“I’ve seen the envelope in the photos of you and Brain. And then I saw you take it from your locker. Brian gave it to you, didn’t he?” I nod, there’s no denying it.
“And he’s using it to blackmail you somehow?” Damn this girl is clever. I keep quiet and watch the cup in my hand turn orange. Am I really afraid? It’s not me … I’m not one to give up so easily. But this time people can get hurt … really hurt.
“Don’t be scared, Aria,” Mel puts her hand on my leg and I look at her in shock. Can she read minds now? Is that some supernatural power you get when you’re pregnant? Come to think of it … I’m sure all mothers can read minds … mine sure could.
“The cup … ” she gestures with her eyes towards the now orange cup in my hand, “I also bought 2 that day, remember. Not that Damion knows what it means, but it’s fun to see what freaking mood he’s in.” I remember now. I smile, thinking that I haven’t told Enrique what the cup is all about either.
“Aria, I can help you. Please let me,” this time she’s pleading. Suddenly her eyes fill with tears. I’m stumped; you don’t see this side of the girl very often. Maybe it’s the hormones.
“You know, our family has gone through a lot …” she wipes her sleeve over her eyes and suddenly I feel like tearing up too.
“I think you can relate, ’cause your life is also hard. But … Aria … ” she grabs my leg with both hands, “everyone can be happy … everybody can be saved.”
I frown, what is she talking about? Saved from what?
She moves forward, closer to me so our knees are touching. I look down and turn the mug around and around in my hands; afraid that she’ll see the truth in my eyes. Mel can be very attentive … they all are … and sometimes it’s extremely annoying. It’s as if they can see right through you, into the very depths of your soul. Especially the twins … they’ve perfected that study.
I smile … BEAST club. But I’m not complaining … all the training paid off – Enrique sure is a rom-com cliche in the sack. My smile grows until it’s as big as it can get.
I dreamily look up, just to find my so-called future sister-in-law staring at me with now folded arms. I haven’t even realized she stopped talking. I pull a face, knowing I’ve been caught out.
“You see, this is what I’m talking about.” I’m lost for a moment … are we back to the magazine topic? What has she been talking about now?
“Eh, sex?”
She flips her eyes and shakes her head.
“Focus, bitch,” she teases as if I’m supposed to know what she’s talking about without her actually talking … but I’m not Kiara. They understand each other like peanut butter and jam. We’re not there yet. I want to tell her that she’s the one hopping from one thing to another, but then again … she is a hormonal ADHD catastrophe at the moment, so I keep my mouth shut.
“I am talking about love … true love.” Flip, was I daydreaming that long … when did we get onto this topic?
“After experiencing the effects of real love with Damion; seeing how it changed us both … healed us, I know there’s hope for my brothers as well. And I promised myself I’m gonna help them. If Damion can overcome his past and be epically happy, then everyone is savable. The question is, will you help me?” She pauses a little and then sighs deeply.
Savable? Everyone? I mull it around in my head and think about the robot twin. Can he be saved? Can his heart start beating again? Even if there’s only the slightest chance of this happening; for us to experience love; to be happy together; I’m willing to do anything.
“I’m in.” I mean, how difficult can it be to save these San Francisco boys? My sister is fighting cancer … CANCER … so a few demons are nothing compared to that … is it? And just how bad can those demons be? It’s not as if they were tortured or abused or anything like that. They just have issues because they found their murdered mom’s body. And granted it’s bad … really bad … it’s not the worst thing out there. Just like them, I lost both parents in one night too. And although I haven’t seen their corpses, I also have issues with that. But like I said … it’s dealable.
“Great! And we’ll start with you and Enrique … one boy at a time. You’re already together, so now we just need to add true love … and with the way he looks at you, that’s not gonna be so difficult.”
Yeah, but staying together might be … if Brian has his way.
Her smile lights up her face, right to her blue eyes. Jackson’s eyes … well, without the darkness. Logan’s gray eyes pop into my mind …
“Eh, Mel can I ask you a personal question?” She frowns and tips her head to the side. Then she nods.
“Your eyes, do they come from your mom or your dad?” She pulls a funny face.
“Well, the blue eyes come from Mom, but she had dark hair. Dad looked just like Uncle John; blonde with gray eyes. Why do you want to know?” Okay, maybe Brain is lying. Logan obviously got his eyes from his dad then … just like Ilkay … and it seems his darker hair comes from their mother. Brian must be bluffing. I would not put it past him … he’s the worst kind of person. Just thinking about him makes my skin crawl and suddenly I’m covered by goosebumps.
Mel waves the envelope, looking at me for confirmation that she may open it. How am I going to do this? How to let her help without her losing her little peanut?
I put the mug onto the small coffee table and look straight at the little blond.
“Mel, that envelope … what’s inside … it will be a very VERY big shock to you and your family. And with big … I mean nuclear explosion big. You can lose your baby.” I watch her facial expression change, from shock to confusion, and then it ends with determination.
“Aria, the little bean is not going anywhere, he’s a fighter like his dad.”
“He?”
“I have this feeling it is a boy. And I’m not going to let Brian-fucking-Cruise do anything to hurt my family … he will not win. Just like that bitch Chloe. Not while I’m around. You and me, we’ll fight, together. Okay?”
“Mel, I warn you, it’s bad … real bad, so you must prepare yourself for that.” She looks at me and nods. Then she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, opens her eyes again, and starts reading the paper she pulled out. Her face goes white and she freezes into some kind of paralyzed state.
“Mel!” My blood runs cold – scared; aghast; petrified – my eyes stuck on her tummy. Please let the baby be okay. Please, please, please let the baby be okay.