~"I break it down again for love .
I sing the songs you've been dreaming of 
And maybe now you'll hear what I'm saying
Up all night while you're keeping me waiting~"

*

A.N.: Read at your own risk. 😋

Marion's tea was untouched and she assumed that it was cold by now anyway. Not that she had wanted it in the first place, Cel's fascination with tea was something she never would understand. Why have a tea at 5 o'clock, when you could have instead  a nice glass of red wine?

Marion could understand that Celeste didn't want to get drunk, after all her sister was the most responsible person she knew, but that they didn't even have anything to drink in the house for guests was beyond her understanding.

Absent mindly Marion turned the spoon around in her cup anyway. She could have joined her sister in the living room, but she didn't want to see Bob. How Celeste still could be with him was another thing beyond her understanding.

He had threaten her like shit as far as Marion was concerned and didn't deserve a second look. For the sake of her sister and David she tolerated him though, whenever she saw him, which was luckily not that often. Celeste really had a talent to attract assholes and then get pregnant by them, Marion thought sighing, while glancing at the small portable baby basket thing on the table.

Though Marion had to admit that Brian was the cutest thing she'd ever seen, and the fact that she was godmother made her proud, she didn't envy Celeste who now had to care for two children by two different fathers, who both weren't exactly what one might consider good father material nor easy going people.

"I hope for your sake, you won't be such an asshole as your father, Bri. Though I fear you'll break as many hearts."

The baby didn't react and kept on sleeping peacefully in its bed and Marion smiled. If Brian had done one thing right then it was to at least contribute his looks for the child. Celeste would take care off the rest, she had this natural talent at being a mother and a good one at that. Both Brian and David would never miss a thing.

"But your mother will make sure that it won't go to your head, I'm sure. You know I'm nearly jealous that your mother is only my sister and not my mother too. She'll always be there for you and love you. No matter what, you can rely on her and you have a big brother, who'll look out for you as well..."

Brian stirred and Marion walked around to rock his bed slowly to make him fall back asleep. She wasn't sure if she was already up for the challenge to deal with a crying baby, but little Bri only let out a deep breath and didn't wake. Marion found babies adorable, especially Brian - despite her not exactly caring for children that much-  she had to smile. "You're such an angel... One seriously can only hope for your sake that your good looks are the only thing you inherited from your father. Though you should be more consequent than your mother and don't chase after people that aren't worth it. Your father at least followed the things he wanted and was clever enough to fall in love with somebody like your mother..." Marion sighed. "But beside that, always listen to your mother or your aunt."

"For his sake I hope he doesn't listen to you. The last time David did, he got lost in the wood."

Marion blushed. She hadn't exactly meant for her sister to hear that, this was something between Bri and her and Celeste's accusation was unfair. It hadn't been her fault that David had got lost, how should she have known that he wouldn't find his way back... She cleared her throat and turned around to her sister, who was standing in the doorway holding two cups. 

"So Bob finally left?"

Celeste only nodded and without a word went on to clean up the table and put everything in the sink. She began doing the washing, making Marion sigh. "What did he want?"

Celeste didn't turn around. "We talked about David and the future."

Marion rolled her eyes. "He didn't ask you to leave with him to the States again? Because I swear if he tries to take you away one more time I'm personally going to make sure he's never ever going somewhere again..."

"You're not the only person to tell me that," Celeste replied and Marion could nearly hear her sister smile. "No, we actually decided to well go separate ways for good... David can of course contact him if he wants to and Bob promised to well help me out financially, if the need arises, but for both of us it's probably the best if we leave whatever we had finally behind..."

"Good, even if that nearly took you what 8 years?"

Celeste didn't reply and just kept on doing the washing. Though Marion couldn't see her face, Celeste looked at peace. She was wearing a longer pastel pink dress with light green, blue and yellow flowers on it, which just seemed to add to her calming nature. Maybe Celeste had once like herself dreamed to be famous, but this was the world that suited her. Look after her children, do the household and now and then work as a session musician for some artists. It would have been a terrible waste if Celeste had given up on her talents and furthermore Marion was sure they could use the extra money she earned. 

Celeste sighed as she sat down next to Marion and Bri. She smiled, but the smile was an exhausted one that didn't reach her eyes. "He looks so much like his father... it's nearly scary..."she nearly whispered.

