by K J Bell
Where were we supposed to go?
Immediately, I was overcome with a vision verifying the truth to Omni’s words. I saw the three of us together, strong, sensing the bond we shared. I wanted to see more, but light surrounded most of the vision, blinding the landscape. The vision melted away, leaving me unfulfilled.
Brent looked at me tenderly, trying to measure my mood. He laced his fingers in mine.
“Are you okay?”
“I have a brother,” I croaked, pulling in my bottom lip to fight off tears.
Brent nodded, brushing his thumb across the knuckles on my hand. “We need to go,” he told me, before pulling me close and winding his arms around me. I buried my head in his chest, clinging to him tightly, and absorbing the comfort that came with being wrapped in his warm embrace.
He held me for a few minutes before releasing me.
“I have to talk to Reese first.” I said with urgency in my voice.
Brent responded. “I know you do. Maybe we should go somewhere safe. You heard Omni. If Kace finds us now, it won’t end well.”
As Brent seemed the only one capable of making a rational decision at the moment, I nodded in agreement.
We went downstairs to find Reese sitting in Maggie’s chair, his face buried pitifully in his hands.
My brother.
He glanced up and met my eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Claire.” His apology was genuine. He had so much to deal with, and whether or not I forgave him, he was going to be crushed.
Unable to string together any words that didn’t involve telling Reese everything, thereby prolonging our departure, I simply shrugged.
Brent stepped in front of me and spoke to Reese.
“We have to go now.” Brent placed his hand on Reese’s shoulder, giving it a friendly squeeze. I smiled at the small expression of reassurance.
“You’re going to let me come with you after what I did?” Reese peered over Brent’s shoulder, looking for my approval.
“Just get in the car, Reese,” Brent told him, “before we change our mind.”
He stood and started walking towards me, but thought better of it, and kept his head down as he made his way out of the door, to the car. With a heavy heart, I followed, stopping briefly to look around my home.
Looking in at Maggie’s favorite chair, I held back tears, remembering how I always teased her about it looking like old curtains. More than once, I tried to convince her to have it reupholstered. She had laughed and told me it had character. She had done so much for me, and I felt like I was robbed of the chance to tell her how grateful I was. It would have been so much more difficult these past few months without her. Silently, I made a promise to always tell the people in my life how much they meant to me, and that I loved them. I had to start with my brother. Maggie’s home seemed so empty now. I closed the door, softly whispering, “goodbye, Maggie.”
CHAPTER 12
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” – Emily Brontë
As we pulled away from Maggie’s house, I had no idea where we would go, but it was evident by Brent’s determination, he had a plan. I didn’t ask, trusting my faith in him, submitting to his control over the situation. Reese remained silent, afraid to say anything. I think he believed I would dump him on the side of the road if he opened his mouth again. Given the situation, that might have been a possibility. Brent pulled into the bank ATM and withdrew cash.
“Where are we going?” I finally decided to ask, speaking for the first time since we got in the car.
“I think a hotel is best. We’ll keep moving for now and hopefully that will throw Kace off until we’re ready.” He wrapped our fingers together, and pulled my hand to his lips, kissing it softly.
What I really wanted to do was go back to the house in Jasper. Everything seemed right there. I pulled one of the stones from my pocket and brushed my thumb across the smooth surface.
Another vision appeared before me. Kace was there, at the beach house, with Logan. I saw them going through our stuff. Logan strummed my guitar, and I wanted to scream at him, to put it down. Kace was holding the picture of my parents, looking at it with disgust. His hands on the frame sparked all my nerve endings, sensitive to the fact he had his hands on my family. My body started to shake from the personal nature of his touch. The Couriers had returned to Kace. They knew where we had been.
“South, we need to go south,” I suddenly commanded to Brent.
“Okay, Claire, we’re already going south,” Brent clarified, squeezing my hand. “Why, what is it?”
“They’re at the beach house. I see them,” I squeaked, my voice failing with the shock of what I had seen.
“That means the Couriers from the boat house had learned something,” Brent stated.
While he spoke, I recalled being at the boat house where we discovered that Logan had killed Maggie. There were so many Couriers. We were unable to absorb all of them. Many of them attached to Reese, recording his thoughts.
“They must have reported our presence at the beach house when they returned to Kace,” Brent continued. “This is good for us, though. If Kace and Logan are in Jasper, then they might not know we went to Maggie’s or that we met with Omni. The distance gives us more time. You’re safe, Claire,” he said, kissing my hand again, and smiling softly.
It was getting late and we had been driving for about forty-five minutes, even though it felt like hours. Reese finally spoke, “Uh, guys? I really gotta go,” he said chuckling. Good ol’ immature Reese.
Brent laughed too, but then told him, “There’s a rest stop at the next exit. Hold it until then.”
We pulled into the rest stop, packed full of travelers. The gas station had a line of cars stretching forever, and people were honking impatiently. Off to the left was a large building that housed several food chains and restrooms, which Reese obviously needed, judging from the fact he was holding himself and bouncing up and down.
After parking, Reese leaped from the car before Brent even turned off the engine. I laughed when I saw him almost run down a lady and a little girl she was with. He was apologizing profusely, but still holding himself like a kid.
