Chapter 35:

Corey and I walked out of the room, into the hall; Jake was standing, leaning against the banister.

He immediately looked up when we came out, glancing down at our hands that were linked together.

His eyes widened slightly, he blinked and looked back up, at Corey.

Jake cleared his throat. "Uh, hi."

Corey rolled his eyes. "Is that the best you can do?"

"I didn't know what to say." Jake replied defensively.

"Not the first time. Why are you here? I didn't expect...I mean if anyone was going to come looking for me I expected it to be Mikey."

Jake smiled slightly. "Yeah, he wanted too...but I-uh, I thought it would be best if I came...first."

"Okay so, why are you here?" Corey prompted.

"Well first off I thought you were dead. And then to find out that you're getting...married. I mean it's kind of a shock. I was just kind of confused..."

Corey sighed. "Yeah, I guess I have some explaining to do."

Jake nodded.

"Well first I'm getting coffee."

Corey, Jake and I walked downstairs to the kitchen.

I started making the coffee; it was like a routine now. I've had so much coffee lately, I was use to just drinking mountain dew but now it's coffee.

Corey sat down at the counter and Jake sat across from him.

I leaned against the counter, as I waited for the coffee to brew.

Corey looked over at me and I smiled at him.

He smiled and looked down timidly.

Jake spoke; "So mind telling me how you're getting married?"

Corey looked at him, still smiling lightly. "She's the love of my life..." He shrugged.

Jake looked surprised. "Seriously? I never thought I'd hear you say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh C'mon, you-in love?" he shook his head. "I just never even considered it. It's hard to take in."

"I see your point."

Jake started biting his nails.

"So..." Corey started. "Is everyone still..."

"Alive?" Jake asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah,"

"Are you still staying in the same place?"

Jake shook his head, biting his lower lip. "Yeah, it would have looked suspicious if we moved after you..."

Corey nodded.

"I'm sure the rest of the family would really like it if you came to see them."

"Eh, I don't know..." Corey said.

"You seriously don't want to see your family?"

He shrugged.

"Well I still think you should, they at least need to meet your soon to-be wife."

"I think that's a good idea." I said.

Jake smiled at me.

Corey said, "Sweetheart, I really don't think you want to meet them."

Jake breathed a laugh. "Sweetheart? You have nicknames?"

Corey gave him an unamused look.

Jake cleared his expression and looked away.

Corey looked back at me and gestured for me to come over.

I reached him and he pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me as I rested my arm on his shoulder.

Jake shifted awkwardly. "Ya know I should really get going....we can just talk another time."

I heard a quite vibrating and Jake took out a slim black cell phone from his jacket pocket.

"Hello?" He answered quietly.

There was a pause. "No, no don't, you can just come another time."

I heard the front door and a moment later a guy walked into the kitchen with a phone held up to his ear.

He grinned. "Too late."

Jake sighed and put the phone back in his pocket. "Mikey, I told you to just wait until another time."

"Well I only thought it was fair if I got too see him too." He replied.

"Mikey, put away the phone." Jake sighed.

"Oh, right." He stuffed it in his jeans pocket.

Mikey, I presuming is his name looked over at Corey and me and grinned.

"What's up, Corey? Haven't seen you in ages."

"Yeah," Corey said nonchalantly.

"And this must be Arabelle." Mikey said, smiling at me.

Corey wrapped his arms more securely around me.

"I'm Mikey, Corey's brother." He introduced himself.

I smiled.

Mikey came over and leaned against the counter by Corey.

"So what have you been doing besides spending time with your gorgeous fiancée?" He asked Corey.

Corey looked at him. "Oh I don't know being a slave." He smiled malevolently.

Jake cleared his throat. "Um, Mikey, I think we should go."

He looked at Jake. "Already? I'm not leaving until Corey agrees to come with us." He grinned at Corey.

Jake stared at him. "Mikey, you can't make him come with us. He obviously doesn't want too."

"Well he owes us at least that much."

"I don't owe you shit." Corey said.

Mikey just kept smiling and Jake glanced at him then looked away.

"Give me one good reason you don't want to come visit your family." Mikey demanded.

"I just...don't want too." Corey looked down.

"Oh is the big bad Corey afraid to face his problems?"

Corey's jaw clenched and he looked up at Mikey with a death glare.

Jake stood up. "Mikey, come on, let's go."

Mikey didn't move he just kept looking at Corey.

"C'mon Corey, just come for a day or two. That's all. Then you can leave and you'll never have to see us again." He prompted.

"Can you give us a minute?" Corey asked.

"Sure," Mikey and Jake walked out of the room. I could hear Jake saying something to him but couldn't make out what it was.

Corey sighed and looked at me. "I'm not going to go without you so it's kind of up to you."

"Like I'm going to say no." I replied.

"Yeah...but I mean you can't just leave can you?"

I shrugged. "I guess I can."

He sighed. "Does that mean we're going?"

"If you want too."

"I don't want too but I'm afraid they won't leave until I do."

He got off the stool and set me on the ground beside him.

He grabbed my hand and we walked out into the front room where Jake and Mikey were waiting.

Mikey looked at us. "So are you coming?"

Corey took a deep breath. "Yes."

Jake looked shocked and Mikey smiled.