Lovers at War - (A.R.)

Chapter 17

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Silent Instinct

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"YOU MADE IT!"

I turned around to see Lenora wave at me from afar, a grin stretched across her face. She came over and smiled in greeting to Wesley beside me.

"I wasn't sure if I gave you the right address, so I was worried that you'd get lost," she said apologetically.

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, an older man and woman came over to us. Although I wasn't ever one for assumptions, I assumed right then and there that Lenora may have been related to them, or maybe one of them. The man remained silent and walked off inside the church.

"Faye, Wesley - meet Emma, my adopted- mom."

Emma greeted me and waved cheekily at my brother. Shaking my hand, she stared at me momentarily, almost like she thought I was some sort of goddess from above. That may have been wishful thinking, but her eyes didn't speak of negativity that was for sure.

"I've heard from Lenora here that you've just moved into town?" Emma asked and I nodded. "If that's the case, you're going to have to come over for dinner one of these days. I'd love it if -"

"Sorry, I'm late!" Another voice said. It was a man's - Arvin's? What was he doing here, and more importantly, who was he speaking to?

"Like always," Lenora muttered teasingly as Arvin approached us. He hadn't yet noticed my presence, or if he did - he didn't make much of it.

"I heard that," Arvin said pointedly, crossing his arms. "It was a real problem this time, I swear."

"And what would that he?" challenged Lenora.

"The engine refused to turn on this morning," he said like that were enough of an explanation.

"Arve!?" Wesley suddenly shouted, catching the attention of everyone nearby. The said man confusingly looked down to find my brother grinning at him from ear to ear.

"Uh. . ." Arvin's gaze slowly lifted to meet mine. When our eyes met, it was almost comical to witness: something like what you'd see in the movies when a man and woman meet for the first time to later become star-crossed lovers. But this wasn't sappy or romantic in any case - it was awkward. Very Awkward. ". . .Hi?"

Lenora shifted on her feet uncomfortably, thankfully interrupting the very odd encounter which was taking place. "You two know each other?"

"Guess 'ya could say that," Arvin mumbled, his eyes not yet leaving my face. He glanced at Lenora and then back at me, studying us inquisitively.

I shrugged. "Kind of. We've . . . stumbled into each other a few times before."

"Oh, okay," Lenora said, smiling uneasily. She leaned in and patted Arvin's back appreciatively. "Faye and Wesley, this is my brother, Arvin."

Now that I was not expecting. The two didn't look alike, but I supposed that looks didn't count all of the time when it came to family relationships. And yet, as I subtly glanced at the two siblings, I deduced that there was probably more to the story than they were letting on - but I didn't budge. If they wanted to tell me then they would.

Following our little interaction, the four of us made our way inside of the church as it was hitting noon soon. We all went into the line. Arvin was stood behind me, and it made me feel something different when he did so. Oh, who was I kidding. . . I was being weird.

Or was I?

The new preacher walked up to the podium. I couldn't see him that well until we'd gotten closer in line. What surprised me the most was to see a much younger man than I originally expected. Back in New York when I regularly attended church with my family, the preachers tended to be very old men who looked elderly enough to be my grandad. But this guy was. . .

Kind of handsome.