Her face is imprinted in his memory. Her smile, the lines that form on her forehead when she frowns, and the light of her green eyes reflecting the ocean. Her stare when she saw him with Grace, the single tear running on her face when she walked away, the arms clutched to her stomach in a vain attempt to mend her broken heart. 

Liam lays in bed, with his girlfriend laying next to him, staring at the ceiling, and thinking of her. He doesn't understand what is happening. She's just a girl, like all the others before her, and yet his heart stopped when he saw her that forsaken night. 

He pulls Graces' arm away from his stomach, and gets up, taking his phone with him. Slowly, he slides open the balcony door and makes his way outside, where he can inhale some fresh air, and clear his thoughts. In the skylight, the sun starts to graze the horizon just as it did when it took her to her initiation. He stares at the orchard where they shared intimate moments. He closes his eyes and remembers how at peace he felt when he was holding her. A feeling he has never experienced before. 

He unlocks his phone and scrolls to her number, his finger hovers the green button, hesitantly. 

"Why are you up?" 

Liam shut down his phone and turns around. Grace stands in the doorway wearing one of his t-shirts, a habit she developed since they started seeing each other. 

His relationship with Grace is a mixture of business and pleasure. They met at a function in Sydney four months ago, introduced by Matt's wife. Grace is sophisticated and elegant, beautiful in a classical way, and a perfect fit for the Forsyth's. Her father is one of the most powerful men in Australia and has endorsed Matt's campaign wholeheartedly, especially after Grace and Liam started officially dating and despite Liam's dark past. 

Grace is an easy companion, funny and intelligent, and a good lay too, so the infatuation he has developed for the British girl, twists his brain. 

"What do you think of going away from Byron's Bay for a few days?" she asks. 

Liam takes her in his arms and pecks her on the lips. She doesn't taste the same as Aimee but his brain needs to deregister her flavour.

"Just the two of us?" Liam holds her closer and remembers what it felt to hold Aimee in his arms at the concert. Suddenly, Grace's warmth simply is not enough. 

"I was thinking of inviting some friends."

"Whatever you want," he says. 

"Let me check if Ana is free." Grace removes herself from his embrace and goes inside. Liam holds the white metal bars that steady the balcony and closes his eyes. 

Grace stands near the door with her phone in her hand. "We're having dinner with your brothers tonight. Don't forget," she says while typing a message. 

Liam hums and fixes his eyes at the orchard where he left his heart. 

The following morning, Liam wakes up with Grace's legs intertwined in his torso, and his mind resolute to forget about Aimee. Soon, they are on their way to pick up the rest of the invited party for a weekend of frenzied socialite apparatus. Liam knows that this weekend away presents the perfect opportunity to escape his troubled feelings.  

When Liam parks his car and sees Ana coming out of the hotel room, followed by Callum, his fist clenches around the steering wheel. Forgetting her is an impossible task to accomplish if he has to hang around with her brother. 

"Liam?" Callum says surprised when he arrives at the parking lot. 

"Hey, man, all good?" Liam retorts and stares at the road ahead avoiding further inquiry.

The Gold Coast, located in Queensland, is one of the treasures of the Australian coast. The beaches, surfing spots, and hiking trails are perfect for an escape from reality. The drive from Byron Bay is short but chatty with Grace and Ana quipping about the latest gossip in the fashion world. Liam is surprised that Ana has selected someone like Callum as her voyage partner. Not that Callum is unattractive, in fact, it's the complete opposite. But, he is rather mundane, not wealthy, nor famous, and a complete contrast to all the previous lovers that Ana has ever had.

Liam glances at the back of the car and sees Callum nodding to the girls' conversation but clearly bored to death. Liam is annoyed with his presence. All of his efforts to erase her from his mind are in vain with every trace of his face. Liam stares at him from his rearview mirror and realizes how much the twins actually look alike. Even his chuckle resembles hers. Liam takes a deep breath to control his inner anger towards the unwanted guest. 

