Intertwined

Intertwined episode 13

đŸ€INTERTWINEDđŸ€

💑EP THIRTEEN💑

 

Two years later, my parents’ divorce was finalized. Mymother would take permanent residency in Manhattan; myfather would station himself in Boston. No battle for custodyI was already of age. My parents decided to give thehouse to me instead of selling it and dividing the profitsbetween them.

I was angry. My parents had decided to abandon thehouse
the happy house where Thomas and I had grown up!Where they last saw Tom! I refused to let the memories go.They could divide all their properties except this house
Icould not believe they were walking away from it and all thememories it had.

I was in my room, and as always, I decided to channelmy emotions onto the canvas. I didn’t know what I waspainting. But it was a mixture of dark blues, blacks, violets,swirling around in angry patterns. I was on the brink ofcrying. That day marked the end, not just of a chapter of mylife, but of a wh0le story.

I swirled the violet paint on the canvass angrily, notknowing what I was really painting, but somehow expressinghow I really felt. Tears rolled down my cheeks, but I refusedto let a whimper escape from me.

Just then, I felt strong arms encircle me, pulling me awayfrom the canvas.

“Stop it,” Travis whispered behind me. He took thepaintbrush from my hand.I stared at his handsome face, and then I completelybroke down.

Travis bent and scooped me off my feet and carried meto my bed. I couldn’t stop crying. I knew my parents’marriage had crumbled a long time before. But the finality of it brought up so many sad and angry emotions that Ialmost couldn’t face.

I felt Travis’s l-ips on my head. “Sssshhh
” he said in asoothing voice. “I’m still here.”

The following years, my life was a series of ups anddowns. People came and went for the next five years. Mymom trained me to manage her art galleries.I dated guys and had two relationsh¡ps. One didn’t endwell.

Eric.

He was wonderful, smart, and funny. We jived a lot, andit seemed like I was talking to my girl best friend every timeI was with him. He was very comfortable. In fact, toocomfortable. We’d been seeing each other for three years,and I decided to take it to the next level. I thought he woulddo it, but three years without initiating intimacy was justplain weird.

I planned a night for us in my apartment. I lit candles,set the mood. When he opened the door and I was wearinga silk nightgown in front of him, he broke down to tears.

Not good, I said to myself, and I went to him to ask himwhat was wrong.

“I’ve not been honest with you,” he said. “I was
probably just using you
to deny what I really wanted. WhatI really am!”

“What are you talking about, Eric?”

“Brianne, I’m g-y.”

I almost fainted. No wonder we’d been seeing each otherfor so long and he’d been dodging intimacy as much as Ihad
maybe even more!

So I wasted three years there when I was actually aticking time bomb. I had to be married by the time I wasthirty-one. Well, I would be, anyway
to Travis Cross, if Ididn’t find my own guy.

As for Travis, he’d built his own company that was set tocompete with his father’s. It seemed like a game of chess between the two of them. One man trying to teach the othera lesson, the other trying to show the other that he wasmuch smarter.

Travis stayed mostly in Manhattan, but he also traveleda lot. But no matter how busy he was, he never failed to seeme on my birthday. He would show up for a day, give me anextravagant present, like a piece of diamond jewelry, andthen we’d spend the wh0le night talking and catching up,and it always felt the same. Like we were together all yearlong.

Eric didn’t mind Travis. In fact, he liked it when Travisdropped by and joined us for dinner. Now, I think Eric mighthave been interested in Travis more than he was everinterested in me.

“But I do love you, Brianne!” Eric said. “Just not in anintimate way. And I promise I’ll always be here for you. I’llalways be your friend.”

So instead of making love, Eric and I spent that night inbed. I was locked in his embrace, my head on his shoulder,and he told me the secrets he couldn’t tell anybody else.

Now, Eric and I are still very good friends. He dates oncein a while, trying to find his own Mr. Right.

I then dated a guy named Christian. He was a tall, darkblond guy with startling green eyes. He was very cute andvery ambitious. He was a lawyer with dreams of becoming apartner in his law firm one day.

