Twins Size Mattress
Since the talk with his father, Ashton kept his phone close at all times. He slept with it on his pillow. But he didn't receive any more calls.
—
On Saturday Katelyn would arrive for lunch. Aaron seemed a little nervous, but more animated than usually. After breakfast he ordered everyone to pick up and clean the entire house thoroughly. He even yelled at Andrew and Neil who wouldn't lift a finger. Ash helped clean up the living room and kitchen.
He was, now, nervous about meeting Katelyn. He didn't want to disappoint Aaron.
Katelyn arrived on time. She gave Aaron a kiss and I greeted the rest. Although Andrew completely ignored her. She then turned to Ash.
- Hello Ashton, I was looking forward to meeting you. I've heard a lot about you.
Ash felt his cheeks heat up. Katelyn was very pretty and so far, sweet.
"Hello," Ash said shyly.
Kate smiled at him. Behind her he saw Andrew's disgusted face.
—
Everyone sat at the table. Nicky had prepared the food and Katelyn had brought something of her own. This situation was unfamiliar to Ash. The only family he had had was his father and this felt like a traditional family meal that people with many relatives have. The closest thing he had attended was Simon's family dinners.
When they started eating Katelyn started asking questions.
- Ashton, you also play Exy, right?
-Yes, I’m an offensive dealer. - Ash didn't know how to make conversation so he just responded.
- Is it something you want to do professionally?
- I don't think so, I like it as a distraction. If it were something more serious I wouldn't enjoy it.
-Why? It is the best sport in the world. You could become a good player.- Kevin interrupted, his offended face made Ash shrink in place. He liked Kevin, he didn't want to disappoint him.
-Kevin, not everyone is looking for the same thing in exy as you. - Katelyn said smiling. - It's a valid answer, Ashton. - This calmed him down. Kevin grimaced and turned his attention back to his food.
- How did you two meet?- Ash asked in an attempt to change the subject. It clearly worked because Kate and Aaron smiled at each other, before she started explaining.
- Well, we both study medicine, so we have some classes together. In freshman year, Aaron stayed away from practically everyone and only talked to some classmates if necessary.- Ash could relate to that.- But as fate would have it, we were involved in a group project together and the rest of the group were idiots. So we had to join our neurons to do the work together and we ended up spending a lot of time alone in the library. Bit by bit Aaron won me over and I decided to give him a chance. After that we met in the library as much as possible to be alone.
-Ew- Andrew said, making a disgusted face.
-Very mature Andrew- Aaron replied, throwing daggers at him with his eyes.
- Leave it Ari- Katelyn put a hand on his brother's shoulder and he relaxed.
Ashton looked between the twins curiously and for the first time noticed a tension between them.
Katelyn stays a few more hours after eating. She and Ash seem to get along so, Aaron looks delighted.
—
- Have you been comfortable? - Aaron asks, after Kate leaves. The brothers are the only ones in the living room. Nicky is napping; Kevin and Neil are watching a match in Andrew’s room.
"Yes." Ashton smiles at his brother. "Is everything okay between you?" He asks the twins.
They look at each other. - Yeah, it's just Andrew being a bastard as always.
- I have behaved as you asked, I have not said anything bad to the cheerleader.
- She has a name and you know it. - Aaron says, almost shouting.
He suddenly remembers the presence of his little brother and turns to look at him. - Sorry, I didn't mean to raise my voice.
Ash nods his head. - What's going on?
Until now the twins had never looked at each other with such hatred, he had never seen them interact much but he had assumed it was because they were paying attention to him.
-Well...- Aaron sits next to him. - You don't have to worry. Andrew and I work on our relationship, we go to therapy every week.
-You have issues?- Now he is really worried.
- Things haven't always been easy. Our mother...
-Your mother, Tilda, was never my mother. - Andrew interrupts. Aaron doesn’t look surprised by this comment and only nods to Andrew.
-My mother- he corrects- separated us at birth…
-What?!- Ash says, he didn't expect this. He is sure his jaw is on the ground. His face grimaced.
- We met when we were 13 years old. A police officer mistook me for Andrew who was in the system.
The system, Ashton notices how his stomach turned, Andrew grew in the system. He stops his mind from getting lost in his thoughts.
- Why would your mother do that?
- Tilda was an evil bitch.
- Andrew!- Aaron exclaims. “He is not wrong”, Ashton thinks, but he bites his tongue.
- It's true, just admit it once and for all.
The three remain silent.
- I'm sorry that happened to you.- He doesn't know what else he can say at this moment.
- Another day we will talk about the topic in more depth, yes?- Aaron assures him.
- Okay. - smiles at them, falsely.
—
The three go to their rooms. And the rest of the day Ash's mind doesn't think about anything other than his brothers.