Twisted Roots (DeBeers 3)

The tears were streaming down my face. "Well!" she demanded so sharply, I winced.

"I went in there and I kept thinking about Uncle Linden and all the terrible things that have happened to him because of what had happened in that room. You told me about it yourself."

"So you took it out on a bedroom, on blankets and sheets and pillows? What sort of behavior is that for a girl who is nearly seventeen years old. Hannah?"

"I was angry."

"I don't understand you. Hannah. When this situation eases up, I'm going to have a serious talk with you. You are obviously spending too much time with Linden, and it's causing you to have some very serious confusion."

"Right. Just consider me one of your clients," I snapped back at her.

Before she could respond, I pivoted sharply and left her to march quickly to my bedroom. I heard her call after me when I closed my door. For a few moments I just stood there, shaking all over. The sound of a thunderclap made me jump. Seconds later the rain began pounding so hard against my windows, I thought the drops would shatter the glass. The storm seemed very appropriate. It was as if Mother Nature was tuned in to me. The gloom that fell over the house fit my mood.

But the downpour didn't last very long, and by the time Daddy arrived to pick me up, the clouds had begun to drift apart and permit the remaining sunlight to leak through and make the wet leaves, flowers, and grass dazzling. Talk about schizophrenics. I thought; Mother Nature was the biggest one of all.

I hadn't forgotten about the party for my half brothers. I showered, fixed my hair, and then put on one of my prettiest dresses: a mock two-piece with a metallic ribbed tube top and a metallic chiffon A-line skirt.

Dinners at Daddy's were most often formal. The twins were usually in matching sports jackets and slacks. Daddy wore a suit and Danielle wore an elegant dress as well. Guests, who were most often clients of Daddy's, came just as dressed up. There were always two maids serving, even when there were only the five of us.

I heard the front door open below and Daddy ask for me and then for Mommy. Miguel, who was downstairs, greeted him.

They were speaking in the hallway at the foot of the stairs when I emerged from my room and began to descend. Both my fathers looked up at me.

"Well, well." Daddy said. "Here comes the heartbreaker. She's going to leave a string of lovesick corpses behind. eh. Miguel?'

"Absolutely." he said. I knew that Mommy had told him everything I had done. I could see it in the restraint in his face. He had the gift Daddy had brought in his hands and turned back to Daddy. "Thanks for this. I'm sorry Willow is unable to greet you. Thatcher."

"Oh, that's all right. I understand. I have a few new mothers as clients for one reason or another. They are a separate species, if you ask me." Daddy replied. "Ready. Miss America?"

"Yes. Daddy." I looked at Miguel, 'Tell Mommy I'll stop by before I go to bed." I said.

He just nodded.

'Have a good time," he said when Daddy opened the door. "And give our best wishes to your boys."

"Will do," Daddy said. I knew he wouldn't, and even if he did, neither Adrian nor Cade would care or even acknowledge it, especially if they hadn't been given anything to add to their mountain of

possessions.

"It's like a morgue in there." Daddy muttered as we headed for his car. "I thought the birth of a new baby would add festivity and sunshine to Joya Del Mar. The place reminds me of what it was like when Linden lived there. Gloom and doom," he muttered and opened the door for me,

"Wasn't Uncle Linden ever happy, Daddy?" I asked when he got in behind the steering wheel.

"Oh, he had his moments. I suppose. But then he realized it and quickly shifted back to a creature of the night," he said. smiling.

We pulled away, I gazed back at the house and thought about Mommy and how angry she was with me. I didn't want this to happen. Everything just seemed to be going in the wrong direction. Na matter what I did. I felt like a fly caught in a web of confusing emotions. It wrapped itself around me so my life could be drained of any pleasure.

"Hey." Daddy said, poking me playfully. "Stop looking like you're on your way to the death chamber. This is supposed to be a party. Join me in celebrating another year closer to setting the two of them loose on the world and on their own." he said. smiling.

I smiled back.

Maybe Mommy was right. Maybe Daddy was a selfish person, but I rarely, if ever, saw him unhappy or depressed. His loose approach to everything, always seeing something funny in the events that happened around him, was never more refreshing to me than it was at this moment.

"Here are your birthday cards for them." Daddy said, tapping a small paper bag.

I took them out They were humorous ones and both the same. Was it always like this for twins: everything simply duplicated? I was glad I had no twin. It seemed difficult to get people to treat you as an individual, to see you a separate being with your own likes and dislikes.

"'Here," Daddy said, offering me his pen. "I feel funny doing this. Daddy."