ROOM 7
Chapter Forty-Three: The Brothers
The morning after the saree night, the room was quiet. Too quiet. People were scattered. Yuri was still asleep. Mica and Calix were in the kitchen. Care and Cole were at the table. Freya was editing photos. Erdix was beside her. Ash was on the couch. David was eating chips. Felix was sketching. Rakki was reading.
Ci N was on his bed. Notebook open. Pen in hand. He was writing something. His forehead was wrinkled. His lips were moving.
Jay was at the window. Keifer beside her. His hand was on her back. Her back was bare. She was wearing his shirt. His fingers were tracing her spine.
"You're doing it again," she said.
"Doing what?"
"Touching my back."
He smiled. "I'm helping."
She grabbed a napkin. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He kissed her cheek. She pushed him away. He laughed. She tried not to smile. She failed.
Ci N appeared beside them. "Mother. Father."
Jay looked at him. "Ci N."
"Father kissed Mother again."
Keifer's ears went red. "I kissed her cheek."
"Pappa don't kiss her. I won't snatch her from you."
Keifer stared at him. "What?"
Ci N opened his notebook. "Page 316. Father kissed Mother. Probability of more kisses: 100 percent. Probability of snatching: 0 percent."
Keifer looked at Jay. "Did he just—"
"Call you father again?"
"Tell me not to snatch you?"
She smiled. "Yes."
Keifer looked at Ci N. Ci N was writing. His pen was moving fast. His forehead was wrinkled. His lips were moving.
Keifer walked to him. "Ci N."
Ci N looked up. "Yes, Father?"
Keifer's ears went redder. "I'm not your father."
Ci N tilted his head. "You're not?"
"I'm Keifer."
Ci N looked at Jay. "Mother."
Jay walked over. "Ci N."
"Father says he's not my father."
She looked at Keifer. Keifer looked at her. "He's not your father."
Ci N looked between them. "Then what is he?"
Jay opened her mouth. Closed it. Keifer opened his mouth. Closed it.
Ci N waited. "Page 317. Mother and Father cannot define their relationship. Probability of eventual definition: 100 percent."
He walked back to his bed. Sat down. Picked up his fox. Held it.
Rakki was watching. Her hand was over her mouth. She was laughing.
"You're impossible," she said.
He smiled. "You like it."
She didn't answer. She held his hand. He held hers.
Part One: The Boy
Jay went out in the afternoon. Keifer stayed behind. Something about his father's office. Something about shipping logs. She walked alone. The streets were crowded. The festival was still going. Lights. Banners. People in traditional clothes.
She stopped at a corner. A small boy was sitting on the curb. He was crying. His face was wet. His hands were in his lap. His shoulders were shaking.
She knelt beside him. "Hey."
He looked up. His eyes were red. His nose was running. "I lost my mother."
She sat beside him. "What's her name?"
"Mama."
She smiled. "What's your name?"
"Rico."
She pulled out her phone. "I'll help you find her."
He wiped his nose. "Promise?"
She nodded. "Promise."
She called the number on his bracelet. His mother answered. She was crying. She was at the festival gate. She was looking for him. Jay told her where they were. She said she'd be there in five minutes.
Rico looked at her. "You're pretty."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He looked at her face. At her hair. At her shirt. "Are you married?"
She blinked. "What?"
"Are you married? My mama says pretty ladies are married."
She laughed. "I'm not married."
He nodded. "You should get married. So you can be happy."
She looked at him. "Is that what your mama says?"
He nodded. "Mama says marriage makes you happy."
She thought about Keifer. About the way he looked at her. About the way he touched her back. About the way he kissed her cheek.
"Maybe," she said.
His mother arrived. She was crying. She picked him up. She hugged him. She thanked Jay. She walked away. Rico waved. Jay waved back.
She turned. Keifer was standing behind her.
His arms were crossed. His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark.
"A boy," he said.
She stared at him. "What?"
"A boy. You were talking to a boy. On the street. Alone."
"He was lost."
"He was looking at you."
"He was seven."
"He said you're pretty."
She stared at him. "You heard that?"
He stepped closer. "I heard everything."
She grabbed a napkin from her pocket. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Keifer problem."
He tucked the napkin into his pocket. "The worst kind."
He kissed her. She kissed him back. The street was crowded. No one was watching. They were the only two people in the world.
She pulled back. "You were jealous."
He didn't deny it.
"Of a seven-year-old."
He didn't deny it.
She laughed. "You're impossible."
He pulled her closer. "You like it."
She didn't answer. She held his hand. He held hers.
They walked back to the room together.
Part Two: The Arrival
The door opened at dusk.
Keigan walked in first. Wild hair. Grinning. "KUYA!"
Keifer looked up from his book. "Keigan?"
Keiran ran in behind him. "KUYA!"
He launched himself at Keifer. Keifer caught him. Spun him around. Keiran screamed with laughter.
"You're here," Keifer said. "You're actually here."