I wasn’t painting much. Chris made me see that moneycame faster when you managed a business. It takes a whileto sell a painting for a good price, but buying and sellingother people’s paintings brings home the money faster. AndI needed the money. I had a wedding I needed to save upfor.

With Chris, I didn’t have a problem with intimacy. He wasthe best friend of my old friend Cindy’s brother. We met at aparty Cindy threw. He asked for my number, and he askedme out the next day.

We’d been dating for two and a half years. The futureseemed very bright for me. I was beginning to think I mightnot need Travis Cross to enter into a ceremony hecompletely didn’t believe in.

When I started dating Chris, I had been successfullymanaging one of my mother’s galleries. I learned thecommercial side of the business. Instead of painting my ownmasterpieces, I learned the logistics and the financial side ofmanaging a gallery. I did miss painting, but I needed timefor this. And time seemed to be quite a luxury for me at themoment, especially with a guy like Chris, who seemed to be

living in the fast lane.

The relationsh¡p was comfortable, cozy, and smoothsailing. Christian was a standup guy with a lot of principlesin life. He was ambitious, and he guided me in managingone of my mom’s galleries. Sure, he was uptight most of thetime, but he taught me to be tougher and to go aftersuccess. I might not succeed in painting my own

masterpieces, but at least I had galleries to manage in thefuture.

The only time I felt I was being artistic at all was when Ijoined Sarah’s dance group. They had dance shows once ina while, and I always managed to get a part in one of theirperformances. I begged Chris to watch me, but he alwayshad a case to work on whenever there was a show. I couldtell he was not really thrilled by my dancing. I told him thathe just must think that it was a form of exercise for me to

keep my muscles toned and my heart healthy.

Travis caught up with me every once in a while.Whenever he was in town, we’d have dinner together. Hewas also been quite a busy man. Whenever I saw him, Icouldn’t help throwing myself in his arms. Being with himfelt like I was still the old me. Careless and carefree.

We never talked about Chris or Travis’s own women.When we were together, it was like there was only the twoof us in the world. In two years, I only got to see Travis about one or two days a month. So whenever we saw eachother, I felt like I was always running out of time and I hadto make the most of it. I told him things I couldn’t tell Chrisor Sarah. My dreams, my fears
what was left of the old me.

“What are you doing with a guy who changes you somuch?” he asked me once. We were on the balcony of hishotel suite. I was sitting beside him, and he had an armaround my wa-ist with my head resting on his shoulder.

I sighed. “I have to make something of myself, too,Travis. I have to survive on my own. I’m not trust-funded likeyou. The minute I graduated college, I was on my own inthis world. I can’t afford to paint and dance all the time andexpect that money will just come pouring in on a dailybasis.”

“But are you happy?” he asked.

I stared up at him. He was studying my face, reading allthe hidden emotions behind the façade I’d been putting upfor years. “If I didn’t have a roof over my head and I starvedto death, I would certainly be sad, Travis,” I said.

He smirked. “You’re crazy if you think I would allow youto get that far!” he said under his breath.

I laughed. “I know you won’t,” I said and rested my headon his shoulder again. “But, Travis, I have to survive on myown, you know.”

I felt him shake his head. “No, you don’t,” he said. “Yourfate is tied to mine, remember? So that means you neverhave to be alone for as long as you live.”

“For as long as you live,” I corrected him.

“No,” he said. “I’ll find a way to take care of you even inthe afterlife.” He chuckled.

I felt a heavy lump in my throat. Suddenly, hearing himsay that broke my heart. I couldn’t
and I mean couldn’t
imagine living my life without Travis in it. No. Just thinkingabout Travis dying was just too painful for me.I didn’t know it, but I was crying silently. Suddenly, Travispulled away from me and tilted my chin up so he could look at my face.

“Why are you crying?” he asked.

I shook my head. I wiped the tears from my cheeks. Ipulled away from him and looked at the view of the city infront of us.

“Brianne,” he insisted. “What did I say wrong?”

