Chapter 518) Oceans Wide

San Sequoia
The Coneira
About two weeks after the last chapter

The latest upbeat tunes were playing over the surround sound speakers, making some of the guests move to the music, the party was in full swing, there was laughter, chatter and the scent of delicious party food in the air, Connor and Keira were seasoned hosts, some of their local friends had brought their kids who were around Connor and Keira’s son Christian’s age, so the toddlers were playing together in a pen, Connor’s parents Chase and Hailey had flown in from Brindleton Bay with Briar Rose, Iris Marie and their boyfriends Sterling and Bradford, Colton and Maddie had made the 2 hour drive in from Del Sol Valley, along with their son Jasper.

Briar Rose, Bradford, Sterling and Iris were just laughing, waiting for Jasper to get done making his rounds saying hi to everyone he hadn’t seen in a while, when everyone started cheering as the man of the hour, Jack Kershaw walked in with his girlfriend Isobel Duncan, both visiting Jack’s hometown Chestnut Ridge and had come to San Sequoia for the party and to stay a few days with Connor and Keira, who were throwing this party in their honor. For a while Jack had been wanting to take Izzy to see his old hometown Chestnut Ridge, so they were staying with Jackson for a week. Laid-back Izzy was an instant hit with everyone and together with Jack the celebrated center of attention.

Briar Rose cheered too and lined up to go say hi just like the others were doing, until she froze when she noticed the two people who had walked in right behind Jack and Izzy, making her feel like she was having a heart attack: Jack’s son Jackson and his stunning girlfriend Taylor McCoy and Bri’s mom Hailey was even hugging that Taylor chick, adding oil to the fire raging inside Briar Rose now. Ugh!

Bri immediately went over to her brother Connor.

“Why is Jackson here?! Is that supposed to be some sick kind of joke?! Are you STILL getting back at me for taking your fucking car?! I am starting to wish I had crashed it!” her voice shrill for surprise in Connor’s ear.

“Language! I have a toddler son around here, Bri, not to mention our friends’ children, at that age they are like tiny little sponges, so I expect you to be mindful of that. Of course, Jackson was gonna be here, he is Jack’s son, as the name literally implies! I invited him, DUH! And not everything in everyone’s lives revolves solely around you, lil sissy, so I don’t think I need to get my guest lists authorized by you. Everyone you see here is here because I WANTED them to be here, seeing how this is MY home. So, can you please try to be mature about this? THANK YOU! If you don’t like it, you can go somewhere else. Oh wait, no, you can’t, cos you are a brat and grounded!” Connor told her sternly, then just left her standing there to greet his guests.

She closed her eyes and sighed, when she opened them again she looked over at Jackson, right when their eyes met and a hot arrow shot through her, she quickly averted her gaze, when she looked over again, Jackson was headed her way, so she darted away, noticing he had changed direction as well but was still coming towards her, Bri looked around panicked for Brad, spotted him and nearly ran over to cling onto him like velcro, never leaving his side, being unusually demonstrative with her PDA for him, to the point that even her parents traded confused glances.

Then, some hours into the event, Bri was leaving an upstairs bathroom, when she was shoved back inside, the door was shut, and Jackson hunkered down in front of it.

“Why are you acting like a fool, Bri? People are starting to notice and are giving me funny looks cos you keep glaring at me as if I were some perv, while you’re trying to crawl up inside your dude!” he demanded.

“If the shoe fits! I mean you locked yourself in a bathroom with me like a perv! And how am I acting like a fool, please? I was just coming back from a pee, like a normal person. YOU are acting like a creep right now! Let me out or I will scream and my brother, my dad and Colton will BUTCHER you!” Briar Rose argued back.

