him as they ate hotdogs while they strolled through the Rocky Coast section of the zoo grounds.
Evan stopped before the harbor seal tank as he finished off his last bite of his dog. Leaning against the rail he stared down at the animals as they paid the two of them no mind. The few other people who had been in the area moved on since the feeding time production was over.
Zoey stood beside him, silent and giving him space to collect his thoughts or decide to tell her to piss off. If he did she would know that this thing that was happening between them was only sexual. She’d hate to discover that but it would be the truth and easier to guard her own feelings.
“I’ve told you before that my mother and I were really close. My father and my relationship was okay, but he had Derek by his side who enjoyed all the things that he believed were important. So, he didn’t truly care that his oldest son was more of the intellectual sort and he left me to my aviation studies. Not even after mom passed.” He bowed his head further, stared at the wall below the railing then looked at her.
Zoey could see that his hazel eyes were browner in color now, the green flecks almost completely swallowed up. She understood now more than she did in the time they’d been around each that this man was carrying a weight that one day could possibly consume him--grief.
When he stared off again, she leaned in beside him and said, “Tell me about your brother’s death. Please, Evan.”
“Over eleven years ago, now. Eleven long years. He shouldn’t have been there.”
The sorrow in his voice almost tore out her heart. However, she didn’t offer him physical comfort, just stayed beside him and waited.
“My brother was Security Force Special Ops. Had been in the military for years working in a covert division of a joint military task force. My dad was so proud of him. When we all came home for holidays the two of them would spend hours…days even sitting in the garage just talking. I come from a long line of military men, that was what we did; our heritage. That summer my brother came to visit me. We were close even though my father didn’t understand why. Derek still looked up to me and would ask for advice on stuff.”
He paused as a family came by the exhibit and chatted about the seals as they sipped hot cocoa, soon the youngest went running off along the trail and they all trotted off behind him.
“What did Derek want advice about?” Zoey prompted, knowing that it was time for Evan to get this out.
“A woman.” He smiled for a moment then it was gone. “He’d been dating her for almost a year, off and on. He’d met her through one of his buddies, a sister. The woman lived in New York because of her job; international contracting. Derek wanted to propose to her. I convinced him to take her to the Empire State Building. My mom had always been a sap for romantic movies. I figured women dug that kind of thing. You know something special to tell their friends about.”
When he stopped this time he pushed away from the rail and just walked into the opening making random patterns. She wondered if he were fighting back tears but when he looked in her direction his face was dry, his eyes clear.
“Where did she work?” Zoey had a sinking feeling in her heart.
“The World Trade Center. That’s why he was there. I told him…surprise her. Show up at her job and convince her to go with you.” He started shaking his head over and over again; he was doing it so hard she became worried that he may crack.
Tossing her unfinished lunch into the trash she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. His hold on her became fierce, almost suffocating tight, but she took it. Took the pain. Took his pain as he buried his face in the side of her neck.
She was grateful for the cold winter day as no one else came by, leaving them in peace.
“Evan it’s not your fault. Not your fault.”
“I should have told him to wait until she
Evan stopped before the harbor seal tank as he finished off his last bite of his dog. Leaning against the rail he stared down at the animals as they paid the two of them no mind. The few other people who had been in the area moved on since the feeding time production was over.
Zoey stood beside him, silent and giving him space to collect his thoughts or decide to tell her to piss off. If he did she would know that this thing that was happening between them was only sexual. She’d hate to discover that but it would be the truth and easier to guard her own feelings.
“I’ve told you before that my mother and I were really close. My father and my relationship was okay, but he had Derek by his side who enjoyed all the things that he believed were important. So, he didn’t truly care that his oldest son was more of the intellectual sort and he left me to my aviation studies. Not even after mom passed.” He bowed his head further, stared at the wall below the railing then looked at her.
Zoey could see that his hazel eyes were browner in color now, the green flecks almost completely swallowed up. She understood now more than she did in the time they’d been around each that this man was carrying a weight that one day could possibly consume him--grief.
When he stared off again, she leaned in beside him and said, “Tell me about your brother’s death. Please, Evan.”
“Over eleven years ago, now. Eleven long years. He shouldn’t have been there.”
The sorrow in his voice almost tore out her heart. However, she didn’t offer him physical comfort, just stayed beside him and waited.
“My brother was Security Force Special Ops. Had been in the military for years working in a covert division of a joint military task force. My dad was so proud of him. When we all came home for holidays the two of them would spend hours…days even sitting in the garage just talking. I come from a long line of military men, that was what we did; our heritage. That summer my brother came to visit me. We were close even though my father didn’t understand why. Derek still looked up to me and would ask for advice on stuff.”
He paused as a family came by the exhibit and chatted about the seals as they sipped hot cocoa, soon the youngest went running off along the trail and they all trotted off behind him.
“What did Derek want advice about?” Zoey prompted, knowing that it was time for Evan to get this out.
“A woman.” He smiled for a moment then it was gone. “He’d been dating her for almost a year, off and on. He’d met her through one of his buddies, a sister. The woman lived in New York because of her job; international contracting. Derek wanted to propose to her. I convinced him to take her to the Empire State Building. My mom had always been a sap for romantic movies. I figured women dug that kind of thing. You know something special to tell their friends about.”
When he stopped this time he pushed away from the rail and just walked into the opening making random patterns. She wondered if he were fighting back tears but when he looked in her direction his face was dry, his eyes clear.
“Where did she work?” Zoey had a sinking feeling in her heart.
“The World Trade Center. That’s why he was there. I told him…surprise her. Show up at her job and convince her to go with you.” He started shaking his head over and over again; he was doing it so hard she became worried that he may crack.
Tossing her unfinished lunch into the trash she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. His hold on her became fierce, almost suffocating tight, but she took it. Took the pain. Took his pain as he buried his face in the side of her neck.
She was grateful for the cold winter day as no one else came by, leaving them in peace.
“Evan it’s not your fault. Not your fault.”
“I should have told him to wait until she
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