Set Me Free

Chapter Six

“Good Morning!” 

Juno breezed into the kitchen, taking residence on one of the island stools. Bringing her knees up she wrapped her arms around them and hummed, feeling full of energy and ready for whatever the day has in store.

“Sooooooo” Emra draws out, “Guess what!?”

Emra asks excitedly, stirring eggs around in the skillet. She must have spent the better half of the morning cooking, in the center of the island was a stack of pancakes, next to it was another plate, rows and rows of delicious smelling bacon beckoned Juno. Next to Emra by the sink the toaster sprung, spitting out golden bread with nicely crusted edges. Juno tilted her head, closing her eyes she savored the aroma permeating in the kitchen.

“Must be great news with the way this kitchen is looking! Seriously, when did you become such a cook?” Juno saunters over and snatches a slice of toast, stealing the butter next she made her way back to the island. Juno looked for a knife on the countertop.

“Callie may have found a lead on one of our sisters. Apparently she met someone at the showing yesterday who works at a hospital in New York. He promised to do some snooping.” 

Juno uses her hands and pretends to smear butter with her imaginary knife. Emra rolls her eyes and grabs a knife handing it over. Before Juno can grab it, Emra pulls it away and shakes it.

“Why do I get this...almost disappointed vibe from you?” With a roll of her eyes, Juno flaps her fingers. 

“Give me.” Emra hands her the knife and turns back to the eggs behind her.

Juno spreads the butter across the flakey bread. “I’m not disappointed. I’m just worried. I mean...Sometimes I can’t help but wonder if there’s a point looking. I know what I said before, but what if...what if they aren’t like you and callie and detest us, or worse detest dad.”

Emra shakes her head sadly. “That very well could be the case. What dad did, I still have trouble understanding why. But in the end, I can’t fault him either I suppose. I don’t know, it’s a mix of complicated feelings but I do believe he had no ill intent. For the girls?Let’s just say I think they’d be quite surprised. I know I was.” She says with a snicker.

“Besides, if that truly were the case you wouldn’t have gone out of your way and found me and Callie at our worst. It was after our mom passed away. Meeting you was certainly a shock but at the same time, I knew instantly who you were. Don’t know how, but my guy told me. Callie would agree as well, she may not be as emotionally talkative as I am, but you have such a big heart, and love so fiercely. And I’m thankful for that and I will fight to keep it. I love you Juno, just need to have faith. You had faith in us, so let’s not start doubting ourselves now, and if it doesn’t work out. At least we could say we tried, but I have an inkling they’d fall into the group like they’ve always been a part of it.”

Juno stared at her sister with wide, tear filled eyes. With quivering lips, her heart burst with love for her sister. Jumping from her stool she ran and pulled Emra into a bear hug. Emra slaps Juno in the back with her spatula.

“Hey! Hey! Stop that! I’m going to burn myself if you keep that up!” Emra tries to say sternly but it ends with a soft laugh. Emra hugged her back, promising Juno that she loves her and not to give up.

Laughing, Juno wipes her tears away and wipes the few that trailed down Emra’s cheeks. Moving back to her stool, her stomach grumbling like a ogre stomping through a castle courtyard.  

“Here, eat. Then we’ll call Callie and see if she heard anything yet.”

“Speaking of, callie, where has she gone this early?” Emra was just about to answer when the front door opened and closed, within seconds Callie came shimmering in like a elven goddess. Callie always carried herself with elegance and sophistication, whereas Juno and Emra aren’t too worried about appearances and what others may think. They’d rather go to a formal party in sweats, whereas Callie would argue the importance of dressing up for occasions .

“I’ll answer that for you right now.” She pulls her wool french beret off and places it on the counter away from the food, taking a seat at the island. Her lips moved to say something but then her eyes lit up when she noticed the bacon. Her hand snatches out like a snake stealing bacon from the plate. Callie’s cheeks poof like an overstuffed squirrel as she munches away with a sigh of satiated comfort.

“Oh. My. God. Emra, you seriously need to cook more often or maybe start your own business. I’d love to see what you could do in baking!”  Emra takes a seat at the island as well placing a plate littered with scrambled eggs piled on, down next to the pancakes.

Both Callie and Emra look at Juno with a look she couldn’t decipher. Juno eyes them both skeptically, wondering if they had some evil mastermind plan underfoot.