“Quit the act! We both know you’re tryin’ to make me jealous by air-humpin’ that boyfriend of yours, and then you keep running away from me instead of talking like normal folks! Like friends, ya know, as YOU said you wanted to be, back at my place. Friends, right? Hard to be your friend when you are velcroed to the hedgefund baby or running away and hiding from me like a bratty child! All I wanted was to say hi and tell ya I am sorry that you got into so much trouble, I didn’t want that, but didn’t know what else to do when you did what you did at my cabin and like I said, Connor has been good to my dad and I, so I wasn’t gonna lie to him when he wanted details. But do you think seeing you crawl all over that boy publicly just so you don’t have to talk to me makes your parents proud? Or Connor? Look, I get this is awkward, not just for you, for me as well, I don’t know how to really handle the situation either, but what I do know is this is not it!” despite the unpleasant dynamic of his words, his drawl and voice still sent shivers down Bri’s spine.

“What my family thinks of me is none of your business, Jackson, and you are so full of yourself! You think I was trying to make you jealous?! Why would I?! As if! I don’t care about you any more than you do about me! And we both know you don’t give a shit about me.”

“Oh, now I don’t give a shit about you?! So, I didn’t care about you when you came into MY home, disrespecting my girlfriend and me, being rude, acting like a brat and a whore, yet I STILL treated you like a lady by putting you up for the night and showing you respect by NOT taking what you so willingly offered, huh?! And you still have the nerve to stand here and accuse me of NOT caring about you?! I didn’t screw you BECAUSE I give a shit about you, and because I respect your brother! Ha – maybe I should have just done what you wanted me to do, cos that would have taught you the lesson a LOT better and you would be right in treating me as if I were the asshole in this room right now out of the two of us! Ya know, my dad told me to stay away from you, I should have listened. A guy like me can’t be friends with a Nepo-baby like you, so forget it!”

Jackson was so mad, like Bri had never thought he could be as he roared at her now, making her feel as if she was shrinking under his harsh truth, before Jackson tore the door open and rushed out, almost running into Bradford, who was looking for his girlfriend.

Moments later the drama was complete, Jackson was now standing with his father Jack, Izzy, Taylor and Connor when an angry Bradford suddenly appeared behind him, pulling him around roughly to face him, instantly shoving him, calling him names, Jackson started to respond in kind when Connor separated them.

It was clear to him that the boys wouldn’t just calm down, so he ended up dragging them both outside with him, followed by Jack as they made their way towards the pool, where Connor send both boys stumbling with his bear strength.

“All right, first, I am going to remind you that this is MY home you are disrespecting, Brad. You better have a real solid reason! Make it good or you are going in the pool! Ditto for you, Jackson! Act up now, and you’ll go gulping chlorinated water!” Connor’s tone and posture left no questions. Brad answered first.

“He made Bri cry! I found her sobbing in the bathroom, barely coherent, she won’t say why, but that asswipe nearly ran me over when I went to find her! I know he did or said something to her to cause her meltdown! And what was he doing in a bathroom with MY girl anyway!? He needs his ass kicked!” Brad ranted, pointing at Jackson.

“Ah shit! Here we go … welcome home, Jack.” Jack mumbled, receiving a glare from Connor.

“Seriously now? That’s helpful. Tell you what, why don’t you take your pity party inside, cowboy, and make sure nobody comes out here for a free show. I gotta have a ‘Come to Jesus’ talk with these two.” Connor told Jack, who didn’t look convinced.

“That’s my son, thinking I should be the one to tell him what I think about him making girls cry in bathrooms …” Jack countered, making Connor frown.

“Listen Jack, I said I got this, or did I stutter? Please go and keep everyone off my back for this, okay? Just trust me. You’re on vacation, so relax, enjoy your free time, have a beer and just block the door while chilling out, that’s how you can help.” Connor told him.

“Ya sure?”

“Do I look uncertain here?” Connor grinned.

Jack shook his head, pat his friend on the shoulder and left, while Connor turned to the boys, who were both staring at the ground, until he addressed them.

“Jackson, you got the floor. What happened?”

