Ashlyn couldn't believe what her father had just said to her.
"So, my little sister was the one hospitalised. Not my little brother. I guess her- our- mom would have been there, huh?"
"Yes... she was. Poor girl got a huge shock out of finding out everything, to the point where she gave all of us a huge tongue-lashing. Me, Angie, Draco... she is good at it, to be honest. Making you feel like a pile of mashed potatoes." Ashton said, rubbing his eyes.
"She's a really good MUNer. Her public speaking skills are amazing. No wonder. I guess she was already annoyed at the fact that she was strapped to IV tubes and not allowed to move a muscle. The only one she could move without any discomfort at that point was her tongue." Ashlyn shrugged.
"Makes sense... But I'm sure Amira will come around soon. Her twin, meanwhile, sure did. Now you're no longer sworn to secrecy, I suppose."
"Yeah. Thank goodness. More time he simply spent with her, the more likely he was to realize it for himself."
"True that. Oh, and by the way, your mom wanted to talk to you guys. She's accompanying your sister in the hospital. Do you want to talk to her?"
"It's been ages... I don't think she'll even recognize me now if I saw her in person."
"We were scrolling through pictures of each other's halves of the family at the hospital. I've also been updating her on both of you on your birthdays, and myself on my birthday."
"Okay, then..."
Ashlyn picked up her phone and typed in her mother's phone number, which her father had sent her. She clicked the green 'call' button and braced herself.
"Elisabeth, for the last time! My daughter has been hospitalised. I can't give you the next chapter in another week or even three." came the yell, behind the line.
"Um... it's Ashlyn. Your other daughter."
"Oh..." Angie gulped. "This is awkward."
"Agreed... I just wanted to know how my sister is doing."
"She's asleep right now, dear. She'll recover in a month or so. And I'm really sorry about yelling. I thought you were my editor. She kept calling me non-stop a few minutes back."
"It's okay, Mom... these things happen. Wait - can I call you that, or...?-"
"Sure. If you're not comfortable, I don't want to force anything on you."
"Thank you."
"Of course. You're my first child, after all."
"I heard from dad that Amira didn't take the revelation so well."
"I didn't expect her to. She is like me, that way."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you the whole story. You deserve to know both sides, after all."
"Will this become a rant?"
"Yes. Anyway..." Angelina started. "For starters, as a child, I couldn't accept the fact that Ashton only wanted to be my friend. I always thought he was rubbing in his skills, whenever he talked to me.
Later on, I couldn't accept the fact I had a crush on him in high school. Only after he moved away did I realize it was utter stupidity on my end.
I couldn't accept the commitment that came with the shiny diamond ring he presented me. So I rejected the proposal. Twice.
The third time, I accepted. But I didn't know what exactly I was falling into. First, we had a daughter. In hopes for a second child, we also had an unprecedented third. Life was going all right for us.
Until... I realized that I was expecting a fourth. Anyone else in my position would say, 'I already gave birth to twins. I can do it again for one.'
I was not that type of person, in the slightest.
That was when your dad and I jegan arguing like anything, my throat aching almost as much as my back and womb. Your dad tried his best to calm the situation, but to no luck.
Until... I came up with an idea. A wonderful, awful idea. The 'strategic' decision to split ways. I thought we could remarry and raise separate families. Unfortunately, logic and love are two extremes. I stuck to the former - pure, unadulterated logic. He sticks to the latter. Even my left-brained logic succumbed at some point, and I began regretting it.
Because, as we all know, blood is thicker than water, and the already-signed divorce papers disintegrate in both. It was too late. We'd already told you the truth and had you keep it to yourself, and told the rest of them that you three were going out for some important work. The car accident lie worked out there. And your dad told your brother we three passed in a house fire. They never found the dead bodies... because all of us were- and are, alive and well.
Since then, while raising your siblings, I have always tried to use a mix of both care and calculation."
Ashlyn, silent behind the line, gasped softly. "Wow... that was a lot, Mom..."
"I'm really sorry, dear... I had to tell you some day or another."
"It's good that you let it all out. Also, may I speak to your father for a minute?"
Ashlyn handed the phone to her father. Her parents talked for a few minutes, untuk her father cut the call, saying to his ex-wife, "No problem, you can trust me. Bye!"
"Your little brother will be staying with us until Amira is discharged." he said to his daughter, in his usual monotone.
"But, he always lives here."
"Your littler brother."
"Oh."
ns 15.158.61.21da2
