Kaden
Chapter eight
The summer time is my least favorite, mostly because it brings sweltering heat and humidity in its wake.
Sweating while I dig up bones isn’t my favorite, but Melody thrives in the sunlight.
She enjoys wearing her sundresses and sandals.
Little brightly colored ribbons tie her hair back most of the time, and I can’t help but keep my complaining to myself as she enjoys the warmth.
She’s seated on a rock near the creek, her bare feet in the water as she hunches over and dips her hand past the current.
Her white sandals are beside me as I root around in the mud, but I’m careful not to get a speck of dirt on them.
It would tarnish the pristine leather, and I don’t want to mess up something so important to her.
Melody shoots up into a seated position, her hand tightly wrapped around something as her mouth gapes with joy. “I caught one!”
A little minnow flaps around in her palm, its tail flicking wildly.
“It only took you two weeks,” I muse.
She gives me a withering look. “Two weeks is better than the whole summer! Look at it!”
She holds it up, triumphant of her catch, before its fin flicks her sharply, and she drops it to the ground with a wet slap.
“Nooo!” She whines as she shuffles off the rock.
I chuckle, the sound low and unfamiliar. It slips from me before I can even think of what I’m doing.
Melody gasps, completely forgetting about her fish as she stares wide-eyed at me. Surprised silence suffocates us, and I can’t fathom what just happened.
“You laughed…” She slowly begins to smile, her lips pulling up brightly. “You laughed, Kaden!”
“It’s not a big deal,” I grumble, going back to the mud in front of me.
My sister bounces over, putting her hands on my shoulders as she peers around me with pure joy. “Do it again! It was so pretty.”
My neck heats with embarrassment as I plant a hand on her forehead and lightly shove her back. “No.”
“Please!” She begs, intertwining her fingers and shaking her hands. “For me?”
I don’t know when I started thinking of her as my sister.
It wasn’t instantaneous. It happened slowly, the embers gradually building until a spark ignited.
Before I knew it, I was looking for her in every room, every corner.
I couldn’t separate from her even if I tried.
She’s become a constant in my life, and one I can’t give up.
I sigh, resting my elbows on my knees. “Maybe later. Your fish is going to die.”
“Oh, no!” She shouts, realization striking her as she scrambles to pick up the minnow. She pets it with a finger, trying to get it to flop around as she rushes back to the water. She leans over the rock, sliding the fish back into the stream.
“Melody!” Mrs. Jasmine, our nanny, makes both of us flinch as she storms towards us. She’s older with grey hair and crow’s feet. Her long, dark skirt billows around her ankles as she trudges through the mud.
Melody slinks off the rock, her expression becoming frightened as she uses her thumb and finger to roll the hem of her dress.
It’s her telltale sign that she’s anxious, and it makes me shoot up from my spot.
“You’re covered in mud!” Mrs. Jasmine scolds with a scowl. “You have family pictures in twenty minutes!”
“S-sorry, Mrs. Jasmine.” My sister’s bottom lip wobbles, and her eyes well with fresh tears.
Every single time I see her cry, it’s like a stab to the gut. That knife twists unpleasantly, and it has my anxiety revving. Bitterness uncurls in my being as I turn my glare on our nanny. “She isn’t doing anything wrong.”
Mrs. Jasmine sucks her teeth in disapproval. “Both of your clothes are ruined. Go get changed.”
Melody tucks her head, sniffling quietly as I take her hand in mine.
I don’t care for physical touch, but my sister needs it.
It’s the only way to comfort her, even when my skin crawls unpleasantly.
But with Melody, the sensation of invisible bugs under my flesh isn’t present. It almost feels…natural.
“Come on,” I say quietly, dragging her back to our home. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She gives me a watery smile. “I ruined my dress—”
“You have plenty,” I interject. “Don’t let her get to you.”
She squeezes my hand in a silent thank you as we head for the house. Ms. Love meets us at the terrace door, a grin on her face. “Look at you two! Can I get a picture?”
Melody wipes her eyes, giving me a contemplative glance. “Can we?”
My expression softens. “Sure.”
I wrap an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to me. Melody’s little hand tucks into my chest, and as that unfamiliar upturn of my lips tugs at the corners of my mouth, it almost feels normal.
Ms. Love snaps the picture on her phone, staring at it with affection. “You two are so adorable. Go get cleaned up before the photographer gets here.”
If there’s one thing I do like about Melody’s mom, it’s that she doesn’t stress over trivial things. She’s always a bucket of sunshine, and I know where my sister gets her positive outlook from.
I escort Melody upstairs, holding onto her hand tightly until we get to our rooms. When I finally release her, my palm no longer feels warm. Coldness curls around my digits, making me flex my fist at my side.
“Thank you,” my sister says softly before pressing up on her toes and placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.
My eyes widen as my heart slams. I know it’s innocent and sisterly in its meaning, but that doesn’t stop my reaction. Breathing feels impossible, and I can only swallow past the thickness of emotion in my throat. It’s all new and overwhelming.
“Um…” I trail, my lips moving without sound. “Go change.” I turn on my heel, leaving her in the hall as I slam my door. I put my back to it, trying to catch my breath as I hold a hand to my racing heart.
Am I dying?
What is this?
Why can’t I breathe?