“Now’s your chance,” Brent said, nudging me.
Rolling my eyes at him, I opened the door. Reese deserved the truth. Exiting the car, I made my way to the building and waited for him. Reese saw me through the glass doors before he was out of the building. He threw up his hands up in front of himself, indicating he had surrendered. He sure could make me laugh.
“Truce?” he offered.
“Come on, we need to talk.” I looped my arm through his and we made our way to a picnic table. Reese hopped up, sitting on the table, and I took a seat on the bench below. Traces of previous travelers lingered everywhere.
“Look, Claire,” Reese began. “I don’t know why I did what I did. I’m impulsive and immature.”
“And impatient,” I added.
Reese hung his head. “That, too.”
I caught his eye, smiled, and gave him a gentle sisterly punch in the leg.
“Look, as it turns out, what you did was probably a good thing.” It was a small offering to excuse him from his actions regarding Kace and Logan.
‘”I’m not sure that’s possible, Claire.” Reese protested, shaking his head. He was tugging at his jeans, rolling the fabric between his fingers, nervously.
It is a good thing. Kissing you the way I kiss Brent is wrong, on so many levels.
“Did you know my parents?” I asked bluntly.
Reese thought about my question for a moment. “I met your dad a few times as a kid. I think he went to school with my mom or something.”
Just say it.
“Yes, that’s true, but it seems they were a little more than classmates at one point,” I hinted, raising my eyebrows hoping he would figure it out so I didn’t actually have to say it.
“I’m not following you here, Claire,” he admitted, confusion flashing ac
ross his face.
Just say it.
“My parents were separated for a time when your mom and dad were dating. My dad stayed in the apartment above your grandparent’s store. Your mom and my dad were friends, and one night they…”
Reese interrupted. “Don’t even say they hooked up, Claire. That’s gross.” He scrunched up his face like a little boy watching a couple kiss in a movie.
Just say it.
“Reese, can you be mature for like five minutes so we can get through this conversation?” I scolded, having a hard enough time with getting the words out. How was I supposed to tell him that the man he called dad, his entire life, was not his real father. “Reese, you were born nine months later.” I just spit it out, unable to think of any delicate way to announce it.
He frowned and started tapping his foot on the bench next to where I was sitting. “What? That’s a lie. No, my mom and dad were married when I was born. You’re mistaken. That can’t be true!”
“Difficult as it is to hear, it’s true, Reese…our parents shared a night together. We are brother and sister. The Agents missed our relation when they decided you were my Paramour. They only saw the strength of our connection, not the reason for it. After you met with Kace, and things started changing, they looked into it. From the beginning, you should have been my Aegis. Brent was always my Paramour.”
Reese looked like I just kicked him in the shins, and in a way, I had. He was sullen, silently processing what I laid out before him. Tears filled his eyes, glossing over his grey stare. He blinked and the drops streaked down each side of his pained face. My heart ached for him and his loss.
“I am so sorry, Reese. I know this is so much to think about. It seems like things are really messed up but I’ve witnessed how it works out. It’s going to be okay,” I assured him, placing my palm gently on his knee, trying to offer some sort of affection to my brother.
“How can you say that?” Reese snapped, pushing my hand away. “My mom cheated on my dad…um Dave…Jesus, Claire. He’s the best man I’ve ever known.” The tears were cascading down his cheeks as though the ducts were an open dam to his heart.
“He’s still your dad, Reese,” I said reassuringly, biting back the anger I felt towards my father for his involvement.
He glared at me. His grey eyes, looking like a thin layer of ice in the winter, chilled me.
“How could she have done that to my father?”
Borrowing words from my mother, I answered. “I don’t know, Reese. I think it’s the way it was meant to be. It happened for a reason.”
“That’s a load of crap, Claire.” Reese’s shock was replaced with fury.
“I didn’t finish. The reason…is me,” I said, my voice breaking, holding back tears. I wanted to be strong for him.
“I don’t care what the reason is. My dad worships my mom, Claire. Jesus, you should see them together. She’s his greatest prize. He’s living a lie, don’t you see that? My life is one big lie…my dad…my purpose…you.”
“Don’t say that Reese, please,” I implored, not wanting him to believe what he was saying.
“Look, I am not mad at you Claire. I just need some time to deal with all of this,” he said, sounding more like the young man he was, and less like the impulsive teenager that both amused and annoyed me. He jumped from the picnic table, his shoulders were slumped and his head hung low as he shuffled back to the Audi, ending the conversation. Deciding it was best to give him some time and space – rather than push him to accept things – I followed him far behind, back to the car.
You can cut the tension with a knife was precisely the feeling in the car as we coasted down the highway. Reese was impassive but stoic, his ear buds firmly in place. He hadn’t moved even to reposition himself. My mouth formed a small curve as I noted his pursed lips. He was my brother, all right.
The black stained sky opened up. Rain streamed down the window with force, and the wipers struggled to keep up. Drops pounded rhythmically onto the roof of the Audi, beating like the sound of a drum. The loud growing boom of thunder briefly muffled the sound of the rain and brilliant blue lightning streaked across the sky in front of us. Thunderstorms were slightly terrifying to me so I was thankful when Brent pulled off the highway somewhere in Connecticut.
