“And this one?” He pulls out a tiny stick with a white paper attached to it.
“It, um . . .” picking it up out of his hand, I twirl it in my fingers. Smeared letters cover one side of the worn, triangular paper. I can just make them out.
Do you want to make a castle with me?
My eyes water. It seems like so long ago since I found it on my porch. I guess it made it into my bowl when I was cleaning up one day.
“Do you want to make a sand castle with me?” he asks as Breckin fills a glass of water and brings it over to me.
“Right now?” I twist the tiny flag one more time before setting it down and taking the glass. I take a sip as Brendan looks straight in my eyes.
“Always.”
I spit my water out. “Like?”
“Asra,” he picks the flag back up, “I want to build all the sand castles with you. Every day, for the rest of our lives. I know it’s soon, but –”
“But, we love you, Asra.” Still wearing his sweatpants from our run, Breckin bends down on one knee. “You’re the one. The one that completes us.”
Their words bring tears to my eyes, saying everything that I’ve been feeling.
“Please, will you be the one to make sand castles with us, have breakfast in the mornings with us, and be our summer, forever?”
“Will you marry us, Asra Romanescu?” Breckin pulls a ring out of his pocket. Brendan takes my cup as his brother slides the ring onto my finger.
It’s perfect. A solitary diamond, surrounded by two gems, one green and one blue. “I –” More tears fill my eyes. This can’t be happening, it doesn’t seem real, yet it’s perfect. Perfect for me. Perfect for us. Wiping my eyes, glance between the two of them. Two men, so similar, yet so different. Breckin said I’m the one that completes them, but really, they are the ones that complete me, that helped me find my life. Smiling, I take both of their hands. “Yes, I’ll build sand castles with you.”
“And make pancakes?”
“All the sand castles and all the pancakes.”
Brendan’s smile grows. “With chocolate chips?”
“Is there any other way?”
I laugh as he tackles me. With my back on the couch, I wrap my arms and legs around him as I peer up into his crystal blue eyes. With rough lips, he kisses me. It’s soft and sweet.
“Forever?”
“Forever.” I smile up at him as I pull his lips back to mine. When we break for air, Breckin is right there, tilting my head toward him as he kisses me.
The End