Page 41 of Waggs

Waggs took a breath as he stepped into his brother’s room and the rush of memories nearly felled him like a diseased oak. It was the same way it had been when he was alive. He knew his mom kept it this way so that one day AJ would know his father.

He could smell the aftershave his brother had worn, always joking it made him a sure thing with the ladies. Aaron had been the charmer, the flirt but when he’d met Willow, that all ended. Aaron had told him the night they met she was the one for him, declaring Aiden would love her. The joke had been that he had, and not as he should have. It hadn’t been the fast, hard punch of love that Aaron had felt but had grown over time.

He moved to the dresser and opening it, saw Aaron’s clothes. Running his hand over them, a host of memories ran through is head. His brother hadn’t been perfect, he could be grumpy and was known to sulk, but they’d balanced each other. The thought that someone had deliberately taken that away from him because they didn’t want their illegal activities found out, made him so angry he could hardly see straight.

He glanced around trying to think where Aaron would hide something. The room had the basics, bed, wardrobe, dresser, and desk. The bed was in the corner against the wall, and it took him a moment to remember that it hadn’t always been that way. He used to have his bed by the window, saying he liked to wake up naturally to daylight. When he’d moved the room around, he’d said it was because Willow didn’t like the sun waking her and he’d never questioned it but now he knew different. Willow loved the sun and had her bed by the window.

Moving the dresser aside, Waggs shoved the bed away from the wall and spotted the air vent. Dropping to his knees, he felt adrenaline punch through his blood similar to when he was on a mission. Taking the knife he always carried from his pocket, he unscrewed the cover and pulled it from the wall. Reaching in, he found a stack of papers in a small shoe box. He sat back on his heels and blew out a short breath before he opened the lid.

On the top was the familiar looped handwriting of his twin. It was hard to swallow the emotion as he saw the secret language they’d used as boys to communicate, spelling out his name on the top. It hadn’t been a radical language, just them removing the vowels out of the words but at the time they’d thought it was the best invention ever.

Flipping open the envelope he took out the two sheets of paper and began to read.

Dear Aiden (Second best looking child),

If you found this, you’re either a nosy bastard or I’m dead, and you’re looking for answers. I pray it’s the first, I have so much I want to do and a life I want to live. If it’s the second one, then—damn. I guess you’ll need to live for both of us and I hope you do. I’m sure you figured out that I’ve been looking into Edwards Trucking. I was in the Crowded Cat bar one night when I saw Nick Green talking to Ralph.

It looked off so I followed them and what I found will haunt me forever. A truck full of dead women in one of Edwards trucks. By the looks of them, they’d all died of exposure and they sure as shit weren’t there out of choice or fleeing some foreign dictatorship. These were girls who, before their deaths, had been loved by someone. I have files on a thumb drive with everything I know so far, but I think Ralph might be on to me.

I met him for a drink the other night to try and see if I could get information, but he was closed mouthed and didn’t believe my story about needing extra cash and not caring what I had to do to get it. Use the files, Aide, and stop these motherfuckers from hurting people.

Now that aside, I want to talk about you. I know you, Aide, and you’ll wallow and blame yourself and try to fix everyone else, but I need you to listen to me.

Live your life and be happy. You may have thought you’d hidden it from me, but I know how much you love Willow and not in the way a brother does but the way I do. If I were a better man, I’d step aside so she could be with you. I know she loves you, but she loves me too, and I can’t give her up, I love her too much. You’re a good man, the best of us, and there’s nobody I would want but you to look after Willow when I’m gone. Seeing you two together would be right and I know you’d love her like I do.

Please know I don’t hold a grudge or anger for the way either of you feel about each other. For me, it seems right in some strange way that we’d love the same woman. We did everything else together so why not the most important thing of all? That we’re lucky enough to have earned her love shows how blessed we are.

Love her, build a life with her, and do it with my blessing. I love you, brother, and being your twin has been the greatest gift of my life. Now go live yours, and if you can kick Ralph’s ass, then that would be good too.

Love Aaron (the good-looking twin)

Tears were openly streaming down Waggs face as he read the letter through a blur of grief, relief, and sadness. He’d thought he’d hidden it, but he should’ve known he and Aaron had no secrets. Having his blessing was the final gift from a man who’d given him a best friend from the second he was born.

“Aiden? Oh my, are you okay?”

He turned, wiping the tears from his face with his sleeve to see his mom looking worried in the doorway. He held up the letter for her to see and she crossed to sit next to him on the bed.

“He left me a letter, a bit like the one he left you and Dad and Willow. It’s written in our secret language.”

His mother took it and looked down at it with a sad smile as she leaned into him. “That language drove me nuts until I figured it out.” Her tone was light, but he could hear the sadness behind it.

“He knew about me loving Willow and her loving me back. He gave me his blessing to love her, Mom.”

His mother wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head to her shoulder and he let her, needing that even at his age—to just be held by his mom while he bolstered his emotions.

“Of course, he knew. We all did, and we hated it for you. To love a person who isn’t free to love you back in the same way is the worst. Aaron knew that and hated it too, but he loved her as well.”

“I would never have come between them, Mom. I never would’ve acted on it while he was alive.”

“Oh, silly boy, of course you wouldn’t have. We all know that, and neither would she. Willow is a good girl, and I’m lucky she loves both my boys.”

His mom pulled away and took his hand between both of hers and held it. “But, my darling, as much as it pains me every day, Aaron isn’t here, and you are. You deserve to be happy. So, live your life, love that girl and my grandbaby, and maybe think about giving me some more grandbabies to love on.”

“Jeez, Mom, give us a minute to get used to it first. We haven’t even talked about where we’ll live once this is over.”

“I know but you should consider staying where you are.”

Waggs pulled back, shocked. “Really?”