Page 86 of Unexpectedly In Love

The scent of mold and wet leaves permeates the air. Looking up I see the tree and the pink evening sky through a roofless ceiling. St. Paul chapel was destroyed and abandoned a few years ago after a fire. Where there were pictures of patron saints, hung long vines and gray burn walls.

The crunching shoes draws my attention back to the doorway. Khaos comes into the church, fixing the black glove on his hand.

“You made the call?”

He nods. No one speaks, Khaos, Kyros walks to the right side of me. The slam of Cid shoes bounces off the wall of the old church. Cid comes to my left, rolling his sleeves to his elbows. His gun harness hangs on his shoulder.

Every one of us threw our jackets in the car before we came in, I guess we all wanted the freedom of movement. I suggested beating him to death. Khaos suggested that we don’t.

Ever loyal, Khaos always thinks things through. A beating will be a hard clean up. We need him to be dead.

“Any last words?” Cid asks he

“Was that a whole sentence boy? Good for you.” My uncle snickers. Cid’s face remains blank.

My uncle clears his throat. “Love doesn’t and can’t dwell in the world that we live in. Love for men like us is unattainable. Look at your father. Hell, look at me.”

Kyros rushes forward, but Khaos sticks his hand out to block him. “But we are nothing like you,” he says through his teeth.

“You are everything that I am. Just ask your mother. Oh wait…she’s dead.” He smiles, his sickening laugh booms through the chapel.

The sharp crack of a gun ricocheted around us. Cid hands shakes as he lowers the gun back down to his side.

“What the fuck, Cid?” I question. My uncle rolls onto his side wheezing and coughing.

“H-he is not dead,” he replies, his eyes never leaving his fathers.

Khaos shakes his head. “Let’s do this, on four. One…”

“Two…” Kyros points his gun.

“Three,” Cid mutters.

I swallow. “Four.”

I can’t tell you how many bullets were emptied into my uncle’s body. But watching his body jerk on the floor made me think. Revenge is never the salve to ease someone’s pain, forgiveness is. However, I don’t need you to be alive to forgive you. That can be done while you’re dead.

* * *

ANISE

My mom always told me, my sisters will be my best friends for life. Today as I lay down between Rosemary and Cassia in Sage’s guest bedroom, I understood what she meant.

“You, okay?” Rosemary asks as she spoons me from behind. Was I okay? I don’t know. Someone tried to kill me and my son today. I don’t think I will ever be okay.

“I’m good,” I reply. Cassia plays with my fingertips; her smile is gentle and soft.

Sage comes into the room and sits on a chair at the door.

I lift my head watching my Sage rub her tummy with a grimace on her face.

“You’re ready to pop?” Cassia asks.

“My back feels like it’s tearing apart. It could be the Hicks,” Sage rotates her hips in the chair.

“Want me to check you?” Rosemary is already lifting herself out of bed.

“No Dr. Loveridge. Well maybe in an hour.” Sage rubs the side of her belly.

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