Twin Roses: A Beau Rivage Short Story by Sarah Cross Read Free Book Online Page A

angry, too. It wasn’t his fault that he disappeared, but once he did, everything was about Theo. And I just wanted it to stop. I spent a lot of years not even wishing he’d come home, just wishing my parents would shut up about him. But I’m his big brother. I should’ve cared more. Cried more. I should’ve been … however you’d be if you lost your sister.”
    “I don’t even want to think about that,” Ruby said. “I wouldn’t be anything without her. But—you were a kid. And kids can be selfish. The way you felt while he was gone, and the guilt you’re feeling now—if it is guilt—”
    “It is. I think.”
    “That doesn’t mean you and Theo can’t have a good relationship. You just have to get used to each other again. And considering Theo has to get used to not scratching himself against a tree when he has an itch, in addition to beingyour brother, you have it a lot easier than he does.”
    “Ah, bear jokes,” Thurston said with a happy sigh.
    “Thought you’d like that one.”
    “He also has to get used to using toilet paper again. And not running through the woods naked.”
    “Careful. That’s my sister’s boyfriend you’re talking about.”
    Thurston grinned, like he was still relishing the image of Theo in the woods—and then the joy dropped away and he was quiet again. Ruby waited while he gathered his thoughts. There was so much twisted up in there. It had probably been a long time since he’d admitted these things, even to himself.
    Finally, Thurston said, “I didn’t want my life to be defined by what happened to Theo. But it is. It always was.”
    “How could it not be? He’s your brother, and one day he was just … gone.”
    “And then I had this märchen mark on my back. Double roses. I never even saw the fairy who marked me. But that was the proof my parents were looking for. They knew what had happened to him then. I felt more like a piece of evidence than a person after a while. They knew I was there, and I wasn’t going anywhere, so they could afford to forget me while they focused on finding their lost son. I guess things were supposed to go back to normal once they found him. But ten years is a long time. We don’t have any normal left.”
    “Something’s missing—a lot has been missing,” Ruby said. “But Theo didn’t take anything from you. You both had ten good years stolen. If you need someone to blame, blame the fairy who cursed Theo, or the bearded guy who set all this in motion. Or just … decide what you actually want out of this. The past isn’t going to change. What do you want now?”
    Thurston laughed. Shaded his eyes.
    “Did I say something funny?” Ruby asked.
    “No … just … this curse. All this time, I’ve been looking at it like Theo and Pearl were the chosen ones and we were in the background. You were the runner-up and I was the consolation prize. Because that’s how everyone else sees it. But—”
    “You’re starting to realize that I’m amazing, but you’re still the consolation prize?”
    “I’m starting to think I’m lucky. Way luckier than I have a right to be.”
    “It’s too bad I don’t date boys who have brothers. Especially if their brothers used to be bears.”
    “I don’t need to date you. I just need your help. I think … you could really help me. Maybe that’s why the curse brought us together. So you could help me get my brother back.”
    “So I could help you pick a different hairstyle.”
    He laughed again. Squinted at her, sidelong. “I’m serious.”
    “I know,” she said. “But I can’t
only
make jokes about Theo.”
    “He’s smarter than the average bear. In his defense.”
    She rolled her eyes—although she actually didn’t mind that one. “You’re going to have to do better than that if you want me to tolerate these jokes.”
    “I will. I’ll do better. And you’ll help me?”
    “I’ll help you.” She got up, smacked at a ticklish feeling on her ankle. “I taught