"Mama said we could visit. For the festival. For the whole weekend."
Keifer looked at the door. Percy was standing there. Aries was behind him. They were carrying bags. They were smiling.
Percy walked in. "We came to visit."
Aries followed. "Your mother called our mother. Our mother called us. We're here for the weekend."
Keifer looked at Keiran. At Keigan. At Percy. At Aries. At the bags. At the door.
"Everyone's here," he said.
Percy grinned. "Everyone's here."
Jay was on her bed. The shark was beside her. Keiran saw her. "ATE JAY!"
He ran to her. Climbed on her bed. Sat in her lap. Hugged her.
"I missed you," he said.
She hugged him back. "I missed you too."
He looked at her face. "You're pretty."
She smiled. "Thank you."
He looked at Keifer. At Jay. At the shark. At the way Keifer was standing close to her bed.
"Are you married?" he asked.
Jay blinked. "What?"
"Are you married? My mama says pretty ladies are married."
She looked at Keifer. Keifer looked at her.
"We're not married," she said.
Keiran nodded. "You should get married. So you can be happy."
She smiled. "Maybe."
Keiran climbed off her lap. Grabbed Bruce from Keifer's bed. Sat back in her lap. Put Bruce beside the shark.
"Bruce missed you," he said.
She looked at the shark. At Bruce. At Keiran. At Keifer.
"I missed Bruce too," she said.
Keifer was watching. His arms were crossed. His jaw was tight. His eyes were dark.
Keiran looked up at him. "Kuya, why are you standing there?"
Keifer didn't answer.
Keiran looked at Jay. "Why is Kuya standing there?"
She smiled. "He's jealous."
Keiran tilted his head. "Of who?"
She looked at Keifer. "Of you."
Keiran looked at Keifer. At the way he was standing. At the way he was watching. At the way his arms were crossed.
"Kuya is jealous of me?"
She nodded. "Kuya is jealous of you."
Keiran laughed. "Kuya is silly."
He leaned against Jay's chest. Closed his eyes. Bruce was under his arm. The shark was beside him. He was sleeping.
Keifer walked to the bed. Stood beside her. Looked down at Keiran. At the way his head was on her chest. At the way his hand was on her arm. At the way she was holding him.
"He's sleeping," Keifer said.
"He's sleeping."
"In your lap."
"In my lap."
Keifer's jaw tightened. "I want to be in your lap."
She stared at him. "What?"
He looked at her. His face was red. His ears were red. His voice was low.
"He's in your lap. You're holding him. He's sleeping on you. I want to be in your lap."
She stared at him. "You're jealous. Of your brother."
He didn't deny it.
"He's seven."
He didn't deny it.
She laughed. She couldn't help it. The laugh came out of nowhere. Surprising her. Surprising him.
"You're impossible," she said.
He sat on the bed beside her. His shoulder pressed against hers. His hand was on her back.
"You like it," he said.
She didn't answer. Keiran was sleeping. Bruce was under his arm. The shark was beside him. Keifer was beside her.
She leaned against him. He held her.
Part Three: The Terrace
The room was loud. Percy was telling stories. Keigan was laughing. Aries was pretending to be annoyed. Yuri was asking questions. Mica was cooking. Calix was helping. Care and Cole were arguing. Freya was taking photos. Erdix was filming. Ash was on the couch. David was eating chips. Felix was sketching. Ci N was writing.
Alex looked around. Lyra wasn't there.
He walked to the door. Opened it. Walked out. The hallway was empty. The stairs were empty. The terrace door was open.
She was sitting on the edge. Legs dangling. Shoulders shaking. Crying.
He walked to her. Sat beside her. "Lyra."
She didn't look at him. "I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
She wiped her face with her sleeve. "I'm fine."
He waited.
She looked at the city. At the lights. At the buildings. At the sky.
"I miss my brother."
He didn't say anything.
"He's twelve. He's supposed to be here. He's supposed to be annoying me. He's supposed to be playing video games. He's supposed to be—" She stopped.
He waited.
She turned. Her face was wet. Her eyes were red. "Keifer's brothers came. Jay's brothers came. Everyone's brothers came. And I'm here. And he's there. And I miss him."
She put her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook. Her voice was muffled.
"I want to go home."
He moved closer. His shoulder touched hers. His hand was on his knee. Inches from hers.
"You're going home. Next week. For the holidays."
She looked at him. "I know."
"Your brother is waiting. He's been waiting for weeks."
She wiped her face. "I know."
He reached out. His hand touched her face. His fingers wiped the tears from her cheek.
"He misses you. He talks about you every day. Your mother told me."
She stared at him. "My mother called you?"
He nodded. "She wanted to know if you were okay. She wanted to know if you were eating. She wanted to know if you were sleeping."
She laughed. It was small. Broken. "She called you."
"She called me."
She looked at his face. At his eyes. At his hand on her face. "Why did she call you?"
He looked at her. "Because she knows I'll always answer."
