Author Note: This chapter will be divided into two parts. 

The Northern is a restaurant pub in the bay's heart. The scent of food, surrounded by the family-friendly atmosphere, and the typical white chairs and square wooden tables that you find in your local restaurant, confuses Aimee.

"Do they know what it means to go out at night in Australia?" She whispers to her brother that elbows her amusedly to admonish her words.

"Josie?" Callum clears his throat while observing the waiters swerving around the tables with orders. "Are we getting something to eat before going to the club?"

"Why? Are you guys still hungry?"

Aimee and Callum shake their heads.

Josie glances at them sideways. "So why are you asking, then?"

Josie makes her way to the back of the restaurant. A burly guy is standing in front of a black door. Josie exchanges a few words with him and gestures to Aimee and Callum.

"I feel like I'm about to head to a horror movie scene. We might get murdered." Aimee chimes.

"You're so stupid" Callum laughs.

"Let's go," Josie yells.

Aimee walks through the door, and feels like she just stepped through the closet and entered Narnia. It was a completely unique environment. The backroom was incredibly spacious, with a bar on the left-hand side, and a live music platform in the back of the room with a dance space that surrounds the stage.

"Wow, this is awesome." Callum says, and Aimee nods in approval.

Josie leads them to the back of the room, where there are some tables and chairs. "This place will get so crowded in the next half an hour that we won't be able to even reach the bar. So, what's your poison children?"

"Whatever you are having," Aimee screams while listening intently to the rock band playing on the stage. Her feet beat rhythmically to the sound.

Callum pulls a chair and sits down. "Beer." He retorts monosyllabically.

Josie makes her way to the bar.

"Australia is turning out to be pretty sick."

Aimee chuckles at her brother's contagious enthusiasm. She wasn't particularly keen on this trip, but even she was ready to admit that it's turning out to be better than she predicted. Aimee sits down next to Callum and focuses her attention back on the rock band on stage.

"They're pretty good," she shouts.

Callum nods his head to the beat. "You used to do some rock' n' roll in Uni. Maybe you can do it again?" He gestures to the stage.

"No, I don't think so," she responds with a hint of sadness. "And, really rock' n' roll? What decade are you from, granny?"

"I made some inquiries."

Aimee turns her head to Callum, confused with his odd statement. Callum glances at Josie, who is talking to the bartender.

"About her. I made some inquiries in the local office and I applied to access the adoption papers. They told me it would take some weeks, but there shouldn't be any problem."

Aimee realises Callum is talking about finding their birth mother. Callum's purpose in travelling across the world.

"Are you really pursuing this?" she asks.

"Why shouldn't I? This is what we came here for."

Aimee shuffles in her seat and glances at her cousin, that is tapping her fingers on the top of the bar counter distractedly.

"Why you came here for," Aimee rebuts.

"What I came here for? So, why are you here?" Callum looks at Aimee defiantly.

"To see where we were born. See where dad grew up. To get to know our uncle and cousin..." She points at Josie.

"I'm here for all of that too, but I thought you were in this with me. You were the one that found the letter..."

"I know that, but it doesn't mean we need to find her..."

Callum is about to retort when Josie comes back with drinks in her hands and interrupts the conversation. "Here we go..."

Callum's eyes are down on the table.

"You'll love this. It's a fizzy apple cocktail." Josie says excitedly.

Aimee takes it in her hands. "Sounds promising."

"And one beer for you." Josie hands a glass to Callum.

"Thanks, Josie," He mutters.

Josie joins them at the table. "Told you this place would get busy. How's the drink?"

Aimee tastes the green drink in her hand. "Tastes of apple..." She smiles. "It's pretty good."

"Do you guys like the music? We can dance if you are up for it."

"No, thanks," Callum responds mechanically.

"Is everything okay?" Josie looks at Callum, disheartened. "Did I get the wrong beer? I can get a new one, no worries."

Aimee pointedly glares at her brother. "The beer is fine. He's just mad at me."

"What did you do?" Josie asks while sipping her drink.

Aimee looks around the room, avoiding her cousin's stare. She doesn't really want to get into the whole family drama tonight.

"Oh my god, is this because of the accident?" Josie carelessly asks.

"Accident? What accident?" Callum raises his eyebrows.

"It's nothing..." Aimee groans softly.

"The one she had the other day because of Liam," Josie repeats simultaneously to Aimee's soft response.

"What?" Callum glares at his sister. "You got in an accident with that asshole?" Callum roars.

"Josie! You promised!" She scolds her cousin.

"That's not the reason he's mad at you, is it?" Her eyes wander between the twins. "I'm sorry, I thought he knew, you know, of because of the surfboard and stuff..."

Callum's face hardens while Aimee's eyes widen at her cousin again.

"Not that either, hey..." Josie gulps her drink and looks straight to the stage, avoiding further eye contact with Callum.

Callum glares at his cousin that hums quietly to herself, her cheeks tainted red with embarrassment.

"What else is my sister not telling me, Josie?"

Josie gets up. "Shall I get some peanuts?" She glances at both of them. "Okay, then, peanuts it is." And quickly leaves towards the bar.

