The chatter died down for a few moments while everyone began eating their food. I couldn’t help but notice John’s nervous glances towards Jack every couple of minutes, and I wondered to myself if I wasn’t the only person here who hadn’t expected Jack at lunch. Perhaps he hadn’t been lying after all. But if not, what was he doing here, when he could easily skip the family lunch that he obviously didn’t want to attend?
Then as person after person finished their bread, the conversations resumed.
“So, Mary, you were telling me about getting used to driving on the different side of the road?” Henry asked, a smile on his face.
“Yes, well the main thing I’ve found is that when you’re in the city, you’re completely fine,” my mother replied. “After all, there are cars all around you. You can always follow someone, it’s not like I’m going to just drive into the oncoming traffic because I’m so used to it. But when I go out into the country, when I might not see a car for five minutes at a time, then I’ve caught myself driving on the wrong side of the road. But never any close calls. At least not yet, and hopefully not ever.”
I looked at my mom in surprise. I didn’t realize she’d been driving herself places, I assumed she’d been taking up Michael’s services as much as I had. Then I wondered if I shouldn’t learn to drive here myself. After all, I wouldn’t always have a chauffeur at my disposal. I had never needed a car when I lived in New York, and I always assumed I would move back there and not need one in the future, but it would still be a good skill to have.
“The thing I find most difficult, funnily enough, is the use of the windshield wipers and the blinkers. They’re on the opposite side on cars in America, so whenever I try to turn and put my blinker on I always end up throwing the windshield wipers up instead. Which not only shocks me, but is in no way useful to the people behind me who need to know I’m turning!”
A bit of laughter escaped everyone’s lips as they enjoyed at my mom’s stories. She certainly was a charming hostess. She was basically designed to be one of those heads of households who planned dinner parties regularly and wrote thank you cards when she was invited to dinner at other people’s houses.
As the appetizer plates were brought out, there was another small lull in conversation, but then when the plates were taken away and the main course brought out, a cooked ham with so many side dishes I couldn’t even begin to list them all, everyone started complimenting the food and the chatter started up again once more.
“So, Julianne,” Sally started, “how are you liking Oxford?”
“I love it, so far. The classes are challenging, but not impossible. It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding as well. I’ve made a few friends, so I’m happy.”
Sally smiled at me, but I saw the smile get wiped off her face when Amy opened her mouth.
“It’s so nice that they let people like you in there now, even if you had to buy your way in.”
The silence in the room was palpable.
“Excuse me?” I answered, almost not believing what I’d just heard.
“Well, Oxford is an almost one thousand year old school for the elite and the upper class. I think it’s good that they’re finally letting in people of your status.”
I was about to tell her exactly where she could stick her ‘status’, but to everyone’s surprise, it was Jack who spoke up first.
“You know, just because the peroxide in your hair has leaked into your brain and you couldn’t form a good opinion if you tried doesn’t mean you have to drool out whatever dumb opinion you were told at your last charity dinner out here.”
The table sat in stunned silence, but Jack wasn’t finished yet.
“Quite frankly, Oxford would lose its reputation if it started letting in people of the likes of you based on the fact that you came out of a famous uterus rather than people that actually deserved a spot. Last I checked, Edmond Halley’s father was a soapmaker, and yet you’d rather have the children of idiots like yourself, who have to complain to the headmaster that your darling child isn’t the intellectual star you’d hope, attend? That’s not a great long-term plan, but then again, you’ve never been able to look further than the tip of your nose.”
I know it’s a cliché, but my jaw literally did drop open as Jack absolutely stomped his aunt in front of everyone. That glint I’d seen once or twice before was in his eyes, it was like they were on fire. He leaned forward, aggressively, almost as if he was daring her to try and say something, to try and defend herself.
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, like she wanted to reply, but didn’t know what to say.
Instead, her husband leaned forward.
“Look, Jack, my wife misspoke, ok? She didn’t mean any offense to Julianne, and she apologizes, right Amy?”
The look Amy Milton gave Evan just then could have wilted an entire garden. It was pure hatred, pure fire. But, realizing that she was the only person in the room on her side, she relented.
“Of course I didn’t mean any offense. I apologize, Julianne, if I offended you in any way. Of course you deserved your spot at Oxford,” she told me, a thin smile on her face. I knew she didn’t mean it.
“Thank you,” I replied in the same cool tone. I shot a grateful look at Jack as well. Was it my imagination, or did he smile at me slightly?
The whole situation was just so weird. Who would have expected that Jack of all people would have been my white knight? Not me, that was for sure.
Of course the rest of Christmas lunch was incredibly awkward. My mother and Sally discussed the latest designer trends, both of them obviously hoping to move past what had happened.
I silently mouthed “thank you” to Jack at one point when no one was looking, and I know he mouthed back “you’re welcome, sis”, just to annoy me.
Maybe he just hated his aunt more than he hated me.