Marion took Celeste's hand in her own and squeezed it gently. Her sister might be a strong woman, but even she sometimes needed comforting. "You miss him, don't you?"

"I know I should be used to it by now, it's been a while after all, but sometimes I just can't fight the urge..."

"I love you, David and Bri and you can always count on me to come around if you ever feel alone. I would even stay here with you to keep you company, if the house wasn't so far away from everything."

Celeste smiled at that. "I like it. It's peaceful, well as long as Bri sleeps and David is at school. You know I really could use a help sometimes."

"Then get your twat of a fiance to come finally home and help you," Marion scoffed. "He's been gone for what now a month?"

"He was supposed to be home earlier, but got held up..." Celeste mumbled. "He promised me, it wouldn't take too long though.."

Marion rolled her eyes. "You really should stop to make excuses for him, but at least you're better of with him than Dylan."

Celeste chuckled. "Did I ever thank you for giving Brian my address and nearly bullying him into visiting me? Then again you could have warned me... Brian was such a mess. I nearly had a heart attack when he suddenly stood before my door, rung my bell like a madmen and then rambled about me leaving forever and marrying me..."

"If you know he would come, I feared you would have run off and avoided the meeting. I don't even see why you're complaining about that anyway, everything worked out, didn't it? And if you want to thank me, get the idiot home, I need his help with somebody."

"Who are you after now?"  

Marion laughed. "Well get Brian home and I'll tell you."

Celeste only shook her head, making her sister laugh. 

*

"Hello?"

Brian had hardly sat down his suitcase on the floor as David hugged him. He had no idea where the 6 year old had appeared from so fast. "I missed you too," he told the boy smiling. "Where's your mother?"

"Did you get me something?" the boy asked instead of replying to Brian's question. 

"Maybe if you tell me where your mother is." Slowly Brian had figured out, what to say to get David to do what he wanted, still it was sometimes hard. Celeste had spoiled the boy far too much and Brian didn't want to think how it would be if they had two of that sort running around the house...

"You took your time..."

His heart leaped at the sound of her voice and he was sure it skipped a beat when he looked up from David and saw her standing at the end of the hallway. Brian wanted to tell her how much he missed her, but he couldn't find the words... Naturally he had asked her to join him, but of course she was far too reasonable to leave with him, when she had two children to look after... Making Brian nearly stay at home as well, but they needed the money. He hadn't exactly been very careful with it in the past and though he was sure Celeste would stay with him even if he was poor, he wanted to offer her a good life. David and Bri too.

He had grown accustomed to David being around over the time, but his own son unsettled him still. Celeste was such a great mother and Brian... well he could never live up to her. He would screw up and then they would disappear out of his life forever... It scared him terribly, to the point he always put the wedding off. Celeste-

"Brian!" David exclaimed and pulled Brian finally out of his thoughts. He was still hugging the boy, awkwardly he let go of him. "So what did you get me?"

"Brian just got home, David, let him have a minute to settle in," Celeste told the boy and Brian was thankful that at least Celeste had a hold of the situation, when he clearly didn't. "In the meantime you could go fetch the drawing you did for him."

David nodded and run off faster than one of them could blink. "He really missed you..." Celeste commented as she stepped closer to him. Brian wanted to ask 'and you?', but his tongue was still tied. He could hardly breath... How stupid it had been of him to think the attraction he had for her would ever disappear. The longer he stayed with her the more he needed of her.

She stopped right in front of him and he nearly thought he could feel her hot breath on his skin. He shuddered as goosebumps spread all over his body. This couldn't just be a simple attraction, he thought. He craved her as much as a junkie their next fix.

"I missed you too," Celeste said and Brian let go of the breath he was holding. "You can't imagine how glad I am, you're finally home..."

The words had hardly left her lips, when she threw her arms around him and Brian could swear he heard her sob and his rigid body relaxed. "You can't imagine how glad I am, to be finally home..."he said as he returned her hug.

"I love you so much..." she sobbed in his shoulder, making Brian smile. If love was the drug, he would gladly overdose.

*Lyrics and chapter title by the Brian Jonestown Massacre and obviously the book title as well.

And finally I have a story, where Brian didn't die... 👏 Eh well  I really suck at happy endings. They feel awkward somehow. Hopefully this wasn't that bad.😅

Thanks for reading, voting and commenting! ♡♡♡