Part 5 (Kat's POV):

From the look on Rob's face, I know, I just know that my little sister didn't tell him whose family he is about to marry into. I pin her with a glance and then she does the cutest shrug before grinning to my husband.
Oh, about my husband, huh. well, I guess I forgot to mention that the guy Carm was bringing to our house was her fiancé and that he was kind of making money on account of his resemblance to my baby. So sue me! I want to see his reaction to Rob too. And from the way his fingers tighten around mine, he's not seeing the beauty of the moment.
Hey, Carm and I are sisters after all. We think alike. Anyhow, back to the moment and my sister smiling innocently at my husband.
"Your wife I saw earlier today, but you, brother-in-law dear, I haven't seen for three months. Is it me or are you looking better?"
While Carm hugs my husband, I turn to her fiancé who still looks like a bee stung his balls.
"Hi, my name's Katia Brandon-Van Varenberg. I'm Carm's big sister."
"Huh. I'm Robert Szatkowski but my friends call me Rob."
"Well Rob, welcome to my home. I think you might have a clue as to who my husband is, though not from my sister."
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry," I tell him with a smile, "Carm should have told you before but I guess she wanted to see your reaction. She's like that."
"I know."
Rob and I chuckle and Carm and Jean-Claude turn to us. Carm's grinning and my husband's scowling. Finally, I turn to Rob and have a good look at him.
Oh yeah, it's easy to see why my sister fell for him. He's gorgeous. And no, I'm not just saying that because he looks like my baby. All right, maybe a little. But he's a hottie on his own merits. I tuck my hand into the crook of his arm and I lead him away from his fiancée and my husband.
"Let me take you on a tour of the house. After all, I have to get to know you better since you're about to become my brother-in-law?"
"Your what?"
Jean-Claude looks from me to Carm, carefully avoiding Rob. I shrug and lead my sister's fiancé up the curving staircase.
"Carm, do tell my husband about your engagement while I show Rob around."
Rob and I almost run up the stairs while Jean-Claude reads Carm the riot act for not telling us about her fiancé sooner.
"So," Rob asks me as we walk down the hall, "how long have you and... your husband been married?"
"Two years in a month."
"Congratulations. How did you two meet, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Well, at the time, Carm and I were working as trainers/aerobics instructors in a gym. She was assigned to Jean-Claude. One day she came down with a cold and I took her place. I don't think he ever worked out with her after that."
"What about all the rumors, you know?"
I sigh and I turn to Rob. I have to give the boy props. He's barely known me for a few minutes and he's getting right down to the nitty-gritty.
"Before I give you any details about my personal life, I have a question to ask you."
"Do I love Carm?"
"Yeah. Do you?"
"Yes. When I met her, I was going through the final stages of a divorce and I thought very little of women in general."
"How little?"
"Except for the women I worked with, I pretty much figured they were all worthy of being ring rats, no more, no less."
"I see. And my sister?"
"Didn't give me much choice but to think more of her. She came into my life and rocked my world. I realized that women were actually worthwhile human beings."
"All right, that's cool," I say, stopping right in the middle of the hall. "But there's something you need to know. Carm's my little sister. I love her. I adore her. Hell, I even like the little runt. But if you hurt her, you get an enemy. Me. And trust me, you want me on your side."
"I would never willingly hurt Carm."
"Give me more. That's easy to say. Actors on soaps say it every day before cheating on their wives, fiancées and girlfriends."
"I would give up being a wrestler before knowingly hurting Carm."
The intensity in his eyes convinces me. I smile at him and tuck my hand back into the crook of his arm.
"The rumors you're talking about, the drugs and the wife-beating, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's true. He hit his wives and he was on a lot of drugs."
"So why...?"
"Hook with him? When Carm and I met him, he was. as close as a man can get to fading away. The only things he was smart about were his kids and his money. And he knew he needed help. Coming to the gym, getting back in shape, that was the first step. He was, and still is, in therapy and it helps. His life is more balanced."
"Thanks to you?"
"No, thanks to his willpower. Jean-Claude wants to get better, wants to be in a better place, he wants to be the best he can be. I have to admire that. And it was that willpower, not to mention that incredible butt of his, that first attracted me to him."
"Aren't you afraid that he might snap and hit you?"
"No, not anymore. At first yes, but I know that he knows how to control his anger a lot better now. I know he won't hit me because we both know better."
Just then, we came to Jean-Claude's trophy room. Actually, it's more a room for me than for him. I just love to see those publicity shots and set pictures.
"Damn, how vain is he? I mean, what kind of man needs to have that many pictures of himself?"
"A man who has a wife who's madly in love with him and misses him so much when he goes away for his job that she likes to have a room where she can just sit and look at him."
"You... uh... damn."
"Indeed."
"ARE TWO DONE UP HERE?" screams Carm from the first floor.
"In a minute," I yell back at her. "Your fiancée's a bit loud, as you can see."
"YOUR HUSBAND'S TORTURING ME!"
"Torturing her?"
I watch Rob's brow crease in question and I grin. All right, he cares about her. Any other guy would have trusted my husband with my sister but his caring for her took over. I like that about him.
"Don't worry about it."
"She said."
"That's my sister for you, she exaggerates. Jean-Claude's probably just talking to her in French."
"French?"
"It's a long story. Ask Carm about it sometime. Now, let's go back downstairs before she tries to kill him."
As I head down the stairs, my hand tucked into the crook of his elbow, I have to wonder, what happened between my husband and my sister?