She stared at him. Her eyes were wet. Her lips were parted. Her breath was shallow.
"Alex."
He pulled her into his arms. Her face was against his chest. His arms were around her. Her hands were on his back. She was crying. Hard. Loud. The way she'd cried when he came back. The way she'd cried when she thought she lost him.
He held her. Didn't let go.
"I miss him," she said.
"I know."
"I miss my parents. I miss my house. I miss—"
He held her tighter. "I know."
She cried. He held her. The city was below them. The lights were bright. The sky was dark.
She pulled back. Her face was wet. Her eyes were red. Her nose was running.
"I'm okay," she said.
He wiped her face with his sleeve. "I know."
She looked at his face. At his eyes. At his mouth. At the way he was looking at her like she was the only thing in the world worth seeing.
"Alex."
"Lyra."
"I'm glad you're here."
He pulled her closer. "I'm always here."
She closed her eyes. Her head was on his chest. His arms were around her. His heartbeat was under her ear.
He held her. She let him.
Part Four: The Return
They walked back to the room together.
The door opened. The room was loud. Percy was telling a story. Keigan was on the floor. Keiran was on Jay's lap. Bruce was under his arm. The shark was beside him. Keifer was beside Jay. His hand was on her back. His fingers were tracing her spine.
Percy looked up. "Where were you?"
Lyra looked at Alex. Alex looked at Lyra.
"The terrace," she said.
Percy looked at her face. At her red eyes. At her wet cheeks. "You were crying."
She touched her face. "I was crying."
Percy stood up. Walked to her. "Who made you cry?"
She looked at him. "No one. I miss my brother."
Percy's face changed. His smile faded. His eyes softened. He pulled her into a hug.
"Your brother is lucky," he said.
She pulled back. "Lucky?"
He nodded. "He has a sister who misses him."
She stared at him. Her eyes were wet. Her lips were trembling.
"He's going to be so happy to see you," Percy said. "He's going to hug you. He's going to tell you about his video games. He's going to—"
She hugged him. "Thank you."
He hugged her back. "You're welcome."
Keiran appeared beside them. "Ate Lyra, why are you crying?"
She knelt. Looked at his face. "I miss my brother."
Keiran nodded. "I miss Kuya when he's not here. But he's here now." He pointed at Keifer. "Kuya is here."
She smiled. "Kuya is here."
Keiran hugged her. "You can share my Kuya. He's a good Kuya."
She hugged him back. "Thank you."
Keifer was watching. His hand was on Jay's back. His fingers were still. His face was soft.
Jay leaned against him. "She's going to be okay."
He kissed her forehead. "She's going to be okay."
Part Five: The Night
The room was quiet. Percy and Keigan were on the floor. Aries was on a chair. Keiran was on Jay's bed. Bruce was under his arm. The shark was beside him. He was sleeping.
Lyra was on the couch. Alex beside her. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her. Her eyes were closed. She was sleeping. He was watching her breathe.
Ci N was on his bed. Notebook open. Pen in hand.
"Page 318. Keiran sleeping. Lyra sleeping. Alex watching. Probability of Lyra seeing her brother soon: 100 percent."
Rakki closed his notebook. "You need to sleep."
He looked at her. "I'm not tired."
"You've been calculating all day."
He looked at Lyra. At the way her hand was in Alex's. At the way his thumb was tracing circles on her palm.
"She's going to be okay," he said.
Rakki looked at them. "She's going to be okay."
He picked up his fox. Held it. "Good."
She kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes.
Across the room, Jay lay on her bed. The shark was beside her. Keiran was beside her. Bruce was under his arm. Keifer was on her other side. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"Your brother is sleeping in my bed," she said.
He looked at Keiran. At the way his face was pressed against her shoulder. At the way his hand was on her arm. "He's sleeping in your bed."
"In my lap."
"In your lap."
She looked up at him. "You were jealous."
He didn't deny it.
"Of your brother."
He didn't deny it.
She smiled. "You're impossible."
He kissed her forehead. "You like it."
She closed her eyes. His heartbeat was under her ear. His hand was in her hair. Keiran was beside her. The shark was beside her. The room was quiet.
"Keifer."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
He pulled her closer. "I love you."
From across the room, Ci N's voice: "Page 319. I love you recorded. Probability of more I love yous: 100 percent."
"Ci N," Jay said.
"I'm sleeping."
"You're talking."
"I'm sleeping and talking. My brain works at one hundred sixty percent. I can do both."
"Ci N."
"Goodnight, Mother. Goodnight, Father."
She smiled into Keifer's chest. "Goodnight, Ci N."
The room was quiet. Sixteen people. Sixteen people who were something to each other. Something that didn't need a name.
Jay closed her eyes. Keifer was beside her. The shark was beside her. Keiran was beside her. Lyra was sleeping. Alex was watching. She was going to be okay. They were all going to be okay.
She slept.
End of Chapter Forty-Three