The Aviators

“So, you had to go pick Zacky up? Why the hell did that take half an hour?”

Brian, Michelle and Zacky have just got here and Jimmy is heckling the lead guitarist over the length of time it took them. Brian brushes him off with a shake of his head.

Zacky answers the question though with a scowl on his face. “I was at my aunt’s in Long Beach. I almost forgot about today. Syn called me this morning to remind me.”

Matt and I listen in neither of us commenting as the drummer raises his eyebrows and announces, “That’s not an excuse. I mean, fuck...I don’t use visiting my aunt as an excuse to forget.”

“Shut up, Rev. Your aunt’s dead.” Brian scoffs. I blink at his comment; Matt snorts, rolling his eyes. Michelle frowns and touches Brian’s arm, just as Jimmy pretends to burst into tears.

“Now look what you did.” My twin is scowling at Brian now, as she moves to wrap an arm around the taller man’s shoulders. Jimmy turns and buries his face in Michelle’s long dark hair. She rubs a hand up and down his back.

Brian just throws his hands up in disgust and walks to the chair opposite Matt and I, flopping down on it and flashing a bright smile at me. “Hey there, Chelle’s twin.”

I blush and avert my gaze. But not before catching a glimpse of the tight shirt he’s wearing, that seems to hug every line of his well-defined torso. Brian Haner Jr, aka Synyster Gates is a very stylish man. He and Zacky each have their own clothing lines. I’ve noticed Matt pimping both brands on various occasions. In fact, he’s wearing a Vengeance University tank top today.

Matt squeezes his arm around my waist, and then nods to Brian. “Does Michelle still want to take Val shopping?”

Before Brian can answer, Michelle sits on his lap and glowers at Matt. “You could ask me, Matthew. I’m right here you know.”

I feel Matt stiffen next to me, and when he responds there is tension in his voice. “Yeah. Well. Do you?”

I look at my sister. Michelle purses her lips then meets my eyes, a tight smile appearing on her lips. I wonder what is passing through her mind as she studies me. Her eyes are exactly like mine, the same hue, the same brightness, the same honey-brown stare. Something flickers in their depths and then she turns her eyes back to Matt.

“I think maybe you should ask Val, if she wants to, Matt,” Michelle suggests.

Matt nods and shifts his body on the couch, looking down into my face. “Val, do you want to go with Chelle?”

I look at him wondering if he’s asking because I seriously have a choice, or because he just wants to humour my twin. Nothing in his expression reveals otherwise, but I know what my answer will be.

Smiling, I say, “Of course. I’d like that.”

“Me too!” Jimmy pipes up and runs up and jumps onto my lap. I gasp in shock and push at him ineffectively. He pouts at me. I just blink at him, dumbfounded and a little out of breath.

“Hey!” Matt growls dangerously, and shoves at the drummer, while I try to get my arms out from under him. “Get the fuck off, dumbass. You’re squashing her.”

Jimmy pokes his tongue out at Matt, gives me a quick hug then jumps up and promptly falls on the floor at my feet. I stare at him; he stares back up at me. Then in a quick, agile movement, he flips back onto his feet and stands up, holding his arms up in a triumphant gesture.

“Huzzah!”

Matt groans, shaking his head. “Fucking dork.”

Jimmy smirks, flipping him off. “You know you love me.”

“You’re a dick.” I hear the smile in Matt’s voice though.

I know he loves his friends’ to death. He would do anything for them and I have a feeling the others would do anything for him, and for each other. All of them. I lean my head against Matt’s shoulder; he presses his lips to the top of my head.

Jimmy lowers his arms, sighing. “Well, I’d like to go shopping...but I guess I can’t.”

Brian peeks around Michelle’s body and smirks at the drummer. “No. You gotta stay here and show Shads that piece you were playing at our place the other day.”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s fucking mad. You’ll love it, Shads.” Jimmy flops on a beanbag and proceeds to kick his legs out in front of him. He almost knocks Johnny over as the bassist is about to sit on the only other free seat.

I giggle as Johnny rounds on the drummer and shakes a fist at him. “Jerk.”

Jimmy laughs out loud but then finds something else to distract him. I return my gaze to Michelle who is fiddling with the buckle of her belt. Talking of stylish, she is wearing a black halter neck that accentuates her breasts. The belt she is playing with is made of white leather and perfectly complements the solid blue jeans that hug her shapely legs. I wish I could look like that.

