Chapter 25
Elowen
“Can I adopt a dog?” I ask Ma and Pa.
They nod instantly.
“You can adopt two if it makes you happy,” Ma says, smiling.
I smile back. “One is enough.”
I return to my dinner.
I try not to let my grandparents see that I’m not happy, but they notice anyway.
After Mom and Dad leave, I come to Pa’s countryside house.
My parents wanted me to go with them to DC, but I needed to be alone.
If I go and they catch me crying, my mom will drag me to therapy.
And she’s a psychologist—I’d have no way to talk my way out of it.
I’m slowly learning to hide my feelings. It’ll still take time.
After dinner, I go to my room and sit at my desk. I pull out the gray journal where I’ve started writing letters to him. Sometime after the second day, I convinced myself this isn’t the end. We’ll meet again.
My logical brain knows I’m being delusional. But this is the only way I can keep the crushing weight of separation from my heart—by hypnotizing myself into believing that somehow, someday, he’ll give up his revenge against Uncle. And somehow, my family will forgive him for kidnapping me.
There will be a happy ending for us.
And when that happens, I’ll give him this journal, so he can read everything I wanted to say to him every day, but the distance between us wouldn’t allow.
Hey love,
Merry Christmas Eve! I hope you and Bruno are celebrating—not holed up in your separate wings with matching scowls.
Today I asked Ma and Pa if I could adopt a dog. They said yes. I want to steal Bruno from you, but I won’t be that cruel. I know you need him. So tomorrow, I’ll bring home a little female husky. She’ll be Bruno’s little sister. And you’ll help me convince him to accept her and love her.
Tomorrow everyone will come here to spend Christmas together. But still, I’ll miss you most. I won’t stop imagining you here with me.
Your Elowen
I close the notebook and slide it into the drawer.
My smile fades as reality shakes me.
What if it never happens? What if he never realizes I’m not Avi and hates me forever? What if he never lets go of his revenge? What if I was never important enough to him? What if it really was just one-sided?
My eyes burn. I look up at the ceiling, pressing my lips together. The air starts to suffocate me again.
No, Wen. That’s not possible.
I start the process again, the ritual of keeping myself from unraveling.
Remember that night in his bed—how he held you, the things he said. He feels something for you.
He’ll realize you’re not Avi when he watches her, even out of curiosity.
He’ll let go of his revenge. Everyone does. In every story, the man gives up his revenge when he gets the girl.
There will be a happy ending for us.
I rise from the chair and collapse onto the bed.
“There will be a happy ending for us,” I whisper to the empty room.
???
On Christmas, everyone gathers at Pa’s house to celebrate. Usually, Avi and I welcome everyone in our signature dramatic style—flowers and gifts for all, but today she isn’t here. She’s with Zo in San Diego. They finally got together, but it’s still a secret.
I’m not exactly bursting with energy anyway, so I only greet Mom-Dad and Uncle-Aunt with hugs and kisses.
Avi, Zo, and Leo just landed. They walk into the sitting room where we’re all waiting. My mood lifts the moment I see Avi. She settles beside me on the couch.
I clear my throat, eyeing her with a knowing smile. “You’re glowing.”
Her lips twitch. “I’ve always been a beauty, you know.”
I hum. “That beauty has definitely enhanced. I guess getting laid really does wonders.”
She laughs softly.
“What are you two whispering about, cheek to cheek?” Mom asks with a teasing smile.
We exchange a grin.
Mom turns to Avi. “Why didn’t you come with Wen?”
“Zoan didn’t let me, Aunt.” She lies without flinching.
I bite back a smile.
Every eye shifts to Zo.
“She’s been under a lot of stress lately,” Zo says evenly. “I enrolled her in therapy in San Diego.”
Uncle chimes in. “Then you should have enrolled Wen too. She went through a traumatic experience.”
I jump in quickly. “No, Uncle, I’m perfectly fine.”
Mom sighs softly. “You’re not perfectly fine, baby. But I hope you will be. It’s normal to feel off after something like that.”
