Three Days ~ 56
~*~Emma~*~
Sebastian and I talked and laughed until early morning. By the time I was finished packing it almost wasn't worth going to sleep. There was no way in hell I was going to hang up before he was ready. Cathartic or not, tears are tears. And with his history of being emotionally unavailable, calling me with puffy red eyes is a big fucking deal.
Throwing my phone across the room when the alarm went off seemed like a good idea. I fought off the urge. Half an hour and a cup of coffee later I was on my way to the airport. Flying out of White Plains was a shorter drive with a longer flight. Wound up being about the same as the long drive with a shorter flight from LaGuardia. I loved flying much more than driving. Plus, TSA at White Plains is cake. Past security I got another cup of coffee and settled in until boarding. I had a lovely breakfast on my layover in North Carolina. I do love a good chicken biscuit. In Atlanta I took a picture of the “Welcome” sign and posted it with the caption, "Back where I was born." I hadn't called Atlanta home in many years. I said things like, “It's good to be back", "I missed being here.", and "I'm happy to see you guys." New York was home. Seattle was home. I rarely called Alpharetta home except as a throwaway word to avoid having to explain.
Almost immediately I got a text.
Sebastian ~ Excited for family pix
Emma ~ And live on FaceTime?
Sebastian ~ I’m not afraid of your father. I hear he's a cupcake compared to your dad. Think I can tell you and Amy apart?
Emma ~ We'll see….
We'd talked about him meeting them. I hadn't thought about how strange it’s been for him to have me all the Vedders, even texting with Ed, but not met my parents and sister. It's way more complicated with the bio family.
I had no idea who was picking me up. I exited security and immediately saw my twin and our mini-me. Amy pointed to me and Katie squealed. Amy let go of her hand and my little niece came running. I scooped her up with the reward of having my face covered in kisses. Best welcome ever. Katie wrapped her arms tight around my neck, not letting go even when we got to her mom. I was shocked by Amy's appearance. I held Katie with one arm and hugged her, "We haven't looked so identical since we were thirteen." I combed my fingers through her shoulder-length hair that was now nearly the same color as mine.
Amy put her head back and shook out her hair, "Took three visits to get the red out and tone down the brassiness."
I smiled, "If I say you look gorgeous is that vain?"
"Definitely, but also true." She hooked her arm in mine and we headed to baggage claim. "The parental units want us to drop by the hospital before heading home. They took off Monday and Tuesday. They have a full schedule for you."
I rolled my eyes, "You can fill me in as we drive. Anything we talk about I'll just have to repeat when we get to them. Right now, I want to hear from my munchkin baby girl." I tickled Katie, getting her laughing and successfully avoiding questions. I'd figure out when to tell them about Sebastian when I heard what was planned. My tentative plan was for tonight at dinner.
Katie told me all about her preschool and her toys while we waited for my suitcase and halfway to the hospital. She only stopped when her favorite song came through the speakers. After a rousing rendition of "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea" I turned my attention to Amy. "What's the plan?"
"Today we're on our own until dinner. They said we'll decide on food later. A bunch of people from high school are going out on the lake tomorrow. I thought that would be fun. Mom said they'd keep Katie."
A lot of our old friends still lived in town. I hadn't seen anyone for a couple of years. "Sounds fun."
"Sunday family is coming over. Mom wants to tell you the rest. I promised."
I laughed, "Shopping and a spa day."
"I didn't tell you."
Fifteen minutes later we were swinging Katie between us across the parking lot. Mom and dad were heads of their departments. Neuro for dad and OB/GYN for mom. Our directions were always the same upon our arrival. Sign in and proceed to the fourth-floor doctor's cafe. Security would have paged them and they'd meet us there. I got coffee for us and ice cream for Katie.
Mom arrived first. She was the blond hair, blue-eyed version of me. Dad had dark hair and blue eyes. Amy and I were a great combination of them. Mom had us young and was not quite fifty. They always said we were planned, but who the hell plans kids right after graduating from college. Mom deferred her first year of med school. We had a wonderful nanny.
