“It’s easy.”
Okay, they’re identical, and I didn’t tell them apart the first time I met them, but that was only because I didn’t know there were two of them. Forewarned, I’d have looked for the obvious signs. The different smiles. Bash’s slightly shorter hair and the freckle on his neck. The way the stubble on Cash’s jawline is darker and thicker when he grows it out. Now that Cash has trimmedhis hair, I can see how difficult it is for others to have trouble distinguishing them from each other.
“Cash’s movements are louder,” I say, “like a boisterous child. While Bash is more controlled, always thinking three steps ahead.”
Ariel purses her lips. “That’s it? That’s all you have to go on?”
“There are other subtle differences.” I don’t add ‘in every department’.
My hyperactive libido is already kneeling in front of them naked. Cash is thicker, harder. Bash is slightly longer. But it’s what they do with it that has my panties getting wetter by the second.
“Do you ever get the wrong twin?” she asks.
“No.” Inexplicably, my cheeks grow warm as my belly starts to harden again. “Only the first time…” I’m breathing heavily, “…and to be fair… that wasn’t my fault. My coworker told me that Cash was Bash. I didn’t even know that he had a twin brother.”
“Or you’d have checked the name tag on his lapel before you fucked him.” Ariel laughs. “I believe you, Rem.” She watches me closely when she realizes that I’m panting through the practice contraction.
When the pain passes, I ask, “Which one do you think brought the sodas just then?”
She stares at the door like it might reveal the correct answer. “Bash?”
I chew my bottom lip to stop myself from blurting out that she was wrong. I don’t need to worry about telling my babies apart; the twenty-week ultrasound revealed that we’re having one ofeach. Fraternal twins, different genders. But Ariel has piqued my curiosity now.
“Have you seriously never been able to tell them apart?”
It blows my mind that all the times she has met them, she never knew which one she was talking to.
“No. But in my defense, I’ve never seen them naked.”
“Oh my God, Ariel.” I cover my face with both hands and have another drama queen moment. “I’m not even going there.”
She grins wickedly. “I can’t believe I’m the only person in the whole wide world who can’t tell them apart. Seriously. You, I get. Their mom too, and maybe even his siblings at a stretch, although I bet they get played at every opportunity.”
“They don’t.” I shake my head, trying to convince myself.
Just because I haven’t seen the guys trick their family, doesn’t mean they don’t do it. Would I even realize if they did? Ariel has got me wondering now.
“I bet your neighbors can’t tell them apart.” Ariel is on a roll now and there’s no stopping her.
I flinch. Squeeze my eyes shut. “Probably not.” It’s not the whole truth.
I’ve only spoken to the neighbors in passing, and I don’t think they’ve even realized that two men live in the house with me. I could put them right, but I haven’t. I’m not embarrassed about the situation, I simply don’t know how they’ll react, and I don’t want to bring my babies into a world of prejudice and judgement from people who don’t even know us. I haven’t even told the guys how I feel about it. They would probably throw a massiveparty and invite everyone on the street to be sure that no one is left guessing.
Footsteps approach the house. Ariel jumps up and peers out of the window. “Neighbor incoming,” she whispers. “Now’s your chance.”
“What?” My heart is hammering my ribs. I don’t know why, but with the birth so imminent, I find that I need to psych myself up for anything that takes me out of my comfort zone. Maternal instinct, I guess. I’m protecting my babies, and neighbors are unknown entities. “No. I’m not ready.”
“Ready for what?” Ariel’s forehead creases.
“Welcoming the neighbors into my home.”
She crosses the room and places her hands on my arms. “Baby girl, you’ve got this. Who gives a fuck what the neighbors think, right?”
I nod, but I don’t mean it.
The doorbell rings.
“Come on, I’ll come with you.”
