Caution: Awkward family interactions are featured in this chapter. Please refrain from reading if you are sensible to the topic.
At half past ten, Cedric was one unhappy camper.
His stomach was in knots from all the anger and frustration he was constantly swallowing after listening to his mother going on about the wedding and the homey honeymoon they decided on while her new husband said things like 'yes, love' and 'certainly, darling' all the time.
Not that she had told him everything the evening before on the phone...
Actually, Cedric thought with a silent sigh and an edge of sarcasm, now that I think about it, she actually did.
Was it so hard to listen to Cedric and what had happened to him for just a minute? Up until now, his mother had always interrupted, being somewhere else with her mind. It wasn't even that something he said made her remember a story or triggering an important thought. She just started to talk about completely different subjects as if he wasn't speaking in the first place.
"Oh, and we haven't even gotten to the best part," his mother said in an exciting voice. "Brandon, why don't you tell him the big news?"
She can't be pregnant, was the first thought crossing Cedric's mind. She is way to old by now.
"Well, certainly, Danielle," Brandon said, giving a little cough before looking over the table to Cedric. "I have a son around your age, a bit younger."
Cedric's mother clapped her hands together.
"You always wanted a baby brother, didn't you?" she cooed. "And now you are a band of three!"
She sounded like he just opened the Christmas present she had given him and thought that it would be his favorite.
And as it had been all through his youth, Cedric didn't think it to be wonderful at all.
"That is nice," was all he could think of saying.
So, it's a new sibling after all, he thought.
He didn't want to meet strangers and having to make friends with them.
He didn't want another sibling.
His sister was enough to last him a lifetime.
"Does he live in Manchester?" he asked cautiously, hoping that the answer would be something along the lines of 'No, unfortunately he lives in Helsinki."
"Yes, he does! Isn't that just great?"
'Great' and 'wonderful' definitely were the words used and abused most of all words by his mothers.
"Actually," Brandon said, laying his hand on top of his mothers, "I gave him a call earlier and he is going to be here soon."
So the answer to the question if this morning could get any more horrible, was 'yes'.
But, Ced admonished himself, the poor guy might feel about this just as I do.
"The best thing is, he doesn't even know that his dad married again," his mother informed him with a conspiratorial wink. "And that he has such a cute new brother."
Then she made a high little sound of amusement and Cedric would have fled if only he could have thought of an apology. But his brain didn't give any signs of life anymore, besides making him breath and blink.
How on earth did she get the notion that surprising someone with news like that was the best thing that could happen? And why would his stepbrother care if he was cute or not?
"There he is," Brandon said excitedly when the doorbell gave it's Big Ben performance. It was so much like his mother to invest money in such none sense.
And then he froze in place.
That voice in the hall... could it be...?
"Cedric, meet my son Ian," Brandon said behind him and Cedric felt all blood sack into his knees, leaving him a bit shaky and pale as a ghost.
Not knowing what else he was supposed to do, he stood up and reached out his hand, the blood rushing loudly behind his ears.
"Cedric Cunnings, nice to meet you."
Ian's warm palm touched his and then their hands closed around each others.
"Ian. Nice to meet you."
Cedric saw confusion but also a lot of humor in Ian's eyes and it gave him strength, his knees refraining from buckling out from under him.
It was utterly impossible.
"I already can see that you two are going to be great friends," his mother stated while they all sat down at the table.
"Just the feeling I have," Ian said pleasantly and Cedric suddenly felt a lot like throwing up, thinking if only you knew. He had no idea anymore where to look.
"We have to have a big Christmas Party together," his mother went on, oblivious as ever. "We already invited all your aunts and uncles and their families," she revealed, making the last bit of color drain from Cedric's body.
Family Christmas were the worst occasions and made for a lot of bad memories. None of his cousins knew what to do with him and he had no idea how to spend time with them.
Under the tablecloth, Ian's hand slowly snaked over his, giving him a reassuring squeeze and Cedric held on for dear life.
"That sounds fabulous. I'll make sure to be there."
For Cedric it sounded as if Ian was promising to protect him during the festivities and suddenly he could breath again.
Then Ian started to ask questions about how they met and Danielle began the story of Brandon, being in Australia because he and his son had lived there for over ten years and he wanted to see it all again (ignoring the fact it was said son she told the story to), how they instantly knew that this was it and how they arranged everything on the flight over and how Brandon moved in with Cedric's mother before they tided the knot.
All the while, Ian's thumb caressed Cedric's hand, soothing him and giving him a little time to get his bearings.
It was all just unbelievable!
Morning!
Oh, no, another chapter without guys getting it on! What a bummer! They are actual characters :-(
I know, you didn't sign up for a real story to happen, but I'm powerless in the face of these characters who have very clear visions of what to happen.
No, seriously: Thank you all for reading and voting! The next chapter is going to be a lot more cheerful again :-) Hope you all still enjoy!!