Return to Sender - 18. Chapter 18 - Kai

CHAPTER 18 - Kai

I chided myself as I left Adam in the dining room, muttering to myself on the way to the deck doors in the living room, the cane tapping on the wood.

'What kind of an asshole are you, McIntyre. He invites you into his home, is bending over backwards to accommodate and what do you do? Treat his house like a damn mess hall. Yeah, come on over…'

I’d invited Megan when she sent a text around 6am, telling me she’d been up all night. She’d talked to Callum pretty much throughout the night, and quite surprisingly, a very good, very long talk at that - and she hadn’t slept yet. Yet, she was a little hyper, wanting to talk.

I completely forgot about her, once I’d kissed Adam good morning the first time. My brain short-circuited around the guy when he melted into me. I’d practically devoured him whole. No man should be allowed to be so damn cute in the morning. None. Should be forbidden.

I groaned when I saw her grinning at the doors, holding up a McDonalds bag, Arya sitting right beside her, tail swishing.

“I bring gifts!”

Oh god! And Adam had gone through all that trouble just now…I groaned inwardly.

Seeing him just drop down on that chair, a somewhat dazed look in his eyes, it dawned on me that he might not be used to a family such as ours. We’ll crash any house, at any time. Well, Kellan not so much, but Megan and me? Yes, at sometimes quite inappropriate hours. LIke 8:15 in the fuckin’ morning.

“Hey sis.”

She breezed past me, planting a rushed kiss on my cheek, the heels of her sequined boots thundering on the floorboards, Arya in tow with her eyes on the bag she was holding.

“Hi, hi, hi! Oh, Callum is on his way, too. Hope you don’t mind. The ass invited himself, really. Wanted to come to my place but when I told him I was going over here, and bringing McDonalds, he ordered two Egg McMuffins and pilfered the address from your dossier they have over there. Where’re we sitting?”

“Get back here,” I hissed, pointing right in front of me. “Adam’s not really awake yet,” I whispered.

“Oooh….” She replied, whispering as well, immediately reversing and going on her tiptoes, coming back. She snickered. “Sorry.”

“You invited Callum?”

“No! He invited himself! Got someone to cover for him. Should be here pretty soon.”

I looked at her. She seemed like herself - no panic or anything, not even with the impending arrival of ‘Dr. Deadpool’.

“C’mere.” Hugging her, then releasing, I held her at arm's length. Her eyes were bright, gazing back questioningly. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she smiled. “We really had a good talk. Like - really. He’s still an ass but…pretty considerate, for a guy.”

Oh nice to hear that, especially when I had been anything but, in the last say, oh…five minutes?

“You were right. I needed to talk to him. Of course he still insists on marrying. He can forget about that, but yeah, he’s….there. He wants to be.”

“Well good, I’m glad to hear that.”

“We’ll just take it as it comes. If it happens, then okay. If not…well…” She blushed, looking away.

“What…?”

“Well, he said he’ll just keep trying again, and again and again. And again.”

I chuckled. “Did he?”

“He’s an ass.”

Ahuh. And he liked her, kid or no kid. Something told me he’d hang around, regardless.

“Alright. So listen, I did a bit of a stupid thing. Adam’s…got his ways. And I kinda broke the routine he’s got by inviting you. He’s not used to visitors this early in the day. And I kind of forgot to tell him you were coming over.”

“Oh god, you…Christ, it must be a disease going around - you’re an ass too. Why didn’t you text me?”

“I said I forgot, alright?”

She waved dismissively, turning on her heels.

“Yeah, yeah…where is he?”

“Dining room. But Meg…MEG!”

Following her, I growled because she practically ran (that was unfair, dammit!), and was already at the door softly knocking, calling “Adam?” and then going in. I tried to follow in behind her, but the door closed in my face when I arrived. I tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. She probably leaned against it. She could be such a…

I tried to listen, but all I heard were murmuring voices. Then hers, rising - ‘Oh gosh, I love that on you!'
Trying the door again, it opened and I walked in on the two of them, gawking at each other, her pointing at his robe, him pointing at her boots, saying “Those are fantastic!”.

Okay…so maybe my head wouldn’t get bashed in.

“Do you want coffee?” Adam asked her, to which she eagerly nodded, plonking the McDonalds bag on the table. “What’s in that?”

“Breakfast.”

