Author: Anita
Fandom: Original Story
Characters: Robert / Julia
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG-13 (for violence)
Summary: A love story is born in the middle of a family fight. Will their love be able to unite everyone, or will hate make one more victim?
Notes: This story was written for the Secret Coconut and inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Also, English is not my native language, of course, and I’m far from used to writing in it. This is only my third piece of fiction in English, and the only one I took seriously. So I hope it gets at least close to meeting your standards…
Initial Notes:
This story was inspired in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, written as a gift for the members of the first The Secret Coconut multifandom fanfic exchange, organized by the community Saint Seiya Superfics. English is not my native language, of course, and I’m far from used to writing in it, this is only my third fiction in English and the only one I took seriously. So I hope it gets at least close to meeting your standards…
Warnings:
Rated NC-17 for violence, guns, strong language, mature themes. But there is no nudity or sex, just one racy scene (if that is what you are looking for, dear reader).
Olho Azul Presents:
Blood-Crossed
Lovers
Blood-Crossed
Lovers
It felt as if I was just waking up from some dream. But that was no dream and I had been with my eyes wide open even when his lips and his mouth were forcing their way through mine. I looked up again, after talking off the helmet and making sure no sign that I had been on his motorcycle was left on my clothes. Except for his cologne.
I must have been crazy. Who would run off on some stranger’s bike just because he said he would take me out for some air? And, even if he did lead me to a really great place ten minutes a ride from the chapel where the mourning was still taking place, it was an isolated hill. A clearing hidden by a bunch of trees. No one would hear me shout, and he just said that now I could be mesmerized by the view of the city lights. Yes, it was already dark.
No wonder after going back and getting caught, my mother wouldn’t stop screaming at me. She was talking so fast to me whom was just recovering my senses that her words took long to make any meaning. I was sure I heard “be kidnapped”. And she didn’t stop at that, turning at that mysterious guys, she started saying several rude words. At least, that is how it sounded, I could only get “away”, “told you”, “bitch”, and there it was: “kidnap”.
I casted one glance at my companion and smiled out of embarrassment. His face was paler by the minute and his mouth ajar.
“Mom, he was getting me back, usually a kidnapper would act the other way around. And he is here for granny, he knows her!” And I stopped, realizing once again my carelessness in accepting his words. He had been away from town for many years but of course he knew granny, he just didn’t know the next time he saw her it would be at her funeral.
I took another pause from that moment and shook my head lightly, wishing to hit it against a wall. Then again I was brought back; safe and sound. Looking down, there was nothing wrong with me. So, wasn’t I the only supposed to be attacked for her irresponsibility?
“And you promised me! You said I didn’t have to worry. If your father had seen this…” Okay, she was facing me again as if hearing my thoughts after menacing to hit the poor man only to stop her hand in the middle of the air as if he had something contagious.
“Don’t worry, Ma’am,” he interrupted her, weakly smiling. His complexion was still pale and I could see some sweat where in the hill before was overflowing confidence.
I felt again the pressure on my lips, making me blush. Argh, why couldn’t I just focus?
“Let’s go, Julia!” Mom grasped my wrist and started pulling me just like some furniture that needed to be rearranged. “Let’s go before the bitch also decides to show up.” But she stopped midway, staring right into my eyes: “Promise me again never to get close to your brother again. I was wrong in asking you to treat him like a strange. Now I plead you, act as if he didn’t exist.”
I nodded because that was what my self-preservation instinct was shouting at me to do. While being dragged once more, I froze.
“What is it this time, for God’s sake?!” asked my exasperated mother.
My eyes looked at the way from which we were coming only to see a figure staring back at me.
“What the-” I stuttered, wishing to go there and punch him in the face but my mother had already recovered her pace.
Yes, I had promised not to talk to him her right after a message came from my brother arrived saying he was coming to our grandmother’s funeral. I knew all too well how he and my family were just like the Capulets and Montagues from Romeo and Juliet. It is not that my dream state was so bad that I had forgotten it because it was a very important matter for mother, as well as for the whole family. And the heat on my mouth, the bittersweet taste that his warm breath left on me, was proof that I had no idea of whom he was. That I had not only kissed but also fallen in love with my own brother.
