Our sister, Ava, worked at ABC, functioning as the liaison for all the projects we took on. I didn’t know another person as organized or meticulous with paperwork and keeping all the pieces of the puzzles together and running smoothly. Our adopted grandfather, Jordan Hayes, had held that position at BAM and insisted Ava learned everything she knew from him and had surpassed him ten times over. We were lucky to have her.
But the truth was, the three of us were the closest. Even when I had been seeing Loni, we remained so. After our nasty breakup, I had fallen into the habit of being alone. Licking my wounds in private. And even after I moved past the trauma, I had never felt quite the same. She had left a scar on me that hadn’t healed properly. My brothers had been their usual understanding selves, never pushing me, but they had also moved forward with their own lives. And this time, it felt as if the separation was the start of something bigger. Something lonelier for me.
Last night, I had dinner with them and their twin girlfriends. Kim and Diane were like us in that they were similar in looks, but not identical. Kim’s hair was a light brown, while Diane’s was a deep mahogany. Both had blue eyes. They were tall, slender, and pretty. Intelligent and well-spoken. Easygoing. They suited my brothers well. Diane was quieter, which suited Paul’s outgoing personality. Kim radiated exuberance and chatted constantly, Jeremy encouraging her with his wit and his ability to talk on a vast array of subjects. It was easy to see the four of them were comfortable with one another.
“What grade do you teach?” I asked Kim.
She smiled as she replied. “Grade one.”
“I bet that keeps you busy.”
“All the time. I love kids, and I enjoy being with them. They’re open and honest, you know? Their reactions are real.” She paused with a laugh. “Sometimes too real, but it keeps the days interesting.”
Remembering what a handful we were in school, I could only imagine.
“Any twins or triplets in your class?”
“Not this year. I had a set of twins two years ago. They were identical. Inseparable. Luckily, their mother dressed them differently, or I would have been lost.”
“We used to switch outfits.” Paul chuckled. “We’d be one another some days just for fun.”
“I’m sure the girls did that a few times,” Kim agreed. “But you’re not identical?”
“We looked pretty similar when we were younger,” I explained. “Then I got better-looking than these two clowns.” I winked.
“Bigger, you mean,” Jeremy scoffed. “We all know I’m the best-looking one. The looks improved as we came out. Longer baking time.”
It was my turn to laugh. “Yeah, those six minutes made a big difference.”
He nodded. “I knew you would agree.”
We all laughed. Kim hugged his arm and whispered something to him, which made him grin and turn his head, kissing her hard.
I felt that odd pang in my chest again watching them.
Kim looked flushed as she met my eyes. “Jeremy says you’re the driving force of the design team.”
I shrugged. “We all bring something to the table.”
“Paul says the same thing,” Diane offered quietly. “He says your talent astounds him.”
I looked down, fiddling with my fork. It was rare I heard what my brothers thought about me from someone else. We supported one another and fed off the artistic vibe when working, but they rarely offered simple praise.
I picked up my drink, striving to keep the mood upbeat. “I am pretty awesome.”
That led to more teasing. The meals were served, and the conversation was light. They had a lot of “couple banter” between them, and at times, I felt very much the odd man out, watching their closeness from the outside. I wasn’t part of the inside jokes or the memory of that great sushi place they’d been to the week before. I couldn’t laugh as loud over the story of how Paul had tripped over his untied shoelace in the theater, the popcorn he was carrying being flung over everyone in the vicinity. I laughed at the image it brought to mind, but not the shared recollection.
Diane talked about her job at the hospital a lot, sharing amusing stories.
“I’m a pediatric nurse,” she explained.
“You love kids too, I assume.”
“Yes. But I am a horrible teacher. I can cajole, give shots, calm a child down, get them to let me look in their throat or something, but teach them anything? No.”
“I’m sure you’re better than you think you are.”
Kim leaned forward, grinning. “Trust me, she isn’t.”
Everyone laughed. Paul leaned back, playing with Diane’s fingers. “She can’t explain things to adults either.”
Diane chuckled. “Good thing I have you to do that now.”
He kissed her. “Yep.”
They weren’t as demonstrative as Jeremy and Kim, but each couple was very close. I found the fact that both girls loved children interesting. Jeremy and Paul had always expressed their desire for having a big family like ours. They had picked the right girls, it would seem. Unlike my choice.