“Roll! Drop it!” I screech, chasing around the little terror who decided my shoe makes for a better chew toy, then all of the expensive—for what they are—ones Cage had bought.

I'm supposed to be getting ready for Cage's and Catch's birthday dinner, taking place at the only fancy restaurant Rushmore has, it's some Italian restaurant that truthfully is pretty basic. I could make a better plain spaghetti and meatballs than they do, and the sauce is always weirdly watery.

Though Mrs. Trevor picked it, go figure.

Luckily we're only staying for dinner, Cage just wanted to do cake with the four of us. We extended the invitation to Catch, but he refused saying he's just planning to go back to his hotel and go to bed early.

I know that was just an excuse, because he still doesn't look like he's been sleeping.

He walks around like an empty shell, eyes to the sky, pondering something. Whenever we all go out—Cage has been trying to get him out of his hotel more—he looks at the faces of every woman we pass who has dark hair.

I think he's looking for someone in all these other people.

There was one time he saw someone, and his head snapped to the right so fast it's amazing he didn't get whiplash. His eyes had flashed with pain, hand clawing at his chest as his breath left him, and he choked out that he'll be right back.

He walked out of The Maple Tree, walked to the side of the building and stayed there.

“I'll be right back.” I had said to Cage, getting up and following after Catch.

I found him leaning against a brick wall hand on his knees as he bent at the waist. I could hear his ragged breathing from feet away, so I walked over to him and gently placed a hand on his back, patting in a soothing rhythm he could line his breathing up with.

“I don't know what happened, and you don't have to tell me. Your secrets are your own. I just wanted you to know that we're all here for you if you want to talk about it. I know there hasn't been a day that has gone by that Cage hasn't missed you, you're his brother he wants, no he needs you here. I know Knox and Kohl are happy getting to know you too, they ask Cage all the time what you like and what you both did when you were their age.” Catch is frozen and still bent at the waist, breathing mildly better than it was when I first walked over.

“I think they would like it better if they heard things like that from you. I'm not going to try and compare raising two kids on my own to whatever you are going through, struggles shouldn't be compared. On the hard days it was Knox and Kohl who made everything better for me, with just a smile from them I realized that no matter how big or small my problems were. They were all worth it to know I have my sons by my side. I just want you to know that you have a family who loves, and would do anything for you. Just remember not to forget that, okay?”

I left him there to collect himself in privacy.

He was still closed off after that day but he has been opening up more and more. He tells Knox and Kohl about all the trouble Cage and he got into when they were the twins' age. The times they set up a tent in woods just off the backyard, after they ran away, and weren't planning to come back.

Their Dad found them an hour later, gave them more blankets in case they got cold, and said breakfast will be on the patio table for them in the morning.

“Knox! Can you help me? Roll will only listen to you.” I pleaded with my son for help, after I went sliding on my socks nearly crashing into an end table.

“Roll! Drop it, now!” Knox demands, and instantly the little troublemaker drops my shoe.

I go over and pick it up between my thumb and forefinger, cringing at all the dog slobber, and tiny little holes now in my shoes.

Well these are ruined.

I toss it down with a sigh, walking back to my room for a different pair of shoes.

I wasn't this frazzled the last time we had dinner with Cage's family, but for some reason I can't shake off this sense of doom. That something is going to happen tonight.

I haven't figured out what it could be, I just hope I'm wrong.

──── • 🧁 • ────

We arrive at the restaurant just as Cage and Catch pull into the parking lot, they hop out of his truck and walk over to us.

Cage gets my door for me, holding a hand out, I take it.

“Happy birthday, Cage.” I step out of my car leaning up to plant a chaste kiss on his lips.

“Thank you, Sugar.”

When Cage gets bombarded with hugs from Knox and Kohl I head over to Catch who stands off to the side. Hands deep in his pockets rocking on his heels, eyes darting around looking like he would rather be anywhere else but here.

“Happy Birthday, Catch.” I place a hand on his forearm, squeezing briefly, then dropping my hand back to my side.

“Thanks,” he mutters.

We make our way into the restaurant Cage and I take up the front Knox and Kohl right behind us, Catch taking up the rear.

“Hello everyone!” The hostess, Maryanne, greets and holds a hand out to the side, in the direction of our table“The rest of your table is already seated, but I don't know if there's enough chairs. Let me ask someone if we could add a couple of more to the table.”

Cage smiles and thanks her, leading our small group to where his family sits.

“There's my boys!” Matt booms, drawing the attention of the other guests. “Come on let me give you both a hug, it's been so long since we've been able to celebrate your birthday like this.”

Matt rounds the table, arms spread wide and wraps them around both of his sons.

Cage smiles, patting his Dad in the back with a laugh, while Catch looks like he could get sick.

“Let me get a picture of you three real quick before we eat.” I offer trying to get Matt to release Catch from his hug, at this point he looks halfway to passing out.

“What a wonderful idea Rory!”

Matt releases them, standing in between them with a hand in each shoulder.

While I'm sure that touch is still making Catch uncomfortable, this has to be better than the bone crushing he was just in.

Going off the slightly grateful look in his eyes, he agreed.

I pull my phone out, snapping a couple of pictures.

“There I'll text them to Cage later and he'll send them to you.” I smile, sliding my phone back into my pocket.

“Thank you, now who's ready to eat?” Matt smiles over at his grandsons that stand on either side of me. “You got a favorite here, Knox and Kohl? Your Dad and Uncle loved to get the chicken Parm, without the marinara sauce.”

