My brother had strongly opposed my relationship with Derick from the start, though he never told me why. Over time, as I gushed endlessly about Derick’s many virtues, he reluctantly came around.
Years ago, when Alanna invited me to study abroad, I chose to stay in the country for graduate school, unwilling to endure a long-distance relationship.
But I had always dreamed of working in an international lab.
This time, there was nothing holding me back. I was finally free to spread my wings and fly.
“Yeah, Alanna’s coming back,” I murmured, a silent understanding passing between us.
My brother, Piers Alvarez, stared at me through the screen, his expression somber. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
“I'll buy you a ticket for tomorrow, okay?”
Tears streamed down my face as I nodded.
Within three minutes, a flight confirmation appeared on my phone: [July 7th, 12:12 a.m.]
It wasn’t just any date. It was Alanna’s birthday.
Derick was meticulous to a fault. He even marked Alanna’s birthday down to the minute.
I’d once found those numbers written on the cover of a locked journal while tidying up the house. Back then, I thought they were scribbled absentmindedly.