"What the hell is happening, Aimee?" Callum's voice raises. "You're hiding shit from me now?"

"I knew you would overreact. You always do!"

"I overreact when I find out my sister has been an accident that I know nothing about!" Callum gulps the rest of his beer angrily.

"You also didn't tell me you were scouring the place for information on our adoption! I thought we were going to do that together!"

"How can we do it together if all you do is avoid the subject? I've told you I'm going to find her, no matter what!" He yells.

Josie returns with a small bowl of snacks. "Guys, the whole place can hear you and there is a live band playing. So that should give you a clue to how loud you both are." She sets the drinks on the table. "I've never been as glad as I am right now to be an only child."

Aimee and Callum laugh at her remark and momentarily relax.

They look at one another and Aimee smiles at him softly. Her eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I should have told you about the accident, the surfboard, and his offer for surf lessons..."

"Surf lessons?" He raises his voice again but is quickly deterred by Josie's glare.

"Another day?" Aimee raises her glass to her brother.

Callum raises his beer. "Another day."

Josie glances at them, confused.

"Shall we let her in on the secret?" Callum asks mischievously.

"Absolutely. Raise your glass." Josie obeys. "Now say, another day."

Josie frowns, "Why?"

Callum coughs and cocks his head at her.

"Okay, fine. Another day."

They clink and drink it up.

"Whenever we fight, your uncle used to tell us, live for the moment, fight another day."

"Sounds like a great motto." A voice proclaims.

Aimee turns around and stares at Liam, that smiles at her.

"I hope you don't mind, but I would like to buy you a beer. I was an asshole, and I often am, but gutting you like that was uncalled for," He says to Callum.

Callum's face stares coldly at Liam's. He shifts his gaze to Aimee, that pleads with her eyes to accept the gesture. "I hear you ran my sister out of the road the other day."

"It was an accident." Aimee reminds her brother.

Callum shifts his gaze to the other side of the room as if pondering what his next move will be. He gets up abruptly and Aimee stills with the sudden move and wonders if he is going to engage in another physical altercation with Liam. That would be a world record for Callum that has never fought once in his life.

"So, you owe me two beers." He extends his right hand to Liam that with a smile shakes it heartedly.

"Absolutely, mate."

Both the men make their way to the bar and Aimee relaxes in her seat. She looks at Liam, that wears dark jeans and a white t-shirt with dark blue stripes. She allows her eyes to drift to the view of his backside.

Josie follows her stare curiously. She opens her eyes in shock. She shakes Aimee's arm. "Oh my god, do you like Liam?"

Meanwhile, the two men make it across the bar, and Liam places the order for the beers.

Callum takes a couple of peanuts from a bowl nearby and swallows. "So, what is your deal with my sister?"

Liam leans on the counter. "No deal, mate. Just scared her off the beach twice, and ran her off the road that one time."

The bartender places the beers on the counter and Liam slips him some money.

Callum picks it up and clicks his bottle with Liam's. "Thanks for the beer."

Liam takes a long sip. "So, what are you guys doing in Australia?"

Callum chuckles, "You are into her, aren't you?"

Liam stutters, "No. I'm just making conversation. If you don't..."

"She's here because of me," Callum interrupts him. "When our father passed away, some things came to light in our family, and I want to know the truth. So, I came down here to uncover it. Aimee is against it, so she tagged along to persuade me to forget it. Even if she keeps telling me otherwise."

Liam gulps his beer. "She told me about your father. That he was a surfer too."

"She told you about that?" Callum asks, surprised.

"She shouldn't have?"

"She usually is pretty reserved about her business. Even from her own family. I guess I'm surprised that she told you that dad was a surfer. Or maybe I'm just overthinking." He sighs. "I guess we are both obsessed in different ways. She's obsessed with finding him. I swear that when she plays, she's playing for him somehow. Dad gave her first piano. They had such a strong bond... well until recently. She is reeling from losing him. Surfing is just another coping mechanism."

Liam glances at Aimee, that is laughing at something that Josie said. "What is your coping mechanism?"

Callum takes another gulp and stares at the background of the bar, with all the bottles lined up neatly. "I just want to hear the truth from her mouth."

Liam frowns.

"Our biological mother, I'm here to find her, no matter what. Aimee is here to stop me, no matter what." Callum places his hand on Liam's shoulders. "This is where you can become really handy. I love my sis, but I need to do this, with or without her. Keep her occupied her for me with those surfing lessons, hey?"

Liam chuckles, "I'll do my best" He stares at the bartender and signals him for another round. "But she's a handful."

"Oh, you're preaching to the choir there," Callum peels the label from the empty beer bottle. "Just don't break her heart," He mumbles.

Liam stares at Callum, that retorts his gaze. His juvenile banter has turned into a serious plea.

"She's had enough for a while and doesn't need another man crushing her heart into pieces. Dad did enough of that already. Got to use the loo. Be right back." Callum walks away and Liam's attention goes back to Aimee.

Author's Note:

Photo by Edgar Chaparro on Unsplash