Page 134 of Dubious Match
“It’s probably better if you don’t,” I sigh. “We had a blowout when we went over for brunch. It was the first time they met Hollis, and they said a lot of fucked up shit about us in her presence before they insulted her.”
“They what?” she hisses. While Seren knows that I have issues with my family, she doesn’t know the extent of the side commentary.
“My mom asked Hollis if she was going to cure me of being gay,” I explain.
“But you’re not gay,” Seren says, shaking her head. “What’s wrong with her?”
“A lot,” I grumble. “None of our dads were there, and they apparently lost their shit when they found out what happened.I’ve been getting texts and calls from mine, begging me not to cut him off.”
“Shit, I’m sorry,” she says. Her lip wobbles before she bites her lip. “For the record, I’m really pissed off for you.”
“I know,” I chuckle, sitting up to let her put the protective cover on my tattoo. Seren has always cried when she gets really angry. “We’ve been struggling to figure out what to do with our families’ comments over the years, and it’s the reason we don’t come home much.”
“Now you have no reason to,” she grumbles.
“Yes, because I wouldn’t let anyone else tattoo my skin,” I snort, standing once the protective cover is secure.
Walking over to the mirror, I gaze proudly at the lines of Hollis’ teeth on my skin.
“It’s perfect,” I say, pulling out my wallet to pay her in cash. I pay double without hesitation because of the holiday.
Seren gazes at the money before glaring at me. “You’re an asshole,” she says. “Thank you.”
Yep, that’s about as sweet as she gets.
“See you next time,” I say. “Merry Christmas. What are you doing the rest of the day?”
“Playing with Melodie, making dinner, and watching some type of Christmas kiddie movie,” she says, cleaning up her station. “I want her to have good memories of Christmas.”
“Good. Make them for you too, okay?” I say, opening the door to the shop as I wait for her nod.
“Yeah,” she whispers. “Merry Christmas, Felix. I am really happy for you.”
“I know you are,” I say, leaving to walk out to the car.
I know the holidays are the worst for her. The murder was a drive-by shooting, and shouldn’t have happened. It just shows that sometimes bad things happen to good people.
I rush back to the cabin to show my girl my new tattoo, loving her squeal when she sees it.
Hollis is fucking perfect for us.
NOVA
My feet feel heavy as I walk toward the main house. I see the light is on, but I don’t see any vehicles. That’s not abnormal though, since they tend to use their garage when the weather gets rough.
I had a long conversation with Caleb and Lars before I kicked them out. My mind has been spinning all week. Through the long days spent with Katee and Addy, and the sleepless ones where my mind raced.
I just got home today, three days after Christmas, and knew I needed to go talk to Hollis.
Is she really my twin? A girl that she’s apparently been looking for since her sister disappeared? I look more like my mother with my blonde hair and the contacts I was forced to wear until I left home, and I could never figure out why they wanted me to be someone that I’m not.
I’ve also always had this kind of dread and fear surrounding my father. He’d hit me when he was angry with me, I couldn’t have friends, and when I became a teen things got even worse.
The memory of his words that I’m older than the age he usually prefers now has me shuddering in a way that has nothing to do with the cold. My mother never had any other children, and I thank all the deities of the universe for that every day.
I may not have been able to escape if I had siblings.
Fuck…and here I am. On the other side of this door may be the sibling that Caleb and Lars are insistent on is mine. All because of my eyes.
