Trevon Carter

I got home from my last class and immediately sat to do my homework. There was still time before Arthur finished with dance by the time I finished my homework, so I swept the floors and tidied up a bit.

When my phone rang, I expected it to be Arthur, but it wasn't. Brittany was video calling me. I sat on my couch and answered.

"Hi, Brit."

She was in her office at my grandpa's company. She was in the biggest office now. I wasn't sure why my grandpa and dad gave her the biggest office. They said it had something to do with her being the best with investors, but honestly, I hadn't paid much attention when it was explained to me.

"My favorite youngest sibling," she said without any hint of a smile so I wasn't sure if she was being serious or not.

"I thought that was me," Kylie said somewhere off screen. There was shuffling steps and then she appeared behind Brittany's chair.

"You don't count as a younger sibling," Brittany said. "You're only a minute and twenty seven seconds younger than me."

"So I'm still your favorite?" Kylie asked her.

Brittany smiled. "Of course."

This wasn't anything new to me. They've been telling me since I was first brought home from the hospital as a newborn baby that they were each other's favorite and that wasn't ever going to change. I was fine with that. The less I was on their radar the better.

"So," Brittany said as she turned her attention back to me, "how is it going with Arthur?"

"Good," I said.

"Like how good," Kylie said with a smirk that crossed Brittany's face as well. They were doing the creepy identical twin thing without realizing they were doing it.

"Like," I paused to ponder how much I should tell them and how much they really wanted to know. "Like, I love him," I said.

They both squealed at the same time. Brittany dropped the phone onto the desk so I was now looking at the white speckled ceiling. But for the briefest of moments before the phone fell into place, I saw the two of them hugging each other.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked.

There was shuffling before Brittany picked up the phone. She was sitting in her office chair and Kylie was behind her.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Brittany asked.

"You've never been this excited about anyone else I've dated," I said.

Kylie waved a hand dismissively. "They were all losers."

"You haven't met Arthur yet," I said. "How do you know he's so great? I know you don't just take my word for it, otherwise, you would have believed me when I said my past girlfriends were great."

"You never said you loved any of your past girlfriends," Brittany said easily.

My phone buzzed that I had a new text message from Arthur.

I smiled. "I do love him," I said. "He's texting me so I should go."

"Wait a minute," Brittany said in that demanding tone. "We didn't call you just to ask about your boyfriend."

"Why are you calling then?"

"We set a wedding date," Kylie said.

"Next year on Christmas Eve," Brittany said, "we will be marrying Leo and Mark."

"A joint wedding?" I asked.

"Of course," Kylie said. "Would we have it any other way?"

"I guess not," I said.

"You have to be there," Brittany said.

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"And bring Arthur if you are still dating him in a year," Kylie said.

"Bye," they said at the same time and hung up.

I blinked at my phone for several moments. They hadn't let me congratulate them. Whatever. I checked the message from Art.

Beautiful Art: I'm home. Come over. I'm making dinner.

Me: On my way.

Arthur greeted me with a kiss when I arrived at his apartment. He led me to the kitchen where dinner was already waiting.

"My sisters called me tonight," I said as we ate the chicken and vegetables.

"Is that unusual?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "If they want to know something about me, they usually have their fiances call me to find out. They called to tell me they set a wedding date for next year, Christmas Eve."

Arthur clapped his hands eagerly. He held his fork so it made a strange muted clap. "I love weddings. Can I go?"

I smiled at the thought that we would still be together next year. "Yes," I said. "They specifically told me to bring you."

"I wish it was sooner," he said as he turned his attention back to his meal.

When we finished, we went into his living room, but instead of him working on his homework, he said, "Can I show you a small bit of the dance routine Danny and I are working on?"

"Of course," I said. He didn't need to ask. He had already showed me bits of it on his phone and I loved everything I had seen. I expected him to sit next to me on the couch and pull out his phone, but he went and stood in the space between the coffee table and the wall.

