10 Years Ago Today

Chapter 10

Venus was in the stock room counting inventory when she thought she heard something. She stopped writing, waiting to hear something else. Nothing happened, so she kept writing on what she was doing. She turned to start counting the next shelf but ran smack into Leon. She screamed, throwing her pen and clipboard into the air.

"Venus, it's me! It's Leon."

"Leon!" she yelled angrily, catching her bearings. "What the hell's your problem?" she growled, smacking him in the shoulder.

"Sorry... Trevor said you were in here. I thought you heard us."

"Oooh." She growled. "What is it? I thought you were off today?"

"I am but I need your help with something."

"Are you tripping on something?"

"What? No, why?" he asked with look.

"You are strangely... alert."

"I didn't have narcolepsy, Venus, just a drinking problem; which I don't have anymore."

"For real?" she asked, her big brown eyes sparkling.

"Yeah."

"What could possibly make Leon the Lush stop drinking?"

"The reason that I started in the first place- Hey... Is that what people call me?"

"That's what I call you."

"Whatever, I need your help."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the back part of the room.

"I'd do it myself but you're better at it than me."

"Better at what?"

"Wound care."

They rounded the corner of the room and Venus came face to face with someone who looked a lot like Leon. She made a face.

"You have a kid?"

"What? Seriously? I'd have to have been like five when I impregnated someone... This is my brother."

"I didn't know you had a brother younger than Aelan."

"He's actually Aelan's twin, Nate."

Venus lifted an eyebrow. "Twin? You are aware that Aelan is twenty-three years old and this kid is a teenager right?"

"I'm quite aware, Venus." Leon said, getting exasperated.

"And if that's the case, then you're telling me that this is the brother that ran off ten years ago and caused you to start drinking in the first place."

"He didn't just run off, he went missing, and yes, this is him. Also, my parents drove me to drink, not him."

"Could have fooled me." Venus said, folding her arms.

"It doesn't matter! The point is that I need your help. Can you provide us with assistance or not?"

"Sure, what's going on?"

Leon motioned for Nate to take off his shirt. As he did, he turned to Venus, who was watching in confusion.

"Is this a strip tease or something? Did Hael put you up to this?" she asked with a smirk.

"No... You don't see them?"

"His lil bitty abs?" she said, poking Nate's stomach a little.

Nate moved away, being very ticklish.

"No, the gaping wound on his neck as well as the deep scratch marks all over his back."

"She's not going to see them, Leon." Nate said. "I told you that she wouldn't be able to."