42.Drew

Drew

Jared looks at me like I’m a wounded animal—and honestly, right now, I feel like one.

“Okay, so I’m your brother… obviously. I know I said I’m your little brother, but I’m actually your twin. We’re fraternal twins, which is why we don’t look like the same person twice.”

Jared pauses, giving me a moment to process what he just said. I need that minute. A twin?

Jared chuckles. “I know, right? It’s too bad we’re not identical twins, because the world really could use two of me. I struggle with being so wanted and all—another me would really take the heat off.”

I roll my eyes. Classic Jared.

“You do realize there could’ve been two of me instead, right? Clearly, we had our own yolk sacs, because I can’t imagine us trying to share the one brain cell you have.”

Jared clutches his chest in mock shock. “Oh God, no. The world doesn’t need that. You attract crazy like a moth to a flame—I can’t imagine the complete disaster two of you would be. Also, rude.” He stretches out his hand and glances at his fingers like he’s just said something profound.

“Anyway… continue.”

“Well, once you were taken, everything pretty much went into lockdown. Grandpa and Grandma shut the whole house down. I never went to school—teachers were brought to me—and everyone was vetted before they came or left. Mom was a wreck, and I think what made it worse was that they kind of knew who took you. Moira made it no secret. There were pictures of you everywhere—from society magazines to plain old newspapers—but they knew if they said anything, they’d be putting you, me, and themselves at risk.

“Moira didn’t know there were two of us. Somehow, she just thought there was you. After a few years, they finally let me go out in public again and one of the times I was with Mom, Dad saw us—I guess that’s when he left you.”

“Mom was furious at him because she thought he knew at Moira had done, and that he’d insist on sole custody of you. But Dad explained to her that he had no idea and that he was going to get you back. So we watched from afar, and when you were finally in university and away from the devil incarnate, I put myself in your path. Everything from that point kind of happened naturally… you were drawn to my charms—as most are—and we’ve been stuck together since. What I wasn’t expecting was for you to offer me a job in the family business. And I definitely wasn’t expecting an assassination attempt, man… your life is like watching Mommie Dearest.”

He wasn’t wrong. Moira has always been a wild card—and she’s used to getting what she wants.

“So… they actually wanted me?” I hate saying it out loud. It sounds pathetic, but I want to know. It’s felt like they all left me in a hell that my own father ran away from.

Jared presses his fingers into his eyes, trying to hold back tears. “They wanted you so bad, man. We all did. But it broke Mom to know you were trapped with Moira. One time, she even tried to get you back. She went to one of the parties Moira threw—snuck in as waitstaff. She knew that house inside and out from working there with her family, so she found you fast. But you wouldn’t leave. She said she begged you, but you were scared. You started yelling, and she had to leave.”

I remember that. “I thought she was some crazy lady trying to kidnap me. She didn’t say who she was—just that my dad was looking for me and I needed to go with her. I didn’t know who she was.”

Jared shakes his head. “The irony, huh? Refusing to go with your actual mother while screaming for rescue from your actual kidnapper... damn. That’s some Edgar Allan Poe shit right there.”

I could’ve been out sooner. I could’ve been with my actual family—if I’d just gone with my mom.

“I’m a fucking idiot.”

Jared frowns. “Dude, you were a kid, and a slightly deranged-looking server was trying to get you to go with her. If you had gone with her, then I would’ve thought you were an idiot. You did what any normal kid would’ve done with the info you had. Mom didn’t say she was your mom because if you didn’t go with her and told Moira about a lady claiming to be your mother, it’d blow everything up. This way, they could just assume some random nut tried to snatch a rich kid for ransom.”

I think back to that night. Oddly enough, I never mentioned it to Moira. It’s like, on some deep level, I knew not to.

“Okay… so what’s the plan? When do they want to meet?” I’m desperate to meet my parents—especially my mom.

“Well, they’d meet you tonight if we let them, but I think we should wait until tomorrow. I’ve used up all my emotional tokens for the day, and you’re gonna need all of yours to handle Mom. She’s a sweetheart, but it’s a lot. Then again, you grew up with Satan, so maybe overwhelming love is just what you need.”

I take a deep breath and nod. Tomorrow, I meet my parents.

I’m scared—but ready. I don’t want to disappoint them. And the bar is pretty high with Jared. As dumb as he is, he’s one of the most dependable, trustworthy, loving people I’ve ever met, and that speaks volumes about our parents.
Being raised by Moira definitely puts me at an emotional disadvantage.

“Fine. Set it up for tomorrow.”

Jared’s still staring at me.

“Hey, Drew, stop it. I can hear the thoughts in your head, bro. You’re not the spawn of Moira you think you are. You’re more than enough, and Mom and Dad love you—even though you aren’t the second me.”

“Jesus, Jared. You’re an idiot. A twin isn’t two of one person—they’re two separate individuals who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits into two embryos. Even though they share nearly identical DNA, they’re distinct people with their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences… so no, not two of you, you numb nut.”

“I knowwwww, Drewy. You’re such a nerd. Who the fuck talks like that in real life?”

I shake my head.

I’m related to him by blood.

The bar is in hell.