A/N: Thank you for the reviews, followers and favourites. *kiss*
Grammar error / mistype or wrong spelling / weird sentence or term are all my fault. Sorry.
Disclaimer: Go to the previous chapter
Enjoy!
New York, United State of America
It was a nice sunny afternoon spring in New York City. A sea of people was passing by on the pavement with vehicles noise as the background sound. All of them were busy with their own business, disregarded the dirty air they had been inhaled.
On the side of the crowded city, there were two boys in a supermarket. One was crouching down to decide his snack on the shelf, almost drooling at everything the store had. Whilst the younger one hadn't moved his eyes from the book in his hands since they reached the supermarket, except when he had to pick his tea leaves. He started to feel irritated as his brother couldn't choose any.
"Would you be quick?" the seven years old boy asked with a scowl.
"But it's hard to pick one, you know. I want them all," the older one pouted at him.
"It's just a snack, not a math exam," he deadpanned as he closed his book after remembering the page he was on.
"Says the one who needed twenty minutes to pick a can of tea," the same face boy as his younger brother retorted.
The grumpy brother sighed. "Just hurry up, okay? Or Mrs Ackerman will scold us because she needs her ketchup for dinner."
They were running an errand for their guardian and cook in the orphanage. The truth was, Miss Ackerman ordered the older kids to do it, but they were too lazy and delegated their task to them. And as the new kids in that place and they were being the older ones, the brothers couldn't refuse.
They were sent to an orphanage last winter after their parents died in the snowstorm, but they won't trade it for anything. Their parents had exploited their special abilities and worked them to death. They used the money to satisfy their lifestyle, gambling, and more alcohols, whilst their children didn't eat regularly to the level of malnutrition.
The father was an American and the mother was a Japanese. The children with the same face inherited the dark-blue eyes from the father, and black hair from the mother. Their parents were an epitome of a disaster couple. They fought, cursed, drunk, and had sex in front of the twins. Sometimes with different people.
The twins' names are Eugene and Oliver.
Eugene or Gene is the older and Oliver or Noll for the younger one. They are a pair of identical twins, like a mirror reflection but, they have a different personality. Gene is an easy-going person and always smile, everybody tends to love him instantly. On the other hand, Oliver is a reserved, arrogant, and an unsociable boy.
For the better of words, they were glad to be in an orphanage than their house. The environment wasn't as good as a normal home, but they didn't ask for too much. Just a roof over their heads, decent food to eat, and no one abuses them or their abilities were enough for them.
"Okay, I pick this," Gene held up a bar of chocolate in his hand with a wide grin.
Oliver rolled his eyes. "Let's go," he turned around with a shop basket. "If you had been quick we will be home earlier."
"Oh, come on. You just want to read your book, not give a damn care for the ketchup," Gene said with a knowing look.
"If you know it, then don't waste my time any more than it should be."
They went to the cashier and add their monthly allowance to pay their things. As they walked into the Central Park gate, Gene slowed down his pace with an anxious face. He looked to the right and left warily.
"Noll, do we have to pass this park?" Gene asked petulantly.
Oliver knew why Gene had to stall in the supermarket before. He didn't quite like the atmosphere in the park, especially near the lake. Because of his horrible experience with a spirit from his work he was afraid to repeat it again. One or two spirits weren't a problem for him, but a group of them will freak him out. He would try to cleanse the willing spirit, but the harsh ones were hard for him.
"Yes, we do. Do you want to go through the valleys than the park?" Oliver asked, stopping his track as Gene did.
Gene shook his head furiously. "No, thanks."
"Relax," he said and held his older brother's hand to connect his PK. "I won't let them hurt you again."
To be honest, he felt guilty when Gene was attacked by a spirit whilst he wasn't there to prevent it. Noll wasn't an expressive individual, but Gene knew deep down he had a kind-hearted soul who tried to protect him.
Gene sent the PK back after filtering it and Noll made a transparent barrier for them that no one could see it. They learnt it as they grew up with their abilities and found the connection was really useful for them.
