A Reunion of Eds
Double D sat gazing out his window one quiet evening listening to the crickets chirp their melody. Eddy was away on a secret visit out of town, and asked that Double D cover for him. He didn't mind doing so, because that meant a peaceful weeking was in store. It was a time to get in touch with his spiritual side.
He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, allowing tranquility to seep through his pores and reach his subconscious. In his mind, he envisioned a tiny figure next to him; both were surrounded by darkness.
Beads of sweat formed on Double D's temples as he strained harder to see this strange vision; week after week he envisioned this plaguing image, but it never made sense to him. Yet, the feeling he was being forewarned burdened him, and he secretly searched his mind each night.
Soon, the figure grew smaller as it was pulled towards a gleaming white light. It struggled, and a whisper was heard, as if it came from the figure's mind rather than her mouth.
Where are they taking me?
Double D gasped. Not once in the many weeks had he heard her speak. In his mind, he spoke to her.
No! Stay here with me! I must know who you are!
She slowly sunk away from his reach, only answering with a plea for help.
I want to stay with you... Don't let them take me away...
Double D reached towards the small figure, but was quickly brought back to reality when he heard Ed yelling at him from the ground below. He huffed in aggravation, but looked down to see his friend's worried expression.
"Hey, Double D! Are you okay? You were shaking real bad!"
Not wanting his friend to know what happened seconds ago, Double D gave a slight smile, "Oh, I was listening to a CD I just bought. I guess I got a bit caught up in the beat. What are you doing over here?"
"Earl wandered over here. I took her off the leash for just a second!"
Double D laughed, "You gotta watch out for chickens. They're pretty smart. Try calling her."
Ed did as he was told, calling out the chicken's name a few times. Out of the shuffling bushes came the spiked collar-bearing Earl. He scooped his beloved pet into his arms.
"Thanks, Double D! I better get back home now and feed her. See ya!"
He waved a bit and said his good-bye, his smile slowly fading as his friend departed. He hated lying to Ed more than anything in the world, but he knew deep down the lug would not understand anyway. He returned to his thoughts, picking up his guitar and strumming it gently.
Sometimes I feel incomplete and empty
Something is missing inside of me
Why must I be so isolated?
What does it mean?
He took another breath and repeated the last line, sounding more like a sigh than a sentence.
"What does it all mean?"
"What does what mean, dear?"
"Huh?" Double D jumped and spun around to see his mother standing in the doorway. He gave her a weak smile, "Nothing, Mom. I'm only trying to come up with lyrics for a new song."
She came into his room, giving him a kiss on the forehead, "I think you have been practicing enough for one day. Why, you haven't been out of your room since yesterday. Go out and get some fresh air."
He nodded in agreement, figuring a change of scenery would do him good.
His mom gave him a little cash, "Now, you run to the candy store and buy yourself a jawbreaker, and I want to see you slurping on it before supper. I always think something is wrong when you go a day without putting any gray hairs on my head."
Double D smiled, "So, you're saying you want me to be a problem child?"
She waved her hands and laughed, "Oh, no, young man. You give me and your father such a time even when you try to behave."
He listened to her laugh. It made him feel warm and secure to hear her soft voice. He fell into her arms like a small child, allowing her to embrace him in a loving manner.
"I thank the Lord every day for blessing me and your father. We're so fortunate to have a child like you," she whispered into his ear.
~~~~~~~~~~
It was growing late in the cul-de-sac as the younger children raced to their homes so as to not be late for supper. Some stopped in Double D's path, shaking their heads and laughing playfully at his enlarged cheek before running off again.
He was feeling pretty alive as the candy-coated jawbreaker dissolved in his cheek, as if youth had overcome him for a second time.
He walked onto the playground, climbing over the monkey bars, swinging around until he made it over the top. He then sat cross-legged and hid in the shadows as the sun disappeared, making it easier for him to watch his favorite performance of the day.
Right on schedule. he thought to himself as he watched Ed and Sarah's figures make way past him.
About this time every day, Ed's mother would send him to Jimmy's house to pick up Sarah, and they would walk hand-in-hand back home. Of course, Earl trailed behind.
