Falling for my Stepbrothers

PART ONE; CHAPTERS FOUR

Chapter FOUR

Meeting Steve

After the conversation mom and I had the other day in the kitchen, she arrived home after her date, to announce that they had decided it was time to progress to the next stage in their relationship. This, of course, meant it was time for me to meet the jerk who thinks, to upend my life more than it already is. Could my life honestly get any worse? I've told her, as much as I can stomach, I'm happy, as long as she is happy. Silently, I have been thinking my life is perfectly okay, without adding another man and his kids to the mix. I'd honestly love it if it could just be us for a while. My mom, being the co-dependent person that she is, has a fat chance of that going down.

Have you ever had the feeling you were being watched? Well I do, I have been getting the crazy feeling for a while now. I mentioned it to the girls a few times. Of course, as soon as I do, all three of us begin to look around us, looking to see if anything or anyone suspicious is lurking around us. All we ever see are those O.M.G, off-the-chart, the hottest guys I have ever seen in my life. What's even hotter than that, Triplets? The funny thing though, I don't feel scared or unsafe. I just always feel eyes on me. Sometimes, I will get little things in my locker at school, never knowing who left them. Little things like a single flower or, strangely, six single flowers in my locker. Who is getting into my locker to be able to do this? How are they getting into my locker to do this? I've never given my locker combination out to anyone, well anyone except Mary and Tina. Both of them think it's awesome that I'm getting flowers and strange gifts left in my locker all the time. I have a secret admirer.

Tonight, I'm going to meet Steve. They've been putting it off as long as possible, wanting to give me time to come to terms with it. I honestly would just like to get it over with, so my life can go back to some kind of normalcy.

However, their relationship is moving along quicker than I thought. They can't progress, I guess, without introducing the immediate families. Me, having the conversation I had with mom, allowed them to open the door for introductions.

Looking into the mirror at myself, I think I'm pretty, I have clear, olive skin, and almond-shaped eyes, and I'm a short 5'5 with a weight of 125 pounds. After taking a shower, and dressing in a blue sun dress quickly braided my hair and headed downstairs to wait for his arrival. Shortly after 5 pm, Steve arrives for dinner with a gift and two boutiques of flowers. He hands roses to my mom, who blushes and exclaims," Thank you". Steve then does the most surprising thing. He turns to face me and says, "You must be Alex, your mother didn't give you enough justice, you're beautiful. " He then hands me the white lilies, as well as the gift. "These are for you, they're from my sons, you'll meet them officially soon, I hope". He states, hopefully.

"Thank you, I don’t know much about your kids. Honestly, I'm sorry. Please tell them to thank you". I say, surprisingly, sitting down to open the gift as I look toward mom.

Opening the gift from the boys, looking down, I was shocked at first. This wasn't a meager gift. What lies on my lap is a beautiful necklace that consists of three diamonds and three amethysts in the shape of a heart, on a rose gold chain. It was beautiful, and I'm struck by how thoughtful a gift it is. But I can't accept it, it's too much.

"Oh my, this is beautiful, thank them for me, but I can’t accept it. It's too much. Why am I just hearing about how many children you have now?" I asked, looking towards my mom for answers.

Mom starts to respond but is interrupted by Steve, "Carla, if I can, let me say something?" He asks hopefully.

"OK" is my mom's response to a man I don't know, wanting to explain my mom's lack of consideration for me.

"I thought it was best to wait to bring children into the mix. However, my boys are older, so they have always been aware of you and your mom. Please accept their gift, they took their allowance and bought it themselves. It means a lot to them that you wear it everywhere. They thought it would look beautiful on you and I believe they're right. You know, you may have already seen them around and didn't know it. I know they've already encountered you. I overheard them whispering one night, and all I heard was your name and something about a shirt you had on or something. They have sort of marked themselves your protectors." Eyes wide as saucers, not sure what to say, all I can say is "Why?" As I began lightly touching the necklace.

Steve seemed to ponder that for a moment, then states calmly, "The boys lost their mother, even younger than when you lost your dad. It's just a guess, mind you. However, I think maybe they relate and wish to fill a void in their way, but that's just my opinion." he says thoughtfully.

Are his sons responsible for the little gifts left in my locker?

I somehow snap out of my funk, "You said, boys?" I ask expectantly. I can see the mix of unease as well as excitement and I begin to worry.

"I have six sons," he says calmly "You'll meet them soon, I'm sure," with a knowing grin.

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