After a long hug, mom held my hands and stood back to look at me. "You look beautiful as always. Maybe a little tired."
Such a mom thing to say. "I was up late and slept on the plane."
She nodded and hugged me again, "A day by the pool will be good for you."
"Always. I hear family is coming Sunday?"
"A cookout." She looked at Amy then back to me. "I suppose your sister told you about Monday?"
"No." I slowly smirked, "I guessed, but she neither confirmed nor denied."
"Your father's going to give Wendy the day off and spend the day with Katie while we do a bit of shopping then a trip to the spa." She fingered my hair. "Maybe cut some of this."
I pushed her hand away playfully, "Nope."
I felt hands on my shoulders before hearing my dad’s voice, "I can not imagine what you'd look like with shorter hair."
I looked up and behind me with an incredulous look on my face. I pointed across the table at my twin. The one with shorter hair, "Possibly exactly like her?"
"No, you two look nothing alike." Worst dad joke ever. He took me away from mom and hugged me. "How is my youngest daughter?"
"Good. Waking up."
Dad sat on the opposite side of me from mom. "I've never understood how you fall asleep so fast on a plane."
"I like to float."
I turned my attention to mom, "Are we still on for Tuesday?" Mom did exams at a local woman’s shelter. The head counselor, Stacy, had worked at the rehab facility I’d been hidden away in. Going to visit her and the women was always the highlight of any trip back.
"Stacy is excited to see you."
"And me her."
She put her hand over mine," Not a problem to move my day."
"Thank you."
A man who looked to be a few years older than me approached our table. From the ID badge on his white coat, I knew his name was. Dr. Burns and he was a Neuro Fellow.
"Dr. Marcum, I didn't know you had two beautiful daughters and granddaughter."
"I’m overrun with beautiful women. I'm very lucky."
"Of course," he looked at my mom, “Dr. Marcum as well."
I looked at Amy to see her cover her mouth with her hand. Eligible doctor as bait was new.
Dad introduced us, "Emma is down from New York for a long weekend. Always hoping we can persuade her to move back home."
I looked at the bait, "I hope he's as clear with what he wants from you."
Bait laughed, "I'm lucky to have the opportunity to train with your father."
I was feeling like a prize to be won. Thankfully, there was someone else who thought I was a prize in a less icky way. I didn't respond to bait, preferring to take a drink of my coffee.
"I need to check post-ops. Nice to meet you, Emma. I'll see you upstairs, Dr. Marcum." He nodded to my mom and was off.
Amy burst out laughing, "Oh dad, that was horrible."
"What?" He shrugged, "Young, single, wants to stay here in Alpharetta. We could invite him to dinner. I know his schedule."
I groaned. I guess now was the time. "I appreciate your attempt to lure me back, but I don’t think my boyfriend would like me going on a date with someone who isn't him."
Amy perked up, "Boyfriend?"
"There's a picture of us on Instagram. I’ve been waiting for you to comment.”
"No!" She whipped out her phone. "This picture of the volleyball tournament is the only... oh wait... there is a man wrapped around you. I didn't pay attention."
"Let us see," my mom took the phone. "This is too small. Plus, he's hidden behind you in a hat. We can barely see him."
"He must be ugly." Amy stole a bite of Katie's ice cream.
"He is not ugly."
"Deformed in some way. A huge hairy mole in the center of his forehead like a third eye."
I laughed at her, "Are we thirteen again?"
"Thirteen was fun."
My parents were enjoying our banter, I was too. Mom looked at me, "Do you have a better picture?"
"I do." I pulled up the one from the festival with the teddy bear. "This was a couple of weeks ago. I won the bear."
I handed my phone to mom. Her eyebrows raised. "Not deformed. Or Ugly. Not even close. He looks familiar."
Amy took my phone and in under two seconds looked at me with her mouth hanging open, "Carter Baizen?"
