Object of Obsession

As had become routine, I was greeted more than once before I'd even stepped through the door.

"Hey Kiddo, welcome home!" my dad called, wearing a 'kiss the cook' apron and twirling a pair of tongs before placing it in the sink.

"Hi sweetie! Supper shouldn't be long, your father just finished with the barbecue," Faye winked, flashing me a brilliant smile as she plated the sides.

"Norma, hey. Don't worry about a thing, you can just have a seat if you want." - This from Fes, who was setting the table.

...something was missing. I usually didn't make it five steps before Ves enveloped me in her arms, bombarding me excitedly with questions about my day.

"Oh yeah, V has her basketball finals today, right?" I asked, placing my backpack down by the door before strolling into the kitchen. Faye hurried over and, as if there was disappointment showing on my face (was there?), gave me a big hug in her stead. She looked extremely proud as she pulled away.

"Aww, you remembered! She'd be so happy about that."

Fes gave his mother a strange look, narrowing his eyes as if in disapproval, but she didn't seem to notice.

"It's a home game so she's staying at school," Faye continued. "I packed her something light to eat before the game, but hopefully she can have a victory feast when she gets home!"

"Yeah, that'd be great! With V on the team, they've got a good shot at the win."

Faye nodded vigorously.

"I know, right? My Ves has become such a good athlete, and she does so well in school. She'll be a real catch someday..."

My dad looked over at Faye with a big grin on his face.

"I know her mother was, at least!"

"Oh, you charmer, you!" giggled Faye as dad kissed her hand.

"I think I'm gonna be sick..." Fes laughed, shaking his head.

"Well, for the sake of Fes' health it seems we'll have to put that on hold, Faye. For now, it's time to dig in!"

With that, Dad and Faye placed everything on the table, and we ate contentedly. I had a profound sense of belonging that threatened to bring tears to my eyes.

I missed this.

I realized that there'd been a void within me ever since mom left, and that my new family was, if not filling it, then at least sewing up the bloody wound. And though she wasn't here right now, one person in particular had been helping me feel whole in a way I hadn't known I'd been missing...

Ves...

Once I stopped being able to trust even the smallest sign of affection, I'd been forced to distance myself from my humanity. "They don't really mean that." "It's forced, and I'm the one forcing it." These incessant thoughts ruined any chance at a genuine human connection. Any relationship, most of all romantic ones, were impossible for me now. How could I earnestly love someone who I might have manipulated into it? It doesn't matter that I didn't mean to do it. Whether intentionally or not, the fact remained that people weren't acting like themselves around me, and when they were, I couldn't tell anymore.

That's why friendship and family had become everything to me these days.

My father was my rock. I knew he loved me from the day I was born and that he, at least, had not been manipulated into it. That fact was what kept me going through the depression - a reason to wake up in the morning apart from all the guilt and responsibility.

Faye allowed me to reclaim that which I had wanted most - My father's broken heart to be mended once more, and the return of the nuclear family dynamic that he'd always thrived in. She played the part of the perfect mother, and she was incredible at it - making me, a perfect stranger, feel like family before I'd even noticed.

Fes, my new brother... awkward, sarcastic, and most importantly, down-to-earth. Out of anyone I knew, I felt if I needed to talk to someone in a serious capacity about the compulsion, he might be the best possible choice. Slower to warm up to me than the others, I felt our interactions might be the most genuine of all, and he would probably never understand how important that was to me right now. In fact, having siblings at all had expanded the family dynamic in ways I could have never known if they hadn't come into our lives, which leads me to...

Ves, my new sister. A bit older than me, and infinitely more put together. She's good at everything she does, kind to everyone she meets... and her natural, effortless beauty was making things a lot more difficult for me than they needed to be.

Unlike her twin, V was almost certainly affected by the compulsion. Her innuendo-laden turns of phrase, clinginess, and near-obsession with me that had been building since we first met made that blatantly obvious... The problem was, I had no idea to what extent. Looking at Faye, V's flirtatious, affectionate nature was not that unusual. And not knowing the twin's father, I wasn't sure how much Fes might have taken after him instead.

But her words had always been bolder than her actions. Aside from a few nights of skinship which seemed mainly to have been suggested in a panic whenever I insinuated I might not 'need' her to take care of me anymore, she truly served as the perfect big sister. We were ultimately still trying to understand one another, and though she had every right to decide I was too much to deal with a long time ago, she didn't. Instead she chose to stay by my side, even through my hardest moments.