Chapter Eleven
After desert was served (damn I love crème brulée) everyone piled into the main family room where the Christmas tree was set up. I had found out a few days ago that John actually hired people to decorate the tree. As much as I thought that was a travesty and basically the least-Christmassy thing ever, the tree did look phenomenal. It was like something out of a magazine. Hell, the whole room was. Stockings hanging from the fireplace, a nativity scene on the mantle, it was almost creepy how much this room could have been a stock photo.
Jack stood by the far wall, the kids all piled in front of the tree looking for their presents, while everyone else found chairs and couches around the room to sit on. My mom sat next to John, her hand on his knee, smiling fondly at the kids as they excitedly started begging their parents to let them open gifts.
I sat down with a cup of tea – my first truly British habit, as sometimes coffee was just too much – and watched as the kids tore into their presents happily. Then, when they were finished and ushered into another room to play with their new finds by the nannies, the adults exchanged gifts as well.
My mom’s gift was a gorgeous set of diamond earrings, which glistened in the sunlight. From John I got a lovely Hermes scarf, and I knew my mom had helped him pick it out since it was the exact shade of turquoise that had been my favourite colour since I was a girl.
From the relatives I didn’t know I got the standard gift basket fare, and I was once again so thankful for Annie’s advice as I had the same for them: designer chocolates, expensive wine, that sort of thing.
Finally, I went over and gave Jack his bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue label. I’d found it at a liquor store, and the manager told me it was the most expensive one he had. I wasn’t going to do it, but Annie convinced me.
“After all, if you give him an awesome gift and he doesn’t have anything for you, he’ll owe you one.”
It turned out I was the one who owed him one, after how he defended me at lunch time, but I was still glad I’d gone with Annie’s suggestion.
“Is this for me? What did I do to deserve a gift from you?” Jack asked me, ey
ing the package.
“Well, you’re my brother, and so I figured even though I don’t like you, I should still buy you something for Christmas.”
“You don’t like me, do you?” He lowered his voice, even though none of the others in the room were paying us any attention. “You sure do like what I do to you.”
My face went crimson and I looked around to make sure no one had been listening. At the same time, I felt a tug in the bottom of my stomach, towards my nether regions, and I knew I wanted more of the same. I wanted him again, I wanted him to make me feel the way he had a few weeks earlier in that library.
“Well, maybe if you weren’t a total asshole basically all the time, I’d be more inclined to like you. Though I did appreciate what you did for me at lunch with Amy. Thanks for defending me.”
“I didn’t do it for you. That stuck up bitch needed to be brought down a peg.”
“See, you say things like that, then you wonder why I don’t like you.”
“I don’t wonder why you don’t like me. I know why. I just think you’re wrong.”
“How am I wrong?”
“You’re wrong because you don’t know me, really.”
“Oh, don’t I?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, I can only make my decisions based on the person I see in front of me.”
“You don’t understand anything, and you never will. I don’t care whether you like me or not. I just don’t.”
“Fine. Well lucky for you, I don’t care what you think of me, either.”
“Good. It’s better that way. Thanks for the drinks.”
And with that Jack turned around and walked off, leaving me more confused about him than ever.
Chapter Twelve
Pretty soon Christmas became no more than a memory as the New Year came along. Annie and I decided to go into the city to hang out. I’d spent every single one of the last four New Year’s Eves at Times Square, but Annie assured me that the fireworks in London were going to be at least as good.
The train was packed, but by the time we got into the city I was thinking she might be right. The mood was jubilant, thousands of people packed the streets. We grabbed some drinks, since no one seemed to really care that there was drinking in public unless they got out of hand, and started to party with some random strangers in a park along the side of the Thames until the party really got going.
Eventually, after a few drinks, Annie and I sat down and started chatting.
“So any big new resolutions?” I asked Annie as she nursed a beer.
“Definitely. Same as always. Lose some weight, go to the gym, finally get a boyfriend. You?”
“Nah. Nothing for me. I’m not really the resolution type.”
“That’s good. I always make them, but I never keep them. Still, you should try and find a guy here. I know you want to go back to New York when you’re finished studying, but that’s years away. Have some fun until then!”
“I’m not opposed to guys, Annie. I just… haven’t found the right one.”
“Come on, when was the last time you had sex?”
“Uh, like a month ago?”
“Seriously? And you didn’t tell me? Who was it?”
My face immediately went beet red. Ugh, why did you have to tell her that?
“Just some guy. I don’t even remember his name.”
Annie howled with laughter. “Amazing! I didn’t think you had it in you. I’m so proud of you, Julianne Reeves.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. Thank God she’d believed the lie. I didn’t want to tell her it was with Jack, since I had no idea how she’d react. It was so taboo, having sex with your brother! Even I wasn’t sure I was ok with what I’d done.
“Anyway, you don’t need to lose weight, or get a boyfriend, but if you need a gym buddy I should probably start going with you too.”
“Deal, we should go after class if we have any of the same ones next semester. Then that way we can’t get out of it.”
“For sure. My mom will be so proud. She always tells me I can stand to lose a few pounds.”
