THE MOMENT
"Did you see us?" The question called Aurelio's attention. He was seated at a table, alone at the moment, watching Ruin and Minerva get married. The young voice came from his right. By the time he turned to see a pair of twin girls, he'd already missed his half of the conversation. "Ms. Sharp asked us to be the flower girls. I think we did a good job! 23 says flower girls can't do a bad job; but, I think we did a great one! What do you think? How did we do? Did you see us?"
Aurelio chuckled. The brown-haired twin on his left seemed to do all the talking. She looked more animated than her sister who wore a more bored expression. Though their faces looked identical, they would be easy to tell apart. The talkative one had deep green eyes and the quiet one's eyes were honey-brown.
"I did see you," Aurelio smiled. That much was true, even if he had no idea who they were. And, he enjoyed spreading encouragement when he could. "I think you did a great job; if I ever get married, I want you two to be my flower girls too," he said. It was an easy promise to make. He never planned to get married. But, even though he felt he did a good thing, the twins' expressions changed instantly. They took on a disappointed, almost sour look as they tilted their head at him.
"You mean you haven't married mom yet?!" the green-eyed one asked. “Why not???” As Aurelio tried to process the question, he heard Regal bring the ceremony to a close.
"You may now kiss the bride."
"What?" Aurelio asked the girls.
"Ms. Sharp said he wouldn't remember us...," the brown-haired twin finally said something; though, not to him. She hugged her sister as she reminded her. When he heard that, time stopped around Aurelio. He became aware of a sudden stillness and he looked around for confirmation. It was easy to spot dozens of wedding guests frozen mid-step, or in the middle or some other action that is normally completed in an instant.
"Oh!" the first twin perked up again. "She started! It's okay," she said to Aurelio. "You'll remember us soon. I'm Six, and that's 23!" she introduced them.
"Aurelio Luna," he nodded at them and introduced himself. They giggled in response.
"We know who you are," Six said. 23 looked him in the eye and gave him a faint, ghostly smirk. Then, she finished Six's thought before they were locked in time too.
"You're our dad."