Was it even possible? I mean, until my mother appeared I was angry at that man for taking advantage of my current state to take me to that hill and even kiss me. I really was happy and even asked him to reveal no names because I knew it couldn’t be, he came from afar and wasn’t intending to move back; therefore, it was only expectable that we should have nothing. It took me a kiss, and what a kiss, to realize that and demand that he brought me back but now I saw everything from a different point.
Damn it. No, Damn him!
***
I looked around again to make sure Gabriel had given me the right address. I imagined the old son of a bitch would still be living in the same house but my cousin assured me it was this one, in a less privileged neighborhood but still in the suburb of the town. I lifted my head at the two windows. One was supposed be his and that hysterical woman’s and the other…
Mentally, I tried to imagine if I could climb until her window; however, even if it were feasible, the result would only be scaring the lady. My purpose there was right the opposite. I clicked my tongue and rolled my eyes. I would have to use the tackiest tactic: the stone.
I picked a random pebble from the garden next door, just making sure it wasn’t big enough to break anything and tossed it against the second window. I did close my eyes in case pieces of glasses came right back at me. However, it came to nothing. No glass, no girl… Luckily, neither any mad parent frowning at me from the other window.
I walked again to the neighbor’s, choosing yet another pebble to toss when her window opened to reveal a young girl in a t-shirt that she was probably using as pajamas. I was probably out of her immediate field of view for she only raised her eyebrows and probably sighed. Her long brown hair was a little messed, showing she was probably lying on the bed the moment before.
“So, you were waiting for me,” I said, going back to the initial position so she could spot me before she screamed.
“You!” Instead, she just shut her window again.
I threw another stone, making it hit just below the window. There was no need for a loud sound. It worked like a charm:
“Dad is home, you don’t want to see him either, right?”
“If I did, I would be at the other window.”
“Just go back, Robert.”
“Now you know my name…”
That made her close her window once more but with an abrupt sound that hurt my ears a little.
“C’mon, Julia! I’m here to apologize. I even brought you some chocolates.” I walked to my rented motorbike and fetched the box with a pink lace made by a lady for my little sister.
Not that we had any siblings relationship. We had never spoken to each other until some hours before when I unknowingly found a girl doing her best to hide tears behind a beautiful smile.
I knew it was wrong to pick up someone at my grandmother’s funeral and that wasn’t my initial intention. I did find her attractive and that was probably the reason I gave her a longer look but I took her to my favorite place in town because the sadness she was concealing felt too overwhelming to be ignored. Grandmother had always taught me that a man should always take responsibility for a woman’s tears, and that was my motto, one of the few things my father’s part of the family gave me.
I shook the box and my remembrances. One more time, she opened her window, now wearing different clothes.
“Could I assume you’re coming down to pick this?”
“No. If you do want to give them to me, throw the box. Your pebble game has already proved to me your good aim. However, I won’t forgive you for lying.”
“I’m not lying,” I answered confused.
“Oh, you came here to apologize but you don’t recognize your mistake?”
“I used to live in this town and I did move away many years ago. Of course, I knew grandmother as well. There was no lie.”
“Omitting the truth is the same.”
“I only omitted my name, following your request.”
She frowned but her expression hardened again:
“It can’t be that you don’t consider being my brother important information. Moreover, you did that! You didn’t only omit things, but also played with me. Just how funny was it?”
“I didn’t know either. Now throw your braids for your Romeo to climb.”
“Rapunzel wore the long braid, not Juliet!” She had yet another impulse to close the window but stopped midway. “I’ll meet you downstairs, just stop making sounds. Brother…” added her, exhaling noisily.
I entered the house only to notice how different it was from the one I remembered living with my father. That was to be expected, the old man never cared for giving a word about the furniture, nor did he helped my mother as she rearranged whatever, he’d only read his newspaper or watch anything more interesting in the television. Well, that if he were at home at all, which was a pretty rare case. Too many lovers to spend quality time with his lawful wife.
Julia, my half-sister stood in front of me, looking at the box he was holding. I could understand why she didn’t wish to prolong that meeting; however, I was still expecting more.
“Father, how has he been doing?” I tried to act oblivious to her hurriedness.
“Fine.”
“Even with his mother’s death? I didn’t get the chance to even see him but from afar at the funeral, so…”
“Great for him, it wouldn’t be good for his health!”
Yes, I had heard of how that man had almost passed away from a heart attack one month before, even though my mother didn’t know if there was a specific reason. She didn’t even care. I also thought I didn’t, until reality came to me as I laid my eyes on my grandmother. Remembering how frail the old lady looked, she had always looked so superior in my memories; it just made my stomach crumble. Father was close enough to his mother to let it get to him, I was sure of that.
