If Only It Was Simple

The blinding orange sun dyed the ocean around us a bloody color. Leaning on the sides of the car, I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the breeze.

[This has been the most relaxed I felt since, well, forever.]

Sazzy sighed as she angled her head down to look at the foams our car was creating. She would sometimes stick her hand into the foam and chuckle as they disappeared.

"The sunset is really pretty."

Oliver's voice came from the side as he joined us in viewing the sun set.

[There aren't many chances where we can just sit back and relax, appreciate what's around us. Life goes by really fast after all.]

Ava popped up beside Oliver and the four of us leaned on the sides of the car in peace.

[Ah right Sazzy! There's something we need to do.]

Gesturing to her, Ava and Sazzy then disappeared from the car. It was now only Oliver and I.

"We've never really had a time like this, where we could talk in peace. Sister."

Oliver moved over to where Sazzy was before and leaned his head on my side.

"You're right. I was usually too busy working and going to school before. And after Andrew entered into our lives, we could never really see eye to eye on him."

I felt Oliver freeze a tiny bit before I felt him angle his head to look me in the eyes.

"I still can't say I understand why you don't trust him. But, I think I shouldn't have made it into that big of a problem. Looking back now, I feel that we sacrificed a lot of time together because of that."

Oliver gave a slightly regretful smile as he leaned in more towards me. I lifted my arm and put it around his shoulders.

"We did waste a lot of time because of that. However, that doesn't mean I didn't know why you were so adamant about accepting him. Andrew really helped us out. He got us a new house, and paid for all your school fees. He was like the father you never had."

I flexed my hand to caress the side of Oliver's face. How long has it been since we had such a heartfelt talk together? 2 years?

"He kind of was. And I was sad that the three of us couldn't make a happy family together. It seemed like that would solve all our problems. It felt so simple to me. And now, it still feels like that was the easiest way to make everyone happy."

Oliver leaned his head towards my fingers and I ended up patting his eyelids.

"If only life was so simple. But, that doesn't mean I am not thankful for what Andrew did. He is a good person. I just can't trust him. And I think he knew that. So in a way, we kind of did make a happy family. Just not an ideal one."

He hummed at my words and I could feel his breathing calm down and slow to a rhythmic beat.

Pausing my actions, I twisted my head to look down at his face and saw his eyes closed. His mouth was a little open, just enough for me to feel his hot breath when I placed my hand in front of his face.

Cradling him in my arms, I shifted myself away from the sides and placed him onto the area next to his things. Then, I quietly crept over to the car dashboard and activated the side to extend and cover us again.

I crept over back to admiring the scenery, although now all that remained was the blackness of the night and the shining moon. Beside me, Sazzy and Ava appeared out of nowhere as they returned.

[Oliver went to seep?]

Noticing I was alone, Ava asked as she scanned the inside of the car. Then seeing Oliver's figure, she automatically went over to look over him.

"You two came at just the right time. He just fell asleep."

I called out softly to both Sazzy and Ava, and Ava nodded in response as she sat beside him.

[Did the two of you have a nice talk?]

Sazzy took her place beside me and we both gazed out into the black sea.

"We did. It was nice. Thank you."

Sazzy smiled as she hummed a happy tune.

[It was Oliver's idea, actually. He knows about the 20 years thing, so he probably wants to make the most of your time together and fill it with happy memories.]

She stuck her head outside the window and looked up towards the shining moon.

"We talked about Andrew. And he said he wanted to put that topic behind us since there would be no way to rectify it now. He really likes Andrew. So much so that I can't bear to tell him my suspicions about him. Although it might just be paranoia."

Sazzy straightened her back as we dove back into this sensitive topic.

[You said in the day that the main reason you couldn't trust him was that he was too kind. So that wasn't all?]

"That was the main reason. But there were also details that I just couldn't put behind me. Remember I told you that he burst into the center and took legal guardianship over us. Well, at the time, he had a couple of documents in hand. I presume it was legal documents that allowed him to either specifically take us, or take any child that was at the center. I didn't get a good look at it since he handed them to the nurse and we left the center that day. But if it was documents specifically for me and my brother, then the whole situation becomes suspicious. I was only at the center for a couple of days, not even a week. There was no way he could have gone through administration hell and back in such a short time. It must have taken him at best a couple of months to get those papers."

I sighed as Sazzy struck a thoughtful pose.

"But if those papers were for just any child, then I wonder why us. We were not the only ones at the center. And when I think of why, my thoughts naturally go to Oliver."

[Because gaining the trust of a child is easier. Right? And when you gain the trust of a child, their sibling can't exactly go against you.]

Sazzy ended my sentence for me as she gave a big sigh.

[And when we talk about the need to gain the trust of people, we naturally have to ask why. Why did he need to gain your trust for, and what did he plan to do? Either way, it is pretty obvious that Andrew would be incredibly suspicious.]

She nodded her head as we both arrived on the same page.

"And he was a scientist who specialized in MDVA, which I was just recently diagnosed with. The first line of thought would be that he wanted to conduct an experiment on us, or rather me."

I propped my head on my hand as Sazzy continued to think beside me.

[Did he do anything once he adopted you?]

"...If he did I wouldn't have said he was a good person. He didn't do anything out of the norm. And that's an issue. Because I don't know if he wants something from us or not."

"On the other hand, if those documents were for any child, and we were just lucky he picked us, there must be a reason why he was searching for someone with MDVA to adopt. We're not exactly on the adoption list."

Sitting with a troubled face, Sazzy huffed.

[I see now why you're so suspicious of him. I can't get a read of him.]

"Well he doesn't seem like a bad person, he hasn't done anything harmful towards us, and it's not like we're seeing him again. So it might be better to just leave these questions be. Also, don't tell Oliver. It's better if he doesn't know. He sees that man as a father figure."

Sazzy nodded her head.

[Adults sure are complicated. If only people just talked to each other.]

Sazzy I think you're not one to say that.

I retorted in my head but hummed a sound of agreement.

"I guess it's time to go to sleep. Tomorrow we have more traveling and time to kill. Besides, there is something I want to make for breakfast that requires a lot of preparation."

Getting up, I crept over to my sleeping spot near my own things and laid down to rest. Sazzy came over as well and sat down beside me.

"Good night."

[Good night.]