TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Tyler found Alicia after minutes of searching. She was with a group of children, indulging them in the act of face painting. About five or six children sat down attentively around a table she must have set up while she painted their faces into what they wanted. Tyler had almost forgotten that she painted.

It was the one thing they both shared in common besides being siblings. As he joined them, Alicia barely glanced away from what she was doing to answer his polite awkward greeting. She finished with the face of the kid in front of her before she took off her painting gloves to answer him.

“Where is your girlfriend? Trouble in paradise?” Her tone was mocking as she steered him away from the kids to somewhere else, somewhere private.

“Sophie is anything but clingy,” Tyler's voice was surprisingly calm unlike what Alicia had expected.

“Of course, she seemed like a very lovely person.” Alicia smiled, waving at a group of women calling out to her. Tyler stared at the group as they passed