Page 38 of Hot n Bothered

I sobelle was enjoying a post-orgasm snuggle with Ben when her phone rudely interrupted.

Ben had actually been awake when she got back to bed after emptying her bladder.

He’d not let her think about how neither of them had brushed their teeth yet.

How did he do that to her? Normally she was so hung up on her flaws, be so self-conscious, but he just had to kiss her and all that disappeared.

“Ah fuck.” She swore, leaping from the bed. “Why do you have to be such a neat freak.” She snapped at Ben as she had to go to the wardrobe to snag something to wear. Why was Darren wanting a video call of all things?

“Why? Oh.” He nodded when she showed him her phone. “Wait.” He stopped her from answering and gave her another deep kiss. “Happy Birthday.” He murmured when he pulled back.

Oh right. She had completely forgotten about that. Perching on the edge of the bed, making sure Ben was out of the shot she answered.

“Happy Birthday!”

She laughed to see everyone huddled close around Darren’s phone.

“How’s the holiday?”

“Is it gloriously sunny?”

“We miss you Iz.”

They all spoke at once. Ben made her jump by coming up behind her, arm across her chest and resting his chin on her shoulder. She didn’t realise they all knew about him being there.

“You don’t miss me?” He asked with a grin.

“Well…” Cat looked at Bianca thoughtfully. “Do we?”

“Depends on how well he’s treating our Iz.”

“Oh! I miss the food. Does that count?” Rob asked.

“I miss the cleaning.” Rich said.

Even as she laughed, Isobelle could feel her eyes well up. This right here, this warmth, this relaxation that she felt down to her soul. This was the feeling of truly belonging.

These guys could make her feel better with a simple call. They were her family.

Ben wrapped his other arm around her waist and she couldn’t help but relax back into him.

“You ok?” He whispered in her ear.

She nodded wiping her eyes, she could see Darren’s concerned look.

“Iz?” He asked.

“I’m alright.” She said. “Happy tears, that’s all.”

“That’s good.” Bianca said. “Otherwise we’d be having to beat Wallace up when you get back.”

Joey was nodding. “He was tasked with taking good care of our Iz. If he failed we would’ve had to take drastic measures.”

“Drastic measures?” Isobelle giggled.

“A complete removal of access to all things Disney.” Richie sounded so serious making her laugh.

Katie nodded. “Including his favourite mug.”

“That’s too cruel.” She laughed. “And no, he’s been brilliant.

He’s helped me see that… well…” She paused almost too shy to say.

She looked at them all on the screen and Ben’s face close to hers.

Each one cared for her, it was obvious to see.

She felt no anxiety with them, no feeling of dread of what they might find fault in her.

She only ever felt love and complete acceptance. So that gave her the courage to say.

“You guys are my real family and I never realised it before. I’m sorry it took me so long to see.”

“Goddammit Iz. It’s your birthday. I don’t want to be crying on your birthday.” Cat wailed wiping her eyes.

“Of course we’re your family.” Joey said.

“Took you long enough, but glad you see it too.” Rich said.

“Does this mean we can ditch Darren now we’ve got Iz to admit it?” Rob asked,

“Hey! I’m right here.” Darren protested.

“Yeah, but we only kept you around for Iz.” Cat laughed as he flipped her off.

Ben pressed a kiss to Isobelle’s cheek. “Told you.”

Her face heated, why did he do that in front of everyone? Why was Bianca squeaking and getting glared at by Cat? Katie and Richie were doing that grabby thing to each other when they got excited. Darren fumbled the phone as everyone was suddenly hissing whispers at each other.

Wait… was that?

“Are you guys in my flat?” She asked.

“Yep. How else are we going to show you your birthday presents from us?” Darren said. “Hang on let me flip this. Ta da!”

The camera flipped to show that her usual messy cheap dining table she used for a desk was gone. In it’s place was a gorgeous solid wood proper writing desk.

“Here’s our glamorous assistants showing you what you’ve got.”

She laughed to see Bianca and Joey acting like old school game show models. Complete with over the top arm gestures and facial expressions.

“As well as a sturdy place to write, you also have a drawer full of pens. No more pots to be knocked over.” Darren continued narrating, as Bianca pulled open the first small drawer on the top.

