Twinsequences (A Twisted Twin Series) (46 page)

Once
 we’d
 moved
 in,
 everything
 finally
 settled
 down.
 Mine
 and
 Stosh’s
 
parents
 insisted
 on
 buying
 us
 new
 furniture
 for
 our
 house.
 They
 didn’t
 want
 
anything
 from
 the
 past
 reminding
 us
 of
 what
 we’d
 been
 through.
 I
 didn’t
 mind
 it.
 I
 
think
 it
 made
 us
 appreciate
 each
 other
 more.
 
Normally,
 Stosh
 would
 work
 from
 nine
 to
 five.
 Of
 course,
 he
 had
 plenty
 of
 
down
 time
 to
 spend
 with
 me.
 We
 got
 hooked
 on
 soap
 operas
 and
 spent
 his
 lunch
 
break
 in
 bed
 or
 on
 the
 couch.
 
 
I
 ate
 more
 than
 ever
 before
 and
 gained
 double
 the
 amount
 of
 weight
 I
 should
 
have.
 We
 were
 just
 so
 happy
 and
 so
 in
 love.
 The
 anticipation
 of
 the
 new
 baby
 coming
 
brought
 on
 all
 sorts
 of
 late
 night
 cravings.
 Stosh
 had
 the
 delivery
 places
 on
 his
 speed
 
dial
 and
 I
 was
 pretty
 sure
 they
 were
 on
 a
 first
 name
 basis.
 
 
His
 love
 for
 me
 was
 so
 apparent,
 and
 the
 time
 that
 we’d
 been
 apart,
 soon
 was
 
a
 lost
 memory.
 Each
 day
 was
 better
 than
 the
 one
 before
 it
 and
 I
 was
 so
 grateful
 for
 
the
 way
 things
 had
 turned
 out.
 
Ivy’s
 trial
 didn’t
 happen
 until
 three
 months
 after
 she’d
 been
 arrested.
 She
 
started
 in
 the
 local
 county
 corrections
 center.
 My
 parents
 had
 come
 to
 us
 the
 week
 
before
 the
 trial
 begging
 me
 to
 go
 see
 my
 sister.
 They
 said
 she
 needed
 to
 talk
 to
 me
 
before
 she
 was
 sentenced.
 My
 now
 showing
 belly
 would
 reveal
 my
 pregnancy.
 Even
 
though
 I’d
 told
 her
 I
 was
 expecting
 on
 that
 horrible
 night
 she’d
 tried
 to
 kill
 us,
 I
 don’t
 
think
 it
 really
 sank
 in
 as
 being
 real.
 
 
Stosh
 and
 I
 talked
 for
 a
 long
 time
 about
 me
 going
 to
 see
 my
 sister.
 We
 owed
 
her
 nothing,
 and
 the
 last
 thing
 I
 wanted
 to
 do
 was
 hear
 her
 bullshit
 lies.
 As
 the
 days
 
went
 by,
 I
 started
 to
 reconsider.
 There
 were
 things
 that
 I’d
 been
 dying
 to
 say
 to
 her.
 
There
 were
 things
 she
 deserved
 to
 hear
 out
 of
 my
 mouth.
 
Stosh
 argued
 with
 me
 over
 it,
 saying
 things
 were
 better
 left
 unsaid.
 He
 said
 
I’d
 just
 be
 stirring
 the
 pot
 and
 that
 he
 didn’t
 feel
 like
 giving
 her
 another
 second
 of
 
our
 time.
 
Without
 his
 blessing,
 I
 found
 myself
 sitting
 outside
 the
 gates
 to
 the
 prison.
 It
 
was
 visiting
 day
 and
 the
 last
 day
 to
 see
 her
 before
 the
 trial.
 I’d
 asked
 my
 parents
 to
 
wait
 until
 my
 visit
 was
 over
 to
 come
 see
 her.
 This
 was
 between
 me
 and
 my
 sister.
 
The
 visitation
 room
 was
 a
 lot
 like
 they
 portray
 them
 on
 television.
 Large
 
cafeteria
 type
 tables
 were
 in
 rows.
 The
 prisoner
 sits
 on
 one
 side
 while
 the
 visitor
 
sits
 on
 the
 other.
 I
 showed
 my
 I.D.
 and
 waited
 for
 them
 to
 bring
 her
 out
 to
 see
 me.
 
