We had it all planned out with nothing coming in between them. That is until I got pregnant. Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t planned, it wasn’t expected- but I’m excited more than ever to meet my little girl. Things don’t exactly happen unplanned in my household. Each and every minute of me and my sibling’s life has been planned out. Back before we were even born yet. From what clothes we should wear down to which schools we were going to. But for some reason, being a mother-to-be made me realize that it wasn’t normal for them to be so, well, obsessed. I love my mom every minute for being so supportive of me keeping the baby, but she needs to stop controlling everything we do.
“Charlotte Mae, honey, where are you brother and sister?” Right on target, right when I get to talking about her. Coincidence? I’m not sure what to think, but it’s still kind of funny if ya think about it.
“They’re outside, on the porch. Aren’t they?” I yell back to her as I hear her rumble through each of the rooms looking for Amber and Ryan, my hectic twin siblings. Until she reaches my room looking at me with those mother eyes that scares me half to death.
“You’re asking me the question? I asked you. They aren’t on the porch. Go find them and I’m going to make supper for the three of us.” She tells me right as she leaves my room and heads down the stairs without waiting for my reply.
“Sure, Mom, let me get right on that,” I mumble under my breath, sometimes that woman gets on my last nerve. I get off my bed and head to my vanity, turn to my side and see my belly being right there. I rub my stomach; I love you more than you know. I look up at myself and give a disgusted look for looking like hell. I throw my hair in a pony and head down the stairs taking one step at a time.
I find my way to the door and open the screen to reveal and ocean blue as the sky and sand the color of snow with a tint of cream. It’s beautiful where my mom decided to live, and I love it myself. I go back to looking for my twin trouble makers. I don’t find them on the porch like they’d tell me they were heading. I go down the wooden steps that lead me straight to the beach and find them five feet down. They know they aren’t’ allowed down by the ocean alone. Stupid kids. “Mom’s looking for you two, come on move it. “ I yell to them so loud I’m sure they can hear me – they don’t - I give another warning, “Now!”
They come running like I’m their mother, or older big sister. Consider each one, ha, I think to myself. We head back home, so instead of coming back empty handed, I’m coming home with two blonde headed eleven year olds with eyes the color of emeralds and the listening skills of a farm animal. “Is Ma in a bad mood again, Charley?” Amber asks, we both know our mother’s bad moods and we don’t ever like it.
“I’m not sure, Amber; she seems okay today.” I give her a wry look, she looks like she’s about to burst down crying. “What in the world is a matter?” She doesn’t answer. All she does is brush her hands through her hair and stops by her ear and messes with it. Then something clicks, that’s something she’s always done when she’s upset. I don’t have to think twice on what to do. “Ryan, go back home, alright? Tell mama I’ll be right up.” He looks at me then at his twin, he probably senses something’s wrong with her but he doesn’t ask. Instead he turns and walks up the stairs into the kitchen.
I sit down in the sand and part my legs letting her sit in between and pull her hair back; something I’ve always done with the both of them. “What happened Amberley?” I used the name I gave her when she was born, her middle name and her first name mashed together. She sniffles.
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Honey, come on, why are you starting to cry?”
“The boy I like pushed me off my bike and made fun of me. Like two days ago!” She turns around and hugs me tight, “It’s not fair Charley!” She rubs her face in my shoulder.
“Oh Amber,” I brush the tears from her eyes and make her look at me. “Boys are stupid, forget about him. He’ll come around. You’re beautiful, heck; you go tell him your sister said he’s a loser!” I hear a soft laugh and see her smile.
“Am I pretty Amber?”
“Psh, no questions asked! You definitely are.” I smile back at her and remember what it used to be like being eleven. “Forget about him Amberley.”
“I’ll try. I love you!”
I smiled. They were the worse troublemakers, but the greatest twin siblings. They fought with me often, even yelled; but I love them either way and I’m glad we have that bond. “I love you too. Now let’s go grub.” I get up and brush the sand of my bottom and grab Amber’s hand and we make it to the kitchen.
We find Ryan and Mom sitting down at the table already waiting for us, “Where have you been?” She asks, eying me and my sister. I look down at Amber and she’s looking down, I know I’ll take care of it.
“I stopped to talk to a friend, and her sister wanted to talk to Amber. It’s all cool, sorry for being late.” The lie rolls off my tongue. I hate lying to my ma but hey, there’s a time when lies are okay. Or are there? I technically don’t care because she believes us. We both sit down to the meal my mom had made. Hamburgers and French fries with of course, chips. It’s a weird combination but I’m the pregnant one, I’ll eat all I want.
About an hour later, we’re done eating and locked up doing something. Amber is in her room working on some kind of craft project, Ryan is playing video games as usual, and Mom is at work. While I’m finding baby names, Jason is supposed to be helping me, but he left when I got pregnant. Haven’t even seen him since. It’s pathetic, but who cares? I care. He should be here with me, picking out names for our daughter- but he’s not. Right now, I’m on my bed and before me in an array of colors and sizes area baby name books, with millions of names to name my daughter. I close my eyes and pick a random book and open it to the first page. It starts with A’s and ends with Z’s, they all do. I end up flipping first few pages aimlessly and look down to find Audrey. I’m automatically set with that name; it sounds adorable and makes me remember my grandmother. I continue looking through the books to find a middle name. I can’t find one.
“Amber? Ryan? Can you guys come here?” I yell for them, I figured out I want my brother and sister to help with her middle name. It’ll make her even more special if her uncle and aunt named her middle name. Two seconds later, they’re in my room sitting on my window seat.
“What are you doing, Charley?” asks Amber, the one who always speaks first out of the two of them. I swear it’s something that’s really weird and twin like. I can never stand it; it’s like just talk already!
“Picking out a baby name, her first name will be Audrey. Want to help me with her middle name?” I ask them both, “its okay I want you to help me.” Then it all starts. We are all looking for middle names that best suit Audrey.
“How bout’ Kelly?” Ryan made the first suggestion, and I’ll be honest with you- it sucks. Audrey Kelly? That is not the name I want my daughter to have. It’s too odd, she’ll be made fun of until she’s forty.
“Ryan, really? Say it in your head, does it make sense?” I ask him, he looks disappointed, and I automatically feel bad I nearly dissed his suggestion.
“No,” he mumbles it then goes back to looking through the book he’s holding. I let them finish looking through all the books while I fold some laundry.
“I got it! How about me and Ryan’s middle names mashed together. Just like my nickname!” she jumps up and down as she figures out something that’ll mean the most and be easy to remember.
“You can’t mush your two middle names together. Riley mixed with Tyler doesn’t mix. It’s a great idea, but think of a simple name.” I tell her, getting another disappointed look. Why am I being so picky? Two minutes later I give up and let them go,” Go on you two, thanks for helping me out anyways.”
Wait! I got something!” They both say in unison. There’s another twin thing that they do, they sometimes say things at the same time. I think it’s cute. Always have.
“What is it?”
“Nicole!” They say in unison again this time grinning at each other like it’s something they planned all along, “Audrey Nicole. Doesn’t it sound cute?!”
“I love it! She’s going to love that you picked her name out.” I say letting them both give me hugs, “It’s great, and you’re great.”
They both go back to doing their own thing and I’m left alone with my thoughts of my daughter. Whose name is going to be Audrey Nicole West, the luckiest baby of all. I rub my belly thoughtfully. I can’t wait to see you, even more than before.
