Page 76 of A Siren Song for Christmas

He wanted to do neither.

He went upstairs and sat in the chair where Trent usually did. He starred into the flames. Eventually they dimmed and died. He stared into the ash and soot.

At some point, he must have fallen asleep in the chair. Images of tears streaking down Trent’s face filled his dreams. He kept hearing Trent’s voice, pleading and declaring that he loved Malachi.

Outside, the bells chimed. He counted. It was almost time to open. Bleary-eyed, Malachi dressed. He went to Kelby’s terrarium. She wasn’t there. He frowned. Maybe she’d managed to go downstairs into the store on her own. Perhaps she was angry with Malachi because he’d hurt Trent and didn’t want to see him.

Throughout the day, he moved through the shop, feeling like a hand gripped his heart. Numbly, he served customers. He cleaned tanks. He tended to his plants. He went through the motions.

But most of the day, he just stared at the arched windows at the front of the emporium, watching the snow fall, desperate to see Trent’s figure appear. Knowing it would not.

The door opened with a low creak. He caught a glimpse of brown hair. For a split second, he thought it might be Trent.

But no. It was one of his brothers.

Because of course Trent wouldn’t return anymore. His siblings would pick up the elothea seeds from now on.

I will never see Trent again.His hands shook.

“Good afternoon.” Malachi walked behind the counter. Shoulders and arms tensing, he pulled out the tank of elothea grass. “Elothea seeds, correct?”

Trent’s brother nodded. “Yes. It’s Leo, by the way.”

When Malachi had met Leo in the bakery, he’d been laughing and smiling. He did neither now. Instead, he stared at Malachi with a hard and unflinching gaze.

Malachi reached into the tank and picked the seeds.

Would Leo tell him how Trent was? Would he berate Malachi for hurting Trent? Would he warn Malachi to stay away? He’d heard that sometimes older siblings did that sort of thing.

But Leo said nothing. Just watched Malachi as he worked. And somehow that felt worse.

The tension coiled tighter and tighter in his gut. All Malachi could see in his mind was the crying, beautiful young man fleeing his room the night before.

Was Trent okay? Was he eating enough? Drinking enough? Did he get enough sleep?

But Leo said nothing as he watched Malachi examine and package the seeds.

“That’s 110 bells.” Malachi slid the envelope containing the seeds across the counter.

Leo placed the coins on the table and reached for the envelope.

“How is he?” Malachi blurted.

Leo picked up the envelope and tucked it in his coat pocket. He met Malachi’s gaze, brown eyes hard. “Heartbroken. You broke his heart.”

Malachi’s lungs constricted. He recoiled. Then Leo turned and walked towards the door. He paused and looked back. “I’m meant to tell you that Kelby is with Trent.”

“What?” Malachi blinked.

“Apparently, Trent found Kelby in his pocket when he got home. Did you want her back?”

Malachi did. He didn’t want to have lost both Kelby and Trent in the same night. But perhaps she sensed Trent needed her. Or perhaps she didn’t want to be around Malachi after he had hurt Trent.

“She can stay with him.”

“I’ll tell him that.” Then Leo left.

Malachi stood where he was for several minutes, staring at the door.