RIPTIDE (Shadows book 1.1)

HEARTY CONVERSATIONS

Hope ran a finger along the row of albums as she walked by them. It was 2AM and she could feel the exhaustion in her body yet her brain refused sleep. She had woken up half an hour ago and she's been wandering in the library since then.

"Couldn't sleep?" a voice asked from the room's entrance as the person stepped inside, his sharp eyes taking in everything in the room.

"What are you doing here?" she asked without turning back. Finally her eyes landed on the album she has been looking for.

"I can't sleep. Too much going on." Rueben replied as he walked towards her. Hope felt guilt flowing through her veins at the thought of putting them in danger. They might have grown up apart but they were her brothers and nothing could ever change that.

"I am a mess, aren't I?" she questioned as she sat down on the couch. Rueben sat down beside her.

"Considering all that happened, I think you are allowed to be a mess." he replied pulling her to lay down. "Another nightmare?" he questioned softly. She nodded in response.

"Want to talk about it?" she shook her head. Rueben let out a sigh. She still wasn't comfortable with them. He wondered if they would ever be that transparent with each other. She opened the album with a sad smile. 

Rueben took in the first picture in the album. It was of Silver. He had both his kids balanced on his shoulder while Hope stood infront of him with a frown on her face.

"This was taken last year by Lettie." she said, smiling as the memory resurfaced. "They refused to eat unless I baked chocolate cake and climbed up his shoulders to escape from eating. In the end, Aaden ended up with the task of cleaning up the mess they made while baking."

Rueben smiled as he looked at her. So what if she didn't share her pain or her bitter experiences, she was willing to share her happy memories with him. And he would take that over silence any day. She flipped the page.

The next picture was of Silver and Zaiden. Both of them were glaring playfully at Hope and Scarlett who were on the floor.

"We were supposed to be discussing a mission." she mumbled. "Both of them were too immersed to realize that neither of us were listening. We were busy laughing at Nox." 

The next picture was of Silver playing a piano. Hope stood behind him with a smile etched on her face as she watched him. 

"You like him a lot, huh?" he asked her with a small smile. Hope exhaled slowly.

"Something more than like, Benny." she whispered as tears welled up in her eyes. "He drives me crazy with those eyes of his. They remind me of an ocean. So vast, calm and yet so deadly."

Rueben's heart clenched hearing the sadness in her voice. He wished he could take away her pain. He felt utterly helpless as he watched her blink back her tears before turning the page.

This one was of her and Silver. She was standing on her toes,, tying a tie around his neck as he watched her with a soft smile playing on his lips. He looked at her as if she was his whole reason to exist. She was dressed in a blue and silver gown. 

"This one was taken last year, ten minutes before Vittal had to walk towards the altar. Vittal almost murdered him when he caught him wandering around without tie." Hope laughed a little as Vittal's face flashed infront of her eyes. She flipped the page.

Silver and Hope stood side by side, watching Avyaan and Ekansh. Both Silver and Hope were covered in bandages from head to toe, but neither of them seemed to care about that as they watched the babies in awe.

"That was the first time we got to see them physically." Hope breathed out. "The first time I got to hold them after they were born."

Rueben's guilt and sadness increased with each page she turned.