Page 2 of That One Moment

Opening my mouth to scream, I choke around the dryness, rubbing at my throat when no sound comes out. My hand comes away wet, a metallic scent hitting my nose and making my stomach churn as I try again to call out.

But my voice is lost. Probably somewhere in the chaos in front of me.

Lost in the wreckage.

Along with my brothers.

I lose the war to stay awake, my body falling hard against the unforgiving concrete, cold seeping to my core. Darkness settles in behind my closed eyelids, but I smile because it's in this moment somewhere between this world and the parallel that exists, that I see him. He looks at me with love in his eyes when he whispers that everything will be okay.

I want to believe him, even if it's only my tired mind playing tricks on me, I want to believe him.

PART ONE

Song Suggestions:

Lost – Dermot Kennedy

lifejacket – Matt Hansen

Bedroom Ceiling – Citizen Solider

Chapter One

Jamie

My mum falls in love hard and fast, throwing herself all in when she does. Maria Durand has always been like this, for as long as I can remember. She’s in love with the idea of love and doesn’t believe everyone has only one perfect match. She believes there’s a multitude of people in the world for us to love - or so she’s been telling me since I was five and she and my father split.

She’s wrong, though. I’ve watched her over the years, seen the high she gets from being with someone new, then the crash when they inevitably break her heart and I don’t for a second believe what she had with them was love. No. There is one person for us - one person who holds the key to our heart and soul. Call me an old romantic but that’s what I believe. None of the men she’s met before or even my dad have been that person for her, but he’s out there the same way my person is.

Is it ridiculous for a twenty-one year old to believe in a one true love? Maybe. Do I care? Not particularly.

“They’ll be here soon,” my mum says as she flies down the stairs, her blonde hair styled into waves, hanging loosely around her shoulders. She’s wearing her favourite yellow sundress and a chunky sunflower necklace. “I hope you like them, I really want you all to get along.”

I know the hopefulness in her voice is because this time is different to all the times before. Her new beau - Duncan - is the first of her many love interests to come with a family of his own. He is also the first she has agreed to marry - and after only knowing him for a few weeks. It feels quick; I know that plays on her mind but she seems happier than she ever has before.

I’ve met Duncan twice - he’s kind, soft-spoken, considerate and treats my mum like the queen that she is. I don’t know much about him, but I like to think I am a good judge of character and my gut tells me this marriage is a good thing.

Today is the day I finally get to meet his sons. Sons I know absolutely nothing about other than that they are twins and slightly younger than me.

My feet tap to the rhythm of the music playing softly through the speakers built into the ceiling. Alannis Morresette sings about the ironies of life while Mum sits on the sofa next to me, straightening her dress over her knees, humming along.

She fiddles with a strand of her blonde hair, so unlike my dark brown waves that I inherited from my dad. It's our eyes that match though. Green like a forest in winter where only shards of sun get through - light on the edges and darker in the middle. Mum smiles at me expectantly, the same dimples we share popping on her rosy cheeks.

“It’s going to be fine. We’re all adults, it really shouldn’t be difficult for us to get along.”

She kisses my cheek. “Thank you, Jamie. You’ve always been so level-headed, my little prince.”

I scoff at the nickname she’s had for me since I was born, then wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her to me, kissing the top of her head. She smells like lavender and sunshine.

“Things will work out this time, I can feel it,” Mum says in a quiet voice.

“I know, Mum. I know.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket. Pulling it out, I grin when I see a message from my best friend, Sage. We met in our first year of secondary school, when her family moved from London. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

Sage:Have you met them yet? What do they look like? Tell me EVERYTHING.

Me:Not yet. Stop being so nosey.

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