Page 28
“Gabe?” Brenna asks, her blue eyes searching mine. “You gave me the gift of having my Grammy back. Thank you.” She presses her plump lips against mine and well, fuck. I guess I can’t argue with that.
“You know you ain’t gon run this one off, right, bebe?” Mama asks, her shrewd gaze on mine. “Her souls makes you a better man. Embrace the gift she is giving you.”
I dip my chin, the panic still swirling in my gut.
“Wait, you said souls.” Kristie says, her face screwed up in confusion. She’s not the only one. I heard it too.
“You have two,” Dima rumbles, peering at Brenna.
“Ah,” she looks at me, then around the room. “I’m guessing that’s not a thing?”
Mama shakes her head, curiosity written all over her face. She doesn't say a word, her gaze just flickers between Brenna and the space around her. The space I used to watch.
“I don’t know why or how you got two, bebe, all I know is this one? Been with you a long time. Been part of you from the beginning.”
“I’ve never been alone,” Brenna whispers, turning to look at Grammy, her face pale. “Grammy? You always said that to me.”
Grammy shifts in her seat, her pink curls bobbing gently. “Bren, you were always meant to be more.”
“Two souls.” Dima mutters. “They don’t attach where there is one already.”
Mama’s gaze sharpens on Brenna. “Chile,” she says slowly, “who else in your family? Siblings?”
Brenna frowns, “Ah, not that I know of. I’m an only child. I was little when my parents passed and I went to live with Grammy. So just me.” Her shoulders slump. “I did have an imaginary friend, once.” She shrugs.
“Imaginary friends don’t come with their own souls,” Dima rumbles.
“But lost souls do,” Mama says.
“Lost?” I ask.
Mama looks in the direction she knows Grammy to be sitting, gazing right at her. “When Brenna was born, were their two bebes?”
Grammy squirms a little in her seat, her eyes wide and so like Brenna’s. “Grammy?” Brenna whispers, reaching for her hand.
“There was an ultrasound, it was in your baby book your momma kept for you. There were two babies. But only you were born.”
“Shiiiiit,” I whisper out, dipping my chin at Mama. “There were twins, only Brenna was born.”
“You knew that I was never alone. You said that all the time,” Brenna accuses Grammy who grips Bren’s hand tightly.
“I always knew you were meant to be more but I didn’t know how or why. I just knew that you talked to someone who loved you.”
“Your inner voice,” I mutter at the same time Brenna whispers a single name.
“Frank.”
Chapter 12
Brenna
Surprise!
“Oh, no, no you don’t get to just say ‘surprise!’ and that's it!” I huff to myself, jumping up from Gabriel’s knee so I can pace.
This is crazy, right? Right?
Well, not really. I mean, it’s not like this is the first time we’ve ever spoken.
