Alec woke me up as soon as he has parked the car outside of Mom's family mausoleum. A generic looking building along with the same designs. White painted building with metal locked gates protecting whatever is inside it. The only difference between them is the last name written in huge gold letters on every mausoleum.

Alec made his way to open the locked gate of the place. As I have expected, it was clean and tidy inside. The keeper must've cleaned this place like always. The name 'Ramirez' is written in bold gold letters at the gate. Inside rests Mom and grandpa -- her father's remains.

Alec placed the basket on the clean white tiled floor in front of their graves. He pulls out a red blanket from the basket and covers the floor with it, before sitting down on it. He looks at me with a smile. "Come on." He said, patting the empty space beside him.

Taking a deep breath I sat down on the blanket beside him. I watch as Alec does what he always does. He takes out the candles in the basket and lit them up, placing one in front of each of the stones. "You forgot the flowers." I said, my eyebrows furrowed as the space for the flowers remained empty.

"He didn't." Dy's familiar voice said from behind me.

I whipped my head around to look at him, surprise to see him here to. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt, Dy stands with Mom's favorite flower in one hand. He crouches and puts it neatly in front of mom's grave.

"Here you go, May." He said softly, smiling at the picture of Mom placed neatly on top of her grave. "Looking beautiful as always, May."

"What a charmer." Alec said sarcastically as he wipes invisible dirt from Mom's picture. "He's being nice because he's scared you won't approve Mom." Alec continued, snickering at Dy.

It's weird. They're talking to her like she's alive. Like she can still hear them. Like any moment now, they would hear her voice again. They're talking to her normally. I wish I could do that. But whenever I try, I get this nagging feeling that no matter how much I talk I won't ever get to know this person. Not on the same level that these two knows her.

She might be my mom but she's nothing but a memory to me. A beautiful memory of a woman who raised the two most important men in my life. A woman who gave me a chance of having the best childhood anyone could ask for through these two. Yes, she might be a memory but I felt her love growing up through Alec and Dustyn.

"Isn't that right Mara?" Alec asked me, snapping me out of my reverie.

I looked at him blankly. Completely unaware of what he was asking me. "What?"

With furrowed eyebrows, Alec puts down the tupperware of food he pulled out from the picnic basket. "Are you okay? You've been awfully quiet."

I nodded my head. "Yeah."

"Guess she's second guessing getting engaged to you now Dy." Alec said smirking at Dustyn who took the empty space next to me.

"That's not happening anytime soon. Right, shortcake?" Dy asked me confidently, putting his hand on top of my right hand.

I took a glance at my brother's face and knew what I should say. "Maybe." I said with a teasing smile of my own.

Dustyn acted shocked, putting his hand dramatically on his chest. As Alec bursts out laughing while pointing at the shock expression on Dy's face.

"See Mom. I'm being surrounded by two children." I said snickering as both of their jaws fell at what I said. "I don't know what I'm going to do with them" I continued, sighing dramatically.

I held back my laughter as the both of them continued to look in shock at my words. Two grown and successful men looking like a deer in headlights. It's a sight to see.

"Yeah May. Alec is so childish." Dy suddenly said, his voice clearly teasing Alec. "Remember his stalking tendencies? Yea. It got worse."

"Shut up." Alec groaned, face palming himself as Dy continued to tell Mom about Alec and Rory. Mostly about Alec's stalking and protective tendencies.

The day continued on as we talked to Mom and Grandpa about how our year has been going. Occasionally laughing at some weird memories we all somewhat remembers. Being quiet the next because there are some memories that are just better to be left unspoken of again.

After a while, I realized something I have never asked Alec about before. "Hey Al?"

"Yeah?" His voice muffled by the food in his mouth making me laugh a little. He chews and swallows before taking a sip from his bottled water before talking again. "What is it?"

"Why did Dad take Mom's last name?" I asked curiously. I don't know why I haven't asked that before but I guess now would be a good time to asked. Better late than never right?

Alec quirked an eyebrow at me. He scoots a little closer to me, getting ready to tell the story. "Mom said it was Grandpa's idea. She said that Dad was from a middle class family and he didn't want his daughter and future grandkids to not have a notable last name."

My jaw literally dropped. All this time I thought it was just Mom not wanting to change her last name or Dad want to take her last name. But it seemed much deeper than the petty reasons I have concluded in my head. "What?"

I took a quick look at Dustyn and he looked just as surprised as I did.

"So, Dad did as Grandpa asked of him. If he wanted to marry into their family, he would need to take their last name. There was no other way around it. Of course at that time, taking a woman's last name is a bit unheard of but it's not really illegal anymore." Alec continued. "See, funny thing is, I think Dad really loved Mom when they got married. That's why he did what he did."

