“Good night, Zoan. Have sweet dreams.”
“Good night.”
The call ends. I set the phone down and lean back, my eyes fixed ahead, watching nothing and everythingat once.
chapter 7
10 October 2042
Avira (11 years old)
I twirl around in front of the mirror, watching how my pretty white dress flutters and shines from every direction.
Wen finds the lip gloss. She’s also wearing the same white dress. We are twinning for today’s party.
It’s Zoan and Leo’s welcome party. Tonight, they’ll return from Pa’s countryside home. I’m a little nervous to see Zoan after two years. In these two years, I’ve seen him plenty of times on video calls, but not once in person. Our parents never took me there, only once, a few months after Zoan started living there, did they take me along.
Wen opens the lip gloss and applies it to her pink lips. I take it from her hand, brushing it over my own lips. We both smile wide at each other in the mirror.
Everyone at school thinks we are twin sisters because of our identical brown hair, amber eyes, full cupid-bow lips, round faces, and pale skin tone. We both inherited all these features from Grandma Flora, we look like her two living copies.
But there are some differences. The biggest is in our eyes. Wen’s are wide, soft doe eyes like our aunt’s, while mine are phoenix-shaped like my mom’s. Another difference is my hair falls straight, while Wen’s tumbles in waves. We also have differences in our smiles, though they’re only noticeable up close.
The door of my room opens, and Mama walks in. “Are you ready, girls?”
We both nod.
“Come then. All the guests have arrived. They’re asking for you both.”
I hurry toward her, excitement bubbling in my chest. “Are Zoan and Leo also here?” I ask with a big grin.
She shakes her head. “They’ll reach in an hour. They’re coming with Pa and Ma.”
“Why are they so late?” I ask, frustration spilling into my voice.
Mama chuckles. “Let’s go.”
Wen and I hold each other’s hands as we follow Mama.
The party is organized on our hill, outside in the big garden. Strings of warm lights hang across the trees, music plays softly, and people chatter in groups. As soon as we enter, guests after guests stop us, and Mama introduces us to them. Most are Daddy’s and Uncle’s business partners whom we don’t really need to remember.
Finally, Mama guides us toward groups of people I actually know.
We greet Uncle Ruslan and his wife, Aunt Bella. Standing beside them is another Mikhailov uncle, Damir, with his wife, Aunt Hope. Last of the Mikhailov brothers is Uncle Maksim, with his wife, Aunt Savi—who also happens to be Daddy’s cousin. Then comes Uncle Troy, Daddy’s cousin, and Aunt Stacy, Mama’s best friend.
After meeting all the elders, Wen and I walk to where Autumn and Kazimir are standing. Kaz is our cousin, Aunt Savi’s son. Autumn is Uncle Troy’s daughter, our other cousin.
Kaz introduces Iselyn and Zander to us. Iselyn is his cousin, Uncle Damir’s daughter. Zander is his cousin too, Uncle Ruslan’s son.
Kaz and Zander drift away to join the group of older boys, while we girls stay together.
Iselyn glances at Wen and me a few times before finally asking, “If you both aren’t real sisters, then how come you look so similar?”
Wen and I chuckle. She answers, “Because we both got our grandma’s genes. My mom and her dad are real siblings. Her mom and my dad are step-siblings, but apart from similar-looking eyes, they don’t have much else in common.”
Iselyn nods in understanding, her wide blue eyes are sparkling.
“Your eyes are beautiful,” I tell her.