"I thought you were on your way to New Zealand." he breaks his silence for the first time that night, after dinner, while the two men are left by themselves at the table while the ladies have taken their leave to powder their noses. 

"So did I. Plans change. Besides, I don't think Aimee would want me there right now."

Liam wonders if he knows what happened between him and his sister, but all signs point to his complete ignorance of the facts. "Who screwed up? You or her?"

Callum plays with the glass of red in his hands. "I guess both. But, I was the bigger asshole."

Liam lowers his eyes to his lap and picks up his napkin and wipes the corners of his mouth. "So, you and Ana?"

Callum smirks and stares at the two ladies exiting from the bathroom, chirping with one another enthusiastically. "We met at the festival and we hit off. I was with her when your girl called her up about the trip. I hope this is not a big imposition."

Liam stares at the ladies approaching and plasters a smile, "Of course, not. Grace wanted to get together with friends." Even though he didn't expect to have been him, of all people in Byron Bay, heck the effing world.

"We were thinking about clubbing. Maybe hit Love Nightlife?" Ana sits and wraps her arm around Callum. "It will be fun."

"Sure, why not?" Liam plasters another smile, faker than the last, dreading the night ahead.

The club is a stylish, upbeat night place, that is popular among the trashy elite of Australia, for the booze, easy hookups, and throbbing lights. The girls immediately make their way to the dance floor, leaving an awkward Callum standing by himself, while Liam greets some acquaintances. 

Liam orders a drink at the bar. He stares at his own reflection in the mirrored bar, and in the background the reflection of her brother, that stands, with his hands in his pockets, leaning by a pillar. 

Liam curses himself and makes his way to Callum. "Let's go. I'll get us a place in the back where we can stay away from the madness." 

Callum nods gratefully and follows Liam to the first floor where they are taken to a velvety rope section that is far away from the loud thumping noise of the ground floor. Once they sit, two girls, skimpily dressed, make their way to the table and open a bottle of whiskey. Liam pours the liquid into the two glasses and hands it to Callum. 

"To new friendships." they both clink their glasses together. 

Callum sips the bronze liquor. "Wow, this is the best whiskey I've ever had."

"Money buys anything, my friend, that you desire."

"Not everything."

Liam knows he is referring to his sister. "What happened between you and your sister?"

Callum snakes his eyes up, surprised with Liam's curiosity, "I came to find my mother. I won't leave this place until I do. Aimee feels differently." Liam sips his whiskey, her name alone makes his heart clench with sorrow. "I actually thought you two... you know... clearly I was wrong..."

Liam's face falters at Callum's revelation, and he remembers his words of caution, the night he fought Matt. "I just taught her to surf" he lies. 

Callum gulps the rest of his whiskey as if he is mustering strength for his next words. "We were always told that we were adopted. We were told that they were in Australia and fell in love with two bubbly babies and decided to adopt us, there and then." 

Callum takes the bottle and pours more liquid on his glass, a bit fuller than it should be. "I used to ask about our real family. Who they were, where they were... and I was always met with the same answer. We don't know. Aimee never asked. She never cared, but I just wanted to know." He gulps the liquid.

"Maybe you should slow down there, buddy," Liam advises.

Callum's eyes are bright as hers, full of frustration and anger. "He was standing right there. Our real father. He lied to us. For all those years, why? Why couldn't he just tell us that he was our real father?" Liam frowns. "I guess Aimee was shocked but happy that her adopted father, is her real father. They always had this bond... but I just want to know, why did he lie."

Liam takes a sip from his drink. "He was your birth father? The Australian?"

Callum nods, "I was harsh with my uncle and my sister, but I can't take any more lies."

Liam thinks of Aimee's eyes filled with tears, her heart was broken twice in one day. "It's not her fault. She must be feeling destroyed as it is, knowing that the person she loved the most, was her own father. That he hid that from you guys. Especially, living with what happened when he died. Living with saying things to a person that she would never see again. She needs your compassion, not your anger."

