They were my friends. My brothers. I had their backs just like they had mine. We were one whole, not four separates.
“What does this have to do about the picture?”
“My dad told me this was what he’d gained from experience. It’s clear in this picture I’m the oldest one, Vadik.”
“I still don’t get what you mean.”
“I think there’s something in our dads’ pasts that binds them all together. What if they had an Emily?” Caleb asked.
“But they’ve got wives.”
“Who they really couldn’t give a shit about. Think about the way they treat them.”
It wasn’t old news that their wives were protected, but in truth, not exactly lovingly embraced by our dads. It wasn’t like our fathers were well-known for affection either.
I laughed. “You’re turning this into some kind of soap opera.”
“I believe our dads were just like us. There’s a woman, or was a woman they shared, and I believe I’m the result of that affair.”
I looked at Caleb.
He looked exactly like his dad, but with his mother, there was no resemblance.
“You think you’re older?”
“Yes.”
“What does any of this mean?”
“It means fucking nothing. I don’t know what it means exactly.”
“You’re confusing me right now. Are you trying to prove something or not?” Either way, I wasn’t going to stop pursuing Emily. I’d waited too long, and I didn’t expect us to go after Emily. She’d been on the edge of our lives for as long as I could remember.
We’d all gone to the same nursery. She’d never gotten close to anyone then either. Through kindergarten, and now up to high school.
She’d been there with all of us.
Only, none of us had made a claim to her, not until she made her presence known with killing to save one of us.
Running fingers through my hair, I looked around. We were at the edge of the town. I saw a couple of curtains twitch and smiled.
“You talked to Gael and River about this?” I asked.
“Not yet. I thought I was losing my mind.”
“Come on, let’s go and see what they’ve got to say.”
I texted River to find out he was hanging out with Gael in his basement, playing video games. We made our way over, going straight to the basement. Even in Gael’s house they were making ball arrangements.
Gael tossed me a beer, which I caught, opening the lid while Caleb got them up to speed. River and Gael studied the picture.
“I don’t get what the deal is,” Gael said. “So your ass is older than us. Does it matter?”
I took a swig of the beer. It wasn’t chilled. I put the can down, leaned forward, pressed my hands together, and waited.
“Yeah, I’m with Gael. I don’t give a shit if you’re older than us or not. You’re still one of us.”
“It’s not about me being older or not.” Caleb ran a hand down his face.
“We’ve got ’til graduation,” I said, imparting that piece of news.
“For what?”
I look toward Caleb who nodded. “For us to have our fun with Emily. His dad gave him a time limit. Come graduation, unless our dads find another reason, she’s marrying that tycoon.”
“Or she’ll be dead,” Caleb said. “We all know what happens with traitors. Her life could still be on the line.”
This time, Gael stood and kicked the coffee table across the room. The glass smashed.
Seconds passed and a maid came scurrying into the room.
“Fuck off!” Gael yelled the order at her. “No, that shit isn’t happening. Your dad actually said this to you?”
He repeated to Gael and River what he’d said to me.
River shook his head. “No, fucking no. I’m not having any of it. There’s no fucking way they can do that.”
“They can,” I said.
“So, it didn’t work out for them,” Gael said. “Big whoop. I don’t give a shit what they say, we’re doing what we want. We don’t answer to them.”
“They’re still our fathers. They still have all the control.”
“And they can continue to kiss my ass, Caleb. They don’t get to win this. We’re going to find out what happened,” Gael said. “I’m not letting her go to some old asshole with a shriveled dick.”
I couldn’t have agreed more.
****
Emily
I hated my driver, so seeing him among all four of the Monsters and looking like the grim reaper was on his ass gave me a great deal of satisfaction. He’d made my life a misery.
“I have to take Miss Crane to school,” he said.
“What you have to do is go and suck your own dick,” Gael said.
I heard the door behind me open and I turned so my back was pressed against the stone railing leading down to the path. My dad looked at me, then at his driver. I saw the displeasure increase when he caught sight of my new friends.
“Hello, Mr. Crane,” Caleb said, coming forward. “I hope it’s not too much trouble, but we’d like to escort Emily to school today.” He looked the epitome of pleasant. I glanced down so he couldn’t read my face. I shouldn’t be laughing or finding amusement in this.