This Could Be All I've Waited For

I helped make dinner by peeling potatoes for the mashed potatoes we’d be having with the meatloaf that Dad was currently seasoning. Momma was pretending to be productive by opening canned green beans extremely slow. Easy chatter filled the room as we cooked or in Momma’s case threw canned beans into a pot.

I was sitting at the breakfast bar letting the potatoes boil when Derek walked in. I sent him a nasty look hoping that Daddy didn’t see, but I don’t have that kind of luck.

“Cadence,” Daddy began in a warning tone, “What did we talk about earlier?”

I growled quietly to myself before answering him, “I don’t really care that you think he was looking out for me because he’s my brother and therefore I’m supposed to hate him over stupid things and make him apologize because that’s what sisters do to brothers,” I said popping a grape in my mouth before I could tell myself that I hated grapes.

I scowled at the bitter taste in my mouth and waited for someone else to take the floor.

“You will do no such thing,” Daddy said his tone growing demanding.

I rolled my eyes, “Daddy, he told you something very personal that he wasn’t supposed to tell you because I specifically asked him not to,” I complained hearing my voice grow whiney and small.

“You can’t honestly stay mad at me forever though can you?” Derek asked interrupting whatever it was that Daddy was about to say.

I shrugged my shoulders turning my attention to Derek. “I’m going to stay mad until you apologize,” I informed him, “because you and I both know that what you did was quite the dick move.”

Derek nodded his head and scuffed the toe of his shoe against the stone kitchen floors. “I was just a little pissed that my baby sister was dating one of my friends,” he said giving me a sheepish smile, “and besides I brought you an apology gift.” Derek raised his eyebrows in a hopeful sort of expression at me.

I rolled my eyes still trying to be difficult even though I had forgiven him the moment he called me his baby sister. “Well it better be one hell of an apology gift because today really went downhill for me,” I warned him folding my arms across my chest.

Derek glanced behind him down the hall that led to the kitchen but I couldn’t see what he was looking at from where I was sitting. A smirk formed on his lips as he said, “Oh I think it’ll make your day much better.”

I was just about to come back with something about him not possibly being able to make my day better when a very familiar giggle filtered into the kitchen from the hall. I could feel my eyes bulging because I was pretty sure that I knew exactly who that giggle belonged to.

“You’re kidding,” I said sliding off the bar stool I had been sitting in and trying to get a better look into the hallway. I’ll admit that I was a little afraid that I was wrong and that’s what kept me from running into the hall.

Derek simply shrugged his shoulders at me and stepped aside before I heard shuffling feet in the hall. Jack stepped into the kitchen with a wide grin on his face and I wasted no time running across the kitchen and wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry I missed lunch,” he apologized squeezing me back causing me to laugh in return, “I was at the airport and I didn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

“You are more than forgiven,” I told him stretching up onto the tip of my toes to kiss his cheek.

Jack chuckled as he nuzzled into my neck placing sloppy kisses in a trail there.

Derek made a noise of disgust in the back of his throat. “You two are going to ruin my appetite,” he teased the way only older brothers can without sounding mean.

“Leave them alone, Derek,” I heard Daddy say.

“We need to find you a pretty little thing maybe you wouldn’t be so you’ll have something to keep you occupied,” Momma suggested from somewhere behind me.

I chuckled, “Derek won’t keep any girl long enough to reach a holiday,” I teased letting go of Jack.

“He is a notorious player,” Jack threw in giving Derek a goofy grin.
“Don’t make me regret helping you get here,” Derek said pointing a finger at Jack and narrowing his eyes.

“Alright children,” Daddy called our attention from our banter, “The food is nearly ready why don’t you three go set the table while your Mom and I get the food ready to serve?”

Derek and I groaned while Jack simply giggled and grabbed my hand pulling me towards the dining room. Derek grumpily took the stack of plates and silver wear from Momma.

-------------------------------------------------

“I can’t believe your parents are letting us share a bed after Derek tattled on us,” Jack said as he slipped his shirt off over his head.

I scoffed at him as I came out of my bathroom in my pajamas. “Momma wants us to have lots of beautiful little babies and I think Daddy is trying to pretend he doesn’t know anything,” I informed him as I climbed into bed.

Jack smirked at me as he shimmied out of his jeans obviously trying to put on a show. I giggled at him because honestly I couldn’t take him seriously. He continued to shake his hips and pull his jeans down and started making noises that, I was sure, were supposed to resemble music. He slipped his thumb into the waist band of his boxers and raised his eye brows suggestively. When I gave him a shake of my head he abandoned the idea and continued with his jeans.

I was gripping my sides from laughing so hard by the time he’d gotten them all the way off. When I calmed myself down I found Jack frowning down at me standing on the other side of the bed.

“What’s so funny?” Jack asked putting a hand on his hip, “Was my dancing not pleasurable?”

I burst out laughing all over again. “Oh, Jack,” I sighed, “you are going to be the death of me.”

Jack quickly climbed into the bed and hovered over me and kissing my nose. “You aren’t allowed to die on me Cady,” he said his tone all serious at that point.

