"I thought I told you to wait in the hallway?" Kelsey spun round at the sound of Sean's voice, steadying herself against the side of the counter. He stood leaning in the door way, now fully clothed in grey sweats and a white t-shirt, the shoulders clinging to his skin where it was still wet, his hair tousled but pushed out of his eyes. She raised her hands and smiled.
     "Sorry."

  Sean walked across the kitchen bending down to pick up the miscellaneous items that had fallen out of Kelsey's bag as he approached her. He placed them onto the counter next to the wine bottle, inspecting it as he did so.

    "You never struck me as the Merlot type." He quipped with a raised eyebrow, pulling one of the bar stool chairs out, gesturing for Kelsey to take a seat. "I think it might be a good idea for you to be off of your feet."

Taking the seat, Kelsey swung her legs gently back and forth watching as Sean retrieved a steaming plate of lasagna from the microwave, the rich aroma causing Kelsey's stomach to growl once again.

  Sean opened a draw next to him, removing two forks before sliding the draw shut with a nudge of his hip. He placed the plate in the centre of the kitchen island, pulling out the chair opposite Kelsey.

      "You still haven't told me why you're here," He said as he offered a fork to her. His eyes staring, unblinking. Kelsey reached out for the fork eagerly. He moved it away just before she could grasp it. "Uh-uh. Answer my question first please, Kelsey."

  Kelsey theatrically rolled her eyes. "Fine." she dragged out. "I was hoping to speak to your brother, Jake." Her nose scrunched up as if she smelled something foul when his name left her lips. Sean's eyebrows shot up at this revelation, scooping a heap of steaming lasagna onto his fork he took the bite nodding slowly as if things were starting to make sense.

       "Explains the need to get drunk," He acknowledged before handing Kelsey the fork, she immediately took a small chunk sighing with delight as it hit her tastebuds. "but as you may have guessed. Jake's not here."

      "Yeah, no shit." Kelsey exclaimed in a childlike frustration.

  Sean almost choked on his mouthful, he'd never heard Kelsey be so brass before. She had barely spoken to him throughout her entire relationship with Jake, Sean was present but stuck to the background. The version of herself he probably remembered-if he did recall her at all-was a timid, soft spoken girl. But here today, the woman sat before him was most definitely not timid, her confidence blindingly radiant.

   She watched as an entertained smile pulled slightly on the edge of his lips, this bizarre evening taunting her one final time with just how much of a failure this trip has been.

       "Now I'm stuck with the other brother." Kelsey spoke threw a mouth full of food, jabbing the fork in his direction. She watched as Sean's eyebrows shot up, seeing him ignited the flame that had been sitting dormant within. He may not be Jake but the emotions were colliding inside and the words were beginning to tumble out of her mouth. "Sat speaking to a man who really couldn't give a single fuck back then about his silly little brother's relationship so why on earth would he care now," Words flooded out of her mouth, the drink breaking down the dam that previously held all these emotions back.

       "Kels, please."

       "No Sean. I've had one hell of a day." she laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation she'd gotten herself into. "I may not get to speak to Jake and I know you do not want to listen but I need to vent to someone." Kelsey said, looking Sean directly in the eyes. His tense posture softening as he lent forward resting his elbows on the counter.

      "Ok." His voice was calm. "I'm listening."

   Kelsey's mouth went dry, she wasn't expecting that response. Her outburst felt silly and childlike, Sean had no reason to listen to her problems, yet he sat patiently and alert.

      "Umm, well. I would...umm." Kelsey slurred, finally breaking eye contact as she glanced down at her hands.

      "I know my brother very well," Sean's voice cut in. A cool tone against the burning embarrassment that Kelsey felt. "I don't admit to knowing much about your guys' past and how that all ended. However." Kelsey looked back up at Sean. "Jake was and can often still be an asshole." He laughed.

       "He was a massive asshole." Kelsey said laughing in agreement, her defences lowering. "You know he's been messaging me on and off these past four years, right?"

Sean swallowed hard, his jaw slightly tense at that revelation. "No. I was not aware."

      "Yeah, some of it was harmless. Most of it felt pretty degrading." Kelsey informed, her hand instantly going to fiddle with her grandma's ring, her hands clammy from the drink and nerves. "I never responded until today. I've tried to move on, but he's made it pretty difficult."

       "So you came here to tell him to stop?"
       "In a way, yes."

       "What do you mean?" Sean asked "You've just told me that my brother has been harassing you for the past four years. Surely you'd want him to stop."

  A cold shiver ran down Kelsey's spine at the mention of the word 'harassing'. No matter how many times Millie or anyone else had said the word harassment when talking about Jake's messages, none of it felt genuine until Sean had just alluded to it.

   Kelsey looked up at Sean, his face drawn concerned as she watched him take in that information himself.

       "His last message he sent me was an apology," She started. "Jake had never once apologised to me before last Friday so I thought, fuck it! I'll get this apology in person and then be done with it. Tell him to leave me alone and continue on with my life." She chuckled to herself anxiously, a damp splash falling onto the counter top alerting Kelsey to realise that she was crying. "Oh god, I'm so sorry. I'm such a mess right now."

      "You have nothing to apologise for." Sean comforted, stepping down from his chair he walked over to the the kitchen sink. Taking a water glass from the cabinet he filled it, simultaneously reaching for a strip of kitchen roll. Placing the glass down in front of her and offering out the square of paper he sat back down.
"I know it's not me you want to hear this from but I am sorry, Kelsey. I'm really sorry for what Jake has put you through."

