Page 11 of Revive

“I know, so we better get cracking.”

I mimic a whip hitting the ground in my brother’s direction, getting him back for his joke earlier. He sticks his finger up at me and I laugh at how lucky I am to have this back with him. I’m comforted that time and age don’t matter, he’ll always be my brother and we’ll always be in one another’s life, no matter what the world throws our way.”

The flatbed trolley jostles underneath my hands, and I see Taylah sitting right in the middle of it. Legs crossed, comfy as fuck. “What are you doing?”

“Sitting,” she responds casually. “This is the only way I’m going to feel safe. If there’s a fire, you’ll just mow everyone down with the trolley while running to get us out.”

“You’re serious?”

“Come on sexy twin number two, you know you want to.”

“Only if you drop the number two. I’m the only sexy twin.”

“But you’re identical,” she challenges.

“You wanna ride with me or not, Crazy?”

She smiles. No sarcasm, no seduction, just a genuine smile that lights up her whole face. “Well then, sexy, let’s go spend Emerson and Jagger’s money.”

We follow Jagger and Emerson who are arm in arm, constantly looking up at one another, and kissing each other whenever they can, like the thought of not touching for even a moment is too hard to bear.

“They’re ridiculous but adorable, right?” Taylah interrupts my thoughts, the scene in front of us playing on both our minds.

“I wouldn’t call my brother adorable, but happiness suits him.”

She turns her whole body, so she’s facing me, her back to the rest of the store. “I can’t imagine not seeing my brother or sister for that long.”

“You have siblings?”

“No. Emerson is the closest thing I have to a sister and if I don’t talk to her once a day, my day doesn’t feel complete.”

Twelve years without my brother by my side, was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever lived through, but I don’t say it out loud. That’s not who I am. I let others share their weight and burdens, but I don’t share mine. I take what I’ve been given, and do with it what I can.

When Jagger went to prison, I learned the hard way what alone really meant. Doing the right thing by him meant I sacrificed a lot of me. He’s my brother, I have no regrets, but while Jagger might have been missing out on life behind bars, I was out, free, and feeling as locked up as he was.

“You and Emerson that close, huh?” I ask, changing the subject.

“That close and then some. Before your boy here took up all her time, we were inseparable.”

“Does that bother you?”

“What? That he takes up all her time?”

I nod, answering her question.

“Fuck, no. Look how happy she is.” We both stop and watch them laughing at one another while they look at different bookshelves. Taylah brings her focus back to me, our eyes back on one another. “You’re not the only one who can be selfless, Sexy.”

* * *

“She’s goingto love the way you’ve set up this room for her.” Jagger and I are finishing off setting up the last piece of furniture in Dakota’s new room. Accompanying her new bed, there’s a bookshelf, a desk, and a huge cork board that she can use to stick all her photos up on. It’s missing her personal touch, but I know once she sees it, she’ll do everything she can to make it her second home.

“I just want her to know wherever I go, she goes.”

“You’ve been doing a great job, bro. She loves you.”

“I still can’t believe I have all this. I’m out and here with you, and Em and Dakota. It’s almost been a year and it still feels like a dream.”

“It’s real. You’ve earned every bit of happiness you have. And this isn’t the end, more will be coming your way.”

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