The Trouble with Tess

Hello Readers.

Welcome to me trying out another story category.

Before we start I'd just like to thank the wonderful editing efforts of Wally1169. Thank you for all the commas.

Also a thank you to Darth_Aussie. You inspired me to actually start writing again and now look at what has happened. Finally taking a crack at your domain.

For everyone else, I really hope you enjoy the story. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading.

***

It was a dark and stormy night. Or at least Matt thought it should have been for what felt like such a momentous event. Instead, he was stuck with the burning Australian noon day sun as he returned home after so long.

He'd left Sydney, his parents, and the looming shadow of his older sister to attend university in Melbourne. He'd been young, dumb, and very eager to be away from them all.

He'd sent messages and they'd talked over the phone but he hadn't seen any of them in person, and to be honest, he hadn't thought any of them had any real need to. He'd been the disappointment growing up. Not that he'd been a failure or a dropout. He'd just rather hang out with his mates, play video games, and study as he'd needed. Compared to his sister, that was all that was needed to be the write-off.

Tess was... Well, Tess was Tess.

Only a couple of years his senior, Tess was forceful, driven, ambitious, and a perfectionist. The model student, the star athlete, and the favoured daughter. She was everything their parents wanted and the opposite of everything he wanted as a teenage boy. Compared to her at every stage, he had come to loathe the very mention of her name. So, when the opportunity to get away from his sister and be his own man had finally arrived, he'd snatched it up.

But now it was a post-Covid world. Everyone was dealing with the issues and trauma of isolation. He could admit it. He missed his family. Even Tess. So he'd decided. It was time to see them. He'd packed everything up and booked some flights as soon as he could get them.

He'd told them he was coming and had flown into Sydney airport. Unsurprisingly, no one had been there to meet him. Tess and his parents all worked endlessly, chasing some new goal or benchmark they'd set for themselves. The homecoming arrival of their only son and brother wasn't going to change that. So, he'd taken some trains and had made his way west, escaping the inner city and its heaving crowds as fast as he could.

The train wasn't overly crowded so he'd had a seat to himself, and he'd spent much of the ride staring out the grubby window, reflecting on his family and his relationship to them. He couldn't change them, but maybe they'd at least respect him a little more for what he'd achieved by himself.

Ha. He snorted softly to himself. Now

that

was a daydream. He wasn't a sporting superstar, an in demand lawyer, or a talented surgeon.

Following his interests in gaming as a teen, he'd started learning more about software and programming. That had translated into doing IT courses at Uni which had then miraculously turned into a job as soon as he was finished. The lockdowns hadn't really affected his work, he'd been able to do it all from home, and that had kept him focused and in some sort of routine while the world appeared to crumble outside. He'd brought his laptop back to Sydney with him, and with that, he could still work as usual. Matt smiled bitterly to himself. He'd probably end up doing even more to escape Tess and his parents. Or he'd just go for a run.

The other thing that the lockdowns had given him was a new focus on fitness. Nothing major or over the top. He had no interest in being a muscular shredded gym bro. But he'd started a regime of push-ups, sit-ups, and time on a treadmill that had seen him into better shape than ever before. He'd even fixed his diet a little. He was a gamer through and through though, so there was always going to be terrible snacks and energy drinks, but now at least, he countered it with actual food in good portions.

He couldn't help but wonder what Tess would think of that. She'd always been the sportier, fitter one. Always giving him grief for being unhealthy, for spending too much time sitting slouched in his chair shooting at pixels with his mates instead of kicking or hitting a ball around a field or court. Would she be impressed with his new physique and fitness? Probably not, he thought. She'd still find something to critique.

He thought he looked good at least. Better fitness. Better dressed. Better attitude too. That, he could at least admit to himself. He'd been an ass as a teenager and his relationship with his family, especially Tess, had done quite a number on his mental health.

Being out on his own had been a struggle. He'd had to actually fight, to figure himself and his life goals out. To have a plan and some goals. He'd chosen a path and he'd come through it as a better man, he thought. Mentally, physically, and in personality. It might not be what his parents wanted out of him or good enough for Tess's ridiculous standards, but he could truly say he was happy with his life.