“Yeah, well, whatcha think happened, Connor? I had been trying to talk to her all night, but she was stuck to that fool here like a baby koala, so I waited for her upstairs, just wantin’ to talk, but it went sideways. I didn’t do anything to her, she just wouldn’t listen and gave me lip, so I told her what I thought about her BS and then left. That’s all. You know everything that happened after that.” Jackson told him.

That caused Brad to pipe up, still wired hot about the incident.

“How do you even know Bri?! WHO are you even? And what would you have to talk to her about?! In a bathroom!” Brad interjected; Connor replied before Jackson could.

“He’s my best friend’s son, that’s who he is, so my sister and he obviously would know each other, have known each other for about 2-3 years. He and his girlfriend are guests in my house, just like you and my sister are. That’s all you need to know, Brad, and that in my house we behave like civilized people and don’t go around harassing party guests, cos I don’t take kindly to that. If there is a problem, it gets discussed in our inside voices, we keep our grabby pawsies to ourselves or I will start getting in on the fondle action as I send people flying out the front door. Copy?” Connor looked and sounded very serious.

“Yeah. Sorry Connor, I just saw red when I found Bri beside herself and it was obvious, he had something to do with it. I won’t stand for people hurting my girl.” Brad said.

“Yeah no, I get that. I’d flip out too if someone made Keira cry, no argument there, but I would make sure to get the full story first before I start brawling. So, apology accepted, but what about him?” Connor nodded his head in Jackson’s direction.

“What do you mean?” Bradford wondered.

“I mean that Jackson deserves an apology for your behavior more than I do, seeing how he was at the receiving end of the physical part of your outburst on top of the insults. Take it from me, Brad, I won’t tell you how I know this, but I do know it for a fact, Jackson doesn’t deserve your anger. That much I guarantee you. He is the completely wrong address and while I personally would piledrive anyone who makes my little sisters cry into the next trashcan, I know for a fact Jackson isn’t the problem here. That one’s on Bri and her current hankering for creating herself unnecessary drama. She started sobbing like a toddler on me earlier today when I told her I didn’t have time to go with her so she could take Selfies by the pier, she’s not allowed to go anywhere without having an adult with her. Bri cries a LOT of late, Brad, mostly unwarranted and it doesn’t take much to set her off, just ask my parents and Iris, Bri falling apart is the new normal at the moment. We’re all getting the moods from her, if you haven’t, congrats Brad, you are some lucky dude and I honestly envy you. Bri’s just figuring out some crap and this is how she is doing that, I guess.”

Bradford seemed to be considering Connor’s words, then nodded.

“You’re right and yeah, I had Bri randomly cry on me too, several times now, even at school which was seriously extra, totally out of the blue not to mention out of context. I am sorry Jackson. I overreacted.” he stuck out his hand, Jackson stared at it and at Bradford, shot Connor a glance, who nodded encouragingly, so Jackson sighed and shook Brad’s hand.

“Yeah, it’s okay. I get it. I’d probably do the same if I found Taylor like that and saw you rushing out. All good. Water down the river. All forgotten.”

Connor nodded approvingly.

“All right, now that we all are making love not war again, let’s go back inside and eat ourselves round on all the goodies my wife got for some army we’re apparently expecting.”

Once back inside, Connor noticed that Jack seemed to have done a good job calming everyone, as all the guests were just dancing, eating, drinking and laughing as if nothing ever happened. Jack came over to him.

“Thanks for dealing with that. I really didn’t want to … I only have been a dad for about 3 years and that crap is still above my paygrade. Hoping AG will deal with that when Vivienne gets to that age. You’re a natural at that, I am not.” Jack chuckled, handing Connor a beer.

“Nah, I used to play football in high school and not one practice went without someone trying to fight someone else. I had to at least try and mediate, especially since I actually know a lot more about all this than I care to, so I had to do something constructive, before this went South.”

