The evening was cool,the trees were waving softy and the mountain flelt calm.
It felt like nothing could go wrong.
The day was awesome!
Cami and I hung out the whole afternoon,Carl was having an online college interview and here I was, walking by the river, taking pictures and literally sniffing in the air.
I spotted dad at the other side of the river.
He was painting but I had no idea what.
Dad always loved painting.
I had so many portraits he had done for me and Carl.
He looked so calm.
What was he painting?
It was definitely mom's painting!
***Jeffrey's POV***
(Rachael and Carl's Dad)
This was the chair Mia and I sat every evening.
This was the chair I sat to paint her beautiful face.
But now,I wasn't painting her!
No! I was painting Gwen!
I thought back to the days when Gwen and I were closer than identical twins in the womb.
Why was I painting her now?
Why did that lady earlier look really familiar?
I would never had forgotten her face.
I can never forget her eyes,the pained expression those sea green eyes held that day.
No!! Gwen was happy...the man was rich! She's happy Jeff,she's happy!
I heaved a frustrated sigh.
Twentieth stroke..dash..a touch here..a touch there.
Her face was done. I looked at the painting in front of my eyes.
Her eyes looked exactly like I remembered. Honest and green.
The woman earlier didn't have green eyes so, why then did she feel so familiar.
I tore out the canvas of the painting and after one last glance, I threw it into the river.
I was wrong...maybe just maybe...
***Gwen's POV***
He can't remember me! Yes!!!
All those years of weight loss and face lifts. All my cosmetic surgeries.It all payed off.
Soon..it would be so soon!!
***Rachael's POV***
"Hey Dad"!!
I said calmly. I had seen him throw the painting into the river,I wondered why he would throw mom's portrait into the river.
The river flowed calmly and the sweet evening cry of the crickets could be heard clearly below the grey reflection of the full moon.
Dad didn't hear me. He was just staring at the painting as it got soaked up in water.
"DAD!!"
He snapped.
"My gosh.. Rachael I didn't hear you coming in."
He said in his calm deep voice.
I could tell he was really drowned in whatever he was thinking about.
"How long have you been here?"
"Well..long enough to know that if the woman in the portrait isn't dead from drowning,she certainly is now."
He smiled, trying to hide the sadness I caught in his eyes.
"Why did you throw mom's painting away?"
"Wha...what"?
I motioned to the painting.
"You always draw mom whenever you seat here,why did you throw it away then?"
He just shrugged.
"Well...it was not really pretty."
I nodded,still a bit confused but more relaxed.
I sat next to him and picked up a twig, tossing it into the river.
"Carl and I really missed you when we were in school,dad...we...we really did."
He said nothing,just staring into the clouds.
Calm breeze blew across our faces.
"You know..."
Dad started, adjusting his round glasses that he had worn for about a thousand years.
"Your mom and I used to sit here every Sunday evening when we were about your age, talking about everything".
I pictured mom and dad, seating here as a couple in weird olden clothes. It seemed really nice.
"We talked about everything..the sun,the stars..the florist who refused to give her a refund..my crazy baseball coach and his more crazy Asian wife... everything we could think of!"
I couldn't control the drop of tears that rolled out of my eyes.
Dad was a big man, a six footer with tough looks,bald headed,dreamy grey eyes and jagged teeth.
Dad was a hero to me,ever since I was little. I felt no one could ever beat up dad. He was Superman! To me,he was a fortress of strength.
But here he was, broken,almost in tears and I could do nothing.
"We weren't dating then."
He continued.
"My dad and her dad used to watch baseball matches here every Sunday. They'd... they'd...drive down here from town in their old Peugeot."
Dad smiled sadly.
"God! she hated that car like hell!! She'd look so cross whenever she rode here in it with her dad and your uncle Fidelis. Imediately...immediately...she came out, she'd rush in...into one of the bathrooms and scrub her skin off, literally!!"
He paused for a while.
"Well.. funny thing is..she cried a lot when you grandad gave it out."
I put my palms on dads.
"We all miss her so much dad. I'm here for you...Carl and I, we'll always be here for each other!"
He just nodded.
"You know, your mom always said...'memories are like goodbye gifts peopls leave behind'...well...who knew she'd leave us with her's so early?"
*
*
*
"GOOD MORNING DEAR BROTHER CARL!"
Oops..I was yelling.
I 'accidentally' spilled water on him, wetting both his bed and throwing him up.
"Jesus!!" He bounced off, almost falling face first to the ground.
Which was what I was secretly praying for.
"What the hell was that all about?"
I opened the blinds, causing the bright summer sun to flood in. I took a deep breath and smiled.
Today was gonna be awesome!! Carl's already pissed at me!
I took my tooth brush from the sink and began to brush, humming all the way.
"Oh...Carl...what's what?"
I feigned ignorance.
I was still putting on my extra extra sized P.J with the words 'worlds worst sister' printed on the back. Well...we can always thank my dear brother Carl for his beautiful gifts.
To be honest, I was looking more like a clown at a Halloween party for 5 year olds, than a 17 year old teenage girl!"
"Don't mess with me young lady"!!
He said sternly. He always treated me like a child. Dude,Your 19 and I'm 17! What's the difference?!
"Oh...that?" I pointed at his bed and then his body.
I shrugged and went into the bathroom to rinse my mouth,only to realize I had swallowed most of the latter.
Hey..I'm not a clean freak ok?
He fumed and looked like he was going to burst into flames any moment.
"Yes...this!!"
He gritted through his teeth.
I shrugged a bit and rolled my eyes.
"Well...it's revenge!"
I said, bending down to get my flip flops I had thrown under the bed,in my pathetic attempt to be 'orderly for once' as Carl had advised.
Carl hated being ignored.
So he stomped to me like a 6 year old.
"Revenge for what?"
I stood up with only one of my flops in my hand and glared at him, which was pretty hard cause he was like 6 ft 3 and I was somewhere around 5 ft 5( I try really hard.)
"You!"
I poked his broad chest.
"You put my dirty clothes out of the washing machine,and put yours in! You knew that I was the first to get to it after it came back from maintenance."
I began to walk into the bathroom.
"Oh really? So that's what you're mad about?I'm the big bro ok...I can do what ever I want!"
"Oh really..then please DO go to the kitchen, by the dishwasher and pick up your clothes!"
I shut the door.
He opened it angrily.
"Hey I was about to take off my clo..."
"I don't care!! Tell me you didn't do that!!"
I rolled my eyes.
"And if I don't?"
"Rachael!!"
I moved back a bit. Oops,did I take this too far.
Carl and I may be best friends but,we have our "days."
"Ok...I'm sorry Carl...I..."
THUD!!!! We heard someone fall,and then a faint sound of a slap followed by beating and blows.
It was coming from the room directly below ours.
It was the room where the weird big guy was staying with his wife and son.
What was happening??
I hope you're enjoying the story.
I'm sorry it seems slow but I promise,brace yourself cos you're in for a ride!
I'm just trying to create a solid foundation for our awesome story.
Please don't forget to leave a comment,I'd love to know what you think.
Love y'all 😍
Till next time.
Adios!