Always Remember

hear the hurt echoing in it.
    “It ’s hard to understand his pain. Alec and his Dad… They were close,” Jen explains softly. “They were like… Siamese twins close. Whether it was surfing, fishing, whatever, they did it together. The night his Dad died, a little piece of him died, too. This is the one day each year he allows himself, the one day each year he lets himself really feel that loss.”
    “I wish I could take it away from him,” Lexy whispers, laying her head on the back of the chair. “ I can’t imagine his pain. I wish I could at least share it with him so it wouldn’t be such a burden.”
    I lean over and wrap an arm around her shoulders, letting her rest her head against me instead. She sniffs a little, and I squeeze her. “He ’s lucky to have you, y’know. And I’m not just saying that ‘cause I’m your brother. He’s lucky he has someone that loves him as much as you do.”
    “And to think of the damn fight she put up!” Jen shakes her head. “I thought I was gonna have to lock them in broom cupboard somewhere until she finally gave in and pulled down her panties for him.”
    I roll my eyes, but her words elicit a half-laugh, half-sob from Lexy.
    “You would have, too,” she mutters in response. “I didn’t think he’d come back to London with us. I still can’t believe he has sometimes.”
    “Which is why sitting here sulking at us isn ’t helping,” Jen sings. I glance at her, knowing what she’s thinking.
    “Jen-” I warn.
    She holds her hand up. “You need to go and tell him you want to be there.”
    “He told me not to come over after classes. Which is why I ’m here. And not there.” She sighs again.
    Jen grins and stands up.
    “What are you doing?” I look up at her.
    “I ’m going to see Alec.” She shrugs a shoulder. “Hey. Don’t look at me like that!”
    “I ’m not looking at you like anything, babe.” I grab her hand and tug her closer to me. “But I don’t think you should go if he wants to be alone. You know what Alec is like-”
    “ Exactamundoooo,” she sings. “I’ve known him all my life. Besides, he didn’t say I couldn’t go over.” She glances at Lexy and winks. “So don’t worry, Samuel.”
    She bends down and kisses me quickly, skipping off towards the house.
    “Uh, Jen?” Lexy calls. “How are you getting there?”
    “Good point,” I mumble, turning my head round. “How are you getting there?”
    Jen pauses at the doors. She digs her hand into her pocket and turns slowly, a grin spreading across her face. My keys jingle from her fingers. “I ’m borrowing your car, Sam, darling.”
    “I ’m pretty sure you’re supposed to ask if you want to borrow something,” I tell her, smirking slightly.
    “Fine.” She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Please may I borrow your car to go and see Alec, your almost definite future brother-in-law, Samuel, darling?” she asks in a sweet tone and batters her eyelashes.
    Lexy giggles into her hand, sitting up, and I can’t help but laugh. I lean over the back of my chair.
    “What ’s in it for me?” I waggle my eyebrows suggestively.
    “I ’m not spilling all my secrets to you!” Jen winks and runs into the house before I can respond.
    “Bitch,” I grumble, sitting down.
    “It’s why we all love her.” Lexy smiles at me, reaching for her drink.
    My lips curl up at one side, and I look out at the garden. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

JEN

    I rap my knuckles against Alec ’s door loudly. He doesn’t answer, so I knock again. Even louder.
    Still no answer.
    “Alec Johnson you get your mopey ass to this door right this second!” I yell through his letterbox. “I mean it.”
    “I ’m not in,” he calls back.
    “Nice try, dumbass. Open the damn door before I open it myself!”
    “It’s unlocked.”
    I try the handle and the door swings open. Huh. Maybe I should have tried that first…
    I walk into his flat, and he’s lying on the sofa in casual clothes. I raise an eyebrow when I see he’s watching Antique Roadshow.
    “Any reason you ’re watching this crap?” I ask.
    “I ’m not watching it. It’s just there,” he says dully.
    I huff and stomp across the room, pressing the off button on his television. I turn, my eyes locking onto his, and walk towards him. I grab his arms and pull him up, grunting.
    “Jesus freaking Christ, Alec, what are you made of? Granite?” I poke his arm. “Yep, that’s damn granite right there.”
    He sighs and pushes