I stared at him. How could Travis say it like that, as if hedidn’t think he meant a lot to me?

“That I would lose you one day,” I murmured.

His expression softened. He reached out and pulled meinto his arms again. I felt him k-ss the top of my head. “I’msorry,” he said. I wrapped my arms around his wa-ist andhugged him to me while I continued crying on his chest.

“But there are things beyond our control, cherie. I’m justsaying that even if I’m gone, I’ll make sure you live acomfortable life.”

“I don’t need a comfortable life, Travis,” I said. “I needyou to be in it
always. And promise me you will be!”

“Ssshhh
” He took a deep breath. “I promise, princess.You won’t lose me.”

“I love you, Travis,” I whispered and I felt him k-ss thetop of my head.

He took a deep breath. “I love you, too, Brianne. Promiseme I won’t lose you, too.”

I smiled. “I promise.”

Chris hadn’t met Travis yet. Chris knew that my parentsand I weren’t close. He knew that I had an old friend whom Iconstantly kept in touch with, the only other person wh-reminded me of the happy family I used to have. Andsomehow, Chris never seemed interested with my “oldestfriend.” I tried to tell him about Travis, but he seemed souninterested and he usually changed the topic. So I juststopped trying over the years. Whenever I disappeared for aday, I would tell him that I was catching up with an oldfriend, and he’d tell me to go ahead and knock myself out,just don’t do anything silly.

It’s good that he trusted me, not that I intended to doanything silly with Travis. Travis and I were no longerteenagers with raging hormones who couldn’t get theiremotions under control.

“Why don’t you ask your old friends to come with you?”

Chris said whenever I asked him to come to my familyreunions with me.

Well, Travis was always invited to our reunions anyway.But I wanted Chris to meet him and my family. Butsomehow, he was always busy impressing his bosses andhis clients. I got how ambitious he was. I just wished that hewould pause for a moment to come to my dances or myfamily reunions.

He couldn’t really blame me for being disappointed. Themost important male figure in my life had set the bar reallyhigh for my future boyfriends. Travis probably earned abouta hundred times more than Chris, and he still had time tocome to my family reunions.

My first Christmas with Chris was a disappointment. Iwas so looking forward to it, but, unfortunately, he told methat he had to go to work. The CEO of one of the companiesthey were working on to hire their legal services held amajor Christmas Eve party and his boss nominated him toattend for their firm. He was eager to impress and ditchedour holiday plans of renting a cabin in the woods.

Since Chris waited until the day before Christmas to tellme that he’s bailing on me, it was too late to fly out towhere either of my parents were to spend Christmas Evewith them. So when Sarah told me she was having a ‘singlesChristmas Eve’ party at her place, I decided to go. I couldtell she truly felt sorry for me. But I tried to smile as much

as I could, and pretended I was having the time of my life.

“Give me a real smile.” Sarah teased as she handed mea c*cktail.

“I’m okay,” I said to her, taking a sip of my drink.

“No, you’re not,” she said. “You’re disappointed. I knowyou’d rather be spending this evening cuddling up with aguy who would envelop you in warmth
 and comfort andlove.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Sarah.” But I know she wasright. Christmas Eve is a pretty good time of the year tospend with someone you love.My phone rang.

“Cherie,” Travis greeted me cheerfully on the other lineand for the first time since Chris told me he was cancellingour holiday plans, I smiled for real.

“Hey you!” I greeted back. “So, how does a businessmogul like Travis Cross spend Christmas Eve? Are you atsome VIP Christmas party in Manhattan or some VIP clubthat only allows entry to the rich and the famous?”

It took a while for him to answer. Then he said, “Actually,I’m standing in a snowy street in front of a line ofapartments that has a coffee shop on the corner and an oldbookshop that only sells travel books.”

For a moment, I couldn’t understand what he wassaying. And then it occurred to me that Sarah’s apartmenthas a coffee shop in the corner street and a travel bookshop.

“In Connecticut?” I asked.

“George Street, to be exact,” he replied.