Gene giggled as he felt safe inside Noll's barrier. "Okay. Thank you, my sweet little brother."
Oliver cringed. "Stop using that disgusting tone to me," he put his other hand on his thin sweater pocket.
"Yeah, but you love me," Gene said smugly, wiggling his eyebrows.
"You better mastered your skill to block spirits before I despise you enough to let you go an errand alone," he stated, huffing at his cheerful brother. Not five minutes ago he was scared with the giant park.
"Eh!? So, you admit it that you love me. Aw, my baby brother has grown up," Gene patted his head.
Oliver swatted her hand. "I only three minutes later than you. Don't act like you are much older than me."
"But I AM older than you," the older twin emphasized it, sticking his tongue out childishly.
Not a second later Gene froze as he heard a maniac laughter. He knew the owner of that voice. Oliver took a notice of it and Gene almost glomped at him.
"Well, hello again, Gene," a young female ghost, about twenty-years-old appeared in front of them with a crazy smile. "How are you, darling?"
Now Gene could understand Noll's feeling when someone used that flirty tone by someone you don't like. Didn't mean Noll hates him.
"Go away, Eve!" Gene stomped angrily at the ghost. Eve liked to annoy him every time he was on the west side of the Central Park.
"Her again?" Oliver asked and arched his brow. He couldn't see spirit.
Eve tried to get closer to Gene, but something with some electricity sting stopped her. She hissed, scowling at the other who was smirking as he felt the ghost touch his barrier.
"Yes, her again," Gene answered, glad the barrier kept her at the bay.
Eve wasn't an evil ghost, but she liked to play a prank with the people in the park. She was a prostitute when was still alive and murdered fifty years ago by her psychopath costumer. Gene had offered to help her to move on by finding his body buried under the park. But, Eve rejected that offer because she wasn't ready to leave the living plane and since then she decided to harass the twins, especially Gene.
Who could resist teasing some cute boys?
"Ohhh… the younger brother is protecting my beloved Gene. Isn't he sweet?" Eve purred at Noll, although he couldn't hear her.
That was what Gene said before.
Gene scowled that they had said the same thing about his twin. "You better not mess with him or he will destroy your spirit with his power," he linked his other arm with Naru's.
Eve giggled like a lunatic. "I like to mess with you better than that block of ice. You don't need to be jealous, Gene. I'm all yours, darling," she flirted again with him, her eyes twinkled mischievously.
Gene growled and Eve returned it with her playful growl. Then the ghost laughed again. She was one of a happy ghost, considering the gruesome way she died.
Oliver rolled his eyes as he heard the sound from Gene's throat. His twin was always kind to all spirits, give his best to help them to move on, even the evil one. But, this particular ghost really annoyed him to the point he was boiling inside.
"Come on, we need to get going. Just ignore her," Noll tugged Gene's hand and continued their trip to go back.
"Aw, going already? Come back for me, okaaay~" she shouted at the twins merrily, waving her hand to see them off.
Gene looked back and stick his tongue out.
Eve only giggled at that childish act.
Well, he was a seven years old boy after all.
A lady with a long brown hair and blue-sky eyes was crying at a bench in the Central Park a week after the twins' encounter with Eve. She wore a lavender shirt and peach pants with a pair of white high heels. Her outfit screamed spring, but his eyes hadn't stopped her tears from flowing down.
She came to New York with her husband for his work. Now her husband was in a meeting with his colleagues in America, leaving her in the hotel. But that wasn't the reason she cried in a public place.
At first, she decided to take a walk and she chose the Central Park. She took a detour to a café and bought two sandwiches with some tea before going to the park. As a psychiatrist, her mind flew to observe people there one by one. The lady laughed as a dog came to her, begging for her sandwich with a cute look.
After done with her brunch she sat there, enjoying the breeze whilst sipping her tea. The tea wasn't as good as in England, but it would suffice for now. Her peace moment had to be destroyed by a voice of a child.
"Mommy, daddy, here! We can have a picnic here," a young girl about 6 or 7 years old waved at her parents from under a big tree. She was so happy to find a good spot.