Part 6 (Carm's POV):

Ooh! I could kill her. She just... waltzed off with my fiancé and... left me standing here with her aggravating husband. And I just know he's gonna rub it in. That's just him. I mean... yeah, I always mess with him and tell him I hate him, especially when he tortures me. But... I'm not blind! I know a hot man when I see one and that's what he is. Hot!
I sigh as I walk past him and, taking off my shoes, curl up on the sofa. And he just can't let it pass. If I thought he would, I'd have been an idiot. Because as much as he annoys me. I managed to get engaged to a man that looks like he could be his younger brother. Like I said... he's hot... but I think my baby's hotter.
He just sits on the other end of the sofa, staring at me with an evil grin on his face. I know he wants to say it and. he won't. Because he knows how much that aggravates me when he sits there grinning at me like a damned Cheshire cat.
"Say it, JC."
His brow furrows and it's my turn to smile. Hey, I'm not gonna waste my breath saying his whole name.
He sighs, though and says, "What?"
I just shake my head.
"I know what you're thinking. So just say it and get it over with."
"Fine. How did you two meet?"
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr... that's not what he wants to know and we both know it. But, if he wants to play.
"I got hired as a personal trainer at ECW. He was cute. Had just gotten divorced. And he's really nice to me."
"That sounds nice."
"Yes, it is actually. Are you still being good to my sister?"
His brow furrows again. Truth be known, I do like Jean-Claude, but I know what he's done and I still worry. But we have an understanding. He hurts her, I kill him.
"I have been extremely well to your sister. She is very happy."
"That's good."
We stare at each other again. I know he wants to say it, but he's just gonna grin at me until I scream.
"Come on, JC. Just say it and get it over with."
"What? That you do not hate me as much as you proclaim?" He's grinning even more now. Bad thing. Bad thing. "You must actually think much of me to betrothe yourself to a man that looks like me and misuses my name."
"Don't go there on me. Please. First... he's a lot cuter than you are and has a much tighter butt. Second... he does that lift WAY better than you ever could. Third... he's not old. And lastly... it isn't even your real name either. So don't start. I'm gonna have enough problems getting Mom to understand."
"La seule chose sur laquelle tu as raison est le fait que ta mère n'aimeras pas ça du tout. (The only thing you have right in that little rant is that your mother will not like it.)"
Oh God... he... ooh! I hate him!
"Stop it, JC."
"Et il ne sera jamais meilleur que moi. Je suis parfait. (And he will never be better than I am. I'm perfect.)"
"You're getting on my nerves."
"Demande à ta soeur. (Just ask your sister)."
"This isn't fair! I can't retaliate if I don't know what you're saying!"
So what do I do to make him stop? I call my sister to come and save me. At least she can control him even if nobody else can. I glare at him while I wait for her to come down and make him stop.
"Oh, ne te fâche pas. Je t'apprendrais bien si tu voulais apprendre. (Oh, don't be so bitter. I'd teach you if you wanted to learn.)"
"Stop it!! I'm gonna have Robby beat you up if you don't stop it!!!"
And I hear a nice soothing voice, "Oh, baby, am I gonna have to defend your honor? You know I would."
And between his voice and the scowl that has just appeared on Jean-Claude's face. I think I just might have finally found an ally against my mean ole brother-in-law.

Part 7 (Kat's POV):

