Author's Note
This chapter still hasn't reached the road trip itself, but the next chapter will without fail. I know some of you are dying to find out what happens between them, but you'll need to be patient. Okay?
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Sebastian started awake with a jump as his alarm blasted in life on his bedside table. He reached out and silenced it, then dragged himself out of bed. He was a typical teenager who normally struggled to get out of bed in the morning, but this morning he wanted to see his mum before she left for the airport. His thoughts were still muddled from sleep as he fetched a clean towel from the closet and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the water and, when the temperature was right, stepped under the spray with his eyes closed.
The hot spray slowly woke Sebastian up and he thought about the conversation of last night. He was still in a little bit of shock at his grandmother's sudden death and he couldn't help but feel that he had lost one of the few remaining connections to his father. Sebastian squirted shampoo into his hand and slowly washed his hair, trying to find something more pleasant to think about.
"Holy shit…" he muttered. He had just remembered. Sasha and he were eighteen today! Sebastian rinsed off and rushed out of the shower, skidding slightly on the wet floor and dried himself off quickly. He wondered how his mum would be feeling this morning with a long flight to Perth and funeral arrangements waiting for her. Even that couldn't dampen his excitement completely though. Wrapping the towel around his waist, Sebastian unlocked the door and headed for his room.
Halfway down the hallway, he met Sasha coming the other way.
"Hey Sash, happy birthday!"
"Happy birthday to you too!" She grinned at him, much more awake and much less grumpy than normal. Throwing her arms around him she squeezed him tight. "Ew, your back is all wet." She said into his ear with a giggle.
Sebastian felt himself harden at the pressure of her body down his front, the feeling emphasised by the fact that he only wore a towel around his waist. He felt his erection press into his sister's tummy and eased back slightly but she squeezed tighter and kissed his cheek softly before pulling back.
"Hurry up and get dressed so we can say goodbye to mum." She smiled up at him.
"Ok." Sebastian knew his face was red, but Sasha seemed oblivious to his 'problem'.
"Do you still want to go to the beach later?"
"Yeah, sure." He grinned back at her over his shoulder. "Be down soon ok?"
"Ok." Sasha walked off down the hallway, her small hips swaying as she walked. She looked back at him and he reddened further at being caught watching her. "Hurry up Sebastian! Mum has to leave soon."
"Oh, ok!" Sebastian ducked into his room and quickly dressed in a white t-shirt, dark blue shorts and a pair of joggers. He reached under his bed and grabbed the present he had bought for Sasha, and then rushed down the stairs to find the rest of the family seated at the kitchen table.
Tracy rose from the table and approached him with a smile on her lips.
"Happy birthday darling." She murmured as she hugged him tight and kissed his cheek. She pulled back and smiled at him warmly. "You'll have to open your present quickly now. We've got to leave in 15 minutes."
"Thanks Mum." He grinned back at her, and then eyed the wrapped presents at the table in anticipation.
Nicky was next, hugging him tightly and kissing him all over his face while he laughed and tried to fend her off.
"Come on guys!" Sasha whined, giggling at her brother's discomfort.
They all sat down at the table and three presents, one of them quite large, were placed in front of Sebastian, along with a glass of orange juice. He passed his own present to Sasha with a smile and she grinned back at him. She was always excited on their birthday and absolutely adored unwrapping presents.
They tore the paper off hurriedly, conscious of the time constraints before Nicky and their mum left for the airport. Sebastian unwrapped a bottle of Hugo Boss cologne from Nicky and an expensive looking Hugo Boss t-shirt to go with it. He reached over to give her another quick hug before attacking the remaining presents. Sasha had bought him a pair of Rayban sunglasses which he had wanted for a couple of years, and a new, fluffy beach towel. He smiled at her and she grinned back as she continued opening her own presents. Finally, he unwrapped his mum's present and his mouth fell open in shock.
"Wow, thanks mum!" Sebastian exclaimed, turning the iPod box in his hands as if making sure it was real. Beneath it was a flat box labelled 'Acer Aspire Series'.
"Oh my god, a laptop too!" He beamed in delight and shoved back his chair to grab his mum in a huge hug.
"You're welcome honey." Tracy answered, smiling fondly at him as he returned to his seat.
Two of Sasha's presents were arrayed in front her. A flat, expensive looking box with tissue paper poking from under the lid which he assumed was from Nicky, and the photography book and a small bottle of DKNY perfume that he had bought her. She had squealed in delight at both presents but he wasn't sure what Nicky had bought, being too preoccupied with his own presents at the time.
"Quickly dear, I've got to go in a sec." Tracy said, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.
"Ok, ok!" Sasha smiled as she attacked the wrapping around her mother's present. Her eyes bulged as she unwrapped a box labelled 'Sony Alpha DSLR-A900', a top of the range digital SLR camera.
"Mum?" She whispered.
"Yes dear?" Tracy answered, smiling broadly.
"This is too much... I mean... Wow, mum!"
"You're eighteen sweetheart, and you've been talking about that camera for 9 months now. You deserve it. I'm so proud of you guys." Tracy's eyes filled with tears of pride as Sasha and Sebastian hugged her together.