I couldn’t believe what he said. I didn’t know what tosay, but I felt like tons of frustration and sadness were liftedoff my chest. I actually ended up laughing. Sarah looked atme like I was out of mind.

“Okay. I don’t know why you find that amusing, but Iwould appreciate it if could come out of your friend’sapartment.”

When I finally stopped giggling, I hung up the phone andstared at Sarah.

“What is going on with you?”

I gave her a big smile and then I hugged her. “MerryChristmas, Sarah. Thanks for inviting me and trying to cheerme up.”

“Where are you going? Is Chris outside? Did he cancelhis plans?”

I shook my head. “Not Chris. Travis.”

She gave me a teasing look.

“Stop that. Travis is family. Anyway, catch you later.”When I came out of Sarah’s apartment, I found Travisstanding across the street. I didn’t hesitate. I ran to his armsand he caught me. When I pulled away, he looked at me andsmiled.

“How did you know where I was?”

“I was in town. I got an invite to this party. I got boredafter thirty minutes and excused myself. I went to yourplace, but nobody seemed to be home so I tried Sarah’s.”

“I could be at Chris’s.”

“You could be. Except that I think I saw him at this lameparty without you. I did the math.”

“You haven’t met Chris. How could you know how helooked like?” I asked.

He just raised a brow at me but didn’t answer.

I rolled my eyes. Immediately, I knew he had himchecked out when he found out I was dating him seriously.He smiled at me apologetically. “Sorry, cherie. I can’thelp it.”

“I’m sure,” I said dryly.

“You asked me how a busy businessman like me spendsChristmas Eve. Well, there you go. Attending a prestigiousVIP event, talking and laughing with a lot of people I don’treally know or care about. Talking about politics orWallstreet. Listening to a bunch of phony people talk abouttheir latest shiny cars or luxurious yachts. You could say I

should be a hero for lasting thirty minutes.” He grinned.

Then he pulled away from me and intertwined our fingers.“Now, let me show you how I really want to spend myChristmas Eve.”

We walked for a couple of blocks until we reached thepark. The trees were covered in Christmas lights and we canhear faint sounds of music from afar. There was a skatingrink in the center.

“Ice skating?” I asked him, laughing.

“It’s been a while.” He grinned at me boyishly. “You upfor it?”

I smiled at him widely. “You bet.”

We spent an hour skating. It had been months since Ilast saw him and it was a good time to catch up with eachother. We teased each other, chased each other around thepark in skates. For a while, it felt like we were kids again andwe didn’t have a worry in the world. And when the snowstarted falling, I laughed like I did that one time when I waseleven, when Tom, Travis, and I had a snow fight in our front

yard.

I stayed in Travis’s suite that night. He gave me a pair ofearrings with diamonds and colored precious stones. Westayed up almost all night talking. And just when I thoughtmy day would s-ck, in the end, I got to spend Christmas Evecuddled up with a guy who enveloped me with comfort andlove.

The following Christmas, Chris came through. We didrent a cabin in the woods. By twelve midnight, I sent Travisa text message that says, “Merry Christmas, Travis. I hopeyou’re having a great time wherever you are. Miss yah. Lotsof love.”

After a minute he replied, “Merry Christmas, cherie. I’mhaving a nice time, but nothing beats last year’s Christmas.Miss you too. I’ll see you soon.”

After our little trip to the cabin, Chris finally agreed tocome with me in our family reunions. He wasn’t availablethe last time we had one and this year, he said he will definitely make an appearance. My Aunt Victoria would be having an anniversary celebration. Chris filed his leave inadvance and made sure he was all mine that day.

The day before we were set out to take a road trip to myaunt’s place, I found Chris in my apartment after I camehome from the studio.

“Hey,” I greeted him, giving him a peck on the l-ips. “Notbusy with a case today?”

He shook his head. “Finished all my work yesterday.

Remember, we have your family reunion tomorrow?”

“What did your boss say about you being on leave for aday?”

He shrugged. “He’s fine with it. I work overtime all thetime. I was hoping to make partner in three years.”

