Invisible To My Sister's Brother In Law

Serena.

I wake the following morning feeling strangely refreshed, a long yawn escaping my mouth as I sit up.

The night has been peaceful and full of sweet dreams. I walk into the kitchen in slow steps and stop short when the memory hits me.

Yesterday, I sat in the same car as Roman. My sister's brother-in-law. My patient. My long-time crush. In a car!

What if someone from the club saw us?

Why didn't I simply reject the offer? Why did I accept?

I should have remained under that covered doorway and turned down the offer plainly.

But I allowed my obsession with him to get in the way, knowing full well that getting involved beyond the professional line could cost me my career.

I could lose my license and be subjected to public shame.

I pour myself a glass of water, drink it in three long swallows, and sigh again. I still haven't told Mara about the new job. For now, I think it's better to keep it to myself until the right time. I fill the kettle and make tea.

After breakfast, I spend nearly an hour scrolling through my phone, watching reels without really paying attention to any of them. I'm just about to open a chat with my friends when Mara's name lights up my screen. I stare at it for a moment before deciding to answer the unexpected call.

"Hello?"

"Serena, hello, dear. Ethan and I have an appointment we can't miss. Kara can't come with us. Can you come over and babysit her for a few hours while we're away?"

I pause. "What? I cannot do that—"

"It won't be long. I promise you that we'll be back before evening."

I start to disagree. "It can't be today. I have things I need to do, including my sleep—"

But the line goes dead before I can finish. I stare at the phone. There is no point arguing with Mara. She always wins.

I dress quickly, pulling on a simple blouse and a pair of faded jeans. I tie my hair into a neat bun before grabbing my bag and leaving my apartment.

An hour later, I get out of the cab and stop outside Mara's residence. The sight that greets me makes me freeze.

What is he doing here?

Roman is standing near the front door, talking to Mara. Ethan is already seated in the car. Mara finishes whatever she's saying, gives Roman a brief nod, and joins her husband.

By the time the car pulls away, Roman turns his head. His eyes find me standing there, wide-eyed and still trying to process his presence.

I walk forward.

"What are you doing here?"

"My brother called me too. Asked me to help babysit Kara."

His voice is even, completely devoid of emotion. I stare at him in disbelief.

"That would never happen. Ethan wouldn't call you for that."

He raises an eyebrow. Then, to my surprise, he nods.

"I don't believe it either."

"Do you know how to babysit kids?"

He shrugs. "It doesn't matter. I mean, I'm here with you."

Before I can add anything else, a sharp cry comes from inside the house. Kara. Her voice is so high-pitched that it nearly hurts my ears.

Roman and I move at the same time. We rush through the front door.

In the living room, Kara has fallen from the sofa and lies on the floor, wailing. I reach her first, scooping her against my chest and immediately checking her over.

"Hey, hey. It's okay."

I pat her back gently, murmuring soft sounds as I hold her close. Roman stands a few steps away, watching us. His expression shifts as he looks at Kara in my arms, then at me.

"Make her some warm cereal," I tell him, realizing Kara needs to eat.

He moves toward the kitchen without a word. I stay where I am, rocking Kara and patting her back, but her crying doesn't ease.

After another minute, I begin searching the living room for toys while still holding her, opening drawers and checking behind cushions, wondering where Mara keeps everything.

Then I notice the silence from the kitchen, remembering Roman is supposed to be making cereal there.

Walking into the kitchen, I see Roman standing at the counter, slowly stirring a spoon through a bowl.

I step closer and look down. The mixture is watery and lumpy, looking nothing like the cereal Kara normally eats. I slowly lift my eyes to him.

"Do you actually not know how to make cereal?"

The look on his face answers the question for him. He doesn't.

Something breaks loose inside me. I laugh. I turn my head, nearly losing my hold on Kara as the laughter keeps coming.

After nearly a minute, I finally manage to calm myself.

"I'm sorry for laughing that way. For laughing loudly at you," I say between breaths.

I freeze when I look at his face.

The corner of his mouth is lifted. His shoulders shake, chuckling.

Roman Miller is laughing. I've spent years believing the man simply didn't know how to smile.

"You're laughing."

His eyes meet mine. Then the smile disappears. His face settles back into its familiar hard expression. As if he has just remembered that he's supposed not to smile.

I take the bowl from him and prepare a proper bowl of cereal.

Soon, we return to the living room. I feed Kara carefully until her cries fade and she eventually falls asleep against my thigh. Roman sits a short distance away, his eyes fixed on a sports show playing on the television.

For several minutes, neither of us speaks.

In a matter of time, the show eventually becomes boring, and my attention drifts back to the question that's been sitting inside me since the kitchen.

I look at him.

"Why did you stop laughing the moment I pointed it out? And why don't you smile? Why do you keep that straight face all the time?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Of course, I do," I reply, seemingly interested. If Roman will open up to me, my job at Chestfield will be less chaotic.

"I lied to you. I have anxiety. And sleep disorders."

I sit still for a moment, surprised that he's just admitted something personal in a direct way, not through sarcasm or even arrogantly.

I keep my voice gentle. "How long has it been happening? Weeks? Months?"

"Years," he replies.

I nod once, happy with the progression of the conversation. I was elated he could open up to me as his psychologist.

"Have you told anyone before? About your disorders?"

"No."

Just when I am close to getting more words from him, our short conversation gets shortened when Kara stirs and wakes with a restless cry.

Roman looks at the baby, then at me.

"I can take her and rock her to sleep."

I pass her into his arms carefully and watch him sway the baby gently. Her breathing evens out in minutes. Seeing her asleep, he lays her back on the couch.

The house falls into silence after that. I glance around the living room, suddenly feeling bored.

"Chess?" I ask him.

He gives a nod, eyes following my movements.

I find the old chessboard in Mara's side cabinet and bring it back to the center table between us. We settle across from each other and begin to play.

At some point, he disappears into the kitchen and comes back with two bottles of water, setting one down in front of me.

"Thanks." I thank him and keep playing.

When the match finally ends, I stand to carry my empty bottle into the kitchen. My leg catches the edge of the chair.

The floor tilts. I try to hold onto something, but I'm falling backward before I know it.

Roman moves faster, closing his arms around me to steady me on instinct, but that doesn't go as planned because the next thing I know, we land tangled on the couch, on top of each other, my mouth pressing against his.

Everything stills.

Shock ripples through me as I wonder if I should take a bold step and continue kissing him or simply push him away.