"I didn't know you watched Gossip Girl?" I was in Seattle before it premiered.
"Everyone at school did. I only pretended I didn’t."
Dad took my phone, instantly smiling, "You look like you're having fun."
I laughed, "It was a fun day."
Mom looked at me then Amy, "Who is Carter?"
"He was a character in Gossip Girl. Hot, but an ass. The actor who played him went on to in the Marvel Movies as the Winter Soldier."
Dad scrunched up his face, "The brain damaged assassin who killed Tony’s mother?"
"Yes." I was not about to argue brain washed versus brain damaged with a neurosurgeon. "His name is Sebastian Stan."
I took my phone back and swiped to a picture of us at the volleyball tournament. Dad raised his eyebrows with a nod. Mom said, "He's very handsome."
Amy smirked, "If I swipe will I find nudes."
"Sorry, no."
"No, I won’t find them or no you don’t have any."
"Don't have."
"Damn."
I don't know what I expected from Amy, but this wasn't it. I hadn't told them about Jimmy. I just brought him home. He was the last real boyfriend. Amy’s current reaction was much more typical of early high school. My parents looked cautious.
Amy cut her eyes up to me, "Kissing in the dark restaurant. Go you, little sister."
Dad turned his attention to me, "Is this serious?"
I could feel the tension leech out of me and my face soften with a smile, "Yes, it is."
"When do we get to meet him?"
I shrugged, "We can FaceTime him after dinner. He's getting ready for a role and is home."
"I'm looking forward to meeting him." Mom put her hand on my arm. "What's he like?"
"He's very sweet. Awkward at times and trips over himself. We laugh all the time and have these great conversations about books, movies, and music. He's very good to me." I didn't want to talk non-stop about him. I wanted them to know of him and over the weekend they'd learn about him. About us. "I'm sure you'll get sick of hearing about him. What are we doing for dinner tonight?"
Katie yelled, "Pizza!"
"I love pizza." There was an amazing pizza place near the house. We’d been going there since we were Katie’s age.
Amy agreed with me, "Easy and we don't have to get out of the pool."
I looked at my arm, "I desperately need a tan."
Dad stood up, "I'm going to get back to work so I can get out of here to enjoy my girls."
"Tell Dr. Friendly the date's off."
Dad glared at Amy. I didn't try to hide my smile. Mom stood while shaking her head. I got up and hugged them. I stayed still while they walked away then looked at Amy, "Let's get out of here. Can I drive?" I was feeling a little out of control and needed to be in charge of driving.
Amy threw me the keys, "As long as you can talk and drive."
Any guesses what the topic of conversation was? The drive home wasn’t long. Walking into the house I felt much more at ease. I think I was more nervous than I was aware of. Sebastian's important.
Amy handed Katie off to the nanny, Wendy. That felt familiar. We'd grown up in this house. This scene had happened innumerable times when we walked into the house. I waved when Katie turned on her way downstairs to her playroom. I followed Amy up the stairs to my room. She stopped at my door, "Are you going to unpack? And call Sebastian?"
"No." I shook my head, "I'll do both later. Can you send me the picture of me with Katie at the airport?"
"Absolutely. We'll be thirty soon. Bio-clock is ticking."
I was aghast, "Amelia! Our mother is an Ob/Gyn. You know that's not true." We laughed.
"Ok, so he can see how good you look with a kid."
I sighed dramatically, "Everything is not about Sebastian. Plain old Instagram. Me and my niece." I’m not playing those games with him. "The picture I'm going to have you take of me in my bikini... that's all about him."
That perked her up, "We'll get Wendy to take a twin picture."
I rolled my eyes, "He'll enjoy that too."
Five minutes later I was jogging down the stairs and heading out the French doors. The water was sparkling with the sunlight. It was hot and sticky outside making floating perfect. I threw a couple of towels on the loungers and threw two floats into the pool. Amy was coming out the door as I grabbed my phone off the table. I unlocked before handing it to her.
