Chapter 8
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When Joseph pulled into Jewel’s driveway, he was shocked at the condition of the small trailer. It was quite rundown. He saw lights on, and her car. He was glad she was home. But he also saw another car in the driveway. A small, old beat up Ford pick-up truck, a 150. It seemed Miss Diamante had company, or she did not live alone. And he was very curious to find out which one was the case.
The cool evening air blew as he walked down the gravel drive, and up the few stairs to the dilapidated door. Without hesitation he knocked. The only sounds he heard came from a television on inside.
“No, I said fix it,” he heard her say, as the door was pulled open abruptly.
Jewel’s eyes went round in her heart shaped face when she saw who was standing at her door. Shock, was putting it mildly. “Jo-Joseph?” she questioned.
“Hi, Jewel. I thought I’d surprise you.” He gave her his winningest smile. A smile that some women had told him melted their panties right off of them.
A tall boy stood behind her looking slightly defensive. He recognized him as one of the boys he’d seen her with at the school. A sense of foreboding trickled down his spine. The younger boy approached Jewel and placed a hand on her shoulder and gave Joseph an intimidating glare. But Joseph stood his ground. Obviously the young man was being protective. But why? Joseph kept a smile plastered on his face though a thousand questions rattled through his mind. Who was this young man to her was the most prominent.
“Who is it?” He heard another voice call.
“Never mind who it is. Fix that paragraph.”
“Shucks! Fine.” He heard a disgruntled voice say from somewhere inside. Joseph assumed it was the other young man he’d seen with her this afternoon. The twin. At the high school. On a Saturday.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he asked giving her another megawatt smile, ignoring the twisted face of the teen behind her.
Jewel was befuddled to say the least. What was he doing here? Why would he show up unexpectedly? “I’m kind of busy.” She gestured behind her vaguely.
Joseph’s smile remained. “I was hoping we could have coffee. Talk.”
“Who are you?” asked the boy behind her. His tone was one of curiosity as he looked between Jewel and the large man still standing just outside the open front door.
Joseph wanted to deflate the situation. He knew young men could fly off the handle at the slightest provocation. He knew that from his own experience. But again, the thought of who these boys could possibly be to Jewel flashed into his thoughts. Reaching his hand towards the younger man, he answered the question since Jewel appeared too dumbstruck to make any introductions. “I’m Joseph Sassacus. I’m a friend of Jewel’s. I work at the casino. And you must be . . .,” he let his words trail off allowing the young man to fill in the blanks.
He took the bait. “Her brother. And a friend you say?” The young man’s face had relaxed and he saw a smile begin to reach his eyes as he looked behind him.
He heard the disembodied voice of the other teen laugh. “A friend?” He heard the other young man call from somewhere inside. “Let him in, Jewel. It’s cold out there. I’d like to meet your male friend.” There was mirth in the young man’s voice, so like his twin. The boy behind Jewel snickered and he saw Jewel’s elbow gut him into silence.
Both boys saw their sister’s awkwardness at the situation and we’re making all kinds of assumptions, Joseph was sure. He knew young men—he was one not too long ago. He saw the wheels turning. And Joseph was thrilled to find out they were her brothers. He knew from looking at the one before him, they were about to tease her mercilessly. He’d better save her, or she would be angry at him for the intrusion into her personal life.
“Thank you.” Joseph smiled at the teenager. “Glad to see someone has manners.” He took their side for now. But he needed to defuse soon.
Jewel’s brown eyes narrowed, and he caught the glint of anger that flashed within them, but she stood to the side and let Joseph pass.
Like her brothers, Joseph’s head was only a few inches from the ceiling of the small trailer. They were just as tall as he was.
Sitting on the sofa with a laptop in his lap, was the other brother. Getting a look at the two of them together, in this proximity, Joseph saw that they were indeed identical. Telling them apart would be difficult, although one had a small scar above his left eye.
Jewel finally found her voice and was getting over the shock of this impromptu visit. She hadn’t expected it at all, but before her brothers bombarded the man with a ton of questions, she decided to make a more appropriate introduction. “Joseph, these are my brothers, Wesley and Lesley. Wes, Les, this is Joseph Sassacus. He is the attorney for the casino.”