Home.
The four-letter word carried a big punch as I thought it over for a minute, realizing this wasn’t just my home anymore.
It was hers too.
And that realization hurt far more than any pain in my ribs ever could.
CHAPTER
TEN
ISLA
“In silence,we often find the deepest connection.” -Unknown.
One month later.
After rushing down the stairs, I threw a bagel in the toaster, spread some cream cheese on it, and ran out the front door. Grabbing my bag and throwing it over my shoulder, I took the porch steps two at a time and jumped on Julius’s bicycle I’d cleaned up a couple of weeks ago. I left it leaning against the column of the house.
It didn’t take long until I was pedaling up to the river, ditching my bike near an old willow tree, and walking over to them. Julius and Kraven were working the festival and performing on the street that day. I tried to catch any show they put on when they were close enough for me to ride the bike.
Sometimes I rode on the back of Julius’s street bike, but it was hard with his instrument, so it didn’t happen as often as I hoped.
That winter changed it all.
In a short amount of time, I learned a lot about Julius andKraven in different ways. With Julius, I spent more time with him than I’d ever spent with anyone. If he was at the house, we were together for the most part.
When I was with them, watching them perform, I’d get lost in their music, wondering how they learned to play and who taught them. They were both equally masterful. Their skills and talent were noticed by everyone who walked by them.
I’d even seen a few people cry, getting caught up in the moment. Maybe reliving a past they were trying to forget, like me. There were nights when Julius was working, and Kraven would play in his room. I’d lie on the floor against our connecting wall, wanting to feel the vibration of his piano along my body.
For a few minutes, I’d feel as if he were only playing for me, as if he were doing it on purpose, aware of how much their music meant to me. I knew it was the furthest thing from the truth. He barely looked at me, and when he did, it was an expression of uncertainty. Ever since I helped him, our dynamic had changed. He wasn’t mean to me anymore, but he wasn’t exactly nice.
I guess you could say I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sometimes I’d sit on the porch, staring up at the moon and stars. This was my favorite spot in their house. It had the best view of the sky. I spent a lot of time out there, seeking refuge within the chaos of my mind.
Sometimes I’d even find random things on the steps, from rocks to those green military figures you’d see kids play with, to other random toys. They’d be there one evening, and then the next, there would be none. I began to think that maybe a kid was playing back there when we weren’t around. I wanted to ask Julius about it, but they were always gone the next day. I figured the kid came back for them, so no harm, no foul.
I quickly learned Julius didn’t give a damn about what anyone thought or said about him. He would tell it straight to your face, not caring if he hurt your feelings. The brothers had that in common. Neither held back.
Julius never judged me, treating me like an equal. He didn’t askany questions or demand any answers. He was far more level-headed and smart as all hell, too.
Both were stubborn.
Kraven, on the other hand, didn’t think things through, obviously. His stunt last month playing Evel Knievel wasn’t anything I ever imagined I’d see. I couldn’t help myself. I followed him out to the woods without him noticing me. I was good at trailing people. It truly was a gift and got me out of a lot of trouble when I needed it.
After I heard him rev up the engine as he left the house, my feet moved on their own accord. Yes, part of it was curiosity, and another huge part was that I just had a weird feeling. Perhaps I recognized something inside him that mirrored my own.
Whatever it was, I was there for him at the right time. I don’t think he would have made it back on his own. Now I’d seen some reckless shit in my life, but Kraven’s was on another level, like he had a date with death or something.
Where I chose flight, he was a fighter.
He was definitely battling demons, and I had a feeling the cookbook triggered it.
I kept the recipes hidden in my backpack. I hadn’t made anything else from it, but I did print a few recipes at the library with the food we had for the week. I never thought I’d enjoy cooking as much as I did. I loved being able to offer a craft I had no clue I had. Kraven never ate with us, but it didn’t stop me from making enough food for him, too, and the leftovers were always gone in the morning. Either Julius took it to work with him or Kraven claimed it for school lunch. Yet another question I couldn’t ask.
Watching Kraven fly through the air like he was Superman was a sight to see. Thankfully, the washcloth and water bottle I always had in my backpack came in handy as I slowly woke him up from the fall.
He wasn’t unconscious for very long, and it didn’t look as if he’d broken anything since he landed in an overgrown patch of grass. It was still a harsh impact, and his ribs were the biggest injury. I actually didn’t mind helping him. He looked like he needed a friend too.