Amazing how they get along after all those years of Sarah tormenting ol' Ed. Double D smirked.
The two stopped in front of Double D so Sarah could tie her shoe. She asked her big brother the usual question.
"Will you tell me a bedtime story tonight, Ed?"
Ed grinned as only he could, "How about the story of the Bacon Men from East-Chicago who sucked marrow from their victims' bones?"
She giggled, "Not what I had in mind; besides, you told me that one already."
"Well, maybe you could help me tell the story?"
"Really? Wow, that would be great! Thanks, bestest big brother in the whole world!" she squealed, hugging him.
A strange feeling swept over Double D as he watched the adorable duo continue down the sidewalk. Usually, he felt the same warm, fuzzy feeling watching them as he did when his mother hugged him, but this time, he felt annoyed.
For once, he wished he had a sibling; one to share thoughts with or at least tell a simple bedtime story, though he knew he was not good at either. But it would not matter to a younger sister or brother; spending quality time together would make all the better.
Double D jumped from his hiding spot, slurping his jawbreaker one last time before crunching it into tiny bits. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets and sauntered towards his house.
As he neared the lane, someone jumped behind him, dragging him through the lane as he held something to Double D's back. His body froze, the only movement coming fromm his rapid breathing.
"If it's money you want, I only have three dollars in my pocket. Take it and please don't do anything!"
The stranger poked him again, "Hand over your jawbreakers and I may letcha live!"
"Eddy, you know I hate that," Double D sighed and rolled his eyes as his friend doubled over in laughter.
"You should've seen your face; you looked like you pissed your pants!"
Double D crossed his arms, "Ha, ha...you're such a riot. What the hell are you doing out here? I thought you were visiting with your brother?"
"I was, sockhead, but you know nothin' about it, remember?" he winked to his friend.
Double D nodded, "Yeah, I know. Curiosity speaking, how did it go?"
Eddy became excited, "Man, you should've been there! My brother has become the coolest man walking this earth! He showed me how to make a super-mega stinkbomb and you gotta see it! I mean, you should..."
Double D interrupted in an attempt to stop Eddy's rambling, "It's getting late; you better get home before your parents realize you're gone."
Eddy kicked a bit of sand with his foot, "Yeah, you're right. If I'm caught comin' in when they think I'm in my room, hoo boy, I'm off to boot camp for sure. See ya later, man."
Double D waved his index finger to him as he snuck down the lane again. He then leaned on the streetlight, his body highlighted from the surrounding darkness. He attempted to soak in his thoughts from the day.
"What's so annoying about Ed and Sarah now? And why do I feel jealous of Eddy even though I think his brother's a complete jerk?" he asked no one in particular, "And why the hell is a mysterious girl haunting my every thoughts?"
He yelled aloud, "Dammit, why doesn't this make sense?"
Double D was about to punch the nearby fence when he heard a strange voice, followed by a group of others. They all chatted at once, but the one voice stood out above the others.
"Why are we in this neighborhood? I've never been through here before," one voice asked.
"Because," the strange voice answered, "I've always taken this route; it's a shortcut right into town. And my dad won't find me walking the streets when he thinks I'm at the library."
"It's a total dump...talk about Boringville! Yeuck!"
Double D was about to make a comment, but he listened in as his mystery voice spoke once more.
"I don't know about that. I sense some strange vibes from this place. It's as if some unknown power is telling me to come this way. I really should check it out."
Huh? Double D thought, but was interrupted once more.
"There you go, talking about your strange connections. Girl, you need to relax...and I know just the place! It's a brand new underground club for us teens!"
Double D strained to hear the rest of the conversation, but the group walked on. Curiousity led him to follow. He got closer, determining that there were three girls, but could not decide which was his mystery girl for the life of him.
One turned around, stopping in her tracks. Double D hid behind some bushes.
"Did you hear that? I'm getting some strange feelings...confusement and curiosity..."
"Will you cut that out? I swear, you are real weird sometimes. Let's go; we're wasting time!"
"Very well...lead on."