“Is this an intervention? I feel like I’m in trouble.” 

Callie shakes her head. “Nope. Unless you plan on getting back together with Kevin.”

Emra drops her silverware on her plate with a loud clatter, scaring the finches singing outside. “You wouldn’t!” 

Juno’s eyes dart back and forth between them both. She can feel the back of her neck tingle. Laughing nervously she waved their worries away, with what she hoped sounded confident.

“Pfff! Of course not! I wouldn’t...aha...like...that’s silly. Right?” Neither of her sisters bought it. Honestly, she hasn’t even thought about that. She sort of almost forgot about Kevin, since Nix was taking up most of her time. Least imaginary Nix, that is.

“Juno, I’m pulling the age card. Don’t be gullible and stupid.” 

“Wow. Way to be blunt. Maybe add in a little seasoning of guilt to complete it.”

‘Guilty about what?” Emra chimes in.

Staring at the food on her plate, her appetite waning with the mounting stress of reality. Resting her cheek in her head she pursed her lips and blew on a piece of bacon.

“We were together for a year. That should mean something...right?” Juno reasons.

“I...didn’t think of that.” Emra frowns.

Callie didn’t buy that excuse any more than Juno did. “Oh, please. As if that dude wasn’t going around snagging any piece of hot tail he could catch while away for,” Callie brings her hands up and air quotes, “work.”

Another reason why it’s for the best. It’s not like Juno hasn’t had the same thought whenever kevins left for work out of state. For a while she chalked it up to her own insecurities. Like a shark scenting blood, Callie latched onto Juno’s uncertainty that plagued her. 

“It’s true, don’t even try to run with some excuse. He was and the minute he started to feel threatened he caved. He showed his true possessive colors. If anything, good riddance, you’ve saved yourself a lifetime of torment.” Callie takes a large forkful of pancakes.

“Maybe. Still...everything went from zero to sixty just like that. Maybe it was rash.”

“Need I remind you that you also didn’t stop Nix from claiming you in front of everyone, right?” Emra reminds her.

Juno hated that she couldn’t keep her face from burning up. Heat spread through her cheeks, even the tip of her ears felt warm to the touch. Jumping from her stool she went to clean her plate to distract herself so her sisters wouldn’t notice how easily his name alone can stir her into a frenzy. The memory was burning itself in her brain, like a branding. The club was dark with lights pounding all around them, his strong arms held her as he took her lips in his. It was hot, it was tempting, she couldn’t stop. Everything about the possessive way he grabbed her, and yet, she knew she could have broken free from his hold, she just didn’t want to. 

“Who am I kidding. That was incredible! I...he was a force I’ve never felt before. His lips, that man definitely knew how to kiss.” Juno admits.

Emra snorts as she covers her mouth stifling a laughter. She nudges Callie with her elbow, like she was saying, ‘I told you so.’ 

“She was having a s*x dream this morning! You should have heard her, every 5 minutes she’d be chanting his name.” She turns her mischievous eyes on Juno. “You should probably soundproof your room.” She says with a snicker.

“Emra!!”  Juno sets the faucet to cold, turning she flicks cold droplets at Emra. She knew they were going to sink their teeth into this whole Nix business. Damn leeches, she curses.

“Good. Cause I’ve already invited him over.” Callie says, grinning like a criminal. The plate Juno was holding slipped through her numb fingers, shattering across the tiled floor. She stared aghast at Callie. She couldn’t tell what Callie or Emra was planning. No doubt Emra was in on this as well, two peas in a pod they are, and Juno couldn’t decide if she should murder them or thank them. Decisions, decisions, she mused.

“Callie! Why!? How could you! This is bad, this is very bad!” 

Callie finished her plate, looping her purse around her shoulder and picking up her hat, tucking a wayward strand under the brim, she came around the island dropping her plate into the sink. Stepping over the broken pieces of ceramic she grabs hold of Juno in a fierce hug.

“Thank me later! I’ll go and see if anything;s been discovered yet about the rest of our sisters. I lied and don’t have anything as of yet. See you soon, June.”  Quickly pecking Juno on the cheek, Callie flew out of the kitchen, the front door shutting echoed down the hall. There was a moment of silence before Emra broke it.