"Cathy, don't run like that. What if you fall down?" her father gave him a soft scold with affection as he was approaching her.
"But if I don't hurry someone might steal the spot," Cathy replied defiantly, grinning as his father only rolled his eyes.
The mother chuckled at their banter. "Stop it you two. Now let's have a picnic, shall we? Cathy, can you help mommy spread the cover?"
"Okay," the blond-haired kid helped her mother, whilst his father was waiting with their picnic basket.
The three of them sat on the cover and Cathy squealed as she saw all the foods her mother had made. "Wow. Mommy, they look delicious."
"I agree, Cat," the father copied his daughter. "You're the best wife I could ever ask for." He kissed his wife so lovingly.
"And the best mommy," her daughter continued, giggling at her parents. She thought they were the best couple ever.
The mother blushed, delighted with her husband and daughter's praise for her. "Geez, you two like to make me embarrassed."
They laughed together like a happy family should.
Not far from them, the lady's eyes on the bench glazed with tears. She had been watching them from the start and felt that scene had incised her heart. That was she has always longed for.
Don't get her wrong, she and her husband were a very happy couple. They had been married for more than ten years and they still loved each other. The fire of their passion and love have never wavered, not even for a second.
But.
She couldn't bring him a perfect family.
She couldn't because her uterus wasn't strong enough to carry a baby and she'd had twice miscarriages. She couldn't bear it anymore and decided to freeze her eggs. It was killing her inside, including her husband who has faithfully always by her side through all of it.
The lady knew that her husband wants some children, or just one. One child, is that too much to ask? There was a time she thought a divorce to free his husband from her, however…
"If you think I married you because you can give me a child, then I will ask Cambridge to take back your degree. I swear to you, I swear to my life, I swear to the law, I swear to God in front of a priest to always love you whatever your condition is, no matter what the circumstances we must face. And no one will break my vow as long as I live, with or without any child. Forever, Luella. Forever."
Her husband wasn't a romantic human being. He was an awkward, stable, but diligent and caring man. So, when he said those words she couldn't help but erase all her bad thoughts to separate from her other half.
He helped her to accept herself.
And she did.
But in this park, alone, with the sight of happy family, she couldn't control her emotions. She was a thirty-two-years old woman, yet she had felt like a-hundred-years old already. She rummaged her pocket, looking for some handkerchief or tissue. But she had none except some changes in it.
"Um… Hello Ma'am, are you okay?"
The lady looked up to see who asked her with eyes full of tears. She met with two pairs of deep blue eyes.
Gene and Oliver needed to go through the park again, but thank goodness it was on the different side so, Eve wouldn't bother him. That was the day of their allowance day and they wanted to buy something for themselves. Gene bought his monthly American comic and Noll bought a book of Paranormal Science about ESP by Martin Davis.
Oliver had to carry their books or his twin will read while walking and harm himself on the way. Gene protested that Noll also did the same before, but Noll ignored it.
"What is it?" Noll asked when Gene stopped in his track, cautious for him.
"Noll, there is a lady crying over there," he pointed to a woman in early thirty, looking down with a broken sob at a bench.
"And?" the younger inquired him to continue, although he knew where this was going to.
Gene turned to him. "What do you think that makes her sad?"
"One that isn't our business," he replied logically.
"I know that," Eugene said exasperatedly. He glanced at Noll with a pleading look to approach her. "It won't take long to see if she were fine or not."
"One look and you know she isn't fine, Gene."
"Yes, I get it, Mr Genius. But she looks so sad, you know. Maybe we can comfort her, just for a little bit," Gene coaxed him again. He won't stop until the end.
After a long contemplation, Oliver sighed heavily. "Fine. But I won't do anything."
"You're the best, Noll," he cheered and pulled her to get closer to the sad lady. They stood in front of her. "Um… Hello Ma'am, are you okay?"
The lady looked up with tears and hurriedly wiped them after gawking at the twins. One had a kind look, the other had a flat expression.
"Ah, yes, I'm okay. I apologise for making a scene," she sniffed, cursing for not having something to dry her tears. "Oh, I'm so embarrassing."
