“I assume she must’ve retaliated?”
He grimaced. “Yeah, she dumped an entire pack of flour over me and it was okay because it was powder until she started chasing me around with the hose turning me into a man dough.”
I chuckled. “Don’t hate her too much. She’s still my sister.” It felt weird to think of her as my sister. “Oh and is it still true that you used to envy her because she did whatever she wanted and didn’t give a shit?”
He grumbled under his breath. “Don’t you ever tell her that.”
“So that? is? true.”
“I’m serious. You’re not allowed to tell her. She’d bring it up every time we bicker.”
“Okay, I won’t.” I said, thoroughly amused.
“Good. So now that we’ve got all problems out of the way, I think you should tell me about yourself, Julie Jenson.”
“Well that’s a hard thing to do. What do you want to know?”
“Just tell me everything about your life from as long as you can remember. I want to get to know the real Julie. Her story.”
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got all the time in the world.”
And so I launched myself into my story. We cooked and ate and we were still talking. I had never talked so much about myself.
Eventually we grew tired and fell asleep cuddled up in my bed which was a bit short for Ethan to fit in but we managed. I never realized how much I missed his presence next to me. That must’ve explained the restlessness I felt all night and the reason why I couldn’t fall asleep for hours because of which I stopped waking up on time.
Waking up next to him made me realize that I was actually happy to have woken up as opposed to the previous mornings where there had been an instant scowl on my face on opening my eyes.
Ethan stirred next to me, his lazy eyes taking a peek at me and closing again with a silly smile on his face. We remained in bed for a few more minutes, both half awake as we reveled in the morning silence and being in each other’s arms.
When we eventually got up and freshened up with Ethan wearing last night’s clothing, he stopped me with an anxious expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Julie, my timing is the worst. Your mother told us everything yesterday morning and I showed up here last night. I want you to know that I’m not here because I found out that you’re related to them. Even if you weren’t, I’d still be here. I hope you haven’t misunderstood.”
That thought had honestly never crossed my mind and even if it did I knew he wasn’t like that. I smiled at him. “Ethan, I know and I never thought like that. I trust you.”
He looked relieved. “So are you ready to meet your family?”
“I don’t know. After all these years, knowing it’s someone else and they’re alive. It’s hard to see them as my parents.”
“That’s understandable. You’ll need a lot of time to get used to that. But they’re insisting on meeting you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t say I wasn’t going to meet them.”
Ethan and I got into his car and he began driving to the place I ran away from ten days ago. The place which was my real home and I had been there all these months without truly knowing.
The whole drive there I was a nervous bundle in the passenger seat. No amount of reassurances from Ethan could stop the whirlwind of questions running in my mind. It also gave rise to insecurities and whether they’d accept me or not. I chided and told myself to remain positive. I was going to meet my real parents for the first time after knowing that I’m their blood. I should smile brightly and be welcoming.
He pulled up in the driveway and got out. I stalled for as long as I could as I took my sweet time in opening my door and getting out.
“Ready?” Ethan asked, putting a hand on my lower back and urging me forward.
“I hope so.” I muttered. I took a huge breath and let it out. Okay, I could do this.
The first thing I noticed as I walked in was that there were a lot of people. I spotted? my? dad and? my? mom? huddled on the sofa surrounded by Rachael, Antonio, Audrey, Heather and Amelia. There were two more girls sitting on either side of my parents which were an exact copy of me although I was sure there’d be minor differences in our appearances up close. Juliet had short red hair so she was easily recognizable. The other girl though, looked exactly like me – the same hair although hers were a little shorter, the same eyes and the same facial structure.
“Hi,” I said, grabbing their attention.? All at once their heads whipped in our direction.
“Julie!” My mom screeched as she got up and rushed towards me.
“Um… mom,? oof-” I stumbled back and nearly toppled over by how hard my mom’s body hit mine. She didn’t let go though and engulfed me in her arms. Another set of arms landed on us and I looked up to see my dad.
Now that I was really? looking? at him, I could pinpoint our similarities which I had earlier attributed to Juliet and I looking identical.
“My baby.” My mom wailed into my shoulder and I could feel drops of liquid wetting my shirt but I didn’t mind. The affectionate display made me tear up too.
“Mom! Dad!” I said and hugged them both back, the realization that they really were my parents – alive and well, hitting me. Even when I was living here disguised as Juliet I had always felt as if their motherly and fatherly love was really meant for me.
“You’re here! You’re alive.” My mom pulled back to say. She cupped my cheek.
I put a hand over hers. “Yes, I’m here.”
“What happened to you? How? Why didn’t you find us?”
“Mom, I was like two days old when I was kidnapped.” I said and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Right. It doesn’t matter. You’re here now.”
