“You do?” Green Eyes ponders, and I nod.
As if a truth spell has come over me, I can’t seem to lie, although I have no reason to. These guys don’t know me, nor will they ever see me without my mask.
Green Eyes takes a step away from his friend, making room between the two of them. “Please. I think the air may be freshest by the water. But you’ll have to see for yourself.”
I hesitate, and the other one chimes in, “We won’t bite, I promise. Unless you ask, of course.”
Timidly, I take a step toward them, my hands nervously clasped at my back. “For a moment.” I swallow hard and do something I rarely do—face my fears. I join them at the fountain, my arms resting on the marble ledge between their arms.
They remain quiet, probably giving me time to continue my story if I see fit. I don’t know if it will help at all, but maybe telling them my truth will help them feel less alone.
Gently, I clear my throat. “My mom passed away when I was very young, four or five years old.” I pause, the second one more fresh in my soul. It feels like it was only yesterday. “My dad passed when I was twelve.”
“Fuck,” Blue Eyes curses, wincing. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry about your mom.” It finally dawns on me that these two aren’t friends, but brothers …obviously.
“Did your dad remarry after your mom?” Green Eyes asks, his voice a lot softer than earlier.
A snide chuckle escapes me. “Unfortunately, yes.”
He follows up with, “Is she still around?”
Sighing, I trail the tips of my right hand along the top of the water. “It’s … complicated, but, yes, she’s still around.”
“Should we also offer our condolences for her?” Blue Eyes smirks.
My stomach flutters from the mere look in his eye.
“Yeah, probably, given howwonderfulshe is,” I mutter sarcastically, and they both chuckle. “What about you guys? Did your dad remarry?”
The orchestral music from inside seems to grow louder in the passing silence as both of them hesitate to respond.
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that. I don’t want to pry.”
Blue Eyes gently rests his hand on my arm. “No. It’s not you.” He chuckles nervously. “It’s just also complicated for us.”
I was hoping to make them feel less alone about their mother’s passing. Little did I know that they would help me feel included in other ways too.
Grinning, I bite down on my lip. “Should I offer my condolences?”
“Yeah,” the green-eyed brother scoffs, a serious tone in his voice that tugs at my heart.
“I’m sorry. At least you have each other though. That must make it a little easier.” My gaze finds the flowing water again, and I swish my hand in the small waves.
“It does.” Green Eyes continues, “Do you have any siblings?”
“No, I don’t. It’s just me.”
Laughter erupts from the path I came down, but it sounds far enough away to not bother us. I think whoever they are may just be hanging out in the gardens.
We stand and listen to joy erupt from that group. I can’t help but find it kind of humorous that even at an event where identity is hidden, I still sink to the side. But I’m not usually kept company by two massive, hot brothers. It wouldn’t be so bad, shying away from people, if it was always like this.
A sniffle breaks the silence beside me.
“Does it get easier?” The pain in Blue Eyes’s voice tears through me, yanking my gaze up to his watery stare.
My hand finds his cheek as the first tear falls, my back finding the fountain as I turn. I shouldn’t feel this comfortable. He’s a stranger—they both are—yet here I am … wiping away his tears as his bottom lip trembles.
