The Twin Brothers

Leo sitting in the living room, doing something on his phone. The sound of the front door open catch his attention. He stood up and walks towards it. There’s Liana walks in with her head hung low.

“Little one. Is everything fine?” He asks, moving towards her. He lifted her head with his fingers under her chin. “Hey, what’s wrong? What with the sower mood?” He asks again.

This time, instead of answering, her action answered him. She reaches her hands out as a sign to pick her up. Leo understood what she ask for and immediately fulfil her wish. Something is wrong.

She snuggles her face on his neck while the guy rubs her back. “Do you want some snacks and a nap time?” Leo walks towards the kitchen while asking it. He can feel her nodding. He took out cookies and milk. “Here, little one.” Leo gives her one cookie.

The girl slowly eats it. He doesn’t know what happened to this girl but what he knows, is she needs comfort. While she eating, he saw a camera video in her hand. “Little one, what is this?” He tries to take it but Liana pulls it away with whimpers. “Fine.” He chuckles.

The milk she drank even made her sleepy. Once she was done eating, she lay her head on Leo’s shoulder. He keeps bouncing her to make her sleep. It didn’t take much time for her to sleep since she was tired of… everything. Leo tries his luck to take the camera video but her grip is still tight. In the end, he gave up. So he decides to put the girl on the bed.

On the way to her bedroom, Enzo had just come out of his office. “When did she come home?” He is happy to see her. His worried washed away when saw she was fine.

“Just now. She seems… upset. I don’t know why. She didn’t answer my question.” Leo explains.

Enzo frowns while stroking the princess’s hair. His gaze fell on the camera video in her hands. “Since when you bought her camera video, brother?” He asks while trying to take it.

“It’s not me.” He replies. He just watching his twin trying to take the camera video away from the small hands. “Just give up. I already try but she wouldn’t let me.” Leo chuckles.

“I think…” Enzo narrows his eyes on it. “It’s probably from the clan.” He continues.

“I think so too.” Leo brings her to her bedroom and lay her gently on her bed. The peace looks on her face enough for them to smile. He brushes her hair before going out. He went downstairs seeing Enzo in the living room.

“Andreas call just now.” Enzo spokes once he notices his brother’s presence.

“What he say?”

“He just wants to ask about Liana. He said she need to make a decision fastly. But I told him she needs time first.” He explains.

“Poor little girl. She never wanted this.” Leo sighs.

“Now, we have to take care of her. Damien is out there and he will make a move any time.” Enzo said.

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Liana woke up from her nap. She stretches her arms and feels the soft things between her arms. When she take a look, it was bunbun. She snuggles more into bunbun and yawns. Her sleep helped her so much. She gets up since she felt hungry.

“Flour and floor are not the same!!” Felix groans in annoyance.

“But the sound same right?” Adam smirks. His friend just groans even more. Liana walks into the kitchen, and witnesses the argument between two friends. Since when did they arrive?

“Hello?” Her soft voice makes the two guy turns to her.

“Hey, peanut!! We’re trying to bake but this idiot didn’t know how to do it.” Adam mentions his friend and scoffs. “He doesn’t even know the difference between flour and floor.” He whispers.

“That was you!!” Felix yells.

She giggles. “Oh well. Since I–I’m hungry. Let’s bake!!” She squealed brightly. Immediately she grab her apron and tied her hair into a bun. Adam clapped his hand and join except for Felix who only is a taster.

After a long day of baking, Liana dramatically fell on the chair with tired sighs. They made a lot of muffins, tiramisu, cookies, fruit and cream canape, small cake, and other stuff. Everything is about dessert. Felix already excused himself since he felt sleepy due to all his eating. Let’s say, full.

“I–I’m so full!!” She whines.

“Me too. I bet Felix already pass out in the living room.” Adam added.

The front door opens and the twins walk in. They called those two to take care of Liana while they went. Enzo stops walking when saw Felix pass out, snoring on the couch. Leo and his exchange look before sighing and shaking their head.

“Liana!?” Enzo called.

“Here!!” The voice coming from the kitchen.

“Little baby, we have dinner tonight with my–oh wow.” He stops talking when saw a mess all over the kitchen. There’s a lot of dessert on the table so he knows they are baking. “What the hell happened here?”

Leo went towards the tired girl.

“We baking and boom. The end.” Adam answered tiringly. He almost fell asleep when he puts his head on the counter.

“Hmmm…” Leo paused for a second to look around, “… yeah, we can see that. Clearly.” He slightly chuckles as he ruffles the girl’s hair to get rid of the floor that is stuck on her.

“I wonder how much sugar you had.” Enzo spokes to Liana.

“M–Maybe… a lot?” She grins. He chuckles.

“Little one, get ready tonight, We have dinner with our parents. Is that okay with you?” Leo asks not stopping his hand from stroking her hair.

Dinner? With Hower’s family? She didn’t mind though. In fact, she loves them. Especially, Mrs. Shelly. She is one of her favorite people with her bubbly personality.

“Sure.” She nods.

“Are you sure? We don’t want to pressure you more. Do you know how our parents are? Especially… our mother.” Enzo said but mumbled when it come to her mother.

“I–I like them. It’s like… they’re so bubbly!!” She giggles. The twin smiles. They know, that’s how their parents are. “W–What should I wear? D–Dress? Casual?” Liana asks.

Leo picks her up, tapping her cheeks to get rid of the flour. “It’s up to you, dear. Wear anything you are comfortable with. You even can wear your pajamas.” He jokes. Liana chuckles when he tickles her stomach. “We telling the truth though.” He puts her down.

“Go shower, love. I’m sure you need a lot of time to get ready.” Enzo gently ushers her away.