“So basically a giant chicken nugget?” Knox states, like that should be obvious.

From the corner of my eyes I see Catch and Cage sharing a small smile, the former looks to be biting back a laugh at his kid's antics.

“I guess you're right, buddy.” Matt pats Knox’s shoulder with a chuckle.

“Aurora,” Lauryn greets sitting beside her husband Ethan who waves with a welcoming smile.

“Lauryn.”

Maryanne shows up with three more chairs adding them to the table. “I hope you all have a lovely meal, and Happy Birthday you two!”

With those parting words Maryanne disappears, and a chill fills the air.

At the end of the table sits Mrs. Trevor, a glass of white wine in hand, slowly being swirled in the glass. Her hazel eyes are colder than the arctic, an evil glint in them, and stares me down with a small smirk.

Like a predator that has just caught a
it's prey, planning to toy with it before devouring it while.

“We wouldn't need to be adding more chairs if you had just listened to me, Cage. I told you I wanted this to be family only, it's been so long since we've shared a meal and Catch was here.” Mrs. Trevor takes a sip of her wine, flashing saddened eyes over to Cage.

I don't think he's buying it though.

“They are family, Knox and Kohl are my sons, and I'm dating Rory.” Cage sighs, already growing weary of his mother and we haven't even sat down yet.

“I want them here.” Catch mumbles, surprising us all.

Kohl grins over at his uncle, going to stand by his side and takes his hand. Catch tenses for a second finger flexing around the small hand in his, then he softens.

His body, his mouth, his eyes.

For the first time since I last saw Catch in middle school, he smiles, a real genuine smile.

“Let's sit down and decide what we want to eat.” Catch says, guiding Kohl over to a chair and taking the spot next to him.

Knox goes to his other side, placing a napkin down on his lap.

“I want what you used to get, Uncle Catch.” Kohl says, barely glancing at his menu.

“I do as well.” Knox adds, throwing a napkin at his brother to place in his lap.

Once again Catch leaves us all in a state of shock, when a full on laugh escapes him, his shoulders hunch over, his body shaking with the force.

Mrs. Trevor freezes, glass only a breath away from her mouth already on her second glass and we haven't even eaten.

Lauryn's eyes slightly tear up at the sound, but quickly she clears her throat, wiggling in her seat adjusting the napkin in her own lap.

“Very well then I guess we're having chicken Parm without marinara sauce.” Lauryn brings her own wine glass to her lips taking a dainty sip.

“Over my dead body.” Mrs. Trevor slams her glass down, and miraculously it doesn't break. “I'm already putting up with that whore’s child sitting here and intruding on my family's dinner. Those boys’ fine, they're part of Cage, but her and now I have to force down flattened fried chicken? In an Italian restaurant?!”

Her voice draws the attention of everyone in the restaurant, disturbing their dinners.

“What are you talking about, Mother?” Lauryn asks, because the rest of us are too stunned to speak.

“Her mother's a whore who stole my Jimmy from me!” Mrs. Trevor picks up her wine glass chucking it at the wall behind me, the glass shatters.

Catch cover the twin the best he can with his body, saving them from the burnt of glass shards that could've hit them. Cage does the same to me, and little pieces fall down on us like rain.

Time stands still for a minute, everyone frozen in place.

Tentatively Cage turns around to look at his mother who stands there glaring at me.

“If only you hadn't been born he would have come back to me!” She falls to the floor bursting into sobs, a hand clutched to her mouth.

I knew I had a bad feeling about this but I never thought lies would be spewed about my mother and my father. I can only blink at Mrs. Trevor, who's slowly starting to gather herself, hazel eyes cold, still twisting her face into something vicious, and ugly.

Out of nowhere she rushes to her feet, and for a second I think she's about to charge at me, but she simply leaves the restaurant, disappearing into the night.

“What just happened?” I whisper, still dazed.

Behind me I can hear Lauryn trying to calm her children down, and Ethan says they should probably get them home.

Knox and Kohl come over to my sides, and I snap out of my daze, hands roaming over their faces, and arms making sure they didn't get cut. I breathe a sigh of relief when I don't spot any injuries.

“Are you okay?” I ask, carefully placing a hand on their cheeks.

Cage stands next to me, worried eyes looking over them and making sure they're fine too.

“Yeah, but I think Uncle Catch got cut…” Kohl points over to Catch, who's finger falls away from his face coming back with blood.

There's a small knick on his cheek, and I rush over to him, Lauryn looks worried over at her brother.

“I got it,” I reassure her, dipping a napkin in a glass of water. “Why don't you get your kids home? I don't think staying here is helping them.”

A thoughtful look flickers in her eyes, then she nods.

“Okay, thank you, Aurora.” Lauryn picks up Patrick, and Ethan does the same with Vivian.

With one last look back, they too disappear into the night.

I carefully dap at the small cut on Catch's cheek, wiping the blood away to get a better look.

“Doesn't look too serious.” I say, opening my purse and pulling out a bandaid. “Hope you're fine with baseballs, they're the only type of band aids I have.”

Catch breathes out a laugh, nodding his head.

“That's fine.”

Cage goes over to Matt who has been frozen, staring off into the night his wife disappeared into.

“Are you okay? Why don't you sit down?” Cage gently takes his father by the arm, guiding him to a chair.

“What just happened?” He whispers, repeating words from earlier.

If only we knew the answer.

──── • 🧁 • ────

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