~~~~~~~~~~
Double D found himself a good way from the cul-de-sac, knowing he could be in serious trouble at this very moment. He did not care, though; he felt something at the back of his mind telling him a change of events was about to happen.
He watched the figures of the three girls walk into a seemingly abandoned building. He saw an open door in the alley and ran to it, sneaking inside.
Once inside, he was overtaken by the atmosphere of the room. Loud modern retro music blared from a band on a small stage as many groups of teenagers danced. Most were strange to the eyes; gothic and punk groups danced around him, allowing Double D to blend right in.
"Nice tattoo, man!" a mohawk-bearing pierced guy commented as he grabbed Double D's inked arm.
He smiled uncomfortably, "Uh...yeah, man, thanks. Cool noserings."
The guy nodded and released his grip, jumping back into the crowd as a mosh pit was formed. Double D slipped to the bar.
A normal-looking bartender grinned, "You look a tad parched. Can I recommend a drink?"
"Sure, man. You have any margaritas?"
"Comin' right up!" he turned and went to his mixtures.
Double D looked around the crowds of rambunctious teenagers, hoping to spot the three girls. But how could he find someone he had never seen? He decided to let his ears to the hunting...or better yet, his mind. He noticed the reaction one of the girls received when he was near. Also, she described the same feelings he experienced as he gave chase.
If I can't find her, maybe she should find me.
"Here you go, my boy," the bartender said, passing the drink to Double D, "Don't drink it too fast; you'll get a brain-freeze."
"Thanks for the advice," he answered, nodding and setting the drink down beside him.
How to make her realize I'm here...hmmm... he thought to himself, looking at his drink. He thought about how delicious his magarita would be on his dry tongue. The rich, strawberry flavor made him lick his lips. He reached for it to take a sip, but...
"Hey, bartender, one strawberry magarita, please," spoke a girl as she flounced on the stool next to Double D, "I just had this crazy urge to get one."
"Yes, ma'am."
Double D stared at her, feeling shocked and perplexed. The girl with the voice had indeed came to him, but he never thought her appearance would be so...familiar.
Her hair was jet-black, shimmering past her hips. Her eyes were almond-shaped, and she had a jelly-bean nose. She turned and looked at him, giving him a warm smile. Something sparked in the back of his head.
She stared at him in awkward silence, and for some reason, Double D blurted out, "You're looking at my nose, aren't you?"
She jumped in surprise. She looked away, trying to collect herself, "No...no I wasn't."
Double D's mind picked up another sensation, "You're thinking about it still. You think it's as big as a tomato."
Her face flushed with embarassment. She looked at him once again, "How do you know that? I mean, what made you think that I was thinking such a statement?"
He shrugged, "I don't really know why; I just know. Besides, you have no room to think; your nose is about as big as mine. Identical, even."
"Okay, then, what am I thinking now...besides about your nose?" she asked in a curious manner.
Double D looked her over for a second, "You're growing impatient for your drink that you mysteriously had an urge to get...the urge came from me thinking about my drink."
He put a hand over his mouth in surprise, "I don't know where that came from. I'm sorry."
She took his hand from his mouth slowly, "No...it's okay...really. Let me give it a try..."
She stared intently at his facial expression, then blurted out, "You're feeling guilty; you should be home right now, but you followed a...strange feeling..."
Double D blinked a few times. To further confuse the situation, the bartender gave the girl her drink, stopping to take a look at the duo.
"It's so nice to see twins with the same tastes. Be careful, hun, that drink can give you a brain-freeze."
The girl grabbed the drink and sipped a few times, then reached for Double D's hand, "I think we need to go outside for a moment...to figure...this out."
"For some reason, I knew you were going to do that," Double D said with a raised eyebrow as she led him outside.
They stood in the light of the streetlamp above, both hesitant to discuss what happened inside. Finally, Double D spoke up, "Well, before we begin, I think names would be a good icebreaker."
"You read my mind...I mean...oops...well... My name's Erikka. It's with two k's," she stuttered.
"My real name's Edward, but all my friends call me Double D because..."
"Of the two d's in the name," they answered in unison, both giving a slight laugh.