She glances up meeting my eyes; a soft smile passes fleetingly across her face. Matt notices our silent interaction and nudges my shoulder gently.

“You two should get going.”

I hesitate.

He smiles encouragingly. “Go on. We’ll still be here when you get back.”

Michelle hops up from Brian’s lap, clutching her purse in her hands. I look toward her again. She runs fingers through the thick waves of hair that fall around her face. Then she smiles my way. The expression isn’t quite faked, but I sense a hint of force behind it.

“Ready to go?”

I hesitate again; Matt cocks an eyebrow, and smirks. “Jesus. I can’t imagine any chick not being excited to go shopping.”

I bite my lip.

But, surprisingly Michelle jumps in to defend me. “Leave her alone, the last time Val would’ve been shopping with anyone...” She trails off and looks at me then murmurs, “was with me and Mom...when we were four and three-quarters...”

I scrunch up my face then sigh heavily. “I can’t remember.”

Matt sighs roughly, “Chelle, get outta here...and take her. She needs to get out of here.”

Michelle scowls at him, but says nothing to him. Turning to me she smiles again.

“Come on; let’s leave the guys to whatever they need to do.”

I stand and glance back at Matt. The corners of his lips twitch as he jerks his head toward the door. A dismissal of sorts, but I see the smile in his eyes. I give a little wave and pick up my purse before heading for the front door. I hear Matt telling Michelle to be nice, Brian backing him up. It takes a couple of minutes; however, my twin finally pries herself away from the men and joins me outside.

“Phew...those two...” Michelle shakes her head, and then peeks at me. “Come on, I’m driving.”

* * * * *

The clamour and busy-ness of the mall scares me a little. There are so many people. I stay as close to Michelle as I can without stepping on her. To her credit she doesn’t even frown at me. Perhaps she’s more sensitive than I thought. We hurry over to a small coffee shop, where she encourages me to take a seat, dumping the myriad shopping bags that she is carrying onto the floor by my feet.

I watch as she goes to the counter and orders us some hot drinks. Then she comes and sits opposite me, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Though it’s not until we have our drinks in hand does she say anything to me, and when she does I sense that she’s been thinking hard about what she wants to say. “Val, do you remember anything from when we were little?”

I take a sip of the cappuccino she bought me. The slight bitter tang sends a spark of energy to my mind.
Gripping the cup, I think for a moment before responding. “I don’t really know. That’s so long ago. And...so much has happened.”

Michelle purses her lips. “You can’t remember anything at all?”

I blink hard; averting my gaze my eyes fall upon a mother with a little girl who is sitting several tables away from us. The little girl is clowning around on the chair and the mother is attempting to get her to sit still. That gets me to thinking about when I was a little girl, and in all honesty there is only one memory that really sticks out from all the rest.

However, I cannot voice it; it is too close to my heart, too sensitive an experience. Even though Michelle is my sister, my twin, I can’t express what is on the tip of my tongue. I shake my head slowly and rub a hand over my face.

Michelle sighs and looks over to the mother and child as well, a small smile flickering across her face. “That was you once upon a time.”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t you mean you?”

The corner of her lips quirk and she shakes her head as she answers wistfully. “Both of us. We were such...girls.”

Rolling my eyes again, I finish my drink and set the cup down on the table. I knew exactly what she meant. We were both exactly what little girls should be. Dolled up in matching pink dresses, pink shoes, pink socks, and pink ribbons in our hair, we were our parents’ cute little princesses. What it was that changed all that I can’t even remember, and all I can be sure of is that I don’t resent them for deciding to keep Michelle and getting rid of me.

“Yeah, we were, weren’t we?” I give a little shake and glance around the cafe taking in the other customers. There are a couple of elder women sitting across from us discussing the weather; an old man and his grandchild sharing a huge bowl of ice cream at the table next to them; and two burly men wearing baseball caps at the table behind ours. One of them catches me looking and smirks, tilting two fingers to the peak of his cap. I flush and return my gaze to my twin.

Michelle quirks an eyebrow at me. “What?”