“Please, leave. I understand now that you didn’t know who I was,” said Julia, trying to fix her bed hair a little bit combing it with her long fingers.
“How old are you again?”
“Pardon?”
“Just some curiosity…”
“I’m eighteen. Can you go, now?” She was obviously regretting the decision to let me in as she bit her lower lip.
Before I could think of any more reason o stay and extract more information on my family, - and I had too many doubts to just let it go – her fears were confirmed. The sound of a door opening sent chills to my spine, wondering if it were my father. Although you could say I asked for trouble going to his house, I wasn’t ready yet to confront that person.
Julia thought even faster than me, and pulled me from the sleeve towards the kitchen before the person upstairs could see us right below.
“Jules, is that you?” It was my father’s voice.
“Yeah, dad. I’m just getting some water!” lied her, making it obvious on her face that she was not enjoying having to do that.
Yes, I did remember how strictly I was punished for any mistake. To think that that same man was out with some whore all the times he wasn’t spanking my buttocks…
But I couldn’t feel relieved yet. His steps sounded in my ears as he descended. This time, Julia didn’t seem to have anything in her mind but returning me a desperate look. Of course, it was my fault. I started imagine how my father would see my presence in his kitchen. He wouldn’t call the police, right? Nope, knowing him, he would get his gun or something. The next time I saw him, I would cut his throat, that was what I had said then, after packing my mother’s things, making sure she didn’t leave anything behind for that person.
I did see him at the wedding but did nothing. And I was too young them to be taken seriously. But… Sometimes, I still feel the yearning to give him the payback in the most painful way. Probably, in a way worse than simply cutting his head out.
Looking behind, I faced another solution. Dragging Julia with me, as I surprised myself with how light her body was, I closed the door to the storage room. The space was hardly enough for myself, so we had to press really hard against each other so the door would really close.
It was too dark and hot inside. I knew she had tried to say anything, probably tell me off for putting her through that, but she held the impulse as we heard our father’s steps outside, calling for his daughter.
“You shouldn’t have answered him,” I whispered.
“You locked us!” Her answer was too loud.
I heard the man stop. A nervous silence followed. And then more steps and one more call for Julia, with no answer, obviously.
“You’re insane!” she continued, after making sure he had gone back.
After the tension lessened, it was impossible not to be conscious of the format of her small figure pressed against mine. The t-shirt she had changed into was too thin and she was probably wearing no bra at that time. Trying to keep my mind focused I stretched my had to the doorknob, in an attempt find it.
“I can’t reach the knob,” I said, with a strangled tone. With each breath she took, my body got even more sensitive. I even tried to press my back against the shelves but there was just no more room for anything else.
“There is none.”
“What!?” The surprise made me move and my new position, though apparently no different from the previous one, made sure I wasn’t anywhere more comfortable. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I didn’t know, I just thought it could happen when I heard the door closing. I was already too late.”
“Isn’t this your house?”
“Brother, I’m not used to hiding inside my own house.”
Our despair was just making the air heavier. I tried to inhale it a bit but it came with the smell of her shampoo, or, perhaps, of her soap. For some reason, I could see our kiss once more. That was the smell that was left in my nostrils for some time, even after her mother took her away from me back at the party.
I had to think clearly for a change. It was a bad idea to lock us up in that closet, or whatever, but we were free from father, right? Then, it worked. I had to be happy. Next step was thinking of alternatives. I had my cell phone but I didn’t know anyone who could get there before we asphyxiated… No. That was it.
“Julia, do you think you can reach my left pocket in my back. I have my mobile there. Call Gabriel…” I asked, after making my own attempt, just to feel her breast press even more against my shirt.
She rummaged through my butt until her hand got into where we wanted. Not that I really wanted that, it just contributed to how perverted I was feeling for being like that over my little sister. But she had finally found our salvation.
“Don’t let it fall,” I told her, as she tried her hardest to bring the phone to my front.
After a feel more moments of holding our breaths, I completed the call to Gabriel who told me he would get here as soon as he could, but couldn’t guarantee us he could enter the house without revealing his reasons. Yes, it was too late for a little visit to his uncle… But my life and my sanity depended on that, I thought as I hang up.