“For the record, I did not expect ‘that’. Well, maybe I did. Anyways, I wish I could stay and help but I’ve got to help at the clinic early today. Bye, Love!” Juno was flabbergasted. She was beyond shocked, her last safety cushion had tucked tail and poofed into a plume of smoke, disappearing just as quickly as Callie. What was she supposed to do now when Nix actually shows up. That’s if he does show up. 

“Would he show up? Why would he show up? He’s only met me once, err...twice and that’s hardly….oh, who am I fooling.”  Juno chases after Emra hoping to catch her before she leaves for good.

“Wait! Emra! What am I supposed to do!?” Emra popped her head back into the archway and winked. A conniving and devilish glint in her eyes.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” No doubt referring to Juno's morning sexcapades with a dream. Vanishined once again and just like that Juno’s morning plummeted into crapville.  She couldn’t face Nix, not after last night and especially not so soon after her very vivid dream. Juno couldn’t possibly look him in the face and not stare at him with a starving hunger. Knowing that in her dream he was deep between her thighs, even if it was a dream, her v****a still remembers the feel of him devouring her. It felt real and it left a achhing hole that she’s afraid only he can fill. Never has she been s*x starved, and yet here she is drooling over a dream and possibilities.

“I’m screwed.” Juno groaned. “Wait, maybe I still have time!” Shooting off a quick text to her evil sister  on when Nix will be arriving, Juno held her breath and waited. It wasn’t more than a second before Callie replied responding with 1pm.  Her face blanched, the time in the corner of her phone’s screen said it was already 1pm. With a panicked heart she raced to the peep window next to the front door overlooking the courtyard. A dark figure came up the long winding drive.  Even though it’s almost December, snow has yet to fall and remain. It’s only come in random waves and disappears the same night. Not many ride their motorcycles during this time of year, but it seems NIx doesn’t mind one bit.

“Now!?” Juno quickly texts an angry message to Callie. “I can’t believe you!”

“Oh shush now! This is good!” She replies back.

“How is this good? What am I supposed to do? Thank him for ending my one year relationship within literal seconds, and kissing the daylights out of me!?” 

“Look. I’m sorry if I overstepped, ok? You knew I never liked Kevin. I saw something and I took a chance. Why don’t you?” Peeking back out the window, Nix stopped the bike in front of the steps leading to the front door, his long legs settle down on the pavement, kicking the stand into place. Leaning back he crosses his arms. Juno could practically hear the groaning of the poor leather as he stretched it with his large body. Sunglasses covered his eyes against the morning sun, his hair soft looking that Juno’s fingers twitched. 

“Why do I suddenly have a fetish for hair!?” Juno groans in defeat. “Ok. fine. I’ll just play it out. I’m not rushing into anything, you hear!” Callie sends a smiley emoji followed with numerous hearts.

The doorbell rang loudly pulling Juno from her phone. “s**t!” Looking down at herself she wondered if she should make him wait in the cold or rush to try to look somewhat presentable. Blue tights hugged her legs with black pinstripes running down the sides. Her equally blue tank top had an image of a smiling snowcone printed on the front with a text bubbly above the snowcone saying, “It ain’t easy being breezy.”

“Not the ideal shirt or outfit at all. First impressions, Juno! But, this is like the third impression? Ugh! What am I even thinking?”

Instead of ringing the doorbell again, three firm knocks pounded against the oak door. Deciding to hell with it, this is what he gets. She stormed to the door and swung it open. Nix was leaning against the door frame with one arm, Juno stared up at him wordlessly.  She couldn’t believe words fail her at the most crucial point of human contact. 

“Uhh----h-hi!” It was a miracle she was able to form ‘a’ word. Nervously she toys with her ear piercing, trying to come up with something far more substantial.

“Are you always this good with words?” Nix’s deep voice goaded.

“Hey!” She jabs a finger at him “Fine. The truth. I can’t help it! Look at yourself?” Juno waves her hand at him. “You are drop dead gorgeous, so it’s only natural that my eyes would wander…It’s science!”

“I already know you are attracted to me.” His confidence annoyed her.

“You can’t possibly---”

“The look in your eyes right now you had that same night at the club two days ago, when I first met you. Then, again last night.” He knew he was intentionally trying to rile her up.

“Haha!” Her laugh was hollow, a smile teased the corner of her lips nonetheless. “And what look is that since you know me so well?”