Fractured Bonds - Part 3

It has been two days since we arrived back from the camp. Yesterday my mom forced me to the hospital, but of course they did not find anything out of order, just a scratch where I hit my head, so we had to postpone our meeting with Camie. We sit in the back of the garden, Camie on a blanket, me on the tire swing. I twirl around lazily, letting my shoes draw circles in the dust. We have been trying to get me to remember for half an hour now, however, every time I get into a loop and am able to recall only those fragments. Camie is chewing on her bottom lip. She does this whenever she is concentrating.

“What if we try to exclude? You don’t know who he was, but you do know who he wasn’t for sure, you just have to justify and say it out loud. This way, we might narrow the options.”

“Are you sure this is going to help?”

“We don’t have anything to lose, do we? Now, was he a friend?”“He stored too many things at our house to be a simple acquaintance.”

“Cousin?”

“I should have remembered my aunt and uncle, but he never showed up with them.”

“Love interest?”

“Wait for me, I want to hear the girl gossip!” Connor arrived, with a grin on his face. He hopped down next to Camie and took out a pack of chewing gum.

“So, who’s the lucky boy?”

“None, Connor, shut up! We’ll explain later. Was he the prince of your heart?”“I don’t think he was my… love interest. No, he definitely wasn’t my ‘prince’.” Camie sometimes had to exaggerate. And is it me, or does Connor seem more relaxed?

“He never acted that way as a boyfriend or such would. I remember he hugged me once, but that was more in a way… like…”“Like?” I cannot say this out loud, it sounds so unbelievably unrealistic.

“Like in a sibling way.”

“So, he was your brother?”

“No, that can’t be! You don’t just… forget a family member with who you literally grew up. He can’t be my brother!”

And yet this is the only option against which I cannot find proof. If I had a brother, how could I forget? How come mom and dad never mention him? What is his name? Is he alive? How old is he?

“Okay, would someone explain what on Earth is going on?”

As Camie tells Connor about my peculiar memories, I desperately search for answers without luck.

Balázs-Blénessi-Pataki Kincső   XI. R