It
 was
 weird
 when
 she
 came
 out
 from
 behind
 the
 door
 without
 makeup.
 I
 
don’t
 remember
 seeing
 my
 sister
 like
 that.
 Even
 before
 bed
 she
 would
 apply
 some
 
makeup.
 She
 used
 to
 say
 that
 it
 was
 just
 in
 case
 the
 house
 caught
 fire.
 She
 didn’t
 
want
 a
 cute
 fireman
 seeing
 her
 without
 her
 face
 on.
 
None
 of
 that
 mattered
 anymore.
 She
 couldn’t
 primp
 around
 and
 pick
 up
 the
 
new
 makeup
 when
 it
 came
 out
 at
 the
 stores.
 Her
 excitement
 was
 over.
 Now
 she’d
 be
 
trading
 day
 old
 fish
 sticks
 for
 cigarettes.
 It
 almost
 made
 me
 want
 to
 smile.
 
The
 look
 on
 her
 face
 was
 unlike
 one
 I
 was
 used
 to.
 She
 seemed
 both
 shocked
 
and
 amused
 that
 I
 had
 showed
 up.
 I
 folded
 my
 hands
 on
 the
 table
 as
 she
 walked
 up.
 
My
 belly
 was
 well
 hidden
 and
 I
 was
 saving
 that
 surprise
 for
 the
 very
 end
 of
 our
 visit.
 
 
She
 sat
 down
 right
 in
 front
 of
 me.
 “I
 didn’t
 think
 you’d
 come.”
 
“I
 wasn’t
 going
 to.”
 I
 raised
 one
 eyebrow
 and
 waited
 for
 her
 to
 respond.
 I
 was
 
ready
 for
 anything.
 
She
 played
 with
 her
 hands.
 “I
 thought
 a
 lot
 about
 what
 I
 wanted
 to
 say
 to
 
you.”
 
“So
 spill.
 I
 don’t
 have
 all
 day.
 Stosh
 is
 taking
 me
 out
 to
 our
 favorite
 restaurant
 
and
 I
 promised
 him
 I
 wouldn’t
 be
 late.”
 I
 loved
 rubbing
 it
 in
 that
 we
 were
 together.
 It
 
was
 almost
 as
 good
 as
 leaning
 over
 the
 table
 and
 gouging
 both
 of
 her
 eyes
 out.
 
 
“It
 must
 be
 nice.”
 
“Oh,
 it
 is.
 Everything
 turned
 out
 perfectly.
 I’ve
 never
 been
 so
 happy.”
 
She
 placed
 her
 hands
 flat
 on
 the
 table.
 “How’s
 he
 doing
 without
 legs?”
 
“Screw
 you!”
 I
 stood
 up.
 “This
 was
 a
 mistake.
 You
 aren’t
 worth
 the
 time.”
 
She
 stared
 at
 me,
 but
 not
 my
 face.
 I
 could
 see
 the
 tears
 forming
 in
 her
 eyes.
 
“What’s
 wrong,
 Ivy?
 Cat
 got
 your
 tongue?”
 
She
 put
 her
 hands
 over
 her
 mouth
 and
 shook
 her
 head.
 “I
 didn’t
 believe
 it.
 I
 
thought
 you
 were
 lying.”
 
“We
 kept
 it
 from
 you
 the
 whole
 time,
 Ivy.
 How
 does
 it
 feel
 to
 be
 lied
 to?
 How
 
does
 it
 feel
 to
 know
 that
 I
 have
 everything
 you’ve
 ever
 wanted?”
 
She
 shook
 her
 head
 and
 continued
 to
 sob.
 “Stop
 it!”
 
I
 sat
 back
 down
 and
 got
 close
 to
 her,
 so
 nobody
 else
 could
 hear
 me.
 “How
 
does
 it
 feel
 to
 know
 you
 will
 never
 have
 my
 life?
 You
 will
 never
 feel
 what
 it’s
 like
 to
 
have
 someone
 love
 you
 and
 you
 will
 never,
 ever,
 know
 what
 having
 your
 own
 child
 
is
 like.
 You
 reap
 what
 you
 sow,
 sis.”
 I
 tapped
 on
 the
 table.
 “This
 is
 where
 you
 
belong.”
 
I
 went
 to
 stand
 up
 and
 walk
 away,
 but
 she
 grabbed
 my
 hand.
 “Will,
 wait!”
 
I
 pulled
 away.
 “What
 do
 you
 want?
 Did
 you
 think
 I
 was
 going
 to
 come
 here
 
and
 just
 forgive
 you?
 You’re
 insane!
 You
 took
 everything
 from
 me
 and
 then
 tried
 to
 
end
 the
 lives
 of
 everyone
 that
 ever
 gave
 a
 damn
 about
 you.
 I
 hope
 you
 rot
 in
 Hell.”
 
