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"It's probably better this way," I said. "When I lived in Paris, you were only a baby. You wouldn't have remembered me."
"I would remember," Christoph said.
"Me too," Annabelle echoed, and they both burrowed closer to my sides as we watched the sky above us change colors in the twilight.
Just as the sky turned dark and the crowd was starting to hum with anticipation of the main event, Brandon, Maurice, and Janette appeared, bearing flashlights.
"Finally!" Janette cried as we scrambled up. "I thought we'd never find you! Skylar, darling, you really should check your cell phone more often."
Maurice and Janette sat in the front of the blanket, with Annabelle and Christoph on either side of them. Maurice made no move to touch either of his children, but I noticed Christoph sidling closer and closer to his father until their knees touched. Only then did the boy sit still.
Brandon landed on the blanket beside me with a huff just as the fireworks began over the water. Even in the din, I didn't miss the way he kept glaring at Maurice and Janette.
"Everything okay?" I asked, nudging his shoulder. "I thought you would be here earlier."
I pressed my nose into the crook of his neck and inhaled. His scent was so calming. Brandon reached a hand to briefly clasp my face to him, then pressed an absent kiss on my cheek before releasing me.
"It's...I'll tell you about it later," he murmured into my ear after another sharp look at Maurice. "But it's safe to say that Maurice and Janette aren't just here on a typical business trip."
I frowned, then dropped my face into a more neutral position when Janette peeked over her shoulder to smile at me.
"I got some vibes like that from the kids at dinner," I muttered while giving her a forced smile. "Why? What happened today?"
Brandon just shook his head and pulled me closer.
"Later," he said again. "I'll tell you later."
We continued to watch the fireworks, but the familiar knot of stress in my stomach constricted again. Would I ever be able to bring anything else to Brandon's life besides family drama? The arm around my shoulder tightened, as if Brandon could feel the tension.
"Hey," he said into my ear. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing I––we––can't handle, okay?"
I could see the fireworks reflected in his eyes, which searched mine for reassurance. He didn't want me to worry, or to bolt, most likely.
"Okay," I said, and moved further into the nook of his shoulder. I only wished my gut felt the same way.
~
