Frozen(72)

"You're almost thirty-two, and yet you still act like you're fifteen," I said with a shake of my head.

Sean looked up at me and smirked. "I bet you'll be having a repeat of this conversation with me in fifty years."

I snorted, "Doubtful, I plan to disown you long before then."

Sean clumsy got to his feet, and when he straightened up he flung an arm around my shoulder and hugged me to his side. He kissed me on the crown of my head and said, "You couldn't disown me - you love me too much."

True.

I grunted in annoyance. "It's a shame how I could never disown you, but you have no problem doing it to me for four days."

Sean raised his eyebrow. "Four?" he questioned.

I huffed, "I'm meshing Friday night and Tuesday morning as one whole day so yes, hours wise it adds up to four days."

Sean nodded his head then hugged me again. "I'm sorry, Neala, truly sorry. It was a stupid idea, utter rubbish really. Please forgive me. I'll never trick you into anything ever again. I promise."

I stepped away from my brother and closed my front door before I turned back to him.

"What do you call playing Ma's voice on your phone in order to get me to open up the door then?" I asked.

Sean opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Starting from right now I won't trick you anymore. Promise."

I snorted and shook my head at him.

"Come on, Neala. It's New Years Eve, you can't start a brand new year not speaking to your family."

Says who?

I snorted, "Watch me."

Sean frowned. "We miss you, Sis. Ma cries everyday because she feels so horrible about everything that's happened."

That hurt.

I gasped, "Are you using Ma crying as a guilt trip on me?"

Sean shook his head. "No, I'm just telling you how hard she is taking you ignoring her. She didn't mean to hurt you, none of us did... even Darcy."

I widened my eyes. "You're on his side?"

He was my brother! How could he be on his side?

"Hell no," Sean stated. "I'm backing you all day, everyday. I'm just saying the kid isn't taking the aftermath of your falling out very well."

Part of me wanted to ask if he was okay, and the other half wanted to go to him and make sure he was okay, but I forced down the feelings of longing and grunted, "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly the picture of happiness here either, Sean."

I walked around Sean and went into my living room where I sat down on my lounge chair and covered myself with the blanket that hung over the back of the chair. Sean followed me and sat across from me with his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at me.

"Do you not think ignoring us for six days is punishment enough? We see each other everyday - we're all invested in one another's lives and for you to block us out hurts like hell. I constantly think about you and wonder if you're okay or not."

I looked over to my living room window and sighed and as I watched the snow fall.

"You all hurt me. I just needed to be away from you all for awhile."

I looked back to Sean as he sat back and scrubbed his face with his hands. "Do you not believe we're sorry?"

"I do," I replied. "I do believe you're all very sorry. I'm just still pissed about the whole thing, Sean."

Sean rested his chin on his right hand and frowned. "I don't blame you, but blocking us out isn't the answer."

I grinned. "You're here aren't you? Blocking you out doesn't seem to be working."

Sean snorted, "Damn right."

We sat in silence for a few minutes until Sean said, "Are you coming to the New Years Eve party in O'Leary's Pub tonight?"

I didn't reply right away because I wasn't sure of my answer.

I knew my family, and Darcy's, were sorry for what they did to us, and even though I was still angry at them I couldn't help but miss them. I haven't seen my parents in six days which is the longest I've willingly gone without seeing them, so I saw no reason to delay seeing them any longer. Besides, Sean was right, I didn't want to start the New Year on bad terms with everyone.

"Yeah, I'll go," I replied to Sean who looked shocked with my answer.

I snorted. "Were you expecting a fight?" I asked.

Sean blinked at me then nodded his head. "Well... yes. I wasn't expecting you to come without some resistance."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm fed up with staying inside this house and with the way I'm feeling, a pub sounds like the perfect place for me to go."

Sean didn't say anything, he just watched me.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Half six in the evening."

I nodded my head.

Sleeping in till all hours was a pattern I fell into over the past week.

"I'll go and get showered then changed. You can bring me to your house for a while so I can see Charli and Jess and then we'll go to the pub."