CHAPTER 3 - AND THIS IS…THEN THEY MEET AGAIN

KENYA

“So this is how you treat your sister?!” I snarl, getting right into this little punk’s face and he wisely backs up! But is still staring at Kendi.

“Kenya, come on let’s just go back home! I’ve had enough of this place!”

“No wait! Please can you just come to the diner? It’s just over there, please?!”

“And why should we do that? So your friends can finish off the job!”

“My dad is in there…” He is still just staring.

“Great! I want to meet the father who teaches his kid that it’s okay to hit!”

“Me too!” Kendi exclaims. “Will you stop staring at me like that?! It’s creeping me out!”

He nods, but then pulls out his phone. Immediately, I snatch it off him. He goes to say something but my death glare stops him. “Diner! Now!”

DINER

GUS

This is not happening! This is not happening! I walk quickly with the very scary woman, practically breathing down my neck and we’re at the diner in a minute. “Dad…!” I call out.

“Who’s the father of this thug?!” Scary Lady bellows, silencing the diner... but that’s not the only reason everyone is staring.

“Two things. Why are you calling my son a thug?! And why do you have his phone?!” Dad comes out from the office, his voice low and angry.

“Where’s Kemi, dad?!” I demand, rushing to get between him and Scary Lady!

“I’m here. Why is everyone fucking shouting?!”

“Holy mother of fuck.” Scary Lady breathes and then looks behind her.

“See?!” I exclaim.

“Come out.” She tells Kemi and she steps out from behind her.

“Oh my god!” Kemi, who does have battle scars is bug eyed, staring at the other girl. “You look exactly like me!”

“Except my eyes are blue.” She replies. “Yours are green.”

“Uh, here’s your phone.” Scary Lady hands it back to me and I almost drop it, looking between the two doppelgangers.

“Dad...say something.” I whisper.

“What did he call you?” He asks, quietly.

“Kendi.” She replies slowly, walking up to the pair of them. “What happened to you?”

“Tried to do a turnpike and failed again...skateboard hit me in the face and then I hit the wall dislocating my shoulder.” Kemi replies as they circle each other.

“Why is it so quiet in...holy fucking shit!” Uncle Michael exclaims as he comes out from the back. I can’t help the frisson of joy it gives me because I know exactly how he feels about Kemi and how she feels about him!

“Okay, sorry I just can’t get my head round it.” Scary Lady says. “I’ve called J…”

“Justin!” Dad exclaims, “His name is Justin!”

“Ooh, what the hell did I take last night?! I am seeing double!” Emmy Lou exclaims.

“Okay, everyone that looks like a Kinney, is a Kinney or came with a Kemi lookalike in the office now!” Grandma orders, having regained the power of speech.

As we start to follow grandma in, Ernesta calls out. “Michael, where are you going?”

“He’s my best friend! Where do…”

“Suddenly you remember that?!” She snipes “Sit down!” She comes round the counter and he scurries back to the booth.

“Ernie, can I have a double espresso please!” Emmy Lou calls out.

“Emmett, where are you going?” Michael demands.

“Where’d you think?! Where the gossip is!”

“You go ahead, Ems. Will bring it in a sec!”

OFFICE

BRIAN

I try for the third time to use my phone, but Ems stops me. “I’ll call him.” He takes his out and calls Ted.

“Sorry, Kenya.”

“What?” I frown at the less angry lady.

“My name is Kenya. This is Kendi. Jesus, this is unreal.”

“Brian and this is Emmett, Debs, Gus and Kemi.” I reply.

“When’s your birthday?” Kemi asks her sister.

“August 13th. I was born on a Friday.”

“Wh...what time?” Debs asks, taking my hand as I start to tremble.

“1:57pm.”

“Christ, same face, same day but 2 minutes apart.” Debs looks at me with tears in her eyes.

“BRIAN!” Ted shouts as he bursