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Home / Emotional Realism Short Story / My Triplet Brothers Begged Me Back / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of My Triplet Brothers Begged Me Back: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

21 Chapters

1

On my 18th birthday, my triplet brothers adopted a fifteen-year-old orphan girl and they claimed her mother died saving our parents.To make our new "sister" feel welcome, Matthew forced me to give her my coming-of-age gift, Daniel sent away the sheepdog that had been my companion since childhood because of her allergies.William coldly told me to get out of the house and stop making their little sister upset.I didn't argue. Just packed my bags and left.After they returned from their vacation with the orphan girl, they learned I'd enlisted in a twenty-year frontier medical program.They went crazy when they realized that I would never come home....The day I accepted the offer to research cancer treatments happened to be Christmas Eve. When our parents were still alive, our family had made a pact to gather every Christmas.My mentor warned me: "In ten days, you'll be departing for the secret research mission. You'll be isolated for twenty years, Emma. Remember to say a proper goodby

2

After hanging up the phone, the winter wind stung my eyes.I made a detour to the mall, urgently purchasing ingredients to prepare my brothers' favorite dishes—the same ones we used to make together for our Christmas gatherings when our parents were still alive. And of course, Sarah's apple pie.With all the food and presents packed up, I hurriedly drove to the address William had texted me.The moment Sarah saw me, she acted terrified.Matthew glanced up at me.Before he could say anything, I'd already set up a small plate for myself and retreated to a corner.From the corner of my eye, I noticed him pause for a moment, looking surprised.But his surprise was fleeting.He quickly resumed fussing over Sarah, serving her the largest slice of apple pie.Sarah had a sweet tooth. She gobbled down several bites of the pie, but shortly after, she dramatically cried out: "My skin is so itchy! I'm having an allergic reaction! Did you put strawberries in this? I'm allergic to strawberries!"My

3

Daniel also heard my answer and froze for a moment.He must have thought I was just being dramatic, because his tone grew impatient:"You don't need to be like that.""We know you can be petty sometimes, but Sarah will return it after her graduation dance."I looked at them seriously: "If she likes it, I really can give it to her. I won't need it anymore anyway. I'll soon...""I'm always in the lab. I don't have many opportunities to wear a necklace. Sarah is young, at the age where girls love jewelry. It's perfect for her.""It's good you don't want that necklace anymore. You do owe Sarah," William's angry voice came through the phone."Can you come stay with me, I can't sleep..." Sarah's voice drifted through the phone, and the call quickly disconnected.I didn't even get the chance to tell my brothers that I was about to leave for a secret research mission with no fixed return date, and would never have the opportunity to wear that necklace again. But now it seemed like nobody cared

4

I turned around.Matthew was standing behind me. I hadn't heard him come in.His expression was ice-cold, his gaze fixed on my packed suitcase.William leaned against the doorframe, looking at me with the same frigid stare.Sarah crept in behind them, her eyes darting furtively to my luggage.Though she cowered behind Daniel and William, she couldn't hide the glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.For a moment, I considered telling them the truth. But thinking about how I was about to leave—how we wouldn't see each other for twenty years—I remained silent. I didn't want our last interaction to end in an argument.This way, when I finally left, I could at least comfort myself with a lie.They didn't know I was leaving for good. It wasn't that they didn't care.My hand slipped into my jacket pocket, my knuckles turning white as I clenched my fist."I'm just here to pack some things," I said, trying to sound casual. "This is the necklace for Sarah, and I'm temporarily moving my stuff out."

5

My eyes were so blurred I could barely open them.I couldn't tell if it was rain or tears. I have congenital asthma. My brothers had always been extremely protective of me because of it, but now, they seemed to have forgotten.My head felt foggy, and I could feel a fever coming on.Gradually, my body went numb as I dragged my suitcases toward the exit of our gated community.I wondered if the university dorms were locked by now.To be honest, I didn't know where I was going.Sarah ran after me, her voice dramatically tearful: "Sister, I'm sorry, don't go. If you don't like me, I can leave instead."Then came Matthew's urgent voice:"Don't you know your own health condition? What if you catch a cold in this rain!"For a moment, I thought he was calling out to me.In my dazed state, I vaguely heard his next words:"Daniel, tell the housekeeper to make some ginger tea for Sarah!"I tried to smile, but couldn't.Between staying up all night yesterday and rushing here this morning to pack m