Gene patted her pockets to find the same object as the brown-haired lady, but he also couldn't find any. The most surprising phenomenon of the day was, Noll offered his deep green handkerchief to the lady. Gene had his mouth opened at his brother manner.
Luella smiled at the gesture, wondering how a child who was looking so cold can be considerate. "Thank you, boys. My name is Luella. Nice to meet you." she introduced herself as she was dabbing her eyes.
The cheerful one replied her. "My name Eugene, but you can call me Gene for short," next he pointed his twin. "This is my younger brother. His name is Oliver or Noll. Nice to meet you too"
Their presences were enough to sooth Luella. She thinks that they were so cute. "Thank you for worrying me before."
"No problem, Ma'am. Are you sure you okay?" Gene asked with concern laced his voice.
Luella nodded. "Yes, because both of you I feel better," she said truthfully. "Would you sit down with me?"
"Sure!"
However, Noll elbowed him to give him a sign that he didn't want to. Then they had a conversation through their telepathy.
'What?' Gene asked with some pain on his side.
'You said it won't take long and I don't want to sit down with her,' Noll replied through their link furiously.
'Noll, she is lonely. It won't hurt to accompany her for a while.'
'Gene!'
Luella watched the twins looking at each other and every face they made. It was like they had their secret conversation.
"It's okay if you can't sit down with me. I'm sure you have some business to do."
They turned to her. "No, it's okay. I want to sit with you, Ma'am." To indicated it, Gene sat on Luella's right side, grinning at her. "My brother only wants to read his new book, anyway. He can do it anywhere, anytime."
"Oh." Luella looked at the younger twin sighed at Gene's behaviour. "Then… why don't you sit down and read here? I won't disturb you," she offered and patted on her left side.
Without further comment, Oliver sat on the bench. He pulled his new book from the shopping bag and removed the plastic cover. It took him his fortune to buy it.
"Oh!" Luella couldn't hold her surprise when she saw the book. It was the latest of his husband's book as the author. "You like paranormal thing?"
Oliver glanced at her but soon give his attention to the book. "Yes. Is there any problem?"
"Noll, don't be rude! The lady was asking you nicely," Gene scolded his younger.
"No, not at all. I'm just thinking that you must be very smart to understand the content of the book. Paranormal isn't something easy understand," Luella replied with a sincere look.
"You know about paranormal?"
Oh, Luella got Noll's attention there.
"More or less."
"What do you know about paranormal?"
"Hm… All I can say is paranormal is an unexplainable field. That's why there is paranormal science to explain it," Luella tapped on Noll's book. "The researchers, scientists, and psychics work together to gather all the data to prove that paranormal world exists."
"Wow. You do pretty understand about paranormal, huh," Gene chipped in after hearing the lady.
Luella shrugged, smiling. "Just a little here and there. But, if you are really interested in the paranormal world, that's great I guess."
Oliver looked at her for quite some time before nodded and back to his book. Luella swore she saw his cheeks turned pink there, so did Gene. He snickered at her brother through their telepathy, but the twin ignored him.
Then they all talked about regular things. It was actually only Luella and Gene who chatted actively, whilst Noll had once or twice answered them. They didn't realize the time until Noll saw the clock in the park.
"Gene, we have to go. It's already four," and they have to be home by five.
"Really? I didn't know we lost track of time."
"I'm sorry if I took your time for so long. Your parents must be worried right now. Do you want me to walk you home?"
The twins got up from their seat and again looked at each other. Gene tried to smile sincerely. It had never been easy to say it. "No, you don't have to. We live in an orphanage and it's near, anyway. So, it's okay."
Luella stunned at that. "You are orphans?"
Gene grimaced. "Yeah." He didn't want her pity, that was why he had never said it in their conversation. He only said they live in America since they were born
"Come on, Gene!" Noll urged him as he was walking towards the gate.
"Yes, yes. It's nice to meet you, Ma'am. Bye!" he shouted his farewell and chased after Oliver.
As for Luella, she was silent for a while. "Orphans? Hm…."