They all still think I’m traumatized.
Mom smiles at Zo. “You did the right thing for Avi. She was showing signs of depression and mood swings in the past, and recently she’s been very distressed. It’s better to address it before it becomes something worse.”
Aunt Abi nods, her face worried. “We wanted to take her to therapy, but she refused. I’m glad she finally agreed.”
Avi and I trade glances, fighting our grins.
Ma rises. “Let’s start lunch.”
We all file into the dining room. On Christmas, the staff has the day off, so Ma, Mom, and Aunt cook everything themselves.
We eat lunch while exchanging small talk.
Ma sweeps her gaze around the table, smiling warmly. “Next Christmas, we’ll have one more joining us.”
“Who?” Avi asks.
“Ah, you haven’t heard?” Ma grins. “Leo’s getting married.”
“Oh, I know. Iselyn told us.”
“What about you, Zo?” Pa turns to him. “When are you planning to get married?”
“I’m not getting married,” Zo states.
“This year, right?” Ma asks.
“Ever,” Zo says flatly.
Everyone freezes.
“And why is that?” Aunt asks, frowning deeply.
“He’s asexual,” Leo says, dead serious.
Ma, Mom, and Aunt’s jaws nearly hit the floor. Dad, Uncle, and Pa study Leo and Zoan with deep frowns, while Avi and I fight not to laugh.
“H—how? Why?” Aunt stammers.
“Who knows?” Leo shrugs.
“Can’t we do anything about it?” Aunt asks Mom, genuinely concerned.
Mom turns to Zo. “Have you ever tried to get close to a woman?”
Leo answers again. “Back in New York, a woman sat on his lap and he threw her off. Pretty sure she broke a rib.”
Mom frowns. “What do you feel when a woman gets close to you?”
This time, Zo answers. “Irritation.”
Mom turns to Aunt. “It must be because of that bitch.”
She looks back at Zo. “What about men?”
“I’m not gay.”
Mom sighs. Aunt’s worry is plain on her face. I don’t know which is less comforting—believing her adopted son is asexual, or knowing he’s in love with her daughter.
Everyone leaves the dining room, a heavy mood trailing behind them. Once the elders are gone, Avi and I dissolve into laughter, hands clamped over our mouths. Zo and Leo saunter over.
I whisper, “Did you two plan this?”
They shake their heads.
“Then how’d you lie so smoothly?”
Leo leans against the table, all casual ease.
“He didn’t have a reason, so I gave them one.”
“How do you know he didn’t have a reason?” I ask.
Avi waves a hand, smirking. “Don’t you know? They’re like two bodies, one soul. They don’t need words to communicate.”
“Ah, right. My bad.” I chuckle.
“Stupid women and their stupid jokes,” Leo drawls.
“Why don’t you worry about the woman you’re marrying? She’s planned a hundred and one ways to torment you,” I say.
“None of them will work.” He smirks.
I roll my eyes. “Overconfidence makes a man fall.”
“Not me.” Arrogance drips from every syllable.
My brother hoards all the arrogance in the world. Thinks he’s better than God. I can’t wait to watch Lyn bring his smug ass back down to earth.
My gaze wanders to the couple beside us, lost in their own world.
I tug Avi away from Zo. “Let him keep his ‘asexual’ image for one day. He doesn’t look very asexual staring at his sister like that.”
“Like what?”
I drag her out of the dining room.
“Like he wants to devour you alive. There’s always been tension when you look at each other, but now it’s so thick you could cut it with spoon.”
She starts to laugh, but it dies in her throat.
She glances around, then whispers, “I forgot to tell you... Leo and Zoan know about your crush on your kidnapper.”
My head whips toward her. My eyes go wide.
She nods. “I don’t know what Uncle and Daddy know, but Leo and Zoan know everything. And I think they’re still looking for him... to finish him.”
The color drains from my face.
She squeezes my hand. “They pieced it together from our conversation. We need to be careful now, they have eyes and ears everywhere.”