"I wonder what that bartender meant by us looking like twins," Erikka thought aloud, turning to look at her reflection in a display window.
Double D did the same. What came to them was a shock; there were so many similarities between the two, they could very well pass as being brother and sister.
"Do you think?" he asked.
"Yeah, but...how?"
"If we are indeed siblings, who's our mom and dad? I've heard of cases where parents split and take a child apiece, but I know for a fact my parents have only been married once."
Erikka crossed her arms, "True, but I know my parents have never been seperated. Never."
Double D was more confused than anything. At first, he wanted to run away and pretend he never met Erikka, but he felt as though she was a key in his developing lonliness.
As if she read his mind, she spoke, "You've been seeing the same visions, haven't you?"
He jumped back, stunned, "I, uh...yeah, I have. Boy, there's no mistake about it. You are my sister and the missing piece in my life."
As if they had known all these years as being family, the two embraced in an emotional hug, tears forming in their eyes.
Erikka whispered through tears of happiness, "I knew I wasn't going crazy; I've been having strange dreams and feelings for a reason. And now..."
"We can be a family again?" he asked, hopeful.
"Yes, it's what I've always wanted! But...how do we tell our parents? I know! We'll meet each one...they'll just have to tell us the truth!"
At this moment, Double D would have been terrified of telling anyone of his situation, but right about now, he didn't care. He wanted to yell off the rooftops and tell everyone about his glorious new sister and the powerful bond they shared.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Now, just sit here. I'll go in and start asking questions," Erikka smiled as she left Double D on the front porch of her home, "They'll be very happy to be reunited again!"
He sat down on the porch swing and listened in, at first wanting to run in and help her as her parents disovered she was gone. But he sat still as she explained.
"Well, I sorta met someone," she eagerly began, "You won't believe this!"
Her parents listened in with stern expressions; apparantly, they were still angry, but kept quiet for her to finish.
"Well, tonight, I met up with someone I haven't seen in eighteen years. Mom, dad, do you recognize him?" Erikka asked, allowing Double D to step inside.
He gave a slight smile and waved, "Uh, hi?"
Erikka put an arm around his waist and stood next to him as her parents' expressions changed dramatically. After a moment of silence and stares, her father spoke up.
"Well, dear, I really can't remember this fellow," he lied as he looked back and forth at the twins, "Er, what's your name, lad?"
The two adults held their breath, as if hoping he would not say what they feared.
"I'm known by most as Double D," he began, seeing the parents breath a sigh of relief. He continued, "But my birth name is Edward, and I'm Erikka's twin brother."
He apparantly said the dreaded phrase.
"Oh, dear God, NO!" Erikka's mother cried, burying her face in her hands and shuffling into the kitchen.
"Mom? What's wrong?" Erikka chased after her mother as her father approached Double D.
"What gives you the right to come into my household telling lies about my daughter?" he attempted to intimidate Double D, but he was like a rock.
"Look, sir, I've been living a complete lie. And now that things are beginning to make sense, you come and try to take the very thing that's made my life complete. I demand to know if you're really mine and Erikka's parents!"
The older man backed down, deciding whether or not to answer the boy. He sighed, "Follow me; I'll tell you everything."
Double D was led into the kitchen and ushered to a seat at the table. Erikka and her mother were seated as well as her father sat down and proceded to tell the truth. He wrapped a reassuring arm around his wife and began.
"It all began a little over eighteen years ago. Your mother and I tried to bear children, but to no avail. We were already at an age where it was difficult to conceive."
Erikka and Double D looked on as he took a sip from his mug, taking a deep breath, and continuing.
"As I was working in the doctor's office, I was giving a soon-to-be mother a checkup. She was growing pretty rapidly for her first child. But when I performed a sonogram, I discovered she was carrying two children. Something inside me was telling me that this could be mine and my wife's lucky break."
* * *
"Doctor, is my baby doing okay?" the young woman gently asked as she held her hands across her belly in an affectionate manner. Her husband stood over her, hands lovingly on her shoulders.