I smiled at him. “And I’m sure you will. You’re great!”

And I knew that with all the hérd work he put in, it wouldn’tbe long before he achieved his goal. Chris was two yearsolder than me. Being a partner at his age would be a greatachievement. I knew it would make him really happy.

I noticed a package sitting on top of my table. “What isthis?”

“Oh, delivery came for you,” Chris replied.

I looked at the box.

“Who is Travis Cross?” Chris asked.

My face brightened at the mention of his name. Iexcitedly opened the box. in,side it, there were two smallerboxes. There were cards on top of them.I read one.

Please send Aunt Victoria and Uncle Boons myapologies. I won’t be able to make it to their weddinganniversary. But please send them my love with thispresent.

I opened the box for Aunt Victoria. I was surprised to seea matching pair of his and hers gold and diamond bracelets.One for her and another for Uncle Boons. “Wow!” Ibreathed. The gift looked expensive.

“Cousin?” Chris asked as he read Travis’s note for myaunt and uncle. He looked at the box with the bracelets.

“Rich cousin?”

I shook my head. “No,” I said. “A dear friend. Familyfriend.”

I picked up the note on top of the other box.

Brianne,

I saw this and thought of you. I may not be with you allthe time, but know that you’re always in my thoughts.

Love,Travis

I opened the box and found a gleaming diamond tennisbracelet in,side it. My breath caught in my throat. Thebracelet was absolutely beautiful.

“Please tell me this family friend of yours is as old asyour Aunt Victoria!” Christian muttered under his breathafter reading Travis’s note and seeing the bracelet he gaveme.

I giggled. “Don’t be silly!” I said to him.

I took the bracelet from the box and put it on. The fitwas perfect—no need to be resized, and it looked amazingon my wrist.

When I looked up at Christian, he was reading theguarantee card that came with the bracelet, certifying theclarity and carats of my diamond bracelet.

“How old is this guy?” Christian asked again.

I didn’t figure Christian to be a jealous guy, but Ianswered him wearily. “Does he have to be old?”

“To afford to give jewelry as expensive as this?”

I sighed and put the jewelry back in the box. “He’stwenty-nine.”

“Twenty-nine!?” Christian looked back at medisbelievingly. “How
do you know this guy?”

“We grew up together, Chris. Remember the ‘old friend’that I always catch up with?”

“Your old friend is a guy?”

Oh, shit!

“He was my brother’s best friend,” I replied. “He’s familyto me. In fact, when my parents decided they didn’t want tobe a family anymore after my brother died, Travis was theonly family I had left.”

“But his message in the card is too mushy, too cheesy tobe just friends!” Chris muttered.

I laughed. “You can’t seriously be jealous, can you?”

He sighed and then he pulled me into his arms. “I guessI am,” he said. “I love you. And I want to stick around for avery long time. I want to be the only guy in your thoughts!”

I smiled at him. “And you are,” I said. “Travis is a dear,dear friend. He sort of took my brother’s place in my lifewhen Tom died.”

Chris smiled. “Okay. But next time you go out with thisguy, I want to go with you.”

I smiled widely. “Sure. I’ve been wanting to introduceyou to him for years,” I said. “He’s like a brother to me,Chris. It would mean a lot to me if you would be on goodterms.”

Chris leaned forward and gave me a passionate k-ss onthe l-ips.

I was in Chris’s arms that night. His touch comforted me,made me feel warm. I know this man, I thought. I longed forthe comfort of his arms
to know that he would be there inmy future. He might not always hit the s₱0t, but it was thecuddling after that I looked forward to most of the time.After all, that’s what intimacy is all about.

The next day, I introduced Chris to all my relatives. Isincerely hoped this would not be the last time Chris wouldcome with me.“Tell Travis Cross I won’t be able to forgive him!” myaunt Victoria said. “His presence is much more wanted than his present.”

I laughed. “But that is a lovely present, Aunt Vicki!” Iargued.

She beamed. “Oh, it is! Look at the cut of thesediamonds! Leave it to Travis Cross to gift in style!”

