Work Text:
“We’re so sorry we can’t make it to your graduation, boys.”
Sarah was standing in the hallway between the twins’ rooms as they got ready to leave for their high school graduation. Ryland and Colt had been with the Graces since they were seven years old, and now they couldn’t even make it to their high school graduation.
“It’s okay, Sarah,” Colt said as he adjusted his tie in the mirror. “We understand.”
Sarah and Ted had to leave for a funeral not long after the graduation ceremony was supposed to start. Impeccable timing, Colt thought, trying not to be bitter about it.
They would have no family at the ceremony to celebrate with them.
“We’re very proud of both of you.” Colt could hear a waver in Sarah’s voice. “You’ve both come so far.”
They heard that a lot. You’ve overcome so much. You’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it. Yadda, yadda. Everyone from Sarah and Ted to school counselors, therapists, the social workers. Colt was tired of it.
“Thanks,” was his only reply. He was grateful, of course. He just wished things were different.
Colt stepped out into the hallway and peaked into Ryland’s room, swinging his car keys around his index finger. “Let’s go, Ry, we’re going to be late.”
He watched his brother as he stood up from where he was sitting on his bed and smoothed his pants with shaking hands. Ryland took a deep, shuddering breath and met Colt’s gaze with an apprehensive smile. “Let’s go.”
***
The drive to the ceremony was quiet except for the music playing out of the car speakers. Colt’s arm was hanging out the driver side window, tapping the side of his car along with the beat as he drove.
“Do you think Court knows?” Ryland finally spoke as they pulled into the parking lot. “I mean, do you think he knows we’re graduating today?”
“Today, specifically?” Colt unbuckled his seatbelt. “No.”
Ryland frowned as he exited the car.
“But he probably knows we graduate this year,” Colt added as they walked into the building. “Just, how could he know the exact day?”
“You’re right.” Ryland’s voice sounded dejected.
Behind the stage now, the twins found their respective places in the line. “Don’t trip,” Colt teased his brother. “I don’t want you to embarrass me.”
Ryland flashed a meek smile. “You too, Colt.” They fist bumped before they were told to be quiet because it was starting.
***
It seemed like it took forever to get to G in the lineup. Colt felt like he was about to fall asleep on his feet before he felt a sharp jab in his side from behind and heard Ryland hiss in his ear, “Go, idiot!”
“Colton Seavers Gentry.” The principal’s voice rang out in the hall as he said Colt’s name. Colt stepped out onto the stage from behind the curtain and was nearly blinded by the stage lights as he shook the principal’s hand.
Colt looked out at the audience and smiled before remembering no one was out there to take a photo of him. He walked off the stage, diploma in hand, feeling stupid for forgetting such a thing.
As he approached the steps to leave the stage, someone in the back of the crowd caught his attention. The only person standing, dressed in all black like this were a funeral and not a graduation. The thing that stood out the most were the sunglasses. Inside. Huh?
The presence felt familiar, even from the back of the hall. Colt stumbled as he left the stage, trying and failing to not let the thought entering his head break his concentration.
There’s no way. Simply no way.
He sat in his assigned seat. The blood in his ears was pounding as he heard the principal say into the microphone, “Ryland Seavers Gentry.” His brother walked out onto the stage, looking as dazed as Colt felt. Watching him, Colt thought he could pinpoint the exact moment Ryland noticed the man standing at the back of the hall. He walked off the stage and took his assigned seat next to Colt.
“Did you see—”
“Yeah, I did, but—”
“Do you think—?”
“How could he possibly have known—?”
“How is he out?”
Colt fell silent at Ryland’s last question. He thought Court wasn’t getting out until at least 2031—or was that just eligible for parole, he couldn’t remember, Court had only mentioned it once—so how was he here? If that was him, how was he here?
The rest of the ceremony passed by the boys in a blur. They clapped for their friends who walked, they threw their caps when everyone else did, they stood to leave after the principal’s departing words, but it all felt mechanical. If that was Court, was he gone now? Did he come just to see them walk, and then took off? Was he around here somewhere?
“Colt—” Ryland’s voice broke through the pounding in Colt’s ears. “Over there. All mysterious-like. Is that him?” He nodded his chin in the direction of a door at the back of the hall.
Colt followed Ryland’s gaze and nodded. The man was standing in an exit door, holding it open, staring at the boys from across the hall. When he was satisfied that they had seen him, he walked through the door and let it close softly behind him.
“Dramatic now, isn’t he?” Colt grunted as they took off after the man who might be their brother. Weaving through the crowd proved difficult, but eventually they made it to the door. They burst through and looked both ways, almost banging their heads together in their panic.
“Which way—”
“There!” Ryland interrupted, pointing to their left. Maybe-Court was standing about 20 feet away, in an empty area between a couple of pillars. He wasn’t facing the twins, and stood like some kind of secret agent who would mind-wipe you if you even looked at him wrong.
“Should we go up to him, or call out?” Colt whispered. “What if it’s not him?”
“It’s him.” Ryland’s answer was immediate, no hesitation, just pure certainty. Colt agreed, but he also felt like it was too good to be true. How was he here?
