméraire (Reckless fool)! Jessica wanted to scream at her brother so badly, but with his wide shoulders slumped and his head hanging downward, she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. "That's why Olivia left, she-" Jessica begins to say.

"No, she doesn't even know. Instead of telling her like I had planned the night I got home, we end up having sex. When she fell asleep, I studied how naturally beautiful she was. Jairus confessed interrupting his sister. “The way her long lashes brushed against her flushed cheeks as my name was whispered out of her parted lips, it dawned on me how perfect she was and I'd only ruin her with how fucked up I am."

Shaking her head before sighing, Jessica used her index finger to lift Jairus's head to face her. "You already did that by imprinting yourself in her heart, soul, body, and mind. Even if she somehow moved on physically, I know she'll always think of you. Olivia deserves better than that, tell her the truth; be completely honest, and let her decide the next step." Jessica advised her elder brother whose dim gaze suddenly perked up a fraction.

"I told her a Cohen and a McQueen shouldn't be together because we'd only end up hurting each other," Jairus added to his confession.

"Every relationship has its ups and down, what do you plan on doing? Is Olivia worth fighting for?” Jessica asked. “She is if you ask me, but the decision is up to you," she says patting her brother's cheek fondly. "You're not that hard to love brother," she added before embracing him.

It's been years since the McQueen siblings shared such an intimate moment and that's Jairus's fault for keeping his sister at a distance since he quickly had to become a reliable adult for the both of them in terms of survival.

"How did you manage to bring me home if I was so intoxicated?" Jairus asked the one question that's been bugging him since he woke up.

"Some guy, what did he say his name was again?" Jessica murmured to herself trying to recall the hot guy with dark brown hair and eyes who had not only stopped her idiot of a brother from landing himself in a jail cell, he had called her up and helped bring him into the apartment. "That's right, his name is Dave and he's a friend of Olivia!" Jessica screamed, delighted she remembered the good Samaritan.

Dave, so he's still lurking about. Jarius thought but didn't dare voice his thoughts to his sister, the person who had always been there for him even when he didn't want her help. Glancing at the wall clock, it reads 10:30 am. It's too late to attend Molly's wedding, but plenty of time to get to the reception, Jairus thought as he weighed his options in making things right with Olivia.

"I'm sorry for being a shitty brother, thank you for standing by me," Jairus declared openly and sincerely as he scooped up his sister and twirled her around making her squeal until they fell back into the couch a laughing mess.

Beautiful, Jessica thought as she listened to her brother's belly laughter, it's been too long.

*+*

Olivia grinned and clapped in glee like everyone else when Richard dipped Molly backward, kissing her senseless the moment he heard kiss the bride. Molly glowed with the happiness she felt in her gut and to think how an hour ago she was pacing back and forth in the dressing room in her duchess, satin, strapless sheath dress. The amount of time Olivia had to scold her for wiping her sweaty palms in the silk organza ruched part of the mermaid tale train of the dress.

Victoria Cohen watched from the seats of the guests and couldn’t help but noticed sadness lingered in her daughter's eyes as she rejoiced while assisting her best friend with her dress as Molly and Richard walked out of the church, both sporting big grins. Victoria felt envious of Julianne, Molly's mother, who was also helping her daughter with her beautiful gown. Julianne and Molly represented what she had dreamed of for herself and Olivia since the day she entered the world.

Thomas had a meeting he couldn't miss, so Victoria attended the wedding solo, and she preferred it that way because at least Olivia returned a genuine smile when she had waved to her earlier. She admired how equally gorgeous her daughter looked in her teal, crossover bodice chiffon ball-like gown. She had glimpsed Olivia fixing the chiffon cap sleeves of the dress when the small peek of white lace belonging to her bra could be detected and it took a lot of self-control not to walk up and fix the dress herself for her only remaining child.

As the church cleared out, Victorica hurriedly took off after Olivia before she followed the newlyweds to the reception. "Olivia!" Victoria called out just in time to stop her daughter from entering the limo.

"We'll talk later mom, I promise," Olivia said to her mother before taking a seat in the car and winding up the window. Though it was brief, Victoria felt solace at the sincerity in Olivia's voice along with her soft expression before the vehicle drove off.

She had a lot to say to Olivia, and though they may not cover everything today, at least, Olivia is willing to hear her out. Living in a big 'ole mansion without her children had left Victoria yearning. Thomas was barely home anymore and the ladies in her circle talked about nothing but the success of their daughters and she got tired of them asking her about Olivia. She knew nothing of Olivia's life after she quit the law firm she had worked at, and no matter how much money she invested into private detectives, Olivia Cohen simply did not exist anywhere else.

Victoria has seen the changes in her daughter. Even though Olivia still held most of her innocent appearance, there was a fierce aura about her that made Victoria wonder just how much has her little girl changed and how best they can come to a mutual understanding in moving forward.

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