“Julia, baby come here.” My dad said and I looked up to see the others standing awkwardly around. Julia had a small smile on her face while Juliet eyed us all with narrowed eyes.
Julia took a few steps towards us, a little unsure and shy. I had a feeling that I had a lot in common with her that I did with Juliet.
She was pulled down into our group hug and I’d never been hugged so hard by anyone, except Ethan.
I had yet to interact with both of my identical sisters as well as an elder sister and a brother I had never known existed.
We heard footsteps stomping over to us until they were right in front. “Wow I certainly feel so loved right now.” Juliet was glaring down at us with her arms folded across her chest. “I mean I understand that you guys found each other after so many years but hello, did you forget I exist now that my two lookalikes are here? You’ve been at it for ten minutes. Ten minutes of watching you hugging, crying, kissing and clinging onto each other while no one even spared a glance at me!”
Ethan came up behind her and lightly hit her on the back of her head. “Not everything is about you, Juliet. You had to ruin the moment?”
“Did you just hit me?” She whirled around. “You’re so going to get it today. I suggest you run because as soon as I’m done with this group, I’m going to kick your ass like literally.”
“I’d like to see you try because I’m going to rip your hair out before than happens.” He retorted.
“You just wait, you dipshit.” She turned back to us. “As I was saying, how can you forget you have another daughter who just returned ten days ago and when I told you the truth, you didn’t even ask if I was okay all this time. All you two could yap about was where these two were. I’m glad they returned and I’m excited to get to know them but I have feelings and they’re hurt because you guys never hugged me like that or ever cried over me like that!”
“So you would rather that you were kidnapped?” Ethan interjected.
She shot him with glare. “You’re still here?”
All this time we had been staring up at her, our arms still wrapped around each other. My dad sighed and grabbed Juliet’s hand and pulled her down. She disappeared somewhere into our hug before popping her head up with a gasp. “I can’t breathe. I take back my words, continue on without me. Release me right now!”
We laughed through our tears but did the opposite, squeezing her in tightly as she shouted more protests.
Antonio sniffled. “I feel left out.” He joined us as well and soon Rebecca followed. Heather, Amelia and Ethan looked at each other before racing towards our pile.
“Ow!” Juliet’s pained scream nearly caused everyone hearing loss. “You did that on purpose didn’t you?!” She shoved Ethan back.
“Did what?” He asked innocently but I knew he was guilty.
“You stepped on my foot.” She stood up and faced him. “You’re dead.”
Ethan was quick and he had already jumped up and started running away.
Juliet chased after him yelling, “I don’t know what my sister saw in you but I’m going to free her from your clutches.”
I highly doubted that.
After we all had calmed down, I explained everyone what had actually happened and how we were still alive. No one was leaving Julia or I alone for the day. Everyone was too excited and curious and had a lot of questions for us. That didn’t sit well with Juliet as she was probably not used to not being the center of attention.
No one except my mom and dad knew that they had triplets. Rachael and Antonio were told back then but they were so little that the absence of the two of us made them believe that only Juliet was born. The fact that the kidnapper was caught and put behind bars was enough for them when they were still grieving us.
I was right about Julia. She was the complete opposite of Juliet and I was somewhere in between them. I still had a lot to learn about them and I couldn’t wait to get to know them better. Juliet wasn’t as bad as I thought.
Apparently they had a story of their own. Juliet told us that she was mistaken for Julia when she reached a small town after she ran away. At the same time, Julia had ran away from the family that had adopted her. She was bullied at school and abused by her adoptive family. Juliet taught them a lesson they wouldn’t forget when they dragged her into the family thinking she was Julia and now they were in prison where they deserved to be. My heart ached for what my sister went through. She told us she has put it behind her and has moved on.
She was currently signed up with a company as a singer which had something to do with a certain celebrity who was in a boy band who recognized her talent. It was so surprising considering she barely passed high school and she didn’t want to go to college. It was all confusing but she was enrolled into school two years late so while she was still the same age as us she was fresh out of high school which actually was due to Juliet and because everyone thought she was Julia. Juliet too didn’t get to go to college as she ran away before that. But I was sure she’d get into one now that she was here.
Sitting there, talking to my family made me feel complete. These were the people that had grown over me the last few months. Despite our bitter past, I was now ready to move on and explore everything that life had in store for me. It wasn’t too late. I still had the rest of my life to spend with these amazing people and I wasn’t going to waste a second of it.
I looked over at Ethan and he was already looking at me with a grin that matched mine.
Yes, my life was going to change for the best and I was ready for it all.
“Wait!” Juliet interjected my climactic train of thought. “I have an important question! Who among us three is the older one, the younger one and the middle one?”