Without any further discussion, Ryland set off at a determined pace towards the man. Colt followed close behind, and realized this was the first time in their entire lives that Ryland had taken charge and Colt was the one who was unsure. It was bittersweet.
Colt didn’t want to know what it would do to Ryland if it wasn’t Court.
Only a few feet away now, Ryland stopped to assess the man. He wasn’t much taller than the twins, who had hit their growth spurt just last year. His hair was dark, not quite brown but on the border between that and dark, dirty blond—much darker than the twins’ own medium blond hair.
“Are you guys just going to stand there like buffoons, or do I have to come over there myself?”
An unrecognizable sound escaped Ryland as he launched himself forward at Courtland. Colt was close behind, and soon the three of them were wrapped around each other in a hug so tight Court thought he was going to suffocate. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Court squeaked out, “I can’t breathe. I’d like to breathe, please.”
The twins stepped back and sized him up again. “What’s with the sunglasses inside, Corey Hart?” Colt asked.
“Hey.” Court’s voice was stern. He removed the glasses. “He wore them at night. There’s a big difference. Aren’t you supposed to be the super smart high school graduate here?”
Colt chuckled. “No, that’s Ryland.” Then it occurred to him, did Court have the chance to finish high school while he was in prison? He’d never asked.
Ryland nudged Colt with his elbow. “Come on.”
“It’s true,” Colt insisted. “Top of the class, high honors, got accepted into his first-choice university.” Colt messed up his brother’s hair with a fist. “He’s a little nerd.” Ryland turned bright red, embarrassed.
Court smiled. “I’m proud of you.” Colt thought he heard his voice break slightly.
“Shut up,” Ryland said suddenly, straightening up and meeting Court’s gaze. “Where the heck have you been?” His voice was steady, but Colt saw the corners of his eyes twitch with anxiety.
Court was taken aback at Ryland’s sudden shift in tone. “Look, Ry—I—it’s complicated,” he stuttered. “I don’t have time to explain it to you guys.” He dug around in his pockets and pulled out two small pieces of paper. “I really shouldn’t be here. You can’t tell anyone you saw me.” He held out the papers to the twins, who each took one. He stuffed his hands back in his pockets, nervously watching them.
The papers each had the same string of numbers scrawled on them in messy handwriting. A phone number?
“What’s this?” Ryland asked. “Three years, not a word, and then you just hand us a paper with some phone number on it?” He stared into his brother’s eyes, searching.
“I want you guys to memorize that number until you can recite it in your sleep,” Court answered, “and then burn those papers.”
Ryland huffed in disbelief. Colt was confused. “What, are you some kind of secret government man now? Did they let you out on the condition that you work for them? Doing what? Contract killer?”
Court’s mouth hung open slightly as he processed what Colt just said. Then he remembered the setting and shook his head to regain his composure. “I can’t answer that.” How the hell did Colt just guess that?
“What do you mean, you can’t—” Ryland began, but Court cut him off with a quick glance.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I just can’t. Not right now, but maybe someday.” He put his sunglasses back on. “I have to go, I’ve already been here too long. But that number—” he pointed to the papers still in the boys’ hands “—memorize it, and only use it for emergencies. I mean, real emergencies, not needing a ride home from a party or you locked yourself out the house. Life or death emergencies.”
“Life or de—” Ryland threw up his arms in exasperation. “What do you mean, life or death? What does that mean, Courtland?”
“Shush.” Court looked around nervously. He grabbed the twins in another embrace, holding their heads to his chest. He pressed his cheek to the top of Ryland’s head, closed his eyes. “Listen, I know.” His voice was soft, and Colt was reminded of the Court who would tuck them in at night as scared little kids. “I wish I had done this sooner. I’m sorry. I have to go—”
“Are you okay?” Colt interrupted, worried for his older brother now. “Did you get sucked into something?” He pulled away from the embrace. Ryland pushed away too, looking a little annoyed.
Court snorted. “Yeah, you could say that. It’s fine though,” he added quickly, seeing the boys’ expressions. “Well, it’s not fine. It’s complicated, like I said. I can’t tell you anything. I have to go. I’ll be in touch. Be good. Be safe.”
With that, Court turned on his heel and walked down the corridor. The twins watched him until he turned a corner, and then they just stood there for a few more minutes, silently hoping that had just been some weird joke because their brother lost his sense of humor while in prison.
“Some goodbye,” Ryland muttered. “He won’t be in touch.” He turned around and kicked the cement pillar they had been standing against.
“At least he’s okay,” Colt said, more to reassure himself. “He’s alive, right?”
“Sure.” Another kick to the pillar. “What a guy.”
“Do you think that’s why he went radio silent a few years ago? Started denying our visits?” Colt asked, turning to face Ryland. “He said he should’ve done this sooner, so—”
“Probably,” Ryland interrupted. “That makes sense, I guess.” He didn’t look satisfied with that conclusion. He took a deep breath. “We should get back.”
Colt was confused, then remembered where they were. Their graduation. “Right.” He straightened up and ran a hand through his hair. “Let’s go, then. How the hell do we go back out there and keep acting like nothing happened?”
“Same as always,” Ryland answered, eyes straight ahead. “Fake it.”