Callum stares at Liam in surprise. "She told you?" Liam nods. "She never told anyone outside of the family before." 

Liam's heart pangs with hurt with the thought that Aimee exposed her wounds to him, only for him to rip them to pieces. 

"She must really trust you." Callum chuckles, "And, to think that you two couldn't stand each other at first." 

Liam smiles and silently pours himself some liquor, trying to drown the feeling in his gut of guilt and despair. That night, drunk with courage, Liam dials her number. He needs to hear her voice, tell her how much regret his heart is pouring out but his three calls are left unanswered. He hangs his head low and knows that no matter what he will do, he will not forget her. 

*

"Telefona para ela" Ana says to Callum the next day while sitting on the rainbow-coloured dunes that surround them. Callum sighs and gets up while the sun sets on the horizon.

"What happened?" Grace asks.

"He's just trying to work out courage to talk to his sister. They fought and he hasn't spoken to her since she left for New Zealand." Ana says. 

Liam stares intently at Callum that paces around the dunes with his phone clutched to his hand. He gets up and shakes the sand off his body. "I'll talk to him, see if I can help." and walks towards Callum. "You need to press the green button," he says jokingly.

"Yeah?" Callum chuckles.

"I'm sure she will be happy to hear from you. Just make the call. See how she is. How her trip's going."

Callum nods, "I want to introduce her to Ana."

"I'm sure she will be thrilled to meet her."

Callum presses the green phone icon and stands with the camera ready to see his sister. "You want to talk to her?"

Liam stops in his tracks with the unexpected question. Did he? 

"Sure" he stutters, "Just let me know when," he says and walks back to the girls while Callum places the call. He stands awkwardly staring at Grace that is distracted by her phone.

"Hey" he hears Callum in the background.

"We need to make our way back to the Bay tomorrow. My father just set a meeting I need to attend." Grace announces. 

Liam nods and looks back at Callum that is gesturing at Ana to come closer to him. 

"Is that the sister?" Grace asks Liam. 

Liam hums. He observes Grace and thinks how little he cares for her. And, then he thinks of Aimee and realizes how much his heart longs to hear her voice again. 

"Tonight after dinner. We need to talk," he says to Grace. 

"Yeah, sure," she says dismissively. 

Liam stares at Callum that is still talking with her, and Ana that is now walking back to them. He takes a deep breath and pumps himself with assertiveness. "I'm going to say hi to her."

Grace removes her eyes from her phone and stops typing. She observes him and lowers her eyes back to the phone. "Make it quick if we are going to make our reservation." 

Liam makes his way to Callum and he hears her laughter once again through the speaker. His heart swells and he knows that he needs to make it right, somehow. 

"Please pick up the phone when I call you. Please, I beg you." He repeats for the last time before getting the call disconnected by someone else. 

That night, he called her, as promised, but was greeted with an automatic message instead. Her phone was switched off. His girlfriend was sitting inside with her friend, giggling while dining and wining, and Callum by Ana's side. His frame was relaxed as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. On the other hand, Liam stood outside, staring at them and his phone, with his heart heavier than ever before, and a burning desire to jet off to New Zealand and make his way to her.

"Welcome back!" Matt greets Grace and Liam with open arms once they reached Charlies' home. "How was the trip?"

Grace enters the house with her usual poise. "Fantastic. Great time, with great friends." 

Liam drops their bags on the floor and stares at the piano where he saw her play.

"Welcome back, brother!" Charlie greets with a warm embrace.

"Thank you," Liam says without deviating his eyes from the piano. 

The night sets and Liam dials her number once again, while he stares at the orchard. 

"Beer?" Charlie walks out and hands him a beer. Liam puts the phone back in his front pocket and takes the beer. "You had fun up there?"

Liam cracks open the beer with his hand. "Yeah, I guess."

