While writing this, I realized that the story was really long, so I split it up.
Here is part 4. Part 5 will be coming soon.
*****
"Sherry, you are positively glowing."
Her smile lit up her face, "Why thankyou Avery. You're looking pretty good yourself." Sherry knew the reason she had a glow this morning was the reason she had a glow most mornings. She and Derrick had made love last night.
The two friends had met for lunch at Great 53 Bistro. It was turning out to be such a wonderful New England spring day that they had decided to dine alfresco. It was a little windy and it was ruffling their hair, but they were used to that sort of thing.
This was a time of magic in New England. Winter began to relax its grip on the region and spring-like weather dominated everyone's spirit. It was just after the snow had melted and right before summer-like temperatures arrived.
"Have any plans for later?"
Sherry smiled, "Not really, just a relaxing evening at home." Actually she fully intended to have some more knock out sex with her brother but Avery didn't need to know that. Then she decided no, not sex but making love. Having sex is what she experienced with her ex-husband. She and Derrick made love. It was crazy being in love like that with her brother, but she was happy and satisfied and the warm feeling of their love lasted long after their passion ended.
Both women had gotten the fresh tuna salad with avocado. Listening to the cry of the seagulls and the power of the waves breaking against the rocky shoreline of Narraganset bay, the two friends chatted as they ate. Avery noticed during the meal that her friend's mood was slowly changing. "Sherry is something wrong?"
"What are you talking about Avery?"
"Come on, I know you, I'm your best friend."
Sherry shivered and it wasn't cold, "I don't know, really."
"Is everything all right between you and Derrick?"
She laughed and thought if you only knew. "We're fine. I can't put my finger on it really, but I've just got this feeling of trouble coming." She wasn't physic or anything. Maybe it was woman's intuition. It was a nagging sensation that had come on slowly and for some reason it wouldn't go away. Sherry had no idea what it could mean and doubted there was a chance to change things and avoid whatever it was.
When she got back home she wondered why a black cloud wasn't hovering over their home, there might as well have been. There was a car parked in front of their house, a car that she recognized. Sherry didn't know why she'd had a premonition of something bad, but guessed immediately that this was the reason for it; the car belonged to hers and Derrick's mother and father. As she got out of her car, her parent's car emptied. Out came her mother Adrian, her father Timothy and her Uncle Michael.
She and Derrick hadn't left with a heartfelt goodbye from their family; however they had kept in touch. Sherry had no choice but to welcome them even though her heart wasn't in it. "What a surprise."
As usual, Timothy did the talking for the family, "More of a shock wouldn't you say?" His tone was one of barely contained frustration.
Sherry definitely agreed to that, "Yes, actually." She opened the door and they followed her inside. Is anyone else from the family coming?"
"No, it's just us."
"I didn't expect you to visit. How come you didn't call, we could have been out of town or something?"
"You don't have a job. We contacted Derrick's work and they told us he wasn't traveling or anything. We took a chance you didn't have plans."
Her dad had never believed that making a house into a home was a job. Luckily Derrick knew that was so much crap. "You assumed a lot, we could have easily been gone for any number of reasons." The tension in the room was uncomfortable.
Michael harrumphed, "I told you we shouldn't have come in the first place."
Her chest hurt as her lungs forced air in and out of her. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. Her face felt hot as her blood pressure soared. Sherry had never experienced an anxiety attack before and wondered if she was having one.
Sherry felt like a trapped animal. Closing her eyes, she wished that she was someplace else, anyplace else. Absently she thought about ruby slippers and clicking her heels together, saying 'anyplace but home'. Somehow she found enough breath to talk. "Well I can see this isn't just a friendly visit. Why are you here?"
Derrick had thought about Sherry all day, nothing unusual for him. The truth was his heart ached for her whenever they weren't together. He just needed to be near her, even if all they did was sit and hold hands while watching television. With nothing out of the ordinary happening at work, he had taken off early to surprise her.
When he got home, he also recognized with apprehension his father's car. Opening his front door, Derrick walked in as Sherry asked why they were there. "That's a very good question. I'd love to hear the answer."
Their father and uncle both backed off pressuring Sherry. Everyone was fully aware that Derrick would put up with it for only a few seconds at best.
Timothy was used to getting his own way and started yelling, "I want to know what my daughter is doing living with you like this?"
Derrick got into his father's face, "This is Sherry's and my home, and we alone have the right to raise our voice here." He backed off and took a deep breath to calm down. If the tension had been noticeable before, now the very room was thick with it. The air felt heavy, had a bad feeling about it.
Adrian tried to calm her husband and her son down. Derrick do you remember when you were about ten and she was twelve? You and your sister were totally inseparable."
Sherry nodded, "I remember, we went everywhere together. But mom that was innocent; just a very strong brother and sister relationship."
Adrian agreed, "Yes, but when you got older you would also snuggle up with him as you two watched television. You would even occasionally kiss each other on the cheek."
Derrick remembered, "Again it was totally innocent."