Summer's on Its Deathbed

A few days later, Brendon was in his back yard, lighting up the coals on the barbeque, so that when the others arrived, they would be ready to start grilling straight away.

Whilst bringing the empty bags that used to contain the coal into the house to throw into the trash, Brendon heard the doorbell ring. He checked his watch, it was only 1:30, and he’d told everyone to come over at about 2:30. He chucked the bags away, and then went to see who was at the door.

He opened the door, to see Yasmine looking down, searching through her bag. She hadn’t even noticed that Brendon had opened the door. “Yasmine?” Brendon asked, trying to get her attention.

When she looked up at him, she looked slightly startled; almost as though she didn’t expect him to be there.

“Oh sorry, Bren.” She said, pushing her newly curled hair behind her ears. “I was looking for my phone in my bag; I can’t seem to find it.”

Brendon ushered her inside and offered her his house phone so she could call her cell. After a few seconds of searching, Yasmine realised that her phone was in her back pocket of her denim shorts. “Oh God, I’m so stupid sometimes!” she giggled.

“Am I early or something, where is everyone?” Yasmine asked, wondering why she was the only one there.

Leaning against the wall, Brendon scratched his head, “Well, I told everyone to come over at 2:30…”

Yasmine’s eyes widened a little. “Oh no, was I not supposed to be here yet?”

“No, no, no. Its fine, you can help me set everything up.” Brendon grinned at her.

Just as Brendon was getting ready to take the steaks outside when Yasmine stopped him. “Are you just going to cook them bare?” She asked, gesturing to the raw meat on the dish.
Brendon looked from the meat to Yasmine and back again, wondering if it was some sort of trick question. “Yeah…”

She shook her head at him, before seizing the plate and walking back into the kitchen. “You can’t cook steaks without a little seasoning!” She smiled, looking through the kitchen cabinets presumably searching for spices.

As she became all but a whirlwind around the kitchen, Brendon watched in awe. Yasmine didn’t measure anything; she just sprinkled the different spices over the meat, following a recipe only she knew.

Ten minutes later, Yasmine presented Brendon with the now saran wrapped plate once more and shooed him out of the kitchen. He went out onto the patio, and put the meat into the ice box next to the barbeque and placed the lid back on. He grabbed a newspaper and fanned the flames on the coals, making sure they were heating all the way through.

When he returned to the kitchen, Yasmine had found an apron from somewhere and was making herself extremely busy.

“What ya doing?” Brendon asked in a sing-song voice as Yasmine speedily chopped an onion.

Moving her fringe from her face, she said, “I’m making my famous burger relish.” She grinned with pride.

Intrigue brewed inside Brendon, and he couldn’t help himself, he went to stick his finger into the bowl to taste some. Just as his finger was about to touch the mix, Yasmine playfully slapped his hand away. “Nuh-uh.” She said, wagging her finger at the young man. “You have to wait ‘til everyone else is here, then you can taste it.” She stretched some saran wrap over the bowl and put it into the fridge.

Afterwards, Yasmine suggested that they make a salad; Brendon agreed and went to the fridge and retrieved all of the necessary vegetables.

The two of them stood side by side and chopped up their respective vegetables. There was a comfortable silence that fell upon them, neither one wanting to break it. Yasmine smiled over at Brendon, watching him concentrate intently on the cucumber that he was cutting up.

He looked up and caught her looking at him. They held eye contacts for a few moments, before Yasmine looked away, the faintest trace of a blush staining her cheeks. Brendon laughed with a small noise, before he hip bumped Yasmine and leaned over her, dropping the green cubes into the bowl where she had already deposited the slices of carrot and leaves of lettuce. She giggled and threw her chunks of carrot into the bowl.

Brendon went outside to check the coals again, to make sure that they were still warm. Yasmine did some of the dishes just to get them out of the way. She also buttered some buns for the burgers and got out the condiments from Brendon’s refrigerator.

While Brendon was still outside, the doorbell rang. So Yasmine dried her hands and went to open the door. When she did so, all she heard was one little shriek and a footsteps running past her. Yasmine turned her head attempting to catch a glimpse of who’d run past her. She swivelled her head just in time to see a small girl with long brown hair running into Brendon’s living room, shouting ‘Brenny!’ as she did so.

Yasmine looked back to the door to see Dallon and who she assumed to be his wife standing there. they both smiled at her and she stood aside so they could enter the house. As they walked past, Yasmine noticed that Dallon’s wife was holding a baby.

Once they’d settled in the living room, Yasmine gave Dallon a quick kiss on the cheek having become quite fond of him and his hilarity over the course of the two day video shoot. Dallon’s wife introduced herself as Breezy and all Yasmine could do was look down at the small boy who was in her arms. “Who’s this gorgeous little boy then?” she asked, rubbing her finger over his smooth cheeks.

Proudly, Breezy smiled at the other woman and said, “This is Knox.”

He slowly offered out his hand to Yasmine, holding his chubby fist in the air. Yasmine held out a finger and he slowly wrapped all of his fingers around her one finger. “He is precious,” Yasmine gushed. “Who knew you had such gorgeous kids and a bombshell of a wife?” Yasmine jested towards Dallon who had just re-entered the room with Brendon. He ignored her before picking up his daughter and resting her on his hip.

"This is Amelie," he smiled proudly as the little girl waved at Yasmine, and the older woman responded in the same manner, feeling her smile growing wider at the little girl.

Breezy looked toward Yasmine and asked if she wanted to hold the baby. Yasmine nodded enthusiastically.

When Knox was settled in her arms, Yasmine noticed how beautiful the young boy was. He had a shock of deep brown hair, smooth porcelain skin and a cute chubby face. She sat down on the sofa when Dallon goes to answer the door. Spencer, Liz and Ian all enter the room and greet everybody. Spencer introduces Liz and Yasmine to one another and everyone goes outside to and Brendon says he’ll start grilling.

However, Yasmine decided to hang back, watching the little boy in her arms as he fidgeted before settling. She watched his eyes slip closed and then as he slept for a few minutes.

Brendon entered the room. “Hey, Yas, are you coming outsi-” Yasmine cut him off by putting her fingers to her lips and then pointing to the baby in her arms.

He nodded his understanding before taking a seat next to Yasmine. They both observed Knox as he slumbered, the steady rise and fall of his chest was almost mesmerising. Yasmine was entranced. But Brendon elbowed her gently in the side to gain her attention before pointing towards the door. Yasmine nodded and walked over the travel cot that the Weekes’ had brought with them.

After she placed him under the blankets, tucking Knox in, Brendon took her hand lightly and led her into the garden.