He began to hum with his arms outstretched and his feet splayed out. He bent low and leaped gracefully into the air, but not to high or far because he was in a tight space. He turned and reached both arms out as if reaching for someone who wasn't there. I got lost not only in his dancing, but in the tune he was humming as well. His humming voice was beautiful which only made me conclude that his singing voice must be beautiful as well.

When he was finished, he came and sat down next to me with a wide smile on his face. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I think you are beautiful and I could watch you dance all day."

His smile grew wider, but took on a shy quality as well. He bumped my shoulder lightly with his own. "I would love to have you watch me dance all day," he said. "I often picture us in New York with you in the audience watching me on stage and I forget anyone else is there and it's magic."

I had been smiling, but at his words, my lips dropped.

"What is it?" he asked growing serious. His warm hands came up to gently cup my cheeks. "You don't want to watch me dance in New York?"

"I do," I said, "but that might be a little hard when I'm employed with NASA."

"But it's my dream to live and dance in New York," he said. "Don't you want me to live my dream? Please tell me you want to see me dance on stage in New York. Please tell me you'll be there."

But NASA was my dream and had been since I was a little boy. We still had years to work it out though, so instead of saying all that I said, "I'll watch you on stage in New York." But only when I was on vacation. I wasn't going to give up on my dreams of working at NASA.

Arthur smiled satisfied with my answer and pulled out his homework. I read while he did that, but I was distracted. I didn't want either of us to give up our dreams, but did that mean we would have to eventually break up? The thought made dinner roll in my stomach. I didn't want to break up, but I had to work for NASA. I had to. My blood flowed with the need.

The doorbell rang. Arthur set down his homework and looked at me as he slowly got up off his couch.

"Are you expecting someone?" I asked.

He shook his head. I stood, but stayed near the couch as he went and answered the door. Arthur froze when he saw Jackson on the other side. Red, hot anger burned inside my chest, but I didn't move. Jackson hadn't noticed me yet and I wanted Arthur to take action and tell him to leave. What was he even doing here?

"You blocked my number," Jackson said.

"A long time ago," Arthur said quietly as if all the energy had been drained from him.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you."

My hands balled into fists as Arthur continued to speak with him instead of shutting the door in his face.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I tried to tell you this before, but you wouldn't listen to me. I'll get a divorce. I'll leave her. Just please take me back. I love you. I meant every word when I said I would move with you to New York. I want to see you dance on stage. I want to be with you."

I swallowed hard. My stomach twisted violently. I hated him. But Arthur still didn't shut the door in this man's face.

"I don't want you to leave her," Arthur said with more strength in his voice. "I can't be the reason a family falls apart. I won't be the reason your two children don't have a dad around. I don't want you. I don't love you. Leave me alone."

He tried to shut the door and the knot in my chest eased until Jackson's hand pushed the door back open. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Let's just talk," Jackson said, but then I was there and pulled Arthur behind me.

"Don't make him take out a restraining order against you," I said. "Live your life with your family and stop trying to mess up everyone else's lives." I slammed the door in his face and turned to Arthur. "Why did you even talk to him?" I asked. It came out harsher than I intended.

Tears ran down Arthur's cheeks. I wasn't sure how long they had been there. Usually, when he cried, I wanted to hold him and comfort him, but this time it just fueled my anger. How long was he going to cry over this bastard?

"I didn't want to," he whined. "I didn't know it was going to be him." His voice broke at the end. And then he whispered, "At least he means it when he says he wants to see me dance in New York. I could tell you didn't mean it."

The anger washed away as I realized his tears were because of me. I was the bastard who made him cry. I closed the distance between us and wrapped him in my arms. His hands came on my chest and tried to push me away, but it was weak and the next moment he cried into my shoulder. I held him tighter.

"I do mean it, Arthur, beautiful Art. I really do want to see you dance in New York." And I meant it. I just didn't want to live there and I wasn't sure how that was going to work out, but I needed it to.

His tears stopped and his arms wrapped around my waist. He held me closer.

"Don't worry, Arthur. I'll see you dance in New York."