by Wayne Harris-Wyrick (Writer’s Choice. WARNING: Disturbing ending)
“Does Steve know?" Allen asked.
"He doesn't even suspect,” Christina said. “Why should he?”
He brushed her bare nipple, feeling the shudder run through her body. “We belong together. Look how good we are.”
“Allen, forget it. We have to get up. Allie and Stephen will be home from school soon.” She sat up slowly.
“This isn’t over,” he said. “We need to talk more about this.”
“Allen!” Stephen yelled as he slammed through the screen door. “When did you get here?”
“Just an hour or so ago. Didn’t your mom tell you I was coming?”
Allie walked through the door. “Yes, but Stephen never listens to anything anyone says anymore. How was your flight, Allen?”
“Long, but well worth it to see my favorite kids. Allie, you have grown so much! You’re a young lady now! I have some gifts for you two. Wait a sec while I go get them from my room.” Allen came back holding two bags.
“Allen, you shouldn’t spend so much on these kids,” she said as Allie pulled out an iPad and a $50.00 iTunes gift card.
“All right!” Stephen shouted as he held up an Xbox Kinect.
“I put a few games in there plus a gift card so you get more,” Allen said, rubbing his hand through the boy’s white-blond hair.
“Allen, how many games does the boy need? You gave him a Wii just last Christmas.”
“All different game and interactions with this one. And he’s older now. He’s outgrown Mario Brothers.”
“Allen!” boomed a loud voice as Steve came in through the door. “I’d have been here earlier but I stopped to get some beer. I imagine you’re about ready for one.”
“You bet.”
“Kids, go into your rooms and play with the gifts Allen got you. You men have a seat. I’ll get glasses for the beer.”
“Oh Chris,” Steve said, playfully yanking on his wife’s long, blond hair, “don’t you know we men drink beer straight from the bottle?”
“Well I don’t. I’ll put the rest in the fridge and grab me a glass, like a civilized person.”
The three sat quietly in the front room as the muffled sounds of CGI’d battles and music videos drifted in from the kids rooms. “Steve, why don’t you guys move back home?” Allen said. Christina’s head jerked up at the question.
“Hey, look at the black hair and dark complexion, man,” Steve replied. “Hawaii IS my home.”
“Steve, come on, you were born in Portland, same as me. We all went to school together.”
“True, but this is my ancestral home. Besides, it’s beautiful out here." Steve tilted his bottle towards Allen. "Why don’t you move out here? With your job, you could tele-commute to work everyday from the beach!”
“My light-complexioned skin doesn’t do sun well. I'm surprised Chris hasn't turned into a beet.”
“Hawaiian sun and surf would do you well. And let go of my wife’s hand, you letch,” Steve said with a chuckle.
“Hey, I was the best man at the wedding. I can hold her hand if I want.”
The conversation drifted to their days in college and playing football together. After a while, Chris gave up trying to explain that HER sport was the real football, and theirs was a sissy game, with everyone in those thick pads.
As the hour got late, they all went to sleep.
The next day, Christina and Allen waved goodbye as the kids went off to school and Steve to work. Without a word, the two headed for the bedroom.
After a session of lovemaking, Allen rolled over on his side to look at Christina. “Chris, I’m serious. You and the kids, OUR kids, need to come back with me.”
She sat up and turned away from her lover. “Allen, you know we can’t. Why are you pushing this? This is so ridiculous.”
"You won't change your mind?"
"It’s impossible. This isn't real. It's some disease we have."
Allen sat up, and turned Christina to face him. "Then I want you and Steve and the children to come to my wedding. Jennifer knows all about us. She’ll take me anyway. But only if this ends now.”
Christina’s head slumped, a sobbed escaped from her lips.
"Allergies," Christine lied to her husband about her red eyes, faking a smile as Allen told him of the wedding.
Steve slapped Allen on the back. "Congratulations, man.” Turning to Christina, he said “Chris, it's about time your twin brother here finally settled down!"