“All solved, apparently.” I showed her a triumphant smile she wouldn’t really see.
“Solved!?”
A pungent pain came to the area between my legs, as cold sweat came to my skin. It was already dark and now I was seeing stars with little motorcycles.
“What the-!?”
“Now you tell me you don’t know how much of this was your fault! If my parents find us here, I’m dead. Do you have any idea of how much my mother hates your guts?”
“Mine? Well, I wasn’t the one disrupting a marriage.”
“Your mother was the one who didn’t take care of her husband. And when she left, she made sure the entire family thought the worst of us. Do you have any idea how it was for us to be utterly ignored by an entire family? And it wasn’t just any family, yours is so tight and united… So we had to go to reunions only to be left in a corner, no, to be stared at. That if we were invited because most of the times they just forgot about us, saying they called your mother’s old number instead. Why else do you think I was entirely alone in my own granny’s funeral?”
“At least, you could call her ‘granny’, father would kill me for that disrespect as he used to call, and grandmother would simply pretend it was not her.”
“Only because mom taught me we should express our love to our relatives. And I always looked up to her even though she was always talking about how much better you were. The perfect child! Yeah, the same one who manages to get locked up like this. It’s ridiculous…”
Grandmother talked about me? That was something new. She was the typical old lady, head of a big and prominent family. Prideful, gracious, well-educated, demanding… She had practically butchered my father’s self-esteem when he conceived me while still studying at medical school. Then he had to work, because she wouldn’t support an illegitimate grandson – even though father had already married my mother by the time I was born – so he took longer to graduate and still now has only a diploma. For the twelve years we lived together, he had been working at the same company from the college days.
I sighed. Little by little, I was getting accustomed to that body brushing against mine but the opposite seemed to be happening to that girl. She wouldn’t stop moving and heavily exhaling and grumbling…
“The more you do that, the worse it will be. There is too little air and it is just too damn hot,” I decided to say; although I was also asking Gabriel what was taking him so long.
“I’m starting to get nauseated; couldn’t you wear some lighter cologne?”
“Yeah, just tell me in advance about the next time we get locked.”
“I hate you…” She was clearly on the verge of tears but it was explainable: the situation was enough to drive anyone mad and that hot and dense atmosphere inside the tight room would only worsen it.
I was just appalled that I myself wasn’t angry. It was just annoying how perverted I felt being so close to that young girl, no, my own sister. Nevertheless, there was none of the anger I felt when talking about father or his family. Shouldn’t it be also true for the girl who caused it all? My mother did leave home on her own accord but it was father who said he wanted the divorce to remarry the mother of his daughter.
I knew father had lovers even before I knew what that meant. For me, polygamy was the rule, I mean, a rule that applied only to my father as mother would always explain when I decided to ask about other people. But we had enough at home, nothing as luxurious as at my cousins’ houses but I could even brag with some of my friends at school. And knowing how hard his family had been to father, I respected him for all he could achieve.
But I grew up enough to feel my mother’s increasing pain and wrinkles. She never broke any of her vows, even now I don’t understand why. When my father brought home the divorce papers, she broke down and screamed for more than an hour after he had left. She packed up everything as I helped her and then we got some of my things. When he returned later in the night, I was waiting by the stairway. I could still remember the weight of the knife in my hand as I charged in his direction.
Luckily, I was too young to beat a fully grown man. He tossed me to the ground skillfully. Even so, I showed all my fury in my eyes, staring right back: ‘The next time I see you, I’ll cut your throat,’ I said through my teeth. And he only snorted in response, leaving me like that to go upstairs.
I got up and went outside never to see that house again. Three blocks from there, mother was asleep at a relative’s house.
“Robert…?” Julia seemed to have been calling for some time.
“Sorry, I was just thinking of my parents’ divorce. It was because you said wanted to live with father, if I’m not wrong.”
“C’mon, I was only five, how would I understand the consequences. I actually thought I would live with everyone, including you and that horrible woman.”
“Don’t speak ill of my mother.”
“She made our lives a hell controlling all the money my dad had. Alone with a child, my mother couldn’t find any job and when she could, she couldn’t keep them. Plus, my dad could never support her, not even be there for her. There were months when I didn’t see him, too. You, who had him, simply gave him up. I could never understand the brother I so looked up for when my dad talked about how proud of his son he was. That house made him so sad that we never lived there and preferred this part of town. At least, it was less expensive… But the reason was always because he felt sad whenever he thought of you. My mother told me how you attacked him with a knife! Even if he was mean to your mother, you shouldn’t have done such a thing.”
