Etheral Relics

Love Murder

Amaya

The darkness of the cool spring night was replaced by golden glowing light around us as my future father-in-law, James, threw more wood into the fire pit causing the flames to rise and warmth to spread. I rested my head against the shoulder of the man who I would soon call my husband, pulling a thin woven blanket over my shoulder. Will and I sat across from his mother, Kayla, as his father took a seat next to her. James had insisted we get married near their family's cabin at Black Meadows of Oregon. Will reached into the blanket to hold my left hand and bring it to his lips, his mother's eyes following my hand that with the ring that once belonged to her. Even after wearing it for months I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable wearing something so significant to Kayla knowing she still had mixed feelings about me. As a devoted Catholic she was not too fond of the idea of Will marrying someone who had no affiliation to the church nor any form of religion. And I refused to get married in a church and deal with the entire process feeling judged for not being a virgin or not having any love for God. James, on the other hand, was ecstatic about his oldest son finally getting hitched and had sworn this day would come from the moment we met.

We were a week away from the wedding and we had decided to take a weekend to ourselves as a family, as James put it, to hike and bond more. I was not opposed as I could use as much distraction from the anxiety and nervousness of the wedding. Deep down inside I was sure I had no doubts about Will and him being the perfect man but I was scared and being alone with all my doubts about myself would probably lead me to do something as stupid as calling off the wedding. I was only twenty-two and had more than enough time to travel and date more men before settling down but that was not what I wanted. I wanted Will. Before my thoughts could begin consuming me again, the sound of grass crushing grabbed my attention to my left as a short silhouette got closer until the light of the fire illuminated them and their wide smile. Will's younger brother, Mathew, held a chair in one, a cardboard case of canned beer and a black bag with what looked like a thin flat object in the other, his grin growing wider as his mother frowned at the sight of the alcohol. She shook her head in disapproval and he set the chair in between will and his dad.

"Mathew you know I don't like it when you do that," Kayla said narrowing her eyes at him. Mathew was nineteen, under the legal age of drinking but that didn't stop him. They had come to an agreement he was allowed to drink if it was under their parent's supervision but Kayla would still scold him for it. James did not care at this point because his boy was now finally an adult, a man. Mathew began to pass three beers counter-clockwise and before cracking one open and looking towards Will and me.

"I bought these because I wanted to make an early toast to our future bride to be." Mathew smiled and raised his beer in front of him. Mathew was four years younger than Will and had more features that resembled his father. His hair was a dark mahogany brown and his eyes were dark hazel, his father's height was not included in his gene pool.

"Jeez you're always so mushy about these things, just like your brother," I said rolling my eyes but inside I was happy I had gained a brother of my own.

"You know you love it! How my dorky brother managed to pull a such a beautiful and exotic woman like you I will never know but I'm glad he did, I got a sister in the process."

"Hey!" Will interrupted, "I'm not that dorky-looking you're just a cocky little runt."

This made James chuckle and take a sip of his beer prepared for the banter and insults that would ensure. Will was calm and formal but when it came to Mathew the guy would do a whole 360 just to get the last word.

"Alright," I cut in putting my hand against Will's chest, "Thank you, Mathew, I really appreciate it. I'm relieved to know that I'll finally have a younger brother I never wanted."