“Does Steve know?" Allen asked.
"He doesn't even suspect,” Christina said. “Why should he?”
He brushed her bare nipple, feeling the shudder run through her body. “We belong together. Look how good we are.”
“Allen, forget it. We have to get up. Allie and Stephen will be home from school soon.” She sat up slowly.
“This isn’t over,” he said. “We need to talk more about this.”
“Allen!” Stephen yelled as he slammed through the screen door. “When did you get here?”
“Just an hour or so ago. Didn’t your mom tell you I was coming?”
Allie walked through the door. “Yes, but Stephen never listens to anything anyone says anymore. How was your flight, Allen?”
“Long, but well worth it to see my favorite kids. Allie, you have grown so much! You’re a young lady now! I have some gifts for you two. Wait a sec while I go get them from my room.” Allen came back holding two bags.
“Allen, you shouldn’t spend so much on these kids,” she said as Allie pulled out an iPad and a $50.00 iTunes gift card.
“All right!” Stephen shouted as he held up an Xbox Kinect.
“I put a few games in there plus a gift card so you get more,” Allen said, rubbing his hand through the boy’s white-blond hair.
“Allen, how many games does the boy need? You gave him a Wii just last Christmas.”
“All different game and interactions with this one. And he’s older now. He’s outgrown Mario Brothers.”
“Allen!” boomed a loud voice as Steve came in through the door. “I’d have been here earlier but I stopped to get some beer. I imagine you’re about ready for one.”
“You bet.”
“Kids, go into your rooms and play with the gifts Allen got you. You men have a seat. I’ll get glasses for the beer.”
“Oh Chris,” Steve said, playfully yanking on his wife’s long, blond hair, “don’t you know we men drink beer straight from the bottle?”
“Well I don’t. I’ll put the rest in the fridge and grab me a glass, like a civilized person.”
The three sat quietly in the front room as the muffled sounds of CGI’d battles and music videos drifted in from the kids rooms. “Steve, why don’t you guys move back home?” Allen said. Christina’s head jerked up at the question.
“Hey, look at the black hair and dark complexion, man,” Steve replied. “Hawaii IS my home.”
“Steve, come on, you were born in Portland, same as me. We all went to school together.”
“True, but this is my ancestral home. Besides, it’s beautiful out here." Steve tilted his bottle towards Allen. "Why don’t you move out here? With your job, you could tele-commute to work everyday from the beach!”
“My light-complexioned skin doesn’t do sun well. I'm surprised Chris hasn't turned into a beet.”
“Hawaiian sun and surf would do you well. And let go of my wife’s hand, you letch,” Steve said with a chuckle.
“Hey, I was the best man at the wedding. I can hold her hand if I want.”
The conversation drifted to their days in college and playing football together. After a while, Chris gave up trying to explain that HER sport was the real football, and theirs was a sissy game, with everyone in those thick pads.
As the hour got late, they all went to sleep.
The next day, Christina and Allen waved goodbye as the kids went off to school and Steve to work. Without a word, the two headed for the bedroom.
After a session of lovemaking, Allen rolled over on his side to look at Christina. “Chris, I’m serious. You and the kids, OUR kids, need to come back with me.”
She sat up and turned away from her lover. “Allen, you know we can’t. Why are you pushing this? This is so ridiculous.”
"You won't change your mind?"
"It’s impossible. This isn't real. It's some disease we have."
Allen sat up, and turned Christina to face him. "Then I want you and Steve and the children to come to my wedding. Jennifer knows all about us. She’ll take me anyway. But only if this ends now.”
Christina’s head slumped, a sobbed escaped from her lips.
"Allergies," Christine lied to her husband about her red eyes, faking a smile as Allen told him of the wedding.
Steve slapped Allen on the back. "Congratulations, man.” Turning to Christina, he said “Chris, it's about time your twin brother here finally settled down!"