"Which one would you prefer?"
Richard and Maine were at a local bike shop near their village the next day, to start their project of fixing one of the Faulkersons' bikes. Richard suggested that since it will be the one that Maine would be using to learn how to bike, he would give her free reign on personalizing it.
"Is there anything in yellow?" She asked pointing at one particular seat in front of her. They were currently checking out the kind of seats that were available. The sales rep who was assisting them in the shop presented three different types of seats.
"I'll check out our stockroom if we still have the yellow available," he replied as he added the seat in his list of things to get in their stockroom. "Is there anything else that you need?"
"Where's your paint section?" Richard asked.
The sales rep pointed at an isle and directed them towards the paint section of their store. Then he left them to check all their requests.
They were making progress with the bike parts. Richard suggested that they buy all the parts already so that they could assemble everything when they got back home. So far, all the bike parts that they need were available and in Maine's favorite color.
While the sales rep who was helping them checked for the parts in the stockroom, Richard went over the spray paint section for possible colors for the bike frame and handles. He saw Maine reached out to one canister labelled "Silver".
"Silver goes really well with yellow," Richard said, but Maine noticed a slight frown on his lips. "Especially that particular shade. It will give the frame a shiny finish."
"But you don't like it," Maine stated, slightly worried.
As with Alden before, she liked it when she sees them smile. She hated it so much when she notices a frown on their faces. But with Richard, there was a pang of hurt whenever she sees a frown on his face that she never had with Alden. She wanted to take the frown away, she would give anything for his smile.
"I didn't say that."
"But it's written all over your face," she replied with a frown.
There was a sad smile on Richard's face as he sighed, "silver is Rich's favorite color. I was just reminded of him. That's all."
Maine frowned as she placed the spray paint back on the shelf.
"What about you?" She suddenly asked, looking up at him. "What's your favorite color?"
"Black."
"Black is not a color."
"It's in the box of crayons I used as a kid," he reasoned with a smile. "It's a color."
Maine laughed at his reasoning and he joined in. Her heart did that happy beat when she heard him laugh. It was music to her ears.
The sales rep returned with their orders. All was now accounted for except for the paint for the bike frame.
"Does black go well with yellow?" Maine asked the sales rep as he showed Richard their orders.
"It does, ma'am," he replied. "Especially if you get the one with the glossy finish."
He went to the paint section and chose a particular black shade and showed it to them.
"Two coats of this and your bike would look amazing," he said with a smile.
Richard looked Maine and gave her a questioning look. Maine smiled and nodded that they will get the paint. The sales rep was more than happy to assist. They added a few masks and sand paper for cleaning the frame, then they were all set.
-oo-
Over the next couple of hours, Richard and Maine busied themselves in fixing the bike.
They started sanding the frame and the handle bars, taking out all the rust and the old color. When the frame was clean, Richard handed Maine the spray paint. After giving her a mask, Richard guided her in spray painting the frame. He let Maine hold the canister, while he held her wrist to guide the direction of the paint. Maine was holding the can with both hands so that it was steady. Eventually when Maine got the hand of it, he let her finish painting the frame and the handles, while he started assembling the pedals.
They made good progress. They left the frame and the handles to dry in the garage. Richard and Maine were done with the tires as well, with Richard teaching Maine how to put the interior properly.
Maine was enjoying herself. She had never helped out in any projects when she was younger because of her health. The closest thing that she had ever done was passing tools to her mom or her former nurse, Jenny, when they were gardening before. But they never let her do much of the "heavy lifting". She felt a sense of accomplishment as she was able to help Richard in assembling her first bike.
Richard was a patient teacher, guiding her properly on what to do as he either demonstrate or just instructing her step by step. Richard reached out if he saw that she was having difficulty, but would ask first if she needed help or not. He never took the job from her if she insisted on doing it herself. She never saw him get frustrated with her or sigh in exasperation. She just saw him smile as he watch her do her work.
When they were taking a break and were eating some snacks that Rio provided for them, Maine asked, "whose bike are we restoring?"
"Mine," Richard answered. "Rich's BMX was sold to a neighbor before they moved here. He hated that bike because it reminded him that we were going to be separated. He kept my bike though. I didn't get his logic for keeping my bike and selling his but I just went with it. He used my bike most of the time. Then when I started visiting, we got two mountain bikes. But when I wasn't around, he used my bike more than his own. I was really shocked that he added the seat on my bike."
"We were using your bike before?"
Richard nodded with a sad smile, then continued, "Rich said that it was his way of including me in the bike rides. That was his explanation when he was taking mom around before. It still held true when he was taking you around."
"You miss him," she said, seeing once more the sadness in his eyes.
"Everyday," he stated. He had a faraway look in his eyes. There was a moment of silence before he went on, "even when we were far apart, Rich and I still kept that connection only twins can share. We had that uncanny knack of knowing when one of us was still awake or asleep. And we also usually felt an uncanny sensation at the back of our necks whenever one of us is near. We could never surprise each other because of it."
Maine heard him chuckle at the memory, but the faraway look was still there. Richard was reliving a moment in his life that was etched into his being. He kept that look, like seeing the scene in his head very clearly once more.
Richard narrated, "when Rich had that accident, I woke up in a cold sweat. I had a nightmare. I dreamed that I was hit by an SUV in a street that I wasn't familiar with. I felt the impact and I felt myself flew and hit the pavement hard. I was in pain all over. My back hurts. My head hurts. My neck hurts. But I couldn't move. I heard people rushing towards me. People I don't know. Then I started feeling numb and I blacked out. That's when I woke up.
"I found out a bit later when Mom called that I wasn't dreaming. That I actually felt what Rich felt during the accident. I begged Dad for me to come with him. I needed to see Rich, badly. When that didn't work, I hid his passport so that he had no choice but to let me come with him. And during that time I felt Rich slipping away."
Maine saw the tears fall in Richard's eyes, but she didn't notice her own tears falling. She felt the pang of pain that Richard was feeling. The helplessness that he must have felt about the accident was eating him inside. She knew he was hurting. Even after all these years, he was still hurting. It must have been hard for him to experience the same thing Alden experienced but he was still here and his brother was gone. She knew he was still grieving. He wasn't able to grieve properly before. Maine guessed that this was the only time he was letting it out. He was slowly letting go.
Maine stood from where she was sitting and reached out to Richard. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. She placed her head on top of his, her chin resting on the top if his head. She held him close, as Richard wrapped his arms around her waist and cried.
As their tears subsided, Richard eased himself off Maine's embrace rather reluctantly. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maine reached out and wiped his tears away. He smiled at the gesture, as he also reached out to do the same. He looked up to stare at this amazing girl in front of him and he couldn't help himself but pull her towards him so that his lips met hers in a simple kiss. She didn't resist as she let him pull her close. The kiss was quick but heartfelt.
"Thank you for listening, Maine," he said after he ended the kiss, her forehead rested on his as his hand kept hold of her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek. "I have never told that to anyone. Not even my parents."
"I will always be ready to listen, RJ," she replied. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
Richard smiled at her statement and Maine felt her heart do its happy beat when she saw the smile.
"I think the paint's dry enough," Richard said as he stood and checked the frame and handle. "Are you ready to assemble your bike?"