We found a hotel that offered suites designed for extended visits, although I knew we wouldn’t be staying long. Brent left the car idling, and told us to wait while he checked in.
The silence between Reese and I was maddening. It was the same silence that was also deafening, because my brain refused to stop racing, thinking about the current situation and the eventual outcome. It wasn’t the first time I had felt this way. But never had I had such an ache in my heart. Previous despondency almost always involved someone I didn’t know very well. Silence this uncomfortable was purposely brought on by accident. For example, sitting down next to a stranger on the bus that frowns at you brings on the awkwardness. You know you’re invading their personal space, but you ride it out anyway, afraid to move, assuming you might offend the person if you did. Relief would come eventually, when one of you reached your stop.
Would Reese and I ever be able reach our stop and move forward?
Reese looked intently out the window, making no effort to acknowledge that I was sitting so close. His jaw was tight –the frustration gathered across his brow, reminding me so much of our father. I wanted to say something to break the tension, something meaningful, but instead, opted for something insignificant. “The drive was nice, wasn’t it? The leaves are so pretty when they first start to change.”
“Really Claire, you want to talk about trees?”
Good one, Claire. Why didn’t you just keep your trap shut?
Quieting my know-it-all subconscious, I continued. “Not really. I just couldn’t stand you not saying anything”
“Yeah, well, get used to it,” he mocked, shutting me down.
But I wasn’t about to give up. “Come on Reese, you have to talk to me eventually.” I bit my lip, anticipating his sharp reply.
He leaned forward between the seats to get attention. His icy stare gave me goose bumps.
“You’re right. Eventually I might, but right now I have nothing to say that’s not cruel, so I’ll just keep my mouth shut!” He was so cross and my feelings were hurt.
“Fine,” I muttered, defeated.
“Fine,” he muttered back.
“Good,” I taunted.
“Good,” he scoffed.
We were definitely related.
The hotel room was a two-bedroom suite with a living area and a small kitchen. Reese sat on the small sofa and turned on the TV. He still wasn’t speaking to me, but the urge to make things right was so strong that I asked him again if he was okay. He nodded but continued his cold-shoulder routine. I decided after our brief conversation in the car that I should leave him alone. There was nothing worse than having someone ask you over and over if you were okay. Brent took my bag, disappearing into one of the bedrooms. Come to think of it, he hadn’t said much to me either. I guessed this had been a difficult day for all of us.
My mind continued mulling over a way make everything right with Reese, though I knew I should probably put a lid on my efforts. Before finding the words, Reese stood up and clicked the remote, turning off the TV.
“I’m going to bed.” He let the remote fall to the sofa and entered his room, slamming the door shut behind him.
Brent’s arms wrapped around my waist from behind and he kissed the top of my head. “He’ll be okay, Claire. Just give it time. We should sleep, too. It’s been a long day for all of us and it’s almost midnight,” he said, guiding me to our room.
I decided to take a shower before I called it a night, needing to wash the day away, hoping all of the hurt and pain it brought would run down the drain, forgotten. Warm water cascaded over me as I sat on the bottom of the tub, hugging my knees to my body. The hot water eased my aches, and the smell of jasmine in my shampoo was li
ke therapy.
Feeling much better, all clean and in my comfy pajamas, I came back into the room. Brent was wearing boxers and his t-shirt. He smiled when he saw me.
“Better?” he asked in a warm tone.
“Better,” I mumbled, climbing on the bed.
When Brent sat on the bed, I breathed in his familiar scent. He smiled at me, and I had to look away so he wouldn’t see how my cheeks were coloring.
“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, tucking a tuft of wet hair behind my ear. I never thought I was beautiful, but when I was with him, he made me believe it. He smoothed my bottom lip with his thumb and heat filled my body, cheek to toe. His lips curved paradisiacally, making me melt. It was pure bliss. “I have a gift for you, too,” he smiled.
That surprised me. “What, Brent, you didn’t have to do that.” I felt like I had everything I ever needed already, receiving him as a gift.
He smiled affectionately, biting down on his bottom lip. “I don’t do anything because I have to, Claire.” His eyes were warm and the meanings of his words were clear. He was with me, not because it was our design or stamp or fate that brought us together. It was because he wanted to be.
Brent produced a small velvet box from under the pillow. He must have placed it there when I was in the shower. He placed the indigo-colored box in my hand. The deep blue reminded me of his eyes, when they filled with desire. I felt a soft flutter in my heart as I accepted it. Opening the box, I gasped.
“It’s beautiful, Brent,” I gushed. With trembling fingers, I pulled a stunning silver locket from the box.
He threaded his fingers through my wet hair and cupped the back of my head, massaging it tenderly. “I thought it fitting.”
I smiled shyly. It was gorgeous. The locket was muted silver with two angel wings that folded over the front, meeting in the center. As I turned it over, happy tears welled in my eyes, waiting to spill. I read the inscription, For your heart, B. I smoothed my thumb over the fine edges of the engraving.