Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
They even had tape down the center of their bedroom like Rune and Croft did as kids. But not even that tape could prevent their never-ending arguments.
“I thought twins were supposed to be really tight,” I’d complained as we heard a crash in their room one night, followed by lots of yelling. “A special bond and all that.”
“It’s there,” Rune assured me as we both actively avoided stepping in on the argument. It rarely helped anyway. Sometimes, they just needed to work it out among themselves. “But there were seasons where Croft and I fought like crazy. Especially at that age, at the end of elementary and the beginning of middle school. I swear we were always pounding on each other.”
“What did your parents do about it?”
“Mostly ignored it. Let us figure it out. They only stepped in if we couldn’t seem to find a way back to civility.”
So, yeah, that had been our parental choice as well. I figured if Rune and Croft wound up as closely bonded and well-adjusted as they did, then that was the evidence we needed to know being hands-off about their arguments was likely the way to go.
“He’s gonna throw out my laptop!”
Damn.
This was one of those intervention moments, I guess. That thing cost too much money to let it get thrown on top of this morning’s breakfast leftovers.
Before I could jump up, though, Rune walked through the doorway, snatching the laptop out of one set of hands and putting it into the other set. “Keep it off his side of the room or I won’t save it next time,” he warned.
“He’s gonna do it again,” the younger twin grumbled.
“Probably,” Rune agreed. “But if he doesn’t have his laptop to fuck around on, he’s gonna ask to use yours all the time.”
That got a sigh but a nod.
“I wish I could tell you he’s gonna grow out of this soon,” I said, “but Uncle Croft didn’t until well into his twenties.”
“At least I’m getting my own bedroom soon,” he said with a pointed look to our eldest as she wrapped a blanket around herself on the chaise.
It was hard to believe we somehow had a child old enough to leave us and go off to college. It seemed like just a few years ago, I was standing in the clubhouse with a gun, a shaky hand, and a plan.
Somehow, though, we’d already raised an adult.
And had three teens just behind her.
Vita was lucky enough to get the confidence and no-nonsense demeanor of her namesake. She needed it more times than we could count while growing up in a family with three brothers.
She was an interesting mix of personality traits. She was tidy like Rune but didn’t love cleaning, like me. She was business-minded and practical, going to college for accounting. But she was fanciful and extroverted and wanted to go to college in California to be with her aunt and possibly pursue an acting career on the side.
As parents, we were glad to know she’d be going away for the first time while still being close to a trusted adult. And, hey, if she landed herself a little side gig on her aunt’s soap, so be it. We would love watching.
Because of Sofia’s presence on it, all the various families in Navesink Bank that I’d connected with over the years had started tuning in too. Ratings must have been doing just fine.
She had the exact life she wanted: a major character that people loved (or loved to hate, depending on who was watching and what the writers decided to do with her character that year), she met the man of her dreams (who played her arch enemy on the show), and had one sweet, amazing girl of her own, just a few years younger than our firstborn.
I was hoping that maybe Vita would connect with her cousin when she moved across the country. Sure, she had really close bonds with her extended family in Navesink Bank, but I loved the idea of my sister’s and my kids being the best of friends.
“It’s all yours in… six weeks,” Vita said after checking the date.
My heart lurched at that.
Sure, the whole point of having kids was to raise them to be strong, independent, responsible adults who went off on their own in the world. That didn’t mean it was easy to let them go.
“So go pick out some paint samples or something. Our soap is coming on.”
Rune and I shared a smile.
“Are you watching?” Vita asked her father as she reached for the remote to unmute the TV.
“Guess I haven’t checked in in a bit. Sofia’s bound to have at least ten scandals by now.”
He dropped down next to me, pulling my legs over his lap as I leaned my head on his shoulder.
Then we settled in to watch.