Love Bites

Sunday morning rolled around, announcing itself by shining the sun’s golden rays through Cory’s window. He awoke with eyes squinted against the bright sunlight coming into the room. It took him a minute to register the tingle that indicated his left arm as asleep; all pins and needles. He started to move it and became aware of the reason it was asleep. A weight on top of it.

He turned his head, still looking through squinted eyes, to see the crown of brown hair just under his chin.

Kayla.

The events of the previous night came rushing back to him. How could he have forgotten? He immediately felt shame, then anger at Max. Rage in fact. He told himself to calm down.

Right now, making sure his sister was okay was more important than harming Max. Feeling his sister stir, probably due to his movement and tension, he kissed the top of her head and asked, “How did you sleep?”

She mumbled her reply. “Just like I did when I was ten. Soundly, knowing I was safe.” Her arm was still laying over and around his middle and she gave him a squeeze – a one armed hug. “I guess I best get up and get back to my own room before mom finds me here.”

She said this not to imply that their mom would find their sharing of the same bed inappropriate, but rather because it indicated a problem in the past, usually fright, something must have happened to cause Kayla to seek refuge in Cory’s bed.

Their mom had seen this behavior a number a time in the past, since the twins were very young, and knew of the close bond they had. Neither wanted to worry or to have to explain last night to their mom.

“You’re probably right,” Cory said, verbalizing both of their concerns. “Mom doesn’t need to know about this, at least until you’re ready to tell her.”

“If…” she said, “…If I ever decide to tell her.”

“Okay, if…” he agreed.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position. “Wow. You must hurt, I’m sorry. It looks like I didn’t even let you move all night.”

Moving his left arm, he winced and said, “That’s okay. The feeling in my arm should come back… sometime today.”

She frowned at him and the corners of his mouth twisted upwards in a grin of sorts. “Scoot,” he said. “I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about you.”

She peered at him, her piercing blue eyes shone in the morning sunlight and said, “Don’t be. Because of my selfless brother and his girlfriend, I’ll be okay. Promise.”

“I’m here if you need anything. Anything at all.”

“I know,” she said, finally standing. “And that means the world to me.” She walked around the bed to the other side and using a finger to brush aside the tangle of hair on his forehead, bent over and gently kissed his temple. Raising, she said, “You’re my anchor in rough seas. What would I do without you?”

He didn’t know what to say, so he just watched her pad over to the door, open it and disappear as she closed it behind her.

Not too long after, their mom called from downstairs, telling them breakfast was ready if they wanted it. Both twins came downstairs and ate breakfast as if nothing had happened the night before. Breakfast passed with the normal amount of small talk and then the twins cleaned up like they normally did in silence.

After they finished, both went back upstairs, Cory playing video games in his room, his door open as usual. A while later, Kayla joined him in his room, sitting quietly to read a book after stating she just didn’t fell like being alone right now.

Sundays usually consisted of breakfast made by mom, lunch that was a make-what-you-want-yourself affair, and dinner was delivery – usually pizza.

Shortly after the twins sought some sort of lunch, the phone rang. The twins were upstairs. Absorbed in video game racing and the science fiction of Robert A. Heinlein, when their mom called for Kayla.

Closing her book, she headed down to the phone with dread, knowing this wouldn’t be a typical call since any friend would have called her cellphone.

She came back upstairs a few minutes later and sat down silently.

’Who was that?” Cory asked, not taking his eyes off his game.

“Max’s mom,” she replied flatly.

Hearing that way she said this, Cory paused his game and looked at her. “You’re pale. What’s wrong now?”

“She asked me if I had seen Max. It appears that he never came home last night,” she said.

“He’s probably afraid the police are looking for him,” Cory said coldly. “What did you tell her?”

“I told her he left from the park to go home, alone. After that, I hadn’t seen or heard from him. I told her I’d let her know when I did. I just couldn’t tell her about last night. Not to mention mom was right there listening.”

“Let him worry and suffer. It’s the least he deserves. He’s lucky I’m not out there looking for him to kick his ass,” he said gruffly.

Kayla shrugged her shoulders and opened her book, picking up where she left off. Cory went back to his game and the rest of the day was uneventful for the twins.

That night Cory was thankful that he slept alone. Not because he had any objections to comforting his sister, but because of the fact that she didn’t feel the need for that comfort. She would be okay.