I shake my head, tucking a strand of hair behind my left ear. She glances over her shoulder to where I was looking. The same man salutes her, but doesn’t smile this time. She rolls her eyes at him and swivels back to face me.

“Jerk,” she mumbles under her breath.

I giggle. Michelle laughs outright.

“Ah, heck, Val. Wish we could’ve done this years ago...y’know, like sisters should.” She props her elbows against the table, resting her chin on her hands. With a nod she indicates my cup. “Gonna finish that?”

I tilt the saucer her way. “Already done.”

“Heh, shows how much I notice.” She grimaces. “Brian reckons I’m too self absorbed sometimes.”

“I wouldn’t know.” I flash a look at her. “I haven’t met many self-absorbed women.”

“No, I s’pose you wouldn’t have.” Her tone sounds slightly wary now, as if she’s anxious of how the conversation is heading. I sense that she has many unspoken questions, but is hesitant to pry into my private life. In a way, her hesitation mirrors my own. I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about that missing time with her or anyone else. I have still yet to open up about it with Matt.

Michelle leans back against her chair. I shift on mine, noticing from the corner of my eye that the man from the other table has stood and is approaching ours. I tense slightly, doing what I always do, study the guy’s appearance. Beneath his cap several strands of black hair stick haphazardly out at right angles from his face. Cool black eyes narrow as he comes closer.

I tuck my hands in my armpits. He halts next to the table. He’s wearing a grey jacket over a plain white T-shirt, which is giving nothing away. The sleeves are rolled up though, so I can see the brawn of his forearms. He places his hands against the table; it leans slightly at the pressure.

I blink at him. Michelle frowns and presses her lips together. Lifting an eyebrow she waits to see what he wants.

“So. What’re two cuties like you doing here sitting by yourselves?”

“Minding our own business,” Michelle retorts. She tilts her chin toward his table. “What’re two hunks like you, and your buddy, doing together in a coffee shop? Chatting each other up?”

His expression freezes. I catch a vein in his forehead beginning to throb slightly. Michelle’s barb obviously gets to him. He turns his head to stare directly at me. An involuntary shiver runs down my spine. The look in his eyes reminds me of the men who owned me in the past, rough, hard men who care nothing for anyone but themselves.

In truth if it weren’t for the fact that I can swear I’ve never seen the man before I could be forgiven for thinking that he was a man I had encountered in my past.

His lips curve slightly as he looks me up and down. “You got a tongue, sweetcakes?”

I bite at my tongue. He chuckles. Michelle scowls and snaps catching him off guard, “We’re answered for. So, you can just take your ass and sit back down over there.”

The man laughs, deep, amused. “Well, if you change your minds. I’m Joshua. But, if you want me...just ask for JD.” He winks, tosses a card onto the table, and then turns on his heel walking back to his friend.

Michelle rubs at her eyes while looking back at me. I heave a sigh. She laughs a little.

“Well, that...was interesting.” She picks up her purse and sets it on the table in front of her, rifling through it as she keeps talking. “Maybe a little too interesting.”

I don’t respond, my focus on the card he left behind. Turning it so I can read the small print, my skin tingles.

“Joshua Douglas...HeartsRebels?”

“Huh?” Michelle stops rummaging in her bag. “What’s that?”

“The card he left. Look, what do you think that is?” I hand it to her.

She examines it, flipping it over a curious look on her face. “No idea. Toss it. It’s probably fake.”

I nod slightly, but when she’s not looking, I tuck the card in my back pocket. I want to show it to Matt, see if he can figure it out. There’s just something about the way it’s presented that bothers me. It jogs a memory that lurks deep in my mind and I want to get to the bottom of it. It might be nothing, but considering my past, and that call from The Guild earlier, I’m not going to take any chances.

Michelle glances at her watch. “Shit, look at that, we’d better get back. The boys’ll be finished, probably getting into the drink. C’mon.” She stands.

I follow suit. Before she moves to leave I lean over and catch hold of her arm. She pauses and meets my eyes.

“Yeah?”

Clearing my throat and smiling, I whisper, “Thanks for this...I...had fun.”

Michelle’s face softens considerably, as she closes a hand over mine. I blink hard as she murmurs in answer, “We’ll do this again, sis. I promise.”

And with that pledge hanging between us we leave the cafe.

Notes