At six feet tall, his thin lanky frame had looked quite unhealthy. But he'd bulked up a bit with his fitness and he'd swapped baggy pants and band shirts for jeans and button ups most work days. No more looking like a b-grade extra from a grunge video. He wore his brown hair shorter now and kept it from looking too unkempt. He had a short beard as well that he liked and thought it suited him well. All the changes had given him the confidence to actually follow through with coming home. He had missed his family and Covid had pointed out how fragile everything was, but without the change in mindset he'd found along the way, he knew he'd have still been down in Melbourne stewing. He wasn't the same person who'd left and ran away. He was an all new Matt.

And it was time for the rest of the family to know it.

If they were actually home.

The train had arrived at the station and he'd gotten off, still unsurprised to find no one waiting for him. The old family home wasn't too far away, so he'd opted to walk. Ten minutes of dragging his luggage behind him on squeaky wheels. Across cement so hot that it was shimmering in the sun and past yards full of grass that was just starting to turn brown had him regretting that decision immensely. But he'd finally made it home. To an empty driveway and an apparently empty home.

It really shouldn't have shocked him that they had forgotten so completely. Or that they didn't care. It was a fifty-fifty toss up to him as to what the actual reason was. But seeing that there was apparently no one at home waiting for his arrival at all still managed to hurt even after all these years.

Letting his luggage sit at the base of the stairs, and with slumped shoulders, Matt climbed the pair of neat and clean tiled steps to the front door and pressed the doorbell with a thumb.

"Fuck it," he muttered to himself, "maybe it's for the best after all."

He pressed the bell again. He could hear it buzzing on the other side of the screen and heavy wooden doors.

He poked it a third time. Then a fourth. His frustration with his family seeping out as he abused the poor bell and a chorus of angry buzzing within his childhood home.

"What the fuck do you want?"

All of a sudden the door jerked open with a yell, and Matt reared back in surprise. He hadn't heard anyone approaching at all. His angry ringing had probably covered it up. The sudden shouting and motion caused him to almost fall back down the steps. Flailing arms and quick reflexes kept him on his feet. Steadying himself, he peered through the screen at the person on the other side.

He'd recognized the voice. He'd heard it yelling at him enough in the past.

His sister. Tess.

"Well, for starters, I'd like to get out of this fucking sun," he replied easily.

"Matt? What? Why the fuck are you here?" his sister replied without making any move whatsoever to come to his relief.

"I told Mum and Dad I was coming home for a while," Matt explained. "Surely they told you that."

"They aren't here," Tess replied flatly, "business in Europe. Germany I think. They left yesterday."

This time it was his turn to reply just as flatly.

"They've gone away on business. They knew I was coming. I told them I was coming."

It took all of his self control not to combust into a pile of obscenities.

Instead he simply said "Tess, get out of the fucking way and let me in."

Maybe his sister had grown a heart or maybe she could sense the simmering hostility just beneath the surface, but Matt was surprised when Tess did just that without another word.

His sister stepped back from the door and gestured for him to enter. Getting his luggage from the bottom of the steps, Matt pulled it up before yanking the screen door open with a tad too much force.

Matt stepped once more into his childhood home, and doing so was almost as good as a cold refreshing shower. Tess had the aircon working overtime against the summer heat, and simply passing the threshold into the house lowered the temperature significantly. Pushing his luggage out of the way, Matt stood in the walkway and stretched out before letting his body relax into the cool air.

"Fuck me, that feels so much better. That sun is killer," he said.

He turned back to Tess who had quickly closed the door behind him as he came in. His sister was watching him, and he caught the briefest glimpses of something on her face before it disappeared and a much more characteristic scowl darkened it once more.

"It's good to see you, Tess," he said to try and cut off any further argument. He hadn't come back to fight. He had actually missed her.

It didn't hurt that it was good to see her in more ways than one. Tess was... well, Tess was still Tess. But, with a few years of separation and a new perspective on things, she was no longer a figure to run from or despise. Instead he could appreciate that the fit superstar athlete of the past was now a damn good looking woman.