  Dabbing at her eyes and blowing her nose with the rough kitchen roll, Kelsey smiled back to Sean in recognition of his kind words.

       "How you and Jake are related baffles me," Kelsey hiccuped. "I never knew this side of you, Sean. Your misses- or mister. Sorry I shouldn't presume. God I'm fumbling this. What I'm trying to say is whoever they are, they're golden to have you by their side."

   Sean laughed at her drunken stumbling, his hand raking through his hair in the awkward moment.

      "There's no misses." He answered "Or mister." Kelsey's cheeks flushed. Sean nudged the fork closer to her, nodding to the remaining piece of lasagna.
"You should eat some more. Then I'll drop you back where you're staying."  Kelsey eyed the open bottle of beer on the side, Sean followed her line of sight and raised both hands innocently. "That was my only one of the evening I promise, I've only had a couple sips."

Coat and bag under her arm, Kelsey carefully made her way towards the black BMW that was parked on the driveway. Her footing not as steady as she perceived, she stumbled more times than she thought was possibly in the short distance from the door to car.

    Sean walked beside her making sure she didn't stack, his arm hovering waist height ready to react if needed. He clicked a button on the keys, orange lights blinking twice as the sound of the doors unlocked.  Reaching down for the handle of the passenger's door he opened it, holding it open with one hand as the other covered the edge of the roof so Kelsey wouldn't smack her head as she slid onto the leather seat.

   A warm, wooden musk welcomed her as she shifted into a comfortable position, the soft clunk of the door shutting behind her. She let her coat and bag fall into the footwell by her feet as she reached round to secure herself with the seatbelt, managing on the third time to insert it with a satisfying click. The driver's door opened and Sean sat down next to her pulling the door closed behind him.

        "All strapped in?" He asked, glancing over at her as he adjusted the rear view mirror. Kelsey throw up both thumbs with a smile plastered on her face, her brain in the cloudy sense of drunk where actions were easier than words. Sean sighed, smiling amused as he turned the engine on. Shifting the gearbox to reverse he placed his left hand on the back of Kelsey's head rest as he started to slowly reverse down the driveway onto the street.

    Kelsey took her phone out of her pocket, the Lock Screen casting a blue haze inside the car. Her eyes scanned the notifications -mostly from Millie checking in- the words dancing all over the screen Kelsey couldn't work out what they were saying. Dropping the phone into her lap she averted her gaze to the outside world, the sky dark and the night silent.

        "You staying with your parents? They still live in the old town?" Sean asked as her shifted gears once more, the car now moving forward, headlights illuminating the road ahead.

       "Umm, No." Kelsey mumbled, her head leaning back and eyes shut, the motion of the car making her head start to feel heavy. "I'm staying at the travel lodge in town. I'm only here for tonight."

        "Got it."

    Kelsey turned her head opening her eyes, she took in Sean. He really hadn't changed that much in appearance since she last saw him, maybe his hair was a tad bit shorter and his frame was more muscular. His hands gripped the steering wheel, flexing his fingers in intervals. Kelsey was still shocked to see no wedding band on his ring finger.

   Sensing he was being watched Sean glanced down over at Kelsey, a smile tugging on his lips.

       "You alright there, Kels?" He laughed. Kelsey smiled back, closing her eyes gently again.

       "Yeah. I was just thinking about the other time you drove me home." She slurred.

       "Oh yeah? When was that?"

       "The night of your's and Jake's football club, end of season meal thingy." Kelsey said "Me and Jake were arguing and he asked you to take me home. You seemed pretty pissed about it. Didn't say a word to me the whole drive back." Kelsey recalled that fight, it was one of the ones that sparked the beginning of the end of their relationship.

        "Yeah I remember that night," Sean responded shortly  "It was a pretty shit evening."

        "This drive is better." Kelsey smiled.

         "You certainly seem happier this time around." Sean agreed, sneaking another look over at the very content Kelsey, a smile mirroring hers.

 
    Kelsey jolted forward as Sean brought the car to a stop. Opening her eyes she saw they were outside the entrance to the travel lodge she was staying at. The car fell silent as Sean turned the engine off, the click of his seatbelt unbuckling bringing her back to a sense of reality.

   A fresh breeze entered the car as Sean stepped out, a few seconds later he was opening the passenger side door, his hand outstretched to help Kelsey onto her feet. 

        "I've got this." She mumbled as she scrambled for her belongings by her feet. Sean's hand still remained outstretched for her, an eyebrow raised and a smirk told her he was still going to make sure she got out of the car without ending up on the car park floor. "Fine."

    Grabbing his hand she gripped it tight as she placed one foot on the solid ground. Standing upright she dropped her hand to her side.

      "Thank you for everything tonight." Kelsey said.

       "No worries. Are you alright with walking to your room?" Sean asked dubiously. Kelsey produced the blue key card from her jean pocket with a triumphant smile.

        "You may have technically bought me dinner but I am not inviting you back to my room for dessert, Sean Henderson." She winked. Sean dropped his head into his hand, a laugh ripping through the night air.

        "Not what I meant, Kels." He chuckled. Kelsey smiled, hitting his arm playfully.

        "Thought it was a pretty funny joke." Adjusting her grip on her bag she folded her arms against her chest, glancing back to the entrance. "I'll be fine. Thanks for making today not totally awful."

         "I could say the same," He smiled. "Thank you Kelsey."