"Dad never said anything about this. Wow." I said raking my fingers through my ponytail, making it messy. "Wait. So I can make Dustyn take my last name instead of me taking his last name?"

"Yup. That's right baby girl. You can always be a Ramirez if you wanted to." He said confidently, giving a smirk towards Dustyn. "Guess that ends your Franco lineage."

I looked at Dustyn, hoping to to see that if I asked, he would agree to it. Dustyn smiled, like neither of us said something wrong. It's a beautiful smile. One that I have fallen for. "Whatever you wish for."

I grinned at his answer. "Really?"

Dustyn nodded. "Of course. Names are irrelevant as long as I get to marry you." He said with a sweet, sweet smile of his.

Alec made a sound which made us look at him. "Stop being sweet in front of me. I feel like I could puke."

I rolled my eyes at my dramatic brother. "Well, maybe you could explain why Rory's shoes are inside your car." I said without thinking twice about it.

"Say what now? Doing the dirty with your ex-fiancée huh." Dustyn teased him.

Alec just looked away from us. "I don't want to talk about it." He said stubbornly.

I sighed, disappointed yet again from not getting any answers from him. He's always like this. I don't know why I even bother to keep being inquisitive with his life. Apparently his life is his own while my life is also his to control.

"Then maybe you could explain to us why you said you owned the house you grew up in." Dustyn said, his voice not leaving for an escape.

I feel like my brain is processing every word of what Dustyn said slower than usual. I don't know how long I looked at Alec, blinking and not moving. Not even saying a word.

My brother's sigh of defeat is like music to my ears. "Mom left a will. Two, actually. One was three years before her death, printed and notarized." He started. "And a hand written one made when Mara was born."

"She left two? Then that means the will that attorney read on you eighteenth birthday...?" I asked, trailing over my words.

"That was the old one. Saying that Dad owns the estates and ten per cent of her shares in the company."

Dustyn's warm hand rested on top of my small cold hands. "When did you find out that you owned the house?"

"When he was twenty-one years old." I said, the events suddenly clicking and falling into places in my head.

Alec recently finished college when things started changing in the house. Suddenly, our place was being constructed and Dad was not around to stop Alec. Or at least that's what I have thought of when Alec ordered someone to construct our place and make sure that it is secure. It was also during that time that Alec suddenly became the CEO of the company despite having no experience in that line of work, effectively forcing Dad to retire.

"You.. you have owned that house for a long time."

Alec nodded. His grey eyes apologetic and solemn. "You weren't supposed to find out until you're twenty. That's when you get to read the will." He said, a sad smile forming on his lips.

"Alec.." I said, out of words and absolutely surprised at how good he is at hiding. Or maybe I'm just oblivious to everything that is happening around me.

"I'm sorry baby girl. You'll find out soon enough. Just a little more than five months." Alec said, reassuring me with his words.

The rest of the time we spent in utter silence as we eat. There was too much revelation to get my head around that I didn't exactly know what I should say to Alec. If I should ask more, dig a little deeper in the secret that he is clearly keeping from me. Or if I should let it go and wait as he had said so.

Once we finished the food that Mrs. Aldous had prepared and packed for us, we wrapped up our things and trash and bid our goodbye to both of them. Alec chose to stay behind as he solemnly talks to Mom's grave.

"He looks different." Dustyn noted as we stand outside of Alec's parked car. He tilted his head and seems to be looking at Alec in a different angle. "Something's different about him."

Confused, my brows furrowed, looking at Alec the exact same way that he did. Alec is still looking like Alec. Nothing seemed to be much different about him today, except for the fact that he was obviously going through something yesterday. But I figured it had something to do with Rory after I found her shoes in his car. But seeing as he refused to explain himself, I could only form my own personal conclusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked after I have given up on staring at Alec's back. Not finding anything different about him. At least not something to worry about.

Dustyn smiles, as if he had figured out the puzzle. "Nothing you need so worry about." He said and turned his head again in the direction of Alec who is now locking the mausoleum. He is visibly upset; his eyes are a little reddish and sniffing a lot. He is still wiping away some tears when he stopped in front of us.

Frowning, I gathered my older brother in my arms. I didn't have to wait long before he bursts out crying. I calmed him down by running my hand up and down his back. Providing what little comfort I could.

This is the first time he cried while we are visiting Mom. He's usually calm and collected. Happy even, to spend time with even though we are essentially talking to a stone. He was never this emotional when it comes to her. To me, at least it seemed as if he has mourned enough to not shed a tear every time he's here.

But to see him like this. So sad. Broken. Crying his eyes out for whatever reason is making me worry.