I shrugged my shoulders, “You were the one preventing me from breathing properly,” I accused poking his ribs.

Jack shrugged swiftly kissing my cheek and throwing himself onto his back beside me in one motion. “Laughter is good for the soul and actually lengthens your life according to some study that I know nothing about,” he said sounding serious until the last bit.

“Well consider my life lengthened,” I said rolling over so that my head rested on his shoulder. “What made you come all the way to Georgia?” I asked him genuinely curious as to why he had decided to bypass spending time with his family.

“I missed you, Cady,” he told me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I knew that you couldn’t leave here so I came to you. You do the same thing for me all the time,” he said shrugging his shoulders and wrapping an arm around me.

I hadn’t really thought of me going out on tour with him that way before. I suppose I did bypass spending time with the people I loved to spend time with him, but I got to see my people all of the time.

“I think that’s a little bit different,” I tell him, “I live with my parents and see them constantly, but you’re on tour all of the time.”

“I’ll be able to spend time with them next week after you start classes,” he said, “I don’t want to get in the way of your school stuff.”

I rolled my eyes, “Why did I decide that I wanted to go to college anyway?” I asked rhetorically.

“Because you have the brains for it and you are an incredible independent woman who wanted to insure a future for yourself so you wouldn’t have to rely on anyone else,” he told me I could hear the grin in his voice.

“Jack Barakat you better not be teasing me,” I warned.

“I’m not joking, Cady,” he said seriously, “when I first met you I knew how independent you were and honestly you scared the shit out of me.”

“Is that why you were constantly teasing me and pulling little tricks that you knew would make me mad?” I asked, “You seemed so scared,” even I could hear the sarcasm dripping from my voice.

“Have you not learned by now that I only pick on the people that I actually like?” he asked as his fingers traced patterns on my arm.

That made me smile because somehow I convinced myself that, that meant that he liked be way back when, too. It was silly to think so considering he didn’t even know me but hey a girl can let her thoughts get ahead of herself as long as she doesn’t speak them, right?

“So you go around nearly getting people arrested just because you like them?” I asked teasing him now.

Jack gasped, “How was I supposed to know that it was illegal to swim in that fountain?!” he asked becoming defensive.

“Common sense would have told you not to pull the girl that was clearly annoyed by your antics into the fountain and would have helped us to avoid the whole situation,” I told him propping myself up on my elbow so that I could see his face.

“You were being a party pooper and I was just trying to get you to have some fun,” he told me smiling, “and if I remember correctly you were having a lot of fun until those cops showed up,” he poked my nose as I made a face.

“Yeah well luckily I was motivated to run pretty fast that night otherwise I would have ratted you out,” I told him jokingly.

“If you weren’t able to keep up with me, I wouldn’t have left you, Cady,” he told me chuckling, “What is another arrest to my record anyway?”

“I don’t really think that swimming in a fountain would really match up to your public indecencies,” I joked.

Jack shrugged, “Yeah I guess you’re right it would have made me look like less of a bad ass,” he agreed.

“Or maybe less of a pedophile, though I was underage at that point so I guess it wouldn’t have helped your case in that department,” I teased.

“I am not a pedophile,” he insisted.

“Of course not,” I agreed sarcastically, “You just constantly flash unsuspecting teenagers for a living.”

Jack laughed loudly at that and gave me a quick kiss before shaking his head. “All of those kids know exactly what they are getting themselves into when they purchase a ticket to see us.”

“You guys should add a disclaimer to the receipt or something, it might save you from getting arrested so much,” I suggested.

“I’ll make sure to get Flyzik on that as soon as we get back on tour,” Jack mumbled as he slipped a hand to the back of my neck and his eyes traveled to my lips.

I could only get out the word, “Good,” before he was pulling me in for a kiss. Jack pushed himself up so that he could turn onto his side before he used his free hand to grab my thigh and reposition me so that I was now on my back and he was hovering over me. Jack deepened the kiss easily and from the way I my hands tangled themselves into his hair he knew he had me exactly where he wanted me.

Honestly we probably would have gotten carried away if someone hadn’t chosen to walk into my room at that moment.

“Jesus, guys!” I heard Derek cry out.

Jack groaned as he took his lips from mine knowing that the mood had been killed. He threw himself onto his back beside me. “You and I are going to have problems, Derek,” Jack mumbled like a grumpy child.

I laughed, “What do you need, Derek?” I asked ruffling Jack’s hair.

“I was actually coming to warn you guys that my room isn’t that far from your room so I don’t want to know what I don’t need to know,” he said looking uncomfortable, “You understand?”

“Nope,” I said shaking my head slowly and doing my best to look innocent.

Jack caught on and sat up next to me, “Yeah Derek, what are you trying to say?” he asked playing along.

A blush darkened Derek’s cheeks, “Just keep it down you two,” he said in a flustered huff before he darted out of the room closing the door behind him.

Jack and I were reduced into a fit of laughed both of us curling into each other and clutching our sides.