Amy followed me around the pool, "Remember when we'd pretend we were models and take pictures of our fashion shows?"
"I do. Our phones would be full of them. I’ll need to learn more editing skills when the wrinkles show up."
Amy rubbed at the corners of her eyes, "Crows feet already."
"I have a great eye cream." She took some of me then we got Wendy to take a couple of us, ending with us floating in the pool holding hands. I hopped onto the pool edge and took my phone back. I waited for Wendy to go inside, "Ok, jump out and take one more of me on the float.” Amy took my phone and I took off my bikini, lying face down on the float.
"I cannot believe I'm partaking in this."
"Oh please, who better. It's my naked ass and yours looks identical."
"My ass doesn't look like that anymore. Pregnancy stretched that out too."
I looked at my twin in her black one-piece with cut out sides. She always had the thinner body I wanted. After Katie, she'd not lost the last bit of baby weight from her stomach and her butt. "You look great, Amy."
She put her hands over her breasts, "These have stayed a little bigger too."
"I think I’m insulted."
Taking the picture Amy asked, "Are you going to turn over?"
"Absolutely not."
"Seriously? He has seen it, right?"
"Yes." I slid into the water and started putting my suit back on. Anything that naked he or I was taking.
Amy was back on her float before I was on mine, "I've sent nudes. Not just my butt."
"To whom, dear sister?"
"It's been years ago now. He lives in Marietta. I met him at a playground with Katie. Single parents’ version of a bar. Only he was pretending to be single."
I cringed, "Ouch, I'm sorry. How did you find out?"
"When his wife called me from his phone. We'd been seeing each other for a couple of months I thought I was falling in love with him, but I was just a side piece. He wanted to keep it going even after." She shuddered, "Not mistress material."
I made a decision to trust her with something. It had been a long time, "I never told you why Jimmy and I broke up. He'd been cheating with another lawyer in his firm for months. As the one who was cheated on, I thank you for refusing to go on with it once you knew."
"Did you know the other woman?"
"Yep, even considered her a friend."
"I'm always paranoid now that there's a hidden wife. After Jimmy do you worry Sebastian will cheat?"
I didn't need to think, but I took a moment anyway. "I'm not worried about him cheating. I don't think he would. If he does... I've survived it before."
We shared a look I hadn't anticipated. We’d both survived things. I reached for her hand. "I love you, Amelia."
"Love you too, Emiliana."
"What about now? Seeing anyone."
"Maybe sorta. Back after Christmas a bunch of us from high school got together. Max was there. He's divorced with a daughter in first grade. He has custody and wanted to wait until summer to move back so his parents can help with her. We texted and talked some. He moved back a couple of weeks ago. We've gone out to dinner. It was good. He'll be there tomorrow."
I remembered Max very well. He was a baseball player who looked very good in those pants. He was a year ahead of us and I had no idea what he'd done after high school. I didn't keep up with anyone except the occasional text or Instagram from a couple of girls on the volleyball team. Anything I knew was tidbits from Amy. She'd tried to get me to go to her five and ten year reunion, but I didn't graduate from here. I went to my reunions back in Seattle. Kept up with more friends from there and saw them when I was home. "Didn't you have a crush on Max?"
I recognized the smile on Amy's face. She looked just like me when I'd been caught. "He won't let me forget."
We laid in the pool laughing and talking. It had been a long time since I'd felt this close to her. I can't be sure if that's her, me, or a little of both. Doesn't matter because it was just good and before we knew it mom and dad were home. They brought Katie with them out to the pool deck. "We sent Wendy home. Just family this weekend."
Amy sat up, "Remember we're going out on the lake tomorrow."
Mom smiled, "I remember. Are you two hungry?"
The second she mentioned food my stomach growled. I put my hand over, "Very."
A discussion about pizza toppings ensued. At the end I got out of the pool, "I'm going shower before the food gets here."
Amy followed, "Me too."
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