“Oh, mine’s the opposite. She’s all like “you’re gorgeous the way you are.””
Annie waved away my compliment.
“Still, I always feel like a giant fatty, especially just after Christmas. I’m going to have the best beach body this summer.”
“Good plan,” I replied, and we clinked beers in a toast.
Suddenly, a single firework went off in the sky. Ten minute warning!
Annie and I got up and made our way through the crowd to where we could get a better view. Directly across the water from us was the London Eye and Big Ben, where Annie said most of the action was going to be.
Sure enough, a few minutes later the fireworks started. Small at first, then culminating in a giant cacophony of colors, they definitely at least matched the ones in New York. It wasn’t the ball dropping at Times Square at midnight, but oh boy was it impressive.
Every color of the rainbow and then some was represented. Waterfalls, giant bursts, star shapes, even a circle of fire in the middle of the London Eye. When the grand finale finally hit, with at least hundreds of fireworks all going off at once, I thought I was going to go deaf, but I couldn’t look away. It was amazing.
Then, it was all over, and the New Year had started. I wondered what it had in store for me as Annie and I made our way back to the train, to catch one of the special late night ones back towards Oxford. Michael was going to meet me at my station, and I knew Annie had a ride home as well.
“This year is going to be crazy,” Annie told me as we stood on the train with the hundreds of others all heading back in the same direction. “I can feel it.”
Little did she know just how right she was.
Chapter Thirteen
A week later the second semester started, and my life quickly became pretty hectic once again. On top of my classes, Annie and I decided that after the two classes we had together this semester – English Poets Post-Renaissance and Introduction to Art History – we were going to spend an hour at the gym, which meant four hours a week on the treadmill and lifting weights. Of course there was a gym at home, but we both agreed we were more likely to actually go if we did it together, just after class, and seeing as it was free for full-time students, why not?
Sure, it would be nice to lose weight. While I liked my curves, I think I’d prefer them if they were a bit smaller. But I really wanted to look a bit more toned, and I figured the gym would help me do that.
On top of my studies and my new exercise regime, during which Annie and I read magazines while either walking quickly on the treadmill or using the elliptical, we read magazines and gossiped about everything we could think of.
My mom was getting more and more stressed out about the wedding. I supposed John might have been as well, I was starting to see less and less of him. Apparently the beginning of the year was one of the busiest times of the year for his business, according to my mom, and he’d come home after eleven then leave again before seven the next morning. I suspect sometimes he even slept in the city instead of coming home.
As for Jack, he was back to spending a lot of his time at home, and was as annoying as ever. I hated being woken up by his dumb Lamborghini at midnight when he came home, I hated hearing the loud noise from his music and having him thump around his room. He was always such an inconsiderate asshole. But on the bright side, he stopped bringing random girls over; if he was still nailing them he was doing it somewhere else. I supposed that was something to be thankful for.
Unfortunately, my mom being stressed meant she always needed somebody to whine to, and that person happened to be me.
“Julianne, I need you to look at the choices I’ve made for bridesmaids dresses,” she called out to me one afternoon when I was studying.
“Ok, where are they?”
“Down in the family room, there’s a whole set of them for you to choose from.”
&nbs
p; “I’ll go do it in about ten minutes, ok?”
“That’s fine. I have a headache so I’m just lying down for a bit,” my mom replied. I rolled my eyes. Of course she had such a bad headache she could yell at me from down the hall.
But, ten minutes later, I went down and had a look at the six different purple dresses that were an option. I was going to be the maid of honour, but I had no idea who the other bridesmaids were going to be. I knew my mom had at least two friends coming over from New York, so I assumed at least one of them would be one of the other bridesmaids, but that was all I knew.
Settling on the design I thought was nicest, I went up to see my mom. I went into her room without knocking and saw her on the bed for the first time in a few days, and saw she had a bruise on her cheek.
“Mom! What’s that from?” I asked, concerned. It was one thing for my mom to fake illness constantly, but entirely another for her to have an actual bruise.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was outside and slipped on a patch of ice.”
“Are you sure you’re ok?”
“Yes. It hurts, but I’ve been putting ice on it, and John was nice enough to get me some pills to take away the pain.”
“Ok mom, you should be more careful outside.”
“I know, I let myself get too comfortable here, since there’s no snow on the ground. I’ll be more careful in the future.” She smiled at me. “So did you pick out a dress?”
“I did. I like the third one, the one with the princess neckline.”
“I knew you would. You’re such a sucker for princess necklines. Plus the empire waist will look good on you.”
Leaving my mom, I went back to study and was about ten minutes into it when I heard Jack’s car zooming into the driveway. The way he screeched the tires every time he came in, I was surprised he didn’t lose control and go through the front of the house one day. I rolled my eyes and tried to concentrate, but it was obvious a couple minutes later that he had brought a friend over, and then a few minutes later the smell of pot started to creep through the walls into my room.
Stepbrother: Impossible Love Page 6