6

For as long as I can remember, my parents were rarely home.They dedicated almost their entire lives to pharmaceutical development and medical research.They would often leave home for months, sometimes years at a time.Besides our housekeeper, it was my triplet brothers—twelve years my senior—who raised me.In elementary school, whenever I felt sad missing my parents, Matthew always noticed my dejection and gave me a puppy for companionship.In middle school, when classmates bullied me because my parents weren't around, Daniel rushed to school without hesitation, risking arrest to beat up those who tormented me.My awkward third brother, William, would study various recipes to cook for me, willingly enduring burns from hot oil on his hands.For many years while our parents were absent, my brothers were both siblings and parents to me as I grew up.Until I turned twelve, when I saw the Northern Lights on television.My brothers promised to take me to see them. We even booked the ticket

7

I pulled myself from the memories.Jake, driving beside me, handed me a tissue.I stared at it for a moment, only then realizing my eyes were wet.When I agreed to join the professor's twenty-year isolated research project, I thought I had made peace with everything.Now I discovered that remembering the past still brought tears to my eyes.It's okay. It's okay.People just need more time to forget and let go.I returned to campus, moved into the dorm, and continued organizing my affairs.The next day, while heading to the library with Jake, I ran into my three brothers again.Matthew, now a mentor at the research institute, had become an associate professor at only thirty-five.His presence at the library wasn't surprising.I pretended not to see them, found a seat, opened my laptop, and continued typing, one word at a time.Sarah, however, dragged my brothers to sit not far from me.I kept hearing the girl's quiet laughter.Matthew and Daniel patted her head: "Be good, and in a coupl

8

Before leaving, I checked my luggage one last time.At noon, I treated my roommates to lunch as a farewell.As I was walking out of the restaurant, William suddenly called.I answered, but he didn't speak for a long time.I thought he might have called by accident.Just as I was about to hang up, he finally spoke: "When are you coming home?"I was taken aback.For a moment, I wondered if he had meant to call Sarah instead.But I still replied: "I'm busy at school these days, so I won't be coming back."William wasn't willing to let it go: "What about tonight?"I didn't know what he was getting at suddenly.But I made up an excuse anyway: "I have plans with classmates tonight."There was another long silence on his end.After a while, he awkwardly continued: "Today is our birthday."I was momentarily speechless.For many years, I had been the only one planning their birthdays.Buying cakes, booking venues, choosing gifts more than a month in advance.Matthew and Daniel were always busy

9

My hand stopped mid-air as I was picking up food.Daniel peeled several shrimp and placed them in my bowl.William spoke in a gentle voice: "We promised you long ago."But we've been busy with work, as you know."I lowered my head as tears nearly fell.After all these years, they still remembered.I spoke quietly: "I have to go out of town with my professor this Saturday. I probably won't make it back in time."Daniel continued peeling shrimp for me, the oil staining his long, slender fingers.He replied: "Then we'll go before Saturday and come back early."Alaska isn't that far. We can return sooner."I wanted to refuse but couldn't bring myself to say the words.Deep down, I guess I still held onto a sliver of hope.After all these years, I just couldn't forget that Christmas Eve.My three brothers doting on me, tickets booked, promising to take me to see the Northern Lights. Our eyes full of anticipation for the future.That night, before our parents died, before Sarah moved in, whe

10

The day I officially prepared to enter the classified research institute was my fifth day after landing in Southcrest.The institute's director took us out for lunch.After several rounds of drinks, everyone was getting tipsy.By the end, many of those seated around the table had tears in their eyes.Director Hayes let us make one final call to family and friends, then solemnly said:"If you're afraid or can't bear to leave, it's not too late to back out now."People around me began taking out their phones to dial, followed by occasional sounds of suppressed sobbing.I sat in silence for a long time before finally taking out my phone and opening Facebook.I saw that Matthew, Daniel, and William had updated their status.They were already in Alaska with Sarah.In their photos, the sky was filled with dazzling multicolored lights, like a giant spilled palette.The Northern Lights illuminated the snowy night like daylight.Sarah wore a thick white down jacket with a bright red scarf wrapp

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