SAVANNAH
Michael and the girls were in the living room when Rafe left a few moments ago. They were staring at me with a googly as if waiting for me to say something. I wondered if my brother had told them anything. In addition, it was still strange to see Sofia sitting in our living room.
I sat on the sofa across from them.
“What now?” Riley said.
I looked at my brother. “Do you mind me telling them?”
Michael tensed up, folding his arms across his chest. “I supposed they already know, so there’s no point asking.”
“Sorry,” I murmured.
I started explaining from the beginning—about how Michael told me he was still looking for his family. My friends knew my brother was adopted, but we didn’t speak about it because it seemed unnatural. Michael was already there when I was growing up. My brother even surprisingly answered Riley’s questions.
“Please, don’t tell anyone about this yet. Even with your parents, Sofia,” I pleaded.
“Of course. I understand,” she said softly.
“So your last memory of your brother was when he took you to the amusement park, and you were lost?” Riley recapped.
“Basically,” he said simply.
“So how is Brett involved in this?” Riley questioned.
“I remember another kid. A boy. I knew this kid, but I don’t exactly recall his name. Heck, I don’t even remember my own name,” Michael began. “He asked me to play with them. He told me to hide and not come out until my brother found me. He gave me cotton candy and left with the other kids. I waited, but my brother never found me. When I came out because I was hungry, it was already dark. That night, a man found me. He brought me to his house, here… But I couldn’t talk straight until I was thirteen.”
“Brett fucking Reed,” Riley cursed. “There was no other person who could do this. Accident or not.”
“Dad told me they lived in the UAE for a few years before I was born. Michael was already with them,” I told my friends. But how did Rafe know it was Brett’s doing, then? I guess I still had a lot to ask him.
“That’s probably how his family couldn’t find him,” Sofia said.
“I thought so, too,” I agreed.
“Didn’t your parents report it? I mean, there are processes before you foster a child, right?” Riley asked.
“They reported it,” Michael said. “Dad reported it. It’s on the documents your boyfriend showed me.”
My boyfriend. It’d probably take time until it sinks in. Well, this was all so fresh to him and me, too. I wondered what they talked about.
“But because of my lack of communication capabilities, he couldn’t tell them my name,” he went on.
“Dad adopted you because no one was coming,” I concluded. “But they didn’t stop looking, didn’t they? Your real family still looked for you. What did Rafe tell you, Mike?” I asked, hoping he would give me some shed of light.
“What will he tell me? Our stories matched, so what? My life will go on just as it is today.”
“You remember him. He was with you that day you lost, right?”
He stood up. His expression was uninterested. “I don’t know what to think, Savi. For now, I just… I want to rest.”
I sprang up as well and caught his arm. My friends were watching us quietly. “Please. What did he say to you?”
“He wants to tell his family he found me.”
“And?”
“I’m not ready after knowing who they are.”
I knew it. I knew he would panic. He was surprised that his family was the Sebastians. One of the wealthiest and most influential names in America. Michael was smart. He knew what awaited him.
“You told him that? I’m sure it’ll be fine if you get to know about—”
“I asked him what he feels about you and his intentions,” he cut me off.
“What? This isn’t supposed to be about me.”
“Everything about you is about me,” he pressed.
“He’s right, Savi,” Riley joined in.
We both looked at her. “Why?”
“I don’t want to be negative, but if things don’t work well with you and Rafe, it’ll affect your relationship with your brother. Michael will still choose you no matter what,” Riley explained. “How about them, right? Your lives are entangled forever now. I think that’s what he’s worried about.”
“But if Savannah really matters to him, what is the problem?” Sofia said, shrugging. “He seems serious about you. My parents like him, and it’s rare for them to like someone.”
I was quiet. Yes, there shouldn’t be a problem. “See? Sofia understands,” I told them. “Rafe wants to be with me. He made sure tonight. There’s nothing to be worried about.”
“He left you alone. He made you cry.”
“There was an emergency, and I’m a crybaby,” I whispered.
“I don’t know, Savi.” He stroked my hair. “You are my sister. I just want to make sure you are happy. That’s all that matters to me.”
“Thank you, but shouldn’t you be happy too? You looked forward to this. Look, the Sebastians are good people. You met Carter, right? He’s the best boss I could ever wish for, and he is so thoughtful. They will welcome you. Please try to meet them, and we’ll figure this all out. Together.”
His mouth curled up. “I thought you said you’re worried they’ll take me back?”
I pouted. “You won’t leave me.”
“Still so stubborn. Are you doing this for him or me?”
