59- A Brother’s Call

"I'm safe and don't want to talk yet," Tau said as he lowered his phone, "And sent. Now he can tell everyone that Dylan is fine. That I'm fine."

"Expect a reply to that. There's no way this is going to be that easy," Quayleigh replied as she crawled up into his lap. "You're almost gone now."

"It's for the best. Others may find it strange that you tend to look above my head with such adoration."

"Yeah, they probably would," she replied with a giggle. "It would be even stranger though, if they could see what I see."

He chuckled along with her. "My dear, there would be panic in the streets if others saw what you see." His hand glided to her cheek and swept several strands of wayward hair back behind her ear. "This world is no place for a sen'awan'qachi to be walking around out in the open."

"No, it isn't, but what I wouldn't do to see that happen. To be able to hold you and be with you, the same way I am now; that sounds ludicrous when I say it out loud. But I don't know how else to put it," she remarked as she lifted his hand and pressed her palm to his, stretching out his fingers before weaving them together.

"You said it beautifully. And don't think you're the only one who wishes they could touch you with their own hands. As much as I can feel, smell, hold, and touch you now, I still feel disconnected. As much as this body has become mine, it still doesn't feel as if I belong in it."

"It makes sense, considering how you look," she replied wrapping her arms around his neck as his phone faintly chimed. "You should probably get that."

"Get what?"

"Your phone. That noise was most likely your brother's reply."

"Oh, is that what that noise means?" he asked as he picked up his phone.

"Yeah, what did you think it meant?"

"I had no idea. It's faint enough that normally I can't hear it, especially if I leave it in my pocket."

"You can always turn up the volume."

"While I'm getting better at using this thing, I don't believe I've gotten that far yet," he replied as he unlocked the screen. "Are you serious, Dylan? The families worried. Call Mother. Now."

"And he wonders why you didn't text sooner," Quayleigh said with a sympathetic grin.

"You started this. I was perfectly fine with ignoring them all."

"Give me the phone," she requested, holding her hand out towards him, to in which, he placed it.

Scrolling through the previous messages, she noted, "The two of you don't talk much. There are months between messages, and both of you just get right to the point. Three words or less from you. Most of the time. Actually, ignoring this might be for the best. Your other brother though," she said as she scrolled through his other messages, "seems to be the one Dylan had the best relationship with. They texted almost every day until just over a year ago."

"When Francesca died?"

"Yeah, and it looks like he's the one who didn't want to talk to Dylan, at least for a while anyways. Then there's an apology, and he asks about how he's doing. Dylan replied that he was getting better, but still struggling with the day to day. No surprise there. They never go back to daily texts, but this is also around the time that he starts ignoring the phone calls. I suspect, Dylan was too busy trying to figure out how to make things right."

"If Dylan was closer to Caoimhín then Kyffin, then I may be able to learn more from him. He might even be more willing to understand the situation. That also makes me think that trying to act like Dylan may be a mistake like it was with Yechiel. While Dylan's family will certainly notice the personality differences, I can't see how that doesn't confirm our story."

"Agreed. I think it's better than pretending and getting something wrong and it will be easier to explain the discrepancies when somethings off. That being said, calling your mother is probably not the thing to do right now. But your brother is a different matter entirely."

Tau nodded. "But there is still one matter left to discuss before you go making calls on my behalf."

"And what's that?" she asked as she lowered the phone, wanting to give him her full attention.

"You. How do we explain you to them? With Yechiel, time had given the solution. He had no reason to doubt. Dylan's family may not be so believing of our story. They may not even believe that I was the one who sought you out."

"They definitely aren't going to believe that we're a couple this quickly regardless. Especially if we stick to the story that we only met five days ago. Probably should have thought that story through a bit better. There's also the issue of having no call history between us. I'm not even a contact in your phone. At least that I can remedy," she remarked as she looked down at the phone in her hand. "Thankfully, my number's just a landline, so no need to worry about having no text history. Not that any of this is going to hold up if someone pulls my phone records. It's not perfect, but on the surface it's better than nothing."