Her hair was long, straight, and blonde. She got that from their mother. But it was even longer now than when they'd been younger. It was hanging almost to her waist in a ponytail. Her legs were almost as long, toned, muscular pins that made her a match for him in height. Everything in between was a walking wet dream. Hourglass waist, a chest that seemed to defy gravity's pull. Flawless sun-kissed skin. Bright blue eyes just like his own and, though they were currently twisted into a scowl, soft pink lips that he knew for a fact plenty of his old friends had wanted to kiss.

Tess was dressed in business casual for some reason. Perhaps she was home early or was working from home and needed to dress up for a meeting. But she made it look good. Tight Grey skirt and a blouse that he could just see the tiny bumps of her nipples through.

That had Matt quickly pulling his eyes away guiltily. Admitting his sister was beautiful was one thing. Actually perving on her was another thing entirely. Thankfully, Tess hadn't seemed to notice his eyes lingering where they shouldn't. Or she had, but her expression just couldn't create an even deeper scowl.

In any case, she didn't say anything but instead replied to his greeting.

"You too, Matt, but we can play polite later, I've got to get back to work.

"Mum and Dad turned your old room into a storage space, but the guest room should be clear. Everything else is still as it was, so you shouldn't need my help to find anything."

The emphasis his sister put on work and shouldn't had his hackles rising. Like his presence was already a bother to be dealt with, and one she didn't really want to have to. Pure Tess that was.

"No worries, I can handle it. I've got some work things I should probably check on myself anyway," Matt replied casually. He had to remind himself that he wasn't there to fight.

He gave that an hour, max, at the rate they were going.

Tess nodded absently at him; she was already turning away and walking up the hall. Phone in hand and flicking through emails and messages as she left him behind.

Matt sighed. Trying to let the deep breath help him calm down and cool down at the same time. After a few more moments luxuriating in the cool of the aircon, he grabbed his luggage again and set off down the hall like Tess had.

The house felt bigger than he remembered. Maybe it was because he'd spent a few years living in apartments or maybe it was because it wasn't filled with the resentment and angst of teenage years. But his parents' house now felt huge rather than just a standard part of suburbia.

Walking past a closed door on his right, he could just hear Tess's agitated voice starting to climb and quickened his pace just a little. He had no desire to hear any of that.

The door to his left was his old room, and he didn't slow to stop and linger. Tess had said it had become storage, and a quick glance showed the truth of that statement. A desk, boxes, and all sorts of other paraphernalia littered the room.

The next room down, on the left, was the guest room. As Tess had said, it was clear, and Matt eagerly stepped inside before closing the door, dropping his bags, and flopping onto the bed with a dull thump. A lack of dust and the smell of fresh sheets greeted him as he hit the mattress face first. That surprised him. As far as he could remember the room had never seen regular use. Maybe his parents had been prepared for his arrival after all.

That thought did have him smiling a little bit as he rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. The fan above was spinning slowly, more to circulate air than actually achieving any additional coolness, and Matt watched it spin as he considered his family again.

Sure his parents might not be there to see him. But they might not have completely forgotten about him like he had thought. Them being gone might even end up as a blessing in disguise.

No comparisons. No looming parental judgement.

Maybe, with them gone, he could actually improve his relationship with his sister.

And, well, Tess. That hadn't gone as badly as he'd expected either. Not amazing, but they hadn't gone straight for each other's throats, either. That was a solid start in his opinion.

Now, if they could just reach cordial... this trip home might not have been wasted.

Pondering what that might actually feel like, Matt didn't even notice his eyelids drooping lower and lower before eventually closing. The drone of the fan above and the exertion of walking through the hot afternoon heat lulling him into a doze as he thought of his sister.

***

"MATT!"

"Matt! Wake up, you lazy fuck!"

"Ughh, wha?" Matt replied groggily, his head lifting slightly from the pillow as he looked around.

"Matt!"

"Ugh, fuck," he said, when he realized it was Tess yelling at him.

So much for change.

Groping around blindly, Matt looked for his phone and squinted at the bright screen through one bleary eye when he found it.

7pm.

Fuck, he groaned to himself when he read the time. He'd slept for way too long. Getting to sleep again later was going to be a pain.

"Matt!" Tess yelled again at him through the door.

