The Harper Brothers (Wattpad Version)

Ice cream

Valentine

After lunch, we headed out to the cars. I took Pat, Romeo, and Leokadia in my vehicle. Our brothers rode with Ma and Dad.

"So, Leokadia. What kind of ice cream do you like?"
Romeo asked.

Pat and I glanced at each other.

"I like sundaes."

"Do you like whip cream?"

"It's okay."

"What about cherries?"

"I'm not a fan."

"Val likes cherries."

I gripped the steering wheel.

"Romeo, Val can take or leave cherries," Pat said.

"Yeah, but he loves cherries."

"And he loves fruit. What's your point?"

"Cherries are prominent in Michigan."

"So are apples."

"But we have used more cherries than apples."

"No, we don't. When has Ma made anything with cherries?"

Romeo groaned. I smirked and pulled into the parking lot. We exited the vehicle and strolled to the counter.

"What can I get you?" The girl asked.

"Give me a Heath blizzard, a hot fudge sundae minus cherries, a strawberry parfait, and a vanilla cone," I said.

"Coming up." She closed the door and gathered my order.

"Who gets what?" Leokadia asked.

"Romeo gets parfait, Pat gets a blizzard, and I get a cone."

"Don't you like to try different things?"

"I'm not a fan of sweets." I shrugged.

The girl returned with our order, and I handed her cash. She gave me my change. We sat down at a table and ate ice cream.

"Okay, Val works in construction. What do you do?"
Leokadia asked my brothers.

"I take online school courses," Pat said.

"And I'm studying massage therapy," Romeo said.

"What about Rafe and Marty?"

"Rafe is a senior, and Marty is a junior in high school," I replied.

"And you live at home."

"It's better financially than moving out into a place you can't afford. Plus, I'm learning the trade so I can build a house."

"What about you? What are your plans?" Romeo asked Leokadia.

"I want to graduate high school and search for my mom."

We stopped eating.

"I figure I could work and stash some money to hire someone."

"What would you say to your mom if you found her?" Romeo asked.

"I would ask if she had been searching for me. Did she think someone took me? Did she miss me?"

"What about your dad?" Pat asked.

"I didn't know my dad." Leokadia shrugged.

That was the first time my brothers shut their traps. Good. They have a habit of poking their noses into other people's business like mine.