Hey guys, here's Chapter 54! I hope you enjoy it. Comments and feedback are always appreciated! I read every single one. Also, please let me know if you spot any mistakes. I upload revisions all the time, and I will correct any errors that are pointed out to me. Just make sure to be specific so that I can find what you're talking about. Please note that this story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any real person is purely coincidental. As always, this is a world without STI's, and everyone involved in sexual activity is at least eighteen years old.
-Witty
~Andrea~
"Mark?" I call out in a carrying whisper. "Are you asleep?"
My husband's lack of response is answer enough and I let out a breath as I stare up at the ceiling. I'm laying in a very comfortable bed in one of my little brother's guest bedrooms. I don't know what time it is, but this is my third time waking up. The thought of my baby brother in the next room with his two girlfriends is keeping me awake.
I can't believe Steven has two girlfriends. He's the loyal, devoted type. He's nothing like our older brother, Brian. Not only is Steven now dating someone his daughter's age, he's also dating the girl's older sister! And another high school student is having his baby! My niece or nephew. Fuck!
Trying to fall back asleep doesn't work; I keep thinking about that horrible dream. Steven sitting in a big flowing tent on a pile of pillows. Lexi feeding him grapes while he's surrounded by pregnant women. Hazel and Nicole are clearly eight or nine months pregnant, their exposed bellies and breasts swollen. Other girls dancing naked for him.
"Mark!" I shout, reaching out to shake his bare shoulder.
"Ungh!" Mark grunts before finally snapping awake. "Huh? What? Andrea? What's wrong?"
"I can't sleep," I sigh, looking over at him.
"Why not?" he frowns, groaning slightly.
"I keep thinking about my snot-nosed little brother having sex with a teenager!" I exclaim, crossing my arms.
"I asked if you wanted to talk about this before bed," Mark reminds me as he rubs his eyes.
"I wasn't ready to talk about it then," I tell him.
"Of course not," he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Choosing to ignore my husband's exasperation, I give him a minute to wake up. Mark reaches over and grabs his phone off the bedside table. Grumbling about it being 3:00AM, Mark yawns and sits up. I can't help but admire his muscular chest, illuminated by the light from his phone. His dark skin and bulging muscles always make me damp between the legs, even after all these years.
"Sorry for waking you," I say, finally starting to feel bad.
"It's fine," Mark replies, turning on the bedside light before setting his phone down. "I knew you needed to talk about it."
"How were you able to sleep while Steven's in the next room with a woman half his age?" I ask while sitting up.
"Because it's none of my business?" he offers.
"She's a child!" I hiss angrily.
"Lexi's eighteen," Mark points out. "It's legal."
"Yeah, and how many guys groom a girl until she turns eighteen?" I inquire. "Being legal doesn't make it right."
"I know! Steven is such a predator. My God, it's a wonder he didn't try to molest you when you two lived at home," he says accusingly.
"What! No! Steven would never... you ass," I growl at him.
"There ya go," Mark smiles.
"No. No!" I shake my head, confident my disapproval is justified. "You know Lexi is the girl who was kidnapped with Kayla? She's a rape victim! She's not in the right mental state to be in a relationship, especially not with a guy over twenty years older than her! And who knows what's going on with that Hazel girl!"
"And you're qualified to understand Lexi's mental state? A girl you barely know?" he challenges.
"I am a doctor!" I reason, sticking out my tongue.
"A doctor of chemistry," Mark points out. "That actually works against you; being a chemist is basically telling people you don't handle social interactions well."
"It does not!" I exclaim, swatting him on the arm. "Besides, you're a chemist, too!"
"I'm a chemical engineer, it's different," he chuckles. "Also, I'm not the one claiming to know what's best for someone else."
"We're getting off topic," I roll my eyes. "The point is that I'm right and you're wrong. They shouldn't be together. And why are they living here? Their parents kicked them out; they're children! With such horrible home lives, Steven is taking advantage of their vulnerability."
"Or he's giving them homes when no one else will," Mark suggests carefully. "And what about Nicole? She's young, but she's clearly a responsible adult."
"Exactly!" I declare. "Why is he dating two people? He's telling each of them that one isn't enough."
"Poly relationships are much more common these days," he shrugs. "I could never be in a relationship like that, but I can understand. I mean, you love both our children equally; why can't Steven love two women equally?"
"Because, because..." I stammer, determined to be upset. "Because I said so!"
"Steven's your brother, not one of our kids," Mark laughs. "You can't use that on him."
"He's my baby brother, yes, I can!" I argue, glaring at my husband. "You need to be on my side. I had a bad dream about Steven in a tent with a bunch of naked women. Lexi was feeding him grapes."
"You can feed me grapes if you want?" he grins at me and waggles his eyebrows.
"You're an idiot," I grunt.
"But, I'm your idiot," Mark smiles and picks his wedding ring up off the bedside table. "I'm your idiot forever."
"Lucky me," I snort as he puts his ring back on the table.
"Look, maybe the relationships aren't healthy, maybe they are," he sighs. "We don't know. We do know that Steven is a good man. If things don't work out, it's not like he's going to toss them out on the street. He's not abusing them and they seem happy. Maybe we should just stay out of it?"
"Stop making sense," I make a face at him. "And, I did! I pretended to be perfectly okay with things even though I'm not."
"Keep pretending," Mark advises.
"Bite me," I retort.