"Things don't have to be perfect. I shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone. When I tell them, 'This is my fault', they should take me at my word. If I say, 'I've known her for months', they should believe me. And if they don't, I've no issue with continuing to ignore them. I'd rather that all of this remain as uncomplicated as possible."

"So, would I. But your parents are wealthy, powerful people, and people like me, we don't fare well against them. As soon as they find out we're involved, they're going to do a background check on me. They're going to discover all about what's happened to me, probably easier than Yechiel did. And the only thing I'm wondering, is if that will happen before or after, they demand that we don't ever see each other ever again."

"Quayleigh," Tau said as he pressed his hands to her cheeks, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Or they could be nothing like you think they are. They may surprise you."

"I really hope you're right," she replied as he pulled her down to his shoulder before wrapping her in his arms.

"So am I," he whispered as he kissed her forehead before resting his cheek against it.

As she snuggled against him, she worked on his phone, deleting his phones call history, and adding her contact information, before reading through the various other text logs, and skimming through the pictures in hopes of getting a better understanding of who he was.

"He even kept the texts from Francesca," she muttered as she backed out of the text log. "Not reading through those; little too personal."

"Yes, it's best to leave those be. They mean something to him, just like all of these photos. He can hide them away, but they still matter. It would be wrong of me to delete them, simply because they mean nothing to me," he remarked as he lifted the phone from her hand.

"Hey, I wasn't quite done with that," she said making no effort to grab it back.

"How do I take a picture with this?"

"Press that icon," she said as she pointed it out.

Pressing where she had indicated, the camera turned on. Holding out the phone he aimed it at the two of them.

"Please don't," she said, turning her face into his shoulder and blocking it with her hand.

"I'm sorry. It's just that there are so many pictures of him and Francesca together, because she mattered to him, that I want one of you and I together, because you matter to me," he said as he lowered the phone. "That and look," he whispered as he prodded her with his nose, "this is what we look like, when we're together."

Lowering her hand, she looked up at him, "Promise you won't take the picture?"

"Promise."

"Okay."

Taking a breath, she turned as he lifted the camera back into position.

"Do you see? We look just as happy," he said as she smiled to the sight of them. "This must be why he has so many."

Covering over her scar with her hand, she stared up at the screen, watching the way Tau was watching her.

"Look at the camera," she said as she reached up, and as soon as he had turned his head, she tapped the screen and took the picture. "There, now it's yours."

"It's perfect. Thank you," he said as his phone began to ring.

"Shit," she groaned as she took the phone from him. "What a way to ruin a perfect moment. Hello, Caoimhín?"

"Yes. Hello. Who is this? Where's my brother?"

She pulled the phone back from her ear given the way he was shouting.

"He's here. I'm going to put you on speaker."

"Fine."

Putting the phone on speaker, she held it up between her and Tau. "Can you hear me alright?"

"Yes. Now who are you and where is my brother?"

Tau looked at Quayleigh who gave him a 'go ahead' nod. "I'm here."

"Dylan? Is that really you?"

"Yes," he replied reluctantly.

"Where are you?"

"I'm sorry but before this goes any further…"

"Right," Caoimhín interrupted, "Who the hell are you and what have you done to my brother?"

"First off, I haven't done anything to Dylan, and if you would calm down for a minute, I'd be happy to explain everything to you."

"I'd rather hear it from him."

"And you will, but there's something you need to know before the two of you talk."

"OH, and what's that?" he questioned, his voice full of anger and spite.

"If you truly are my brother, you will hear what she has to say," Tau stated as he stared down at the phone in her hand.

"What's that supposed to mean? Who else would I be Dyl?"

"That's the thing I'm trying to explain. He wouldn't know. There was an accident."

"What kind of an accident?" He cut her off again. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you okay Dyl?"

"Physically he's fine."