She nods and runs away. When she out of their eyes, they turn to the messy kitchen. Enzo groans, ruffling his hair. “Who will clean this mess? I’m sure these two dorks… wouldn’t be able to help.” He mentions his friends. Adam who already passed out on the table and Felix in the living room.

“Let them be. They must be tired take care of Liana. They did a great job. Always.” Leo said as he took a broom. His brother huffs and mumbles about how annoyed is this.

Liana closes her bedroom door and grabs her towel. Before she could even turn away, she saw a camera video on her bed. She remembers where she took that from. The video camera belongs to her father. The girl sits on her bed and turns it on.

It starts with loading. There’s a lot of video in it. Liana clicks one of them.

‘Is it on already?’ One guy, which she was sure was Thaver. Her father.

‘I’m sure it’s on, honey. See, there’s a red light. Anyway, why are you recording?’ The woman chuckles. She assumes it was her mother. Her mother was so beautiful and with her beautiful skin.

‘Oh yeah. I want to treasure this moment.’ Thaver moves the camera closer to her big stomach. ‘I’M GOING TO BE A FATHER!!’ He squealing.

‘Honey, calm down.’ The woman chuckles.

Liana also chuckles. She clicks out and chooses another one.

‘I’m sure my princess will love this room. You think so?’ Thaver asks. He holding a paintbrush while looking around. It was such a beautiful room. Liana admit it, it was beautiful. And it all from her father’s hand.

‘Honey, I’m sure she loves it. You are a great father.’ Her voice appeared since she holding the camera.

In another video, she clicks again.

‘AHHHHH!!!’ Her mother yelled in pain.

‘You can do it, dear!!’ Thaver holds her hands, giving her support. They are inside the hospital and this is probably when she is on her way to exist in the world.

It looks so painful. The pain on her face makes Liana clutch her stomach. After so much crying and hard work, the sound of a beautiful newborn fills the room. Her father kisses her mother’s forehead, praising her for how strong she is.

‘This is your princess!!” The doctor gave it to them after cleaning her up.

‘Our daughter…’ Her mother shed her tear, and so do Thaver. The video stop there.

Liana’s finger automatically traces the picture of them. She is in her mother’s arms with her father beside her. Tears forms in her eyes and slowly slide on her cheeks. Another video play automatically.

‘Open your mouth sweetheart!!’ Her father trying to feed her. Suddenly, she pus away the food causing it to spill on him. Her mother burst into laughter.

‘Capo, she really hates that food.’ There’s Alfano who looks so young.

‘She’s probably in bad mood.’ Thaver wipes his face.

The video skips to another part. ‘How beautiful isn’t it?’ Her mother holding her, and now they at the backyard. Thaver puts the video camera in front of them.

‘Rosie, daddy, and mommy want to thank you for existing.’ Thaver caressing her chubby cheeks which are still the same until now.

‘Mommy and daddy don’t know what to say. Your existence makes us… lose our words. We wouldn’t need anything. We just need you and that’s enough.” She hugs the baby.

‘We promise you. We will give you the life you deserve and make you our princess. We will always be by your side.’ Thaver cried.

‘We love you, Rosie Thaver.’

More tears dripping on the screen. The tears she didn’t notice she had. Liana’s grip on that thing becomes tight. How sad they couldn’t fulfill that promise and wish of them. How sad they couldn’t watch her grow up. How sad they haven’t heard her calling them mommy and daddy. How sad they couldn’t handle her teenage age. How sad they couldn’t experience taking care of her longer. How sad it is.

Only gods know, they wish they could come back alive. Seeing their precious princess.

Liana bursts into tears, clutching the video camera to her chest. She wishes she can go rewind time. She almost lost everyone she loves. Her foster parents, Ivan, and her actual parents. What did she do to deserve this?

The door bursts open when heard Liana loud cried. Enzo and Leo exchange looks and rushes to her with panic and concern. Leo brings her to his lap, “Little one, what’s wrong!?” She didn’t cry, instead, she brings her face to his neck and cried.

Enzo frowns. He looks at the video camera she had on her lap. Slowly he took it from her grip, watching what was inside it. That’s when his heart broke. There’s Thaver, his wife, and her while in baby age having a group hug.

“What’s wrong, En?” Leo asks, noticing the changing expression of his brother. He shows it to him. The picture also broke Leo’s heart. No wonder why this little girl bursts out. “Oh, little one.”

“Why…. W–Why they have to be gone!!?? What d–did they do to deserve t–this!!??” She cried.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Enzo has tears in his eyes. It is a rare scene. “Baby, they wish they can be with you. But, in order to save you, they have to sacrifice. Trust me, love. They are crying also.”

“I–I want them back!!” She cried. Even though it is nonsense to bring people alive but she just lets it out. “I’m so s–stupid for not knowing them. I’m a b–bad daughter…” Liana hit herself on the head. Leo quickly grabs her wrist and firmly holds it

“Don’t. Never blame yourself and hit yourself!!” He scolds. The little girl cried and sobbed. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know anything, little one. No one told you. Not even us. None of us knew. What important right now is, that your parents want you to have your life.”

“You don’t want them to be sad watching their little girl blaming herself which she is just an innocent soul. Baby, they will always be in your memory. Not even memory loss can delete them.” Enzo spokes, stroking her hair.

Liana cried die a bit. She sobbed, caressing the camera video on Enzo’s hand. “I–I miss them…”

“We know. So do them.” He kisses her head.

“Everything will be okay, our princess. We promise. We love you.” Leo turns to kiss her head and they have a group hug.

She might lose almost everyone she loves. But, she still has these two guys who will love her, cherish her, treat her like a queen, baby her, appreciate her, and always makes her feel special. Forever. To infinity and beyond.