10
I remember that night perfectly.
When I woke up, I’d only meant to tell Caleb to go sleep on the proper cot. I sat up and whispered, “Caleb?”
But he was fast asleep in the chair, his head propped on his arm. His usually mature, serious face looked so soft, so defenseless.
A mischievous impulse took over. I started calling him names under my breath
“Mr. Kane?”
“Mr. CEO?”
And finally, just his name. “Caleb.”
I was so close, but he didn’t stir. The light in the room was dim, and I suddenly wanted to see his face more clearly. That was the
only reason. It wasn’t that I wanted to kiss him.
The instant my breath almost touched his skin, his eyes snapped open.
Damn it.
So close.
But thank God.
Also so close.
We stared at each other. He seemed dazed, still half–asleep.
I straightened up, terrified he would hear my heart hammering against my ribs, I scrambled back into bed and said, much too loud,
ly, “You… you snore and grind your teeth and drool! Just go home!”
He didn’t go home that night, but I don’t think he ever fell back asleep.
So he was awake the whole time. He knew what I was about to do. Is that why he opened his eyes?
I floated in the air above him. If I had kissed you, I said silently, you would have been even angrier, wouldn’t you?
If I had kissed him, would he have believed me when Finn set me up?
No. Probably not.
If I had kissed him, it wouldn’t have given us any more time,
Caleb couldn’t hear me.
Just like I had that night, he leaned in slowly, carefully. He stopped just inches from my lips. He studied my face, as if waiting for
me to open my eyes.
But I remained still, even as a tear fell from his eye and landed on my cheek..
He slowly closed his own eyes and gently, so gently, touched his lips to mine.
“If only I hadn’t opened them…” he whispered again and again. “If I had known. I never would have opened my eyes.”
Known what, Caleb?
That I was going to die?
Or that I wasn’t your brother?
Fifteen minutes is a short time. Only memories make it feel long.
A nurse knocked and entered, a silent reminder.
Caleb still held my hand, his voice thick with pain. “I should have gone to the station sooner…”
He sounded truly, deeply regretful. A regret that would never leave him.
“Lep?”
Mom was standing in the doorway. Her face was gray, her eyes wide with disbelief as she slowly walked into
o the room
“What’s happened?” Her voice trembled. She collapsed over my body, her cries echoing in the sterile room. “Leo, what’s wrong? Look at Mom, please!”
an 10
She stood up and grabbed Caleb’s shirt, shaking him. “Say something! What happened?”
Caleb’s expression was numb,
“Mom,” he said suddenly, his voice flat. “I love Leo. I want to be with him forever.”
Tears streamed down her face, “What?”
“Leo and I are not related by blood,” he said, his voice eerily steady. “I’m going to marry him.”
Mom staggered back, her voice a sharp command, “Caleb, have you lost your mind?!”
He ignored her. “And I’m sending Finn away. To another country. He is never coming back.”
