30-Something Reality

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SHANNON'S POV

She looked so lost as she explained everything... I felt like she had heard everything; every fight Jared and I had over her and Jeanette. Neither of us had ever expected to find girls like them and neither of us could figure out which one we liked more. So when we were alone with Siren we had talked several times. The look in her eyes as she stood there and confirmed everything with simple words. But who was Connie? Something in her eyes broke when she said that name. I needed to talk to her... Somewhere alone; just her and I. Slowly I pulled away from her and just covered my face and took a deep breath. I played it off and grabbed my drum sticks off the side of my drum kit.

"Can we talk alone for a few minutes?" My brother looked over at Siren. I knew what he was planning, the same thing I was probably. "You look like you need something cold to drink and to just sit down for a few minutes and let everything process. We are not trying to over-whelm you." He softly touched her face as he spoke. I saw her break as she looked into his eyes.  Then suddenly she turned away from him.

"Jared, as much as I have dreamed of you for 20 years even being that close to me, I have to talk to Shannon if you don't mind." Siren smiled as she hugged her sister and looked over at Jared. "Besides, I know Jeanette could probably use something to eat maybe a bottle of water. I know she hasn't eaten yet today, now I know why...And to be honest, I haven't been much company lately and she would probably love to hang out with someone who hasn't been completely destroyed for the last two years."

Suddenly she turned to Tomo, Vickie, and Brady. She was calm and completely put together, business side. I chuckle to myself quietly.

"Brady, you have no idea how incredible this day to meet you has been. And that fact you carried me in here," She smiled.

"Siren, it is time you knew the beauty we see in you. You are a talented woman and Kasey called me and told me I had to meet you. She had done the research on your work and found your college self portrait album from the class you two had taken at the same college in different time slots. Apparently you had given permission for it to be used as a teaching tool or model." Brady laughed. "Kasey has been a long time friend of mine. My daughter has the greatest nanny in the world when she isn't being a nurse. She showed me a few photos she found you had published and some portraits you had done." Brady stopped, "BEFORE the accident might I add. I was going to call you to book a shoot for my daughter." He smiled.

"Siren as we had said earlier; we spotted you because you were taking a photo that morning and we had already basically run into you three times already that morning." I smiled as I put my left hand on her right shoulder. Slowly I turned her to face me, "There was something just calling about you." I smiled.

Siren looked at me with a look on her face of pure adoration. Her eyes filled with tears that didn't fall until she closed her eyes and smiled. Softly she took a long deep breath and as she opened her eyes to look at me I knew I was head over heals for a girl I only knew from the things I had been told. I now could see the heart she had and I was totally taken by her. I slowly put my hands around her face with my thumbs up under her chin.

"Then I am guessing by the look in your eyes and from what you have said you shouldn't be shocked by what happens next." I smiled and leaned down so close to her face she and I were inches apart. I looked into her blue gray eyes and spoke my heart, "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you aren't just a photographer on this tour. I want to see the world through your camera's view."  I leaned even closer so that I could whisper in her ear, "If you let Jared win your heart before I can I might be a little bit hurt." I softly kissed the left side of her face as I leaned her up to me slightly.

"Shannon," I hear her almost whimper, "Seriously? For real?" Her eyes flooded once again.

I pull her to me and we walk over to the stairs. I sit her down on the top stair to the stage and just hold her as she cries. "Siren, how is it so hard to believe someone like me or even my brother might actually want to be with you? He and I have been driving everyone nuts talking about you and your sister since the day of the..."

"Shannon, I was in a coma and everything seemed so real." She managed to speak as I held her even closer until she started pulling away. Siren wiped her face and looked me directly in the eyes. "Her name was Victoria Constance Leto, she was our daughter and we were engaged to be married."

I thought of nothing, I just acted... I grabbed Siren's face into my hands and kissed her.