“Who are you to speak? You say my mother put you through hell but all I saw was a happy family at the funeral. Well, you weren’t there when I saw the golden couple but they seemed pretty fine. And I’ve told you, those relatives were never good to us either. I think you’ve been fantasizing way too much.”
I knew that heat wasn’t making me think clearly but speaking out those things was actually making me better. She wasn’t really the one to blame; a five year old wouldn’t be at fault for anything. However, in a corner of my mind that woman and her had stolen my whole family and finally being able to shout those feelings made my heart lighter.
“I’m sorry…” I finally said, because, in spite of everything, no one could do anything about the hatred both sides felt in their own right, “But it is not like I forgive my father.”
“He is really sick, actually. He would like to talk to you. And I’m not lying when I say that granny was crazy for you, always talking about her precious grandson…” Her voice sounded once more tear-stained.
I gave my best to hug her. Although it didn’t feel appropriate after doing it, I would have felt even worse not comforting her.
“I also used to be hated by her for spoiling her son’s career. I think I ended up becoming a doctor just so I could get her to forgive me but I never got the guts to face everyone here in the end…”
“Now you are here.”
“Grandmother deserved that much. It is not like my father lost his way and she still helped us move and all after it was all over… That was a hand we weren’t counting on when we got to my aunt’s house with our entire luggage.”
Suddenly, she was holding me back. We were so close already… Maybe because I had never believed in anyone when they tried to comfort me, as they could never understand my grief; maybe because my thoughts weren’t making sense anymore; maybe because her body was tempting mine for too much time already.
Well, whatever was the reason this time, there was no other option for my lips then to kiss hers. Also, there was no surprise when she answered me, passionately sticking her tongue into my mouth, brushing against the inside of my cheek, going up, down and around. My left hand went down her butt to bring her body closer to mine, while my right hand held firmly her back. That was nowhere close to the gentle and romantic kiss we had exchanged up that hill, with the whole city to see us, enveloped by an evening breeze. This one was too hot and humid and crazy. We were like the star-crossed lovers from Shakespeare but with less glamour for we knew there would be no friar or nurse to turn a glance to us because of how forbidden and forsaken our act would seem for anyone.
Then, there was a cold air on my hands. And light. And a strong force pulling Julia away from me. I blinked my eyes and brushed my hands against them. It felt just like waking up from a dream, although what was in front of me looked like a demon from a nightmare, assaulting me and pressing my back against the shelves. My head hit one so hard I could see the stars once more. The monster grasped my shirt and threw me to the ground, reminding me of my father’s blow more than ten years before. Back then, he didn’t want to hurt me, just protect himself and stop my attempt. This time, my aggressor was trying to completely knock me down.
It was only on the floor, when I felt too tired and hurt to move, that I could look him in the eyes. Gabriel’s green eyes. I blinked in disbelief.
“So you like taking advantage of little girls…” said him, with a grim smile before pulling me up a little only to bang my head against the floor. And then he punched me once, twice.
I could taste the iron from the blood that was in my mouth.
“I’m sorry,” I told him, finally realizing his reasons; I had just been kissing his cousin. He wasn’t on my side, exclusively, it seemed.
“You sucker!” Another punch hit me hard enough to conclude he wasn’t intending to stop.
I pushed him with some strength I didn’t know I still had after being locked up in such a room for so much time. However, Gabriel was in a good shape, which was enough to let him get up really fast and attack me one more time. I held him, and we started going circles through the kitchen. I finally heard Julia’s incessant screaming, probably going on since the beginning, and that distracted me enough to uneven the strife. Gabriel hurled me against the shelves making several products fall on head, along with something heavy that went right to my feet. I held a howl in my throat.
Gabriel was running once again in my direction. No, he was seeking my feet. The heavy thing… I remembered trying to reach it before I left home and then giving up when I took that knife. Now Gabriel had that shotgun grandfather had given father as a prize for passing to a good university was aimed right at me.
“Gabriel, what are doing?” I asked out of breath.
“Let that go!” Julia jumped at him for my despair.
The gun was going around the kitchen as that girl boldly tried to disarm our cousin. I wasn’t sure what would be worse for me next: jumping on them or just pulling Julia away from all that danger. I opted for the latter, hoping Gabriel would see what he was jeopardizing with those thoughtless acts.