“Filled to the brim, so no running out for at least a good month. This drawer is full of your favourite sweets. You need to keep your energy up for writing. Oooh what do we have here Joey? Is that a hole in her new desk?”

“Oh no Darren. This is the height of luxury.” Joey pulled open the drawer that had a hole in one of the corners, revealing two power sockets. “That’s right our Iz can charge both her phone and Surface at the same time without losing the chargers or kicking them off by tripping on the cables.”

“Oh my God, guys. It’s perfect.” She gushed. “I can’t wait to use it. It’s the best present ever.”

The camera turned to Darren mock scowling. “Calm your tits we’ve not finished yet.” It flipped back to show Joey pulling open the smaller of the two drawers on the side.

“Here we have all brand new notepads. Waiting to be filled with your brilliance.” Darren continued. “All your others are in the drawer underneath. And because we can’t have you sitting on any old plain chair.”

Cat and Katie wheeled in what looked like a high end, comfortable desk chair. Isobelle and Ben laughed to see Rob sat in it striking a pose.

After a pause of silence Darren flipped the camera round to him again. “That’s it. Now you can go on with the gushing thanks.”

“It really is perfect. It’s from all of you? Thank you so much. I love it so much.”

“It’s not from Wallace though. He said he was getting his own.” Darren moved away from the others into her bedroom, looking serious. “How is everything going?”

“Don’t get a big head, but it was a good plan.” She admitted. “It would’ve been a lot worse if…” She turned and frowned at Ben throwing a thumbs up to Darren behind her.

“What have they done this year?”

She shrugged. “Don’t know yet. I’m thinking they’ve forgotten.”

“We can only hope.” Darren muttered. “Oy, Wallace. If my sister isn’t smiling by the end of her birthday I’m holding you responsible.”

“Nope. We are not having this chauvinistic conversation again.” She said. “Thanks for calling and the gifts. Tell everyone I said goodbye.”

“Love you Iz. Will do, see you soon.”

She tossed the phone on the bed after he hung up.

“Why do you want them to have forgotten your birthday?” Ben asked.

“Well, let’s see. Last year they forgot and the previous two years before that were gym memberships, that the twins took.

I’ve also been given ‘self-help’ books.” She explained.

“They were on how depression was a lie and an excuse for lazy people. Seriously, the times they forgot have been the best.” She snorted.

“Darren currently holds the prize for the worst present. In fact he has the top two slots.”

“Do I dare… Oh, wait. Are you talking about the conversion therapy camp they labelled as a retreat ?”

She nodded. “Two years later it was a singles cruise specifically catered for men to find a wife.”

“Holy fuck, Now I know I’ll wait to give you my gifts until after.”

She took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll have to face them at some point. Might as well get it over with. I’ll hit the shower first.”

“Well? What do you think?” A asked with a completely straight face. “We saw it out shopping yesterday and thought it would be perfect for you.”

Isobelle was struck speechless as she held up the ‘dress’. Or more accurately it could be described as a king-sized duvet cover with a head and arm holes cut in. Not only that it was neon pink with a sparkly leopard print over the top. Two things she would never wear.

“That should fit you right Izzy?” T asked. “I think we’ve got the receipt if it’s too small.”

Too small? It could easily fit two of her in it. She ignored her rising urge to let out a torrent of swear words at them and put it to the side. Instead she focused on remembering what her real family had gotten her.

She opened the card from her parents and there it was.

The straw that broke the camel’s back.

So small, just one piece of paper with some writing on it. It didn’t seem like much. But it made up her mind.

No matter what she did, she would never be enough. She would never be right to these people. No matter how long she tried to reason that they didn’t mean it because they were family it would never be true. Because they did. They meant everything.

Twenty nine years she’d put up with all their shit and it took a simple piece of paper for her to realise she’d be much better off without them in her life.

She took a breath and had never felt so free, so happy to be herself. She supposed she should thank them. It took this moment to realise that she was enough. That she was happy with who she was and she deserved to be around people who saw that.

But she wasn’t that magnanimous, she wasn’t that good. She had all those years of pent up betrayals to let out.

“What the actual fuck is this?”