André hummed while driving down the road. He called Enzo earlier to meet him at the penthouse. He thought about the occurrence he had with Emily. He sighed, smiled, and thought about the beautiful soul he met tonight. But it was interrupted by a call.
His phone buzzed hard. He picked it up. "Hi, sis!" He yelled with a grin on his face.
"You should have waited for me and I would have been the second person to set my eyes on after daddy," André couldn't stop laughing.
"I'll be home soon,"
"Did you get those sneakers for me!?" She asked.
"I knew you won't call me without a reason,"
"It is only available where you live,"
"You could have ordered it yourself you know?"
"Dad blocked my credit card. I would have if he didn't,"
On second thought, he realised to who he had given the sneakers. "Fuck,"
"What?"
"Nothing," he lied.
"You brought it, didn't you?"
"Can we talk later? A call is coming in," he disconnected immediately before she could utter another word. "What to do now?"
Laura, the last child of the Pastore's. Sister to André, Drake, and Enzo. Being the only girl and the last child of the family, she is always pampered. But, Raymond, their father will never have that. He is the disciplinarian to inflict punishment by detention or taking what you loved dearly.
André picked Drake up from the penthouse. They waited for Enzo to arrive. When he came around, they all left the penthouse.
The meet-up was emotional as Drake couldn't stop hugging him and Enzo just stared at his older brother. It has been a while since they have seen him.
"Dad is waiting for us," André informed them as they entered the car. "Any question you have for me, I will respond tomorrow," as if he knew his brothers.
"Answer this before activating that rule. Where have you been? Daddy refused to tell us of your whereabouts. We did not have your contact number either," André smiled.
"I have been around," André answered simply and drove off and they didn't say a word till they got to the house.
Laura was waiting for them at the gates. She had only seen his brother through Skype when Raymond called him every evening. He knew he was the tallest among them. The car stopped and they all got out. Laura happily jumped on André.
"You look more handsome in real life," she said and André couldn't stop laughing.
"Stop teasing me," He replied and she let go. She gripped his hand and they all walked inside.
It was a beautiful sight to behold with everyone around. The last time this happened was 19 years ago. The death of one caused a subconscious rift in the family and it is nice everything's coming into place now.
Drake and Laura clung to André most of the time. "So, brother, where have you –"
"Let him shower and rest," Raymond cuts in. He turned to André. "Go in and have your bath. Your room is still intact,"
"Really?"
"Yes," Raymond threw a key to him. André examined the key and memories flooded in.
He slowly went upstairs. He unlocked and opened the door to his room. As his father had said, everything was intact as he had left them. He took the frame on the table, it was a picture of him and his mother during the final of a basketball game. He rumpled his shirt as if he was trying to prevent his heart from falling – It didn't, but tears did.
"I'm sorry, mummy" he held in, hoping no one would hear him cry. "I'm so sorry," he fell to his knees.
Everyone could hear his whimpering. Laura stood up. "Don't," Raymond ordered and she sat down.
"Why didn't you clear the room? He'd remember everything now," Drake complained.
"He needs to face his fears alongside the guilt he harbors inside of him. That's the only way I can have my cheerful son once again," he stood up. "I won't let my wife die and also see my eldest son die mentally,"
___________________________________________
It was a long night for the three brothers as they slept in their various rooms. They thought about what happened today and the meeting they had individually with Emily.
"Who is she?"
"Who is she?"
"Who is she?"
She kept filling their thoughts as they slowly drifted to sleep.