Before I could really grasp my sister’s t-shirt, my eyes started seeing everything in slow motion, or at least that was the way I would remember that scene later. Julia’s long hair dancing around, Gabriel’s sweat, the smoke coming from that weapon, probably the bullet’s image was merely my imagination but I could also see it sluggishly coming towards me. And the ground, getting closer and closer to my bleeding mouth. I couldn’t recollect the sound that old shotgun probably made as I was thinking how could the son of a bitch keep it loaded for so much time after being assaulted by his own son. He should had imagined that could become my next weapon against him and unloaded it. Did he trust me that much or was he that naïve?
The thud that followed the slow-motion picture and made everything freeze once and for all gave me the impression that it was the former: in a corner of his mind he knew I wouldn’t turn against him twice. Else, he was just too dumb to jump in front of a gun to protect his son. I wouldn’t die from that; Gabriel hadn’t aimed or anything, and the way of the bullet came, it wouldn’t have been able to reach any of my vital organs. If it had really hit me at all.
Trying to go back to my sanity, I run to reach father, curving himself on the ground. I could sense Gabriel paralyzed right in front of us, while Julia came as well, lying there and turning our father.
“Oh my God…” I heard someone speak behind my back. It was probably his wife.
“Call emergency!” I said, imagining if anyone shouldn’t have done it already.
“What about Gabriel?” she asked, clearly making her best to sound calm.
“The hell about him!” I shouted back, spitting blood to my left.
Julia got up and said she would make the call to 911. I asked for the first-aid kit and anything else I could think of that would help me but I was just wasting time. The more I tried to help, more blood came out from the wound. He was too close to the gun and he was too old to live through that flow of blood. After doing my best to cover the opening, I sat back and sighed. He was shivering in front of me, so small…
Gabriel was to back to himself and approached us. Wasn’t he supposed to be running away? He had just tried to kill me!
“Uncle, this guy… He’s insane! Please, aunt, listen to me. I saw it all in that small room. Your daughter and him… She’s just a child and she is his sister! How could this-” he got on his knees in front of my father.
I could feel that woman’s look on me and I had nothing to say. After all this, I could simply deny my acts but what good would it bring? Maybe some piece of mind to them? Well, I would go away in some days, back to my old life. They would have their peace then along with the truth. On the other hand, if I did confirm that version, someone else would have problems.
Julia had just arrived with some clothes for her mother and other objects I had advised they bring to the hospital. We crossed eyes for a moment, as if asking ourselves what to do.
“I’m sorry, we did end up locked up there… Dad was coming downstairs and I thought it was no good for him to meet my brother,” she said, casting a glance to the floor.
“It’s not the time to quarrel,” answered her mother to our relief.
I gave another look at father’s condition, trying to evaluate his chances. He was breathing heavily with hazy eyes. The shivers had diminished but he was turning paler by the minute.
“Father…” I finally muttered, taking his hand in mine. I still couldn’t believe he would unreservedly leap to save me, trade his own life for mine, “everything will be all right.”
***
I had always felt as if caught in between a fight between my dad and that woman he had once called his wife. Even when my parents got married and I was too young to actually understand the meaning of that, I didn’t feel the one who had won the battle like my mom was probably feeling as she signed the documents with her new surname. Where is brother?, I would ingenuously ask all day to both of them. I had heard so much of him before, it didn’t make sense to move into his house when he was nowhere to be found. We didn’t even move into his house, actually. I just saw an empty core, as my dad’s move was wrapping up but I thought he would be there at our new home. And he wasn’t.
My mother would only complain about “that woman”, a witch in my mind, who had kidnapped my precious older brother. My dad wouldn’t mention either of them and just grumble at my requests. The other family had become a taboo overnight. At least, during those initial days. After some weeks, as soon as dad left for work, mom would engage in long conversations with her friends about the witch and her servant, my brother. I learned then how he hated dad and started feeling a little reticent about that person: how could he do that to someone who loved him as much?
Therefore, I finally understood that it had been his choice to leave our family to follow the witch. Growing up, my opinion on him just became something less fantasized: he had taken the side of the woman who hated me, so he probably hated me as well.