“For the both of you. He’s your twin brother.” Although, I still couldn’t believe it. I was still freaking out.
“You love him.”
“I love you both.”
“Fine. Just give me time to think, okay? This is too much to take in.”
“I understand. I’ll be here for you.” I briefly hugged him on the waist for a moment and then let him get a rest.
My friends and I waited until he was upstairs, and only then did I feel my energy drained out of my system. I collapsed on the couch.
“You know, this is crazy, right?” Riley commented, looking back and forth between Sofia and me.
“Your brother is a Sebastian. Dude, that’s big time,” Sofia said.
I blew out a sharp breath. “Right now, I just want to release my stress. Do you girls want to eat something?” I rose up.
“Do you have beer and snacks?” Riley suggested.
“Hey, let’s watch horror stuff just like before,” Sofia said with widening eyes in excitement.
“Uh-huh. Nope. We’ll start talking about you,” I said.
“What about me?” Sofia asked.
“You ditched us. It’s time to come clean. I can’t believe you betrayed us over a friend’s man!” Riley slapped her arm hard.
“Ouch!” She touched the part of her skin that stung. “Oh, guys. Honestly, I’ve missed you,” she said, then sighed.
“Yeah, right,” Riley said, “we’re starting with you…”
***
We ate, drank, and lay on my bed all night in pajamas. Sofia told us her parents were still wary of Edward. I couldn’t blame them. Sofia was their only child, and being friends with them again didn’t change the fact that she had made a mistake and Edward was a cheater.
“How can you forgive me, Savi?” she asked quietly while Riley and I listened, staring at the ceiling.
“Because it doesn’t feel strange anymore. I fell out of love with Edward a while ago,” I confessed.
“You did?” Riley asked.
“Yes, I just didn’t realize it then.”
“And you fell in love with someone else,” Sofia said.
“I did. I’m in love with Rafe. I told him.”
Sofia rolled to my side. “Really? Did he say it back?”
I shook my head. “I told him I don’t think we are not going to work.”
“Aren’t you confusing?” Riley said with a frown.
“Because of all this!”
“You barely started!” she retaliated.
“Well, he wants me to stay.”
“What I see here is you complicate things too much,” Sofia said. Why not let things go with the flow and trust where this will lead you?”
“Yes! Because it’s getting on my nerves.” Riley threw her hands into the air. “Michael thinks about you, and you think about Michael, which makes you more alike, while the other guy is working his ass off to fix everything with you and his family. What about what Rafael feels?”
“Or maybe the guy isn’t sure what he feels about Savi,” Sofia guessed.
“Come on, you guys!” Riley raised up. “As if men are confident in saying how they feel. They usually just show it. Didn’t he take you to his family? Didn’t you take him to the reunion as your date and tell everyone you’re his girlfriend?”
She was right, but I couldn’t tell them Rafe only took me to Long Island because he needed a girlfriend to take to his father so the old man would entrust him with the business, and I did a good job socializing with his family. In exchange, he would help me get out of my divorce as soon as possible. I was only there because of a proposition. In the end, I still failed to mix in because I obviously didn’t fit into his world.
Sofia raised her eyebrows. “Aren’t you the love expert?”
Riley sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’m just saying he probably already loves our friend, but she’s too dense to see it.”
Rafe loves me? That sounded like a dream. Rafe didn’t want to admit he could love anyone.
“There’s nothing wrong about asking him, you know? Did you even ask him?” Sofia said.
“No,” I whispered.
Or maybe, I only looked at things from my point of view. I only shoved my feelings into his face and didn’t try to listen to him.
“So what are you waiting for? You’re obviously into each other!” Sofia urged.
“I guess that is one thing I can agree with you,” Riley said.
What was I waiting for?
No.
Maybe he was only waiting for me to make the decision. He wasn’t going to leave me, nor he wanted me to leave. How could I be so dense, selfish, and insensitive? I was using Michael as an excuse for my insecurities that it was because of my brother we wouldn’t work. Rafe already told me it didn’t matter if we met only yesterday.
He already wished to be with me for the rest of his life…
That was the sign!
What if he already loves me and just wouldn’t know how to admit it?
“And there’s nothing wrong if women make the first move,” Sofia said.
“Yeah, right. Just like what you did.” Riley smirked.
Sofia scoffed. “Ugh. Your antagonism towards me won’t help Savannah.”
“No,” I murmured. “I think Sofia’s right. I know just what to do.”
I jumped out of bed and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. I texted Rafe.
See you tomorrow. I love you…