Destiny Rose Young || A Paul Lahote Love Story

Chapter 3

The next few days were Hell. The boys constant presence helped, but I was angry and grieving and that was a deadly combination.

I was helping Emily make dinner five days after the funeral, and I could tell my tense body language was setting Em on edge too. Alex walked into the kitchen, causing me to look up at him.

“Come here,” he said. He's my twin brother, obviously he knows when I'm at my worst.

“What?” I asked.

“We need to talk,” he said.

“I'd rather not,” I said, setting down the knife in my hand.

“Go,” Emily said sternly.

“Fine,” I said, walking out the door and towards the road with my brother.

“Look, I know you’re mad Dest, but you have to stop,” he said.

“Alex, how am I supposed to be stop being mad at him? He abused you all and then told you that I was being punished by the gods enough, so he didn’t need to punish me,” I said. I felt the all too familiar sting of tears as I came close to having a breakdown right there on the road.

Alex stopped and turned to look at me. “I know it’s going to be hard, but I’m not angry about it anymore. It stopped a few months ago. You need to find it within yourself to calm down and move on.”

“Alex,” I sobbed, collapsing into his arms.

“Shh,” he whispered while rubbing my back. “It’s gonna be okay Dest. I don’t know when or how, but it’ll all be okay again soon.”

“Alex, why?” I asked.

“I don’t know, Destiny,” he said. “Somethings are just beyond our control.”

“I know, but you’re all such great people. Why is it always the best people that shitty things happen too?” I asked, wiping my eyes and trying to calm down.

“I believe the gods, ancestors, whoever it is that controls our lives. I believe that they only give you battles they know you can win,” he said. “This is just our battle. Just like losing Mom was part of our battles. We have to overcome this and continue on with life.”

“Thanks, Xander,” I said. “You are the greatest twin in the world.”

“You’re welcome Dest,” he said. “Are you ready to go back?” I nodded and he led me back to the house.

As soon as we got inside, Paul was out of his seat and beside me. “Are you okay Destiny?” he asked. I nodded in response, and hugged him gently. We may not have known each other long, but Paul and I are super close. When I released my arms from his waist, I headed over to Emily and Sam.

“I’m sorry,” I said, hugging them each in turn. “For being so angry about everything.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Sam said.

“You’re forgiven,” Emily said calmly. “Um, we were talking, and we think, maybe you two should start school here on Monday.”

“That’s fine,” I said. That’d give us three more days until we had to go to school. It’s April, so it will be almost the end of the year, but it’s fine.

We sat down to eat dinner together, having just enough space for all of us at the table. Paul and Jared made a point of cracking jokes and making Sam the butt of them, which caused my mood to lighten each time I started laughing at them. Alex sat on one side of me, not wanting to leave me alone in my current state, even though I insisted I didn’t need my twin brother to babysit me.