“Sounds like something I don’t even wanna know, so thanks for handling it. Since I finally got you alone for a moment, meant to tell ya, this teeny tiff kinda took my momentum here. I was actually planning to propose to Izzy right here at your party, since you guys are the reason I am where I am today and without you always pushing me and dragging me with you, I would have never moved to HOB and never met Izzy. Sadly, after the hormonal teenage anger eruption the context is off and proposing now would feel like a deflating balloon. Yikes. Another day then. Later, when it gets quieter, I’ll show ya the ring, not now. Too many eyes buzzing about. Want this moment to be REAL special for Iz, no spoilers.”

“He’s gonna pop the question? No way! Look at you, you dawg! I remember hearing you say that marriage is bullshit, never works, women are all users and liars, blah … that was less than year ago and now here we are creating wedding registries and all. Can I assume you knocked her up already?” Connor chuckled.

“You can assume whatever you want, you lil prick, we both know what assuming makes of you and me, don’t we? Just laugh it up, kid, but I am gonna need a best man, IF Izzy says yes … think if I ask your mommy and daddy real nicely, they’ll let you stay up late to do that for me?” Jack smirked at the much younger Connor.

“IF she says yes? Are you kidding? My dog had to go outside to puke cos he couldn’t take how cheesy you two lovebirds are, holding hands, smiling at each other, playing kissy face all the time. A blind man can see she is crazy in love with you, of course she’ll say yes. Love the age gap jokes, hope you like the echo, old man, especially since you are almost so far over the hill, that you best get that ball and chain on Izzy A.S.A.P. before she realizes she’s about to be changing diapers for the rest of your natural life, first of all the babies you two are gonna make since there is nothing else to do where you live, then in a couple years she’ll be changing yours, grandpa.” Connor countered, grinning.

“A hearty fuck you, my friend. You’re just jealous cos you had to marry your quasi-sister, bet the wedding song was banjos at ya’ll’s wedding. So, is that a yes then? Can I count on you to be there, by my side whenever the time comes? I wanna say we’re not getting married anytime soon, but I quit putting timelines on anything, they never work out as I thought for me. I can’t believe I am even thinking about proposing, but it just feels right, and I want to. Can you believe I even went to ask her dad for her hand in marriage? Something I never thought I’d ever do, but I did it. The old man liked it a lot too. He likes me, I mean it, Izzy and I go see her family every other weekend. I never thought I’d ever date a girl, whose dad likes me. Her mom too, she treats me like another son, and even the little brother likes me, he’s little younger than my son and we go fishing together and all that. Her parents told me to call them ‘mum’ and ‘dad’ and we have routines together already. Can you believe it? Cos I can’t. It’s wild, man. You and Keira have to pack up Chris and come see us soon. I need you to see all that first hand and meet Izzy’s folks. And I need them to know you.”

“Yeah, we will, we’re about due for a little trip anyway. I think it’s great, dude. I am happy for you. I can point out a few nice and scenic spots here in San Seq where you could pop the question, and I am super-honored you wanna do it at my place, but somehow feel it should involve horses, since you two are all about horses, so either do it when you get back to Chestnut Ridge or back in Henford. Of course, I’d be honored to be your best man. I am genuinely happy for ya, Jack. Congrats. Izzy is great and you two are great together. Good looking couple too, and it’s impossible to miss that this is 100% real. You’re such a great guy, it was about damn time things finally start going your way, and you deserve nothing but good things and happiness.”

“Ya need to stop or I am gonna propose to you, sweetheart. With that long blonde hair and that babyface of yours, throw a dress on ya, lil lipstick and you could pass for a girl.”

“Sorry, I don’t date old men who could be my dad. You’re not my type anyway, I don’t like kissing trashy ‘stashes.”

Laughing, the friends hugged, a long time, longer than customary among male friends, and Connor could tell Jack was fighting his emotions hard, so he whispered.

“Is that the ring box in your pocket or are you just REALLY excited to see me?”

It worked as intended, Jack started laughing, let go and shoved the laughing Connor.

“You wish, creep!”