"Fuck off, Tess! I'm awake!" Matt yelled back, angrily.

"Well, come and eat some dinner then, dickhead!" came the reply, and Matt bit back another retort when his belly grumbled at the mention of food.

Mumbling more obscenities about his sister's attitude softly to himself, Matt swung his legs off the bed and got to his feet.

"Alright, I'm coming, for fucks sake," he replied, grumpily. He really did not appreciate being woken up.

Tess didn't reply, but he could hear her walking away down the hall back towards the kitchen and living room. Sweeping a hand through his hair and then rubbing at his eyes to clear the sleep away, Matt opened the door and headed after her.

At least she'd respected his privacy enough to not open the door and come in. Running into a naked sibling is not something that either of them would want.

Reaching the kitchen, Matt was struck by three things.

One. His sister had gotten pizza for dinner.

Two. It smelled amazing.

Three. Judging by the sizable amount of bottles spilled across the bench, his picture perfect, to-good-to-be-true sister was very, very drunk.

Deciding that caution was the better choice, Matt kept silent on the bottles and instead went straight for the food.

"Damn, Tess, that pizza smells fantastic."

"It's just Dominoes," his sister shrugged in return before taking a bite out of a slice.

"Nothing wrong with that," he replied easily.

Eyeing his sister with a mix of caution and curiosity, Matt decided he couldn't help himself. He had to poke the bear.

Picking up a few slices from the box and slipping them onto a plate, he took a steaming bite of some Meat Lovers and scarfed it down before firing the first shot.

"I thought you didn't eat this shit? Something about fast food being a good way to ruin your health? Or was that a different sister I'm remembering?"

The glare that Tess hit him with while she chewed told him he'd scored. It also told him to die in a fire. But that wasn't anything new.

"I like to treat myself when Mum and Dad are away. A little bit won't kill me," she managed after finishing her piece.

"Uh huh, I can see that," Matt replied with a side-eye at his sister's discarded bottles.

"Oh fuck off," Tess scowled at him, "like you've never gotten drunk or had a few after work.

"I'm pretty sure I remember Dad blowing up when you staggered home smashed after an 18th party."

"Yeah, I have; you know I have. Pretty sure that was Elle's 18th. Good fucking party," Matt replied after another bite.

"And I've been known to have a few after work as well. But not a whole fucking brewery, Tess. What the fuck?"

"Oh ha ha, dickhead. I'm just letting my hair down. I'm allowed to do that, you know."

"Could've fucking fooled me," Matt said.

"I don't think I've ever seen you 'let your hair down'" he said, including the mocking quotation marks just to really annoy her.

"Tess, the golden child, the picture perfect daughter. Always achieving the best. Always looking the best. You wouldn't know how to relax if you tried."

Silence greeted that tirade, and Matt looked at Tess when she didn't bite back.

His sister was vacantly staring off into the distance, a lock of her long blonde hair between her lips as she chewed worriedly on the tips. Realising he was looking at her, Tess's gaze came back into focus and she met his eyes with her own. There was a vulnerability in them that he had never encountered before.

"Is that what you really think of me?" she asked him quietly.

The question staggered him, and Matt looked at Tess with utter disbelief.

"Are you shitting me?"

Tess shook her head the tiniest fraction to indicate she wasn't.

"Fucking hell, Tess," Matt swore.

"Do you not remember growing up?

"You were the poster child, the favourite. Everything I did... everything I tried was compared to you and how you did it better. Nothing I did and nothing I wanted was good enough next to you. Tess this. Tess that. I just wanted to live my own god damn life."

"I just wanted you to succeed!" Tess protested.

"And I fucking have!" Matt snapped back.

"Why do you think I fucked off to a different state? It was to get away from you! To get away from Mum and Dad! You were all so set on me becoming just like all of you, and I couldn't stand it! I wanted to be my own man and do things my way!"

Matt didn't stop. He was on a roll now. The tide of resentment that had festered for too long was unleashed.

"And I did! I succeeded my way! At my own pace! At what I wanted to do! Just because I'm not some Doctor or Lawyer or some other fancy idolised job doesn't mean I'm not successful, Tess! Do you even know what I do?"