Crumbling Cakes

Part XXIV (24) *POV Bonus*

"Eddie. We have to iron out a few things, shouldn't take long. Although I won't be surprised if Blake corners me." Sebastian leaned against the counter. His arms tense from holding his weight. I tried—and failed—not to stare.

Closing the dishwasher I turned to face him fully. "I wouldn't mind seeing the lush soon."

"Careful. His ears ring at lightspeed when someone even whispers giving him a call." Sebastian joked. "I think I still need a few more days on that one. Haven't exactly recovered from last month's get together..." His head gave a little jerk.

"You ever going to tell me what exactly happened that night?" I pried. Curiosity getting cozy with my wandering eyes. I hadn't forgotten he had muttered something during his hangover and I wanted to know what Blake had said to bring Ronaldo to his knees. I've hung out with him now, and Blake didn't mince words. Which means whatever he said, whatever Sebastian had grumbled, was definitely worth the curiosity.

Sebastian shook his head and made way for the hallway. "Nope. That I'll take to my grave." I followed him to the kitchen entrance so I could watch his retreating back. It was a move that granted me one more grumble from Strawberry Fields. "At least not today."

***

Folding our laundry was the activity of the hour. I tried taking a nap to kill time until Sweets got home, but restlessness wasn't through with me yet. It wasn't until I placed the towels in the linen closet that some monogrammed threads caught my eye. They had been buried all the way at the bottom and gave me the impression that these were a gift that Ronaldo refused to use.

Feeding on my earlier curiosity—the one that was denied me—I opted to take a look around. This was the first time I was really alone in Ronnie's place. I never got the chance to look at all of his photos; we're always together these days. In the living room, I beelined for the frames that caught my eye the first night. The first few frames showed me Ronaldo and Blake. Two troublemakers whose history shined in every smile. There were plenty of other faces in the duo photos. Unfamiliar faces. Friends I assumed they've made along the way. Eddie was the only other person I recognized.

Moving along the wall, I found images of Sebastian with a beautiful dark-haired woman. One at a sports match—I couldn't tell what kind from the angle—and another at a dinner party. In that photo, they were sitting around a table with an older couple. His parents. They were all smiling brightly. The man had a mischievous glint in his eye, a glint that had passed down to Ronnie. But it was the woman's grin he had inherited. Open and beguiling. They even shared the same rogue dimple. But his hair definitely came from Papa McLoughlin. The dark-haired woman cropped up often in images of family get-togethers. Her resemblance to the older couple becoming more prominent.

This must be Eilis. Ronnie had mentioned he was really close with his younger sister. She was the one who popped up unannounced the most. Eilis littered many of the photos gracing these walls.

My theory was confirmed when I reached the collage picture frame. Here he was side by side in a tux with another dark-haired woman in a wedding dress. Several of him with groomsmen. A groom. Another of the family, parent's, siblings. And the theory confirmer being where he had both of his arms around each of the raven beauties. One in a bridesmaid's dress, the other in her white gown. One photo was of them in classic wedding poses. Then a goofy one. Moving over, I spotted a couple of frames missing images. Blank spots staring into the room. It was odd but I brushed it off as just empty frames and not enough pics.

Reaching the end of the picture wall—I had an inkling Eilis was behind this display—I glanced around the room. The condo felt extremely lonely without Sweets. I don't know how he stayed here alone for so long, it started to make sense why he was all gung-ho for me squatting. The library crept into the forefront of my mind. One of three rooms I have yet to explore.