He eyed the bag suspiciously.

“Breakfast? Like what?”

“Oh, Egg McMuffins.”

“Never heard of those.”

“Really? Never had one?” He shook his head. Wait…what? He never had McDonalds? “Oh, they’re amazing. Want one?”

“Well, I already have eggs,” he nodded at the table. “I don’t have muffins, but I could get more bread…there’s ham and cheese, marmalade, jam, honey…fresh butter.”

Wow, I let my eye go over the table. We’d never done that, always making breakfast at the counter really, and just ate it as we went to the living room or upstairs, to finish getting ready. Later in life, maybe sit down at the kitchen table. Never this extravaganza. He did this every morning?

I’d have to make sure no one interrupted. It looked like a hotel buffet! Dayum. Nice!

“Oh, you haven’t lived until you tried one. Here, live a little.”

She practically stuffed one in his mouth. And then we had the amazing experience of someone eating take out for the first time ever. His eyes went wide, then a frown as he took the first bite. He would be either an instant fan or forever hate it.

And I guess we got a fan.

“Oh, this tastes amazing!”

I grinned at Adam’s childlike response. But I was damn well not going to take one. Instead, I would do justice to his efforts. So, I sat down and got some slices of bread and built myself a sandwich out of cheese, ham and egg. And when I spotted bacon - my life was complete. Never go without bacon! I thought I’d smelled it earlier…

It elicited a raised eyebrow from my sister. I sent a warning glare back.

Don’t even think about opening your mouth, Missy.

I was just about to stuff heaven in my mouth when the most unholy roar began to rumble in from outside, closer and closer.

Now that was a Harley or I was a princess.

Megan sighed.

“Callum.”

**********

I was just in time at the front door to see that monster come to a halt with one final deafening roar as Doc opened it up one last time for my benefit. He saw me come out, grinning like a school boy.

Oh man, I loved these bikes. Always wanted one, never got one. The sound of them, making your innards rattle. Awesome!

And dayum, Doc looked cool. Big boots, leather jacket, faded jeans and Marine blue sunglasses. Hot damn! Right out of the movies! Even walked with a little swagger as he fiddled with the gate, then threw it closed behind him. He threw his helmet at me, grunting, ‘heads up’.

“Hey Doc,” I greeted him.

“Soldier.”

Coming up the steps, he took off the sunglasses, extending his hand. “Kai.”

First time he called me by my name.

“Hey, Callum.”

He grinned. “Weird, huh?”

Yeah, a little bit. I nodded.

“Soldier it is.”

“‘K, Doc.”

“Yeah, that’s better.”

Kinda was!

Extending a hand, I invited him inside but he remained where he was. He lifted his chin, questioningly.

“She inside?”

Obviously - her Jeep was right next to where he parked.

“Yup.”

He inhaled deep, as if steeling himself. I couldn’t help but smirk. Not such a toughy afterall, are ya, Doc?

“Alrighty then.”

**********

Following him, I nodded to the door on the left as I placed his helmet on the side table in the hall, between the two vases with flowers. Unzipping the leather jacket, he kept it on, but revealed a green lumberjack shirt, unbuttoned and a white t-shirt underneath. Ha! It was almost like looking at myself. Well, my shirt was blue. And I wore sneakers, no boots. Otherwise, pretty similar!

Sensing that he might want the extra second to prepare himself, I preceded him, finding Megan had moved to the far end of the dining room, about as far away as she could. Adam was nowhere in sight. Where had he gone?

Doc followed me in. And stalked right past me, honed in on her.

“Woman,” he greeted her.

She rolled her eyes but stood as he approached her. And then stopped, right in front of her.

“Baldy,” she returned.

And at first, it seemed somewhat…I dunno, not tense…more like…expectant? He towered over her, with Megan craning her neck and I held my breath. A few seconds passed with them just looking at each other. Then he brought up his hand and lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, and did this sort of dipping of his head as a grin broke out on his face.

“Hi mommy.”

She blinked a few times. Then her eyes got moist and a tear slipped out from the corner of her eye.

He uttered the most tender “Heyyyy, wow….what’s this?” before he took her in his arms.

Yeah, he was an asshole. Ahuh. Sure. Not from where I was standing. Gently rocking her, he muttered sweet little nothings.

Giving them some privacy, I stepped out of the room and went looking for Adam.