When he called our home and told mom he was coming for my granny’s funeral, I didn’t feel anything. Had it been in the beginning I would have become so excited I would even forget about granny’s death. However, that brother didn’t mean anything to me anymore. He was just the person from that other family, that woman’s family. I automatically replied to my mother’s request of treating the man as if he didn’t exist.
“Julia, here.”
I looked up to meet his eyes. They were the same color as dad’s. I had forgotten we were in the hospital and that our dad was in the UCI. I accepted the soda pop, feeling refreshed just form the cold cylinder.
“Thank you,” I said taking a sip.
“The doctor said he could get away with it, so don’t worry,” Robert forced a smile. Yet, I could see he himself had his hands all sweaty.
“He’ll die when he hears everything from Gabriel.”
“But I don’t really regret that part.” This time, his lips seemed more sincere, as he looked away lost in thoughts.
The butterflies came back to my stomach, flapping their wings furiously against the wall. It ticked me, so I started holding my laughter. I shouldn’t be thinking of that while dad’s life is at risk. However, being so conscious of brother’s warmth beside me, it was impossible not to smile. His lips… His hands… His whole body… I wanted them again.
“And now?” I asked, anticipating any answer about our situation.
“Nothing, I will go back in a couple of days. Maybe I will extend my stay until he is fine but…”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“What?” He turned his head to me so suddenly the breath he let out as he spoke made me blush.
“I decided to try going to your college.”
“I’ve already graduated.”
“But it is in the city you live, right?”
“You can’t come.”
I sighed. It did sound crazy when you put that thought into words.
“But there is no other solution,” I said, trying to ease tension in my whole body.
“You can’t say you’re in love with me after only two days.” He took a deep breath: “If it is for you to act like that, I’m going now.”
I held his arm when he got up. His eyebrows were almost one as he frowned.
“Do you hate me or anything” I finally asked, although I feared the answer.
“Of course not but you are my sister and…”
“And I… If you don’t accept that I love you then… Then I’d say I’m really attracted to you.”
He started chuckling. I was in doubt if I should be dismayed or blushing even more so I just lifted my eyebrows.
“I was thinking of a second option but convinced myself that was too much after a make out.”
He looked at me in the eyes e put his hands on my shoulders, pulling me closer. Afterwards, we kissed for a long time.
It didn’t take too long for dad to recover. He couldn’t go back to how he was because his health was already too frail after the heart attack but the doctors and even my brother were quite contented with the result. Gabriel could get away because everyone understood it was an accident and that such an old shotgun wasn’t supposed to be loaded. I suspect it was his family who pulled some strings but I didn’t care. I did feel a bit important being defended to ferociously although everyone in the family started considering he was insane. At last, Robert had to go back to his mother for a while but he found a nice house in my town and a good job in a hospital.
It was a boring second option compared to my plans of running away or turning Juliet and faking our deaths so we could rebuild our lives elsewhere but it worked incredibly well. We would never live like a married couple, not as long as our parents were alive. That wasn’t even because dad and his mother still hated each other – she didn’t even move back with her son, preferring to continue her old life in the other place – but simply because my parents almost died when listening to the detailed story told later by Gabriel. No, actually because our version of the story was so much more credible than the truth they had just heard that Gabriel’s overactive and dangerous imagination became a joke even for our relatives and eventually moved to Europe saying he got a better job offer but I suspect he was just running away. I still pity him to be sincere.
In my heart, there were times when I feared I would lose Robert the same way his mother lost dad to mine. Nonetheless, in the end, our secret only mattered for us when it made our love even more exciting than any other’s. It hadn’t ultimately united two feuding families but it was not like I could find anywhere else bigger a love than the one we had for each other. Not even in Romeo and Juliet.
THE END
Anita, 02/07/2010
Author’s Note:
And there was the happy ending for Julia and Robert. Those names were obviously inspired by Romeo and Juliet and even the title comes from one of Shakespeare’s line in the play, star-cross’d lovers, the original phrase was used during the story as well.
It’s been a long time since I read the original work and I can’t even remember if I ever finished it so I couldn’t grasp the feeling entirely even though I tried my best. However, when I read Gabby’s request, I immediately saw the two siblings in a feuding family.
I really liked how the characters turned out. In the beginning they would be from the same parents but as I started planning their personalities, I decided they looked more like from different mothers. Plus, that was a good way to make them hate themselves even though they didn’t really know each other, just like Romeo and Juliet.
This is my third story featuring incest but the first one I finish and publish. I hope I haven’t offended anyone…
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