"I wasn't asking you! Go away and let me speak to my brother!"

"Well, if that isn't enough to prove that I couldn't possibly be surprised…" she muttered as she looked over the phone at Tau with her brows lifted.

His eyes saddened as he took the phone from her, Caoimhín's voice echoing through the speakers, "What does that even mean?"

"Thought you weren't talking to me?" Quayleigh replied with a smirk.

"Oh, aren't you funny!"

"And aren't you just another self-entitled prick. You want answers, then calm down, shut up, and listen. Then I will leave the two of you to talk," she waited a few seconds and when she got no reply she continued. "My name is Quayleigh, and I'm with Dylan because some time ago, he wiped out nearly all of his memories. I wanted to prepare you, to let you know, that he doesn't remember you."

"Bullshit. Dyl, are you okay? Is this crazy bitch holding you captive or something? Forcing you to lie about this? I mean it has to be bullshit, right Dyl?"

"It's not. She isn't lying about any of it. I don't remember who you are. I had her answer the phone because she was the one who insisted that I speak with someone in the family, and you happened to be the one that called." He spoke stiffly and at the phone in an uncertain manner as Quayleigh took it back from him.

"You don't have to yell at it." She gave him a quite reminder.

"Sorry, I'm still learning how it all works. As for Quayleigh, you will apologize."

"No, I won't. I don't believe a word of anything of this. How did this supposed accident happen? Was she with you when it did?"

"Enough," Tau stated as he glared at the phone. "Your accusations are unfounded. Whatever happened, I did it to myself."

"Dammit Dylan, where are you?"

"Currently, I'm at the condo."

"Then wait there. I'm on my way over."

"What time do we have to leave?" Tau asked as he turned and looked at Quayleigh.

"I'll be there in five minutes. I'm in the building two doors down."

"It's okay. We'll be waiting," Quayleigh replied.

"Fine. I'll be there in a minute. Bye," Caoimhín said, and the call ended.

"That could have gone better," she snickered as she put the phone on the couch. "As for when I have to leave, I need to be out of here by a quarter after, so a little over a half hour from now. You, however, are more than capable of staying here for as long as you want. I have no doubt that you can have the guy downstairs call you a taxi when you're ready to come home. There is really only one rule, and this goes for you to Uru; because yes, I know you're hiding around here somewhere; No killing family members! That should go without saying, but I wanted to make myself clear."

"Uru is going to stay with you, so you don't need to worry about him. And I'm going to be just fine," he replied as he reached over and picked up her eye patch, holding it out to her. "You, however; are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," she replied as she took her eyepatch from him. "I've dealt with people like him before. Angry and lashing out at the easiest target. I'm hoping things are different once he gets here and sees that you aren't being held captive or being taken advantage of."

"Well, technically I am being held captive, but it most certainly is not by you."

"You have me there," she replied with a gentle smile as she put on her eye patch and began to clean up the photos, placing them back into the box.

"Should I tell him that I'm living with you?"

"That's up to you. You're Dylan now, and you need to decide for yourself how you're going to be him. All I can really say is, be careful. Be guarded, but honest. And if he wants you to see the rest of your family, I would tell him that you just aren't ready to deal with all of that yet, and ease into it as best you can."

"Not far from the truth," he remarked as his phone began to ring. "Hello?" he paused and listened. "Yes. Please, let him up." He paused again before saying, "thank you," and hanging up the phone. "He's here."

"You got this," she said as she leaned over and kissed him.

"Just can't get any time alone, can we?" he posed the rhetorical question as she stood up and felt his hand grasp at her wrist.

Turning around she looked down at him and smiled softly. "I was thinking the exact same thing, but all of this is temporary. We're going to have plenty of time alone together," she said as a furious knock came to the door, "so much so, that you're bound to get sick of me."

Tau laughed as she slipped her hand from his and headed towards the door. "My dear Quayleigh, there isn't enough time left in eternity for such a thing to happen."