He gazed at the developed pictures, then looked at the soon-to-be parents, "Why, yes, the children...er, child is doing great. But the position of the cranium is off. We're going to have to perform a C-Section for the child's safety. Come back to my office next Thursday and we'll operate."
If another doctor had been present, they would surely tell he was lying. But it was enough for the mother to believe. So she nodded her head and the duo left without a struggle or suspision.
~~~~~~~~~~
A week later, the doctor discussed the matter with his wife. She hated the plan in which was about to be carried out, but the thought of her own child helped her decide to go along. She was to be the nurse.
Upon shooing the father from the examinating room, the pair then dressed the mother for surgery. She felt uncomfortable from the situation, but trusted the doctor, and remained silent.
"Just be careful with my baby," she smiled, "I'm ready."
During the course of the operation, the first baby was brought out. The fake nurse held her, whispering to the doctor, "I always wanted a girl..."
He whispered back, "Then get her out of here while I finish up."
She did as she was told, leaving the doctor to the stitches. He held out the other baby to his mother, crying and wiggling.
"Congratulations! It's a boy."
* * *
The twins looked on in disbelief as he finished telling the story, doing his best to comfort his now sobbing wife.
"All I ever wanted was a child of my own! We're so sorry we did this to you!" she wailed.
Erikka wanted desperately to run to her mother and let her know everything was alright. But everything wasn't alright...and that was no longer her mother-figure she once knew. She hesitated to move.
The once father-figure noticed her actions and stood up, "You two follow me outside."
Double D helped his shocked sister to her feet and lead her back onto the porch, giving the crying woman a sympathetic glance as he left the kitchen.
"Erikka, I really didn't expect for this to happen. I should have realized the fact that you're grown up and would have figured out the whole thing."
She shook her head, "Well, for what you did to my family, I should hate you right now, but..."
There was a short pause in her speaking. She continued, "...I see under the circumstances...and the fact that you two really cared for me, despite me not being your daughter. I can't really blame you..."
"Yet you can..." Double D spoke for the first time in a long while.
The man nodded, "I see. Well, my child, you're old enough to make choices now, I suppose. You can either stay here and pretend none of this happened.."
The twins were about to give their opinion on the first choice, but was interrupted.
"...Or you can go find your real family and start over again. Either way, we've all been changed by this. This is your choice and your choice alone."
~~~~~~~~~~
Had it been Erikka stayed, we would have never reached a happy ending. She packed her most personal belongings, and with the help of her brother, made way to the cul-de-sac the very next day, but not without thanking her adoptive parents for raising her lovingly.
The journey seemed to take forever, being as Double D and Erikka were excited to reunite with their parents.
"Tell me about our mom again, brother," Erikka smiled, waiting to hear the story for the eleventh time.
Double D smiled. Though he only met Erikka a day ago, he felt like life was back to the way it should be. He felt an arm around his waist as she lay her head on is shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Words need not be spoken, for they communicated through thoughts the rest of the way home. And it was such a splendid moment, at least until Double D walked into the house of two angry and relieved parents. They flew to him, asking questions of where he had been.
Not wanting to hold back anything, he explained the while situation, from the time he followed his instincts and found Erikka to the adopted dad's story.
When he was finished, he brought in his twin sister. She smiled at her two parents, embracing them with a big hug. Of course, they were shocked, but deep down inside, they knew this was their daughter.
~~~~~~~~~~
"So, ol' Double D wasn't an only child afterall," Eddy laughed.
Ed turned to his friend, "Yeah, but I'm happy for him."
"Same here, monobrow. And I feel things around here are gonna be a whole lot different."
The two leaned against a tree, watching the reunited Double D and Erikka chase one another around in the grass. In their minds, they perceived each other as children, playing a kiddie game of tag. It was as if they were reliving their childhood, but together on the second go-around.
Erikka jumped on Double D's back, sending both of them tumbling down to the ground.
Eddy stood over the bundle of laughing twins, "Okay, children, I think it's time to call it a truce. We gotta go."
Double D stood up, helping his sister to her feet. He smiled.
Welome home, Kay-Kay.
Erikka grinned, putting her hand into his as they made their way into a new adventure, together.
The End
