Page 12 of Whispers of the Water

He nodded and mumbled to himself as he lifted his suitcase onto the bed and began sorting through it as though he were looking for something.

My eyes widened as I realized who my roommate was. Mouth suddenly dry with a fresh wave of nerves and a hint of excitement, I worked to stay calm on the inside. This was fine. Totally fine. Sharing a room with Rune. I mean, I’d shared space with him before. Granted, there was only one bed in here, but really, how different would that be from sleeping on a couch near where he slept?

Very different, Bria. It’s very different!

A devious part of me was almost glad to know that Rune and I would be rooming together, because it would present more opportunities to break down the new wall he’d placed between us. Though, it would also provide more chances for the guilt about keeping my secret from him to fester like an infected wound. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure if this was as good of a situation as my initial gut reaction made it seem.

His eyes were unfocused as he riffled through his belongings, and a somber frown painted his usually carefree face. Seeing the expression pulled me back to the present.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed next to where he stood.

He stopped fiddling with his things as his gaze met mine. Seconds ticked by where we simply stared, and within those gold depths, I saw the pain he was trying so hard to hide. Finally, he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just—” he paused and looked out the French doors. Swallowing hard, he finished, “Just a lot going on in my head. Doesn’t help that there are lots of memories here.”

My heart seized as I realized what being back here probably meant for Rune. It meant pain, remorse, and heartache. It meant the past haunted his mind. I knew things between us were still rocky and unclear, but in that moment, it didn’t matter. Rune was hurting, and I refused to let him suffer alone.

I reached for his hand that rested on the bed, and I was happy to see he let me. I gave it a squeeze and rubbed a soothing circle along the back of it with my thumb. Looking up at him, I asked, “Memories of your dad?”

He offered a sad smile. “Yeah, of him. Of my mom when she still had a heart. Memories of when we were a family.” Clearing his throat, he finally met my eyes again. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be so melancholy.”

“Don’t. Don’t ever apologize for missing him or the way things once were. It’s okay to hurt. It’s okay to grieve. Never be sorry about that.”

He released a shaky breath and sat next to me on the bed. The mattress sank beneath his weight, and I moved closer to wrap my arms around him. He leaned into my touch, and I took some comfort in that. I knew it wasn’t easy for Rune to open up, so his trust in me was a gift I’d always welcome, regardless of the circumstance.

It was also like a knife sinking deep into my gut, because here he was, trusting me, while I was actively withholding a huge part of myself from him. It wasn’t fair to him, and the fact weighed heavily on my heart. Now just wasn’t the time to tell him. He had enough burdens on his shoulders without my added issue.

“It’s silly,” Rune started softly. “But every time I see my mother, I see pieces of the old her scattered, and I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, I can do something to collect all those pieces and put them back together again. This week, my birthday, was an excuse for her to bring me home to try to set me up with someone, but it’s also, in a way, an excuse for me to try to fix her.”

I rubbed my fingertips up and down his rigid back and shook my head. “That’s not silly. If anything, I think it shows how lucky Myra is to have you for a son. For you to care so deeply about someone who doesn’t deserve it.”

He gave a humorless chuckle and hung his head. “I think the lucky one was me, because for a time, I had her and my dad when they were whole. That will be a time I’ll always love. And miss.”

We stayed like that for a while, sitting in the vulnerable moment. I knew from experience that he didn’t need words of comfort right now. Those words would do nothing to bring back his dad or all he’d lost. Words were as flammable as paper in situations like this. Easily torched to ash under the flames of grief. All I could do was give him the support he needed in whatever form he needed. A shoulder to lean on. An ear to listen. A firm hand to remind him that he still had someone here who loved him. It was something I’d always provide, so long as he’d let me.

Eventually, two sets of small footsteps came pounding down the hall. Newt and Greshim burst through the door carrying bottles of water, juices, and a tray with a mug and teapot.

“We didn’t know what you might want, so we brought everything,” Greshim said. As soon as he saw Rune, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. “Brother!”

The life finally came back to Rune’s eyes as he stood to catch Greshim, who’d set the tray down before flinging himself at Rune. I laughed, my heart full, as the three brothers immediately began playing. I cheered the twins on in their attempts to wrangle Rune, which in turn, made me Rune’s target. Giggling, I ran around the room to avoid being caught, and the twins quickly came to my aid until Rune feigned defeat, pinned on the bed by Newt and Greshim.

It was an absolutely perfect moment after a very rough start to a hard day.

Chapter Five

“WOW. I CAN’T believe you grew up here. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”

We drove through the small, coastal town, and everywhere I looked, I became even more enraptured by the beauty of it all. After everyone had gotten their stuff settled in their respective rooms, we’d decided to go on an outing around town. We had all returned to our human forms before we set out. It had been years since Bassel, Marlow, and Akira had been here, and Avana, a decade or so. They were eager to revisit their favorite haunts, and I was absolutely enamored of their hometown.

Quaint local shops lined the leaf-littered road, and families strolled the sidewalks with bright smiles. In the distance, the setting sun glittered on the rippling waves of the sea. Boats dotted the water, and I made a mental promise that I’d most definitely recreate some of these views with my paints when I got the chance to study abroad in Italy.

Even though we’d only be here for a week, I’d brought some sketchbooks with me, but it wasn’t the same as when I wielded a paintbrush. I couldn’t not paint for too long. Art was in my blood. Painting was the whole reason I was here in the first place. I’d agreed to help Rune in exchange for the chance to study in Italy under my idol, Luca Romano. It was something that felt a bit distant now with everything that was happening in my life, but it was still a dream I intended to see through. I was determined to become a professional painter, even if I had to fight tooth and nail to get there.

We’d just finished perusing an indie bookstore, and now Rune drove our group near the coast as we looked for a place to have dinner since Myra was letting us have today to get settled. The thought still made my insides burn—Myra letting us go out. Apparently, when Rune met with her in her office like she’d requested, they’d agreed that our group could do as we pleased while here, as long as we joined Myra when she desired. As if she dictated our lives and what we did. It was infuriating, but she had cards stacked against Rune in more ways than one. There was little we could get away with during this week without Myra’s say-so.

I initially thought her giving us some wiggle room to be on our own was her giving her adult son and his friends freedom during this week, but Rune was quick to tell me it was her setting us up. She wanted us to go out in hopes that we’d somehow act wrong or I’d be seen acting weak around town, which she could then use as a reason for why I wasn’t right for Rune. Everything Myra did, she did for a reason.

“It’s a great place to live,” Bassel chimed in from the back of the SUV, bringing me back to the beautiful drive and my previous comment. “I miss it sometimes.”

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