"Beautiful out there, isn't it?" Liam nods and stares at the space where he was with her, wishing he could repeat it. "What are you doing man?" Liam is taken aback by his brother's question. "Listen, bro, I love you, and we all know that you have done some messed up things before, but what are you doing with Grace?"

Liam rocks his body uneasily. "Don't know what you mean."

Charlie pats him on his shoulder. "You took her to your special place in the orchard. You've never done that before. And, I'm certain you've never done that with Grace."

Liam's body stiffens, "You saw us?"

"We didn't know Grace was coming with mom and dad. If we did, Eva wouldn't make the offer for her to stay for dinner."

"Who else saw us?"

Charlie squeezes his shoulder. "Just us. That's when it hit us, how much you like this girl." Liam lowers his eyes. "But, you need to get your shit together. Eva was furious with you. She told me Aimee was shaking when she left her back in the Fig Tree. She won't take it well if you hurt that girl again."

"And, Matt? He won't be happy if he loses his precious endorsement."

Charlie chuckles, "I'll handle Matt. You make it right for both girls."

Liam hunches on the balcony. "She probably will never speak with me again."

Charlie looks at the horizon. "That's a risk you need to take."

*

Liam takes his spot and gazes at the rolling waves. He can hear her laughter, her frustrated grunts, her cheerful screams, and bawls of anger. He can feel all the emotions she displayed with him since he laid eyes on her for the first time in the water. He never disclosed to her how he saw her in the water paddling furiously, trying to break free from something within, how she went for him in the car park, and how she looked when he drove her off the road. He never told her that she's all that he can think of from the moment he saw her. 

"You are up early." Grace lays in bed with the sheets barely covering her tanned body. She looks at his attire made up of a white top and trunks. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Just came back from the beach. I needed to clear my head." 

She hums in response and rolls out of bed. Her t-shirt barely covering her belly. "I'm starving, let me hop in the shower quickly before we head downstairs."

Liam stands gazing at the window overlooking the orchard. "Grace before you go in... we need to talk."

Grace takes a brush and starts combing her long black hair. "So you've made up your mind." Liam frowns at her comment. "Oh sweetheart, I saw this coming." she walks seductively over to him and touches his beard. "I never expected for us to last. We both knew what this was. Infatuation and great sex. I'll have some of the wonderful breakfast your family always has spread out, and then make my way to the airport."

Liam clears his throat, "What about your father's support for my brother?"

Grace dismisses it with her hand. "I tell him this has been amicable. I don't see why he should withdraw his support over this."

Liam walks over to her that has started gathering her things from his room. "Is this amicable?"

Grace stops and turns to him, with a fierce look on her. "You know it is. We were having fun, and it suited we were together, together, but I think we both know that we were not exactly exclusive with one another. It was good fun, and now it's over" she goes back to gathering her things from the closet. "At first I thought it was because of Mary..." Liam freezes at the mention of her name and thinks about the brown envelope still in his car, waiting. "But, then I realized that it wasn't the case. It's Callum's sister that you're in love with."

Liam is taken back with surprise by her remark. "I'm not in love."

Grace laughs heartedly, "You really think you are not head-over-heels with that girl? I noticed the change when you were in Sidney, but it was crystal clear when I got here. Her face when she saw us hand in hand at your niece's birthday, your desperation to talk to her on the phone the other night, the fact that you call her every day and every night desperate to reach her..." she glances at his pocket where Liam holds his mobile. He holds the phone in his hand and realizes that Grace has noticed all the times he excused himself to make a call, even if it was only for him to be received by an automated message service. "You're in love."

Liam turns around to face the window once again. In love? He has been in love before but he didn't feel like this. 

"I'll take you to the airport?" he asks. 

Grace flashes a grateful smile, "That would be wonderful" and enters the en-suite bathroom. 

Liam slides the door open and allows the fresh air to enter his room, he takes a step outside and gazes to the horizon, thinking about Grace's words. He takes his phone out and dials Aimee's number one more time.

Author's Note:

Photo by Yulia Ryding on Unsplash