“Comes with the money!” I giggled. “Travis has tons!”

“I cannot believe this is your aunt’s twenty-fifthanniversary. She seems
so young,” Chris said after myaunt left us alone.

I laughed. “We have a tradition in the family,” I toldChris. “All women should marry before they turn thirty-one,or earlier. But definitely not after.”

“And what happens if you don’t get married by thattime?”

“We turn into frogs,” I replied.

“What?” He looked at me seriously.

I forgot that Chris almost didn’t have a sense of humor.He was a person who was serious about life, and nothingabout that was a laughing matter.

“Just kidding. I think we’re
‘cursed’ and are a disgraceto the family. I don’t know if it’s true. But somehow, some ofmy cousins and aunts have gotten bad luck in love andrelationsh¡ps after they disregarded the tradition.”

Chris fell silent for a moment.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

He shook his head. Then he looked at me and gave me asmack on the l-ips.

My mother made a late appearance.

“I’m sorry I’m late, sweetheart.” She k-ssed me on thecheek. “Where’s Travis? Did you come together?”

I shook my head. And then I took Chris’s arm. “I camewith Chris, Mom,” I said. “Remember, I told you about him.”

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry.” She shook Christian’s hand. “I forgotyou had a boyfriend now. I guess it was just force of habitfor me. I was so used to you and Travis being together all the time, and you always come to these gatherings witheach other. Where is he?”

I shook my head. “If I had to guess, I’d say he wassomewhere in Europe, buying out one of his dad’scompanies. Or in a bedroom with a woman. You know him.Business and women are all he cares about.”

My mother narrowed her eyes. “I beg to disagree,” shesaid. “I think there’s nothing he cares about in this worldmore than you. He almost raised you when your father and Iweren’t there for you, remember?”

“I’m a big girl now, Mom,” I said to her. “But yeah, Travisdid great doing your job!” I knew there were pain and angerin my voice. But I couldn’t help it.

My mother bit her lip, but instead of saying somethingback, she just nodded and then stepped back and joined myother aunts.

“That was
rude,” Chris said behind me.

I sighed. “I know. Disrespectful. But I couldn’t help it. I’mharboring all these bad feelings toward my parents. When Ilost Tom, I lost them, too. They chose to mourn in their ownworlds and left me behind.”

“And this Travis character didn’t leave you behind?”

I shook my head. “He promised my brother he wouldlook out for me. For a while, he was the only family I hadleft.”

“Sounds like a real hero,” he muttered.

I looked back at him. “Chris, please. Don’t! I can’t let youantagonize Travis. He’s too dear to me
he’s like the brotherI found when I lost Tom.”

“We’ve been dating for two years and that name nevercame up,” he said. “And now, he’s all over the place.”

“I always told you about him,” I said.

“Yeah. Formerly known as ‘old friend.’” Chris rolled hiseyes.

“Chris
Travis is like my brother.”

“But he isn’t,” Chris pointed out. “It feels uncomfortableto know that there’s another guy who isn’t a blood relativechecking up on your girlfriend, you know.”

I sighed. Travis had mentioned this to me years ago. Hehad said that not all my boyfriends would understand thekind of relationshÂĄp that we had.

“Travis may not be a relative by blood, but he has beenmore like family to me than any of my blood relatives everwere,” I argued. “Please? Let’s just drop this? I don’t want toargue about Travis. I never had a problem with him being inmy life with any of my previous boyfriends.”

“That’s because your previous boyfriend was a fag,” hemuttered.

“And I’m not going to let you talk about Eric that way,either,” I said to him. “He’s a decent guy.”

Although Chris tried to hide it, I knew that things weren’tperfectly fine. He was quiet on the way home.I invited him to spend the night with me, but he shookhis head. “I have an early meeting tomorrow. It’s best I stayin my apartment. It’s closer to the office. I’ll see you Wednesday.”

I nodded and k-ssed him goodnight. When I closed thedoor, I couldn’t help feeling that something was off betweenus. I wished I would understand exactly what and why.

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