There's something about the way Rob just offered to defend my sister's honor that makes me squirm. He sounds almost serious, like he really wants to hurt Jean-Claude. But Carm smiles up at him brightly.
"It's okay baby," says my sister, bouncing to her fiancé. "His bark is much worse than his bite."
"Good," said Rob, softly patting Carm's rear end, his eyes on Jean-Claude.
"Did you two have a nice talk?" I ask my husband, curling up on the sofa next to him.
"It was interesting."
"Interesting how?"
"Well, I asked her how they met and..."
"Don't," says Carm in a warning tone to Jean-Claude.
"Don't what?" I ask, perking up.
"Well."
"Jean-Claude, I swear if you open up that frog mouth of yours, I'll kill you dead!"
"Elle m'a avoué qu'elle est tombée pour Robert parce qu'il me ressemblait," he whispers in my ear.
I start laughing so hard that tears come to my eyes and next thing I know, Carm is standing over me, torn between laughing and yelling, demanding to know what Jean-Claude has just told me.
"He... well... ha ha ha... something to the effect... ha ha ha... oh my God... ooooh, this is too funny."
"Tell me!"
"That you hooked up with Rob because he looked like him."
Carm falls on Jean-Claude and start punching him and hitting him. I can't stop laughing and when Carm and Jean-Claude fall off the sofa, I roll off too but because I'm laughing so hard. Rob stands there looking at the three of us, softly stroking his chin.
"Am I fated to become like one of you?" he asks.
"Hey," I say, mid-laugh, "we are not THAT bad."
"Kat's right," agrees Carm, still in Jean-Claude's very loose headlock, "we aren't that bad."
"So you say."
Then, I see Rob reluctantly look to my husband, a tight smile on his face.
"What do you think?" he asks him, "should I marry into this family? Is it worth it?"
"Worth it? Well, I got a very annoying sister-in-law for my trouble."
"I am not annoying," my sister protests, elbowing him in the stomach.
"Whatever. And a very meddlesome mother-in-law who'll take you to task for your skin color."
Rob stares at Carm and me for confirmation and we both conveniently look away.
"However, you get the coolest father-in-law, who judges you on your relationship with his daughter and that's something that matters a lot," says Jean-Claude, his eyes probing deep into mine.
At that moment, if it wasn't for Carm and Rob, I would have thrown myself into his arms. But I stop myself and I simply mouth him my feelings for him, pure love.
"And?" asks Rob, still smiling.
"You get the love of the most wonderful women in the world. All kidding aside, Carm and Kat are some of the most... I don't know how to say it English," he says, looking at me.
"What?"
"You know entières."
"Oh... um... in what context," I ask him.
"Um... I've got it, thanks. When Carm and Kat love, they love completely, without restraint. I've had women say I love you before. But I never felt the love as intensely as I do with them. Carm's love is fraternal but I get more loyalty and compassion out of that love than from any of my previous wives. I do not doubt that Carm loves me."
"It's true," my sister confirms, smiling at her fiancé. "I might whine about him and complain about his French obsession, but I do love the lummox."
"Thank you, sister. As for my Kat, well, I cannot presume to know how Carm loves you, but should she love you half as much as Kat loves me, you have a better home in her heart than you'll ever find."
Carm sobs and turns out of the headlock Jean-Claude still has on her and wraps her arms around him, sobbing softly. I'm sitting there, blubbering like an idiot and Rob's shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.
"What about you?" I ask Rob, wiping tears from my eyes, "what do we get from accepting you into our fold?"
"Me," he says simply, "with my faults and my qualities."
"You get more," says Carm, getting up to stand by him, "you get a man who, once he stands behind you, will never let you down. He'll become your most wonderful champion and one of your best friends. You'll both gain a brother."
"I have a question," says Jean-Claude, grinning at Rob. "Up until now, you've been questioning us. Our turn. well, mine. how much do you love Carm?"

Part 8 (Carm's POV):

Whoa... that was a pretty hefty question. Rob is sort of just standing there as if he doesn't know what to say. It's not that he doesn't love me, I think... he just doesn't know how to put it into words. I start to answer for him and he shakes his head.
"How much do I love your sister."
He's not asking, just. restating the question. He sighs and sits down, pulling me into his lap, before continuing.
"When I met her, as I told you earlier, Kat, I didn't think much of women at all. My first wife... she'd turned out to be no more than a glorified ring rat and... I didn't want to go through that again. So, I decided not to put myself into that position. But when I met Carm. I don't know. There was this way about her. She was tough on everybody and she didn't fawn over anybody. And above all, she didn't try to keep her job or get her new one by hopping into anyone's bed. She made me work for her. Work for her time, her attention and best of all her heart."
He stops and hugs me, kissing my cheek softly. "So you ask how much I love her? I love her more than the world, because she made me believe in love itself, again. And above all else, I respect her."
I just look at Rob for a few minutes. He'd never really explained it to me like that. Yeah, the love part, but I mean, the respect part. I was in a business dominated by men. I couldn't afford to go the route that Tammy Lynn Sytch and some of the others had gone. Yeah, it might have gotten me where I am now, sooner, but I'd be no more than a locker room whore and I had higher ambitions for myself. But I'd never known those higher ambitions were what drew him to me.
"Well, since you've obviously done the impossible. make my sister totally speechless. I guess I'll just say what's on everyone's tongue." He looks over at Kat and tilts his head.
"And that would be?"
"Very, very good answer."
"So, I passed the test?"
"You passed mine. But there's a bigger one you have to pass."
"Mom."
Rob just stares at me as I mention her. I was never close to her, but for all the wrong reasons. Not because she didn't care or anything, but I think because I think she expects too much. And when I don't do what she wants, she blames Kat and I hate that. I'm my own person and if she wants to blame somebody blame me. And unfortunately, I know she's gonna blame Kat for this, too.
"Your mother can't be that bad."
"JC..."
He hates it when I do that, but... I hate a lot of stuff he does to me so who cares. He knows how bad our mother can be.
"She is that bad. I believe she might regret parts of her life and wishes to live them vicariously through her children. And when they do not do as they wish... she is extremely unhappy."
"But wouldn't she be happy that they were marrying men that loved them?"
"Not as much as if they were black men who loved them."
Rob and Jean-Claude stare at each other and I think they have some kind of understanding. I don't know what it is or where it came from, but... it's there. I turn to look at my sister and she's just looking at them stare at each other. This conversation can only get worse and... I am sorta hungry so...
"Um... can we discuss the megabeast later, please? I'm absolutely famished and can't wait to see what my sister dear came up with for dinner."

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