“I’m
 sorry.”
 
I
 pointed
 at
 her.
 “You’re
 so
 lucky
 the
 charges
 against
 me
 and
 Stosh
 were
 
dropped.”
 The
 day
 after
 she
 was
 arrested
 my
 father
 made
 sure
 that
 Stosh
 and
 I
 were
 
out
 of
 trouble
 for
 what
 we’d
 done.
 
“I
 said
 I
 was
 sorry,”
 she
 repeated.
 
I
 was
 so
 pissed
 off.
 “You’re
 not
 sorry,
 Ivy.
 You
 did
 it
 all
 on
 purpose.
 Apologies
 
are
 for
 something
 you
 didn’t
 mean
 to
 happen.
 You
 planned
 all
 of
 this.
 Are
 you
 happy
 
with
 yourself?
 How
 does
 it
 make
 you
 feel
 to
 know
 that
 Stosh
 and
 I
 bought
 a
 house
 
together?
 We
 wake
 up
 in
 our
 bed
 and
 make
 love
 whenever
 we
 want.
 You
 think
 just
 
because
 he
 can’t
 walk
 that
 we
 can’t
 make
 love?
 My
 name
 is
 the
 only
 one
 he
 says
 
when
 he
 sleeps.
 It’s
 our
 baby’s
 room
 that
 he’s
 helping
 decorate.
 I
 hope
 you
 like
 your
 
little
 ten-‐by-‐ten
 cell.
 Was
 that
 in
 your
 plan
 too?”
 
She
 shook
 her
 head
 and
 hid
 her
 face
 from
 me.
 I
 had
 gotten
 to
 her
 in
 the
 worst
 
way,
 without
 guilt.
 
 
“I
 loved
 you
 more
 than
 anyone
 for
 our
 whole
 lives.
 I
 would
 have
 done
 
anything
 for
 you.
 It’s
 a
 shame
 you
 didn’t
 feel
 that
 way
 about
 me.
 We
 could
 have
 been
 
a
 family.
 You
 could
 have
 been
 an
 aunt
 to
 my
 children.
 I
 really
 do
 hope
 you’re
 happy
 
with
 yourself.”
 
I
 left
 my
 sister
 sitting
 at
 the
 table
 in
 tears.
 Whatever
 it
 was
 she
 thought
 she
 
was
 going
 to
 say
 wasn’t
 ever
 going
 to
 be
 said.
 I’d
 made
 my
 peace
 with
 it
 all
 and
 it
 felt
 
damn
 good.
 
Stosh
 was
 anxiously
 waiting
 for
 me
 when
 I
 returned
 home.
 I
 walked
 in
 the
 
door
 with
 a
 smile
 on
 my
 face.
 Sure,
 I
 did
 feel
 bad
 for
 saying
 such
 mean
 things.
 I
 
reacted
 the
 way
 I
 had,
 because
 everything
 was
 so
 pent
 up
 inside
 of
 me.
 I
 just
 needed
 
to
 get
 it
 out,
 once
 and
 for
 all.
 He
 wheeled
 himself
 toward
 the
 front
 door.
 “How’d
 it
 
go?”
 
I
 sat
 down
 on
 his
 lap
 and
 wrapped
 my
 arms
 around
 his
 neck.
 “I
 said
 some
 
things.”
 
“What
 kind
 of
 things?”
 
“Imagine
 the
 worst
 possible
 things
 that
 you
 could
 ever
 say
 to
 Ivy,
 then
 
multiply
 that
 by
 one
 hundred.”
 I
 wondered
 if
 I’d
 been
 too
 hard
 on
 my
 sister.
 Maybe
 
that
 was
 just
 because
 I
 had
 a
 heart
 and
 she
 didn’t.
 I
 wanted
 to
 hate
 her,
 but
 
somewhere
 inside
 of
 me,
 I
 still
 cared.
 I
 hated
 being
 mean.
 
 
“How
 did
 she
 take
 it?”
 
“She
 cried.”
 
He
 kissed
 me
 softly
 on
 the
 lips.
 “Don’t
 tell
 me
 you
 feel
 guilty
 now.
 That
 bitch
 
deserves
 whatever
 is
 dealt
 to
 her.”
 
I
 traced
 his
 lips
 with
 my
 fingertip.
 “I
 know.”
 
He
 popped
 a
 wheelie
 with
 me
 on
 his
 lap.
 I
 screamed
 and
 held
 on
 tight.
 
“Whoa!
 What
 are
 you
 doing?”