I hadn't told her about the compulsion, but there was no doubt she knew there was still something wrong long after I'd stopped having my night terrors. Every evening when I came home from school she made me feel heard, cared for... and loved.

Yes, my mother walking out of my life might have left a deep, dark void behind that I'd only been vaguely aware of. But getting to know Ves and the rest of the family was like suddenly being built up and supported by a beam of warm sunlight, allowing me to finally leave that empty chasm behind for good.

I selfishly allowed myself to ignore the ramifications of the compulsion and enjoy the simple, blissful feeling of a loving family for a few moments more...

---

Later at the game, dad and Faye had found a spot near the front, cheering Ves on whenever she had the ball - which ended up being most of the time. Fes and I had moved back to the highest bleachers out of embarrassment of our over-enthusiastic parents. I watched the game in rapturous silence as Ves moved across the court with the confidence of a goddess of conquest, her long blonde ponytail swaying hypnotically as she weaved her way around her opponents. Her training had certainly paid off - even though she passed the ball whenever she could, it always seemed to find its way back into her palm. With an expression that conveyed as much determination as love for the game, she took a shot - and despite a spirited defense from the other team, it was nothing but net.

"Now that you have an excuse you sure are staring, huh...?" Fes teased. It was hard to tell from his deadpan tone how much of a joke it actually was, but it was more than enough for me to snap my focus to him.

"Huh? B-but-"

"Relax, I'm kidding.... kinda. Like mom said earlier, it'd make V ecstatic if she knew. My sister's really taken a liking to you, Nor. I'm her twin, but I'm almost jealous of how close you two are-"

His tone shifted as he realized what he said, and he began backpedaling.

"I don't mean it like that. It's just..."

A fond smile found its way to his lips as he focused on the game.

"V's never had a female friend she's been all that close to before. There was that one delinquent girl a few years ago, but things didn't turn out well, and ever since then she's only made guy friends. Nothing wrong with that, of course. But I could tell she wanted a girlfriend."

"As in... a girl who's a friend, right?"

"Maybe? I don't really know. But she's got all these hobbies she can't share with anyone. I wanted to be there for her, but we're talking clothes shopping and makeup. I let her put eyeliner on me one time but it ended up being awkward for both of us, and we never really did anything like that again."

He paused as Ves scored another three-pointer, waiting for the roar of the crowd to die down before continuing.

"Anyway, what I'm trying to say is... I'm really happy we ended up with you as a sister. You and I get along well, and V and I always have... but it's on a whole other level with the two of you. She's so happy to have a girl in her life and I'm not sure if she's really taken the time to consider what she actually wants from that dynamic yet. I know she's... stepped over the line a few times. And I've noticed that you let her."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, and I felt a nervous sweat building.

"When my mom and your dad eventually get married you're going to be sisters. But you're not related, so it doesn't matter to me what the two of you do. Just promise me that you'll think before doing something that could hurt her, okay? That's all I ask."

I sat quietly for a few moments as I thought about the surprising turn this conversation had taken, but my response came quite easily.

"I promise. Ves means a lot to me too, and if I hurt her I could never forgive myself. It might be a bit... complicated though. I have my own feelings to sort out, too."

He nodded at me with something like respect, then trying to act cool, looked back at the game.

"But you really love your sister, don't you? She's right, you are a big softie at heart!"

I gently wrapped my arm around his neck, giving him a playful noogie.

"S-shut up, alright? Don't tell her I told you any of this, I'll never hear the end of it if you do..."

"Your secret's safe with me, tough guy. And hey... thanks. You're a good brother."

"Y-yeah? Thanks..." Fes managed, unable to reclaim his cool, detached exit from the conversation. He was saved by the buzzer, however, and the scoreboard announced that V's team had won by a landslide. Fes chuckled.

"Looks like we'll be eating that stupid 'Congratulations!' cake your dad bought after all."

At that moment Ves locked eyes with me from across the gym, and even though she was the one who had just played the game of her life, I was the one who couldn't breathe.

"Your sister's incredible... I think she's more than earned it."

Fes searched my face for a few moments, then quietly laughed to himself.

"If that's how you feel... tell her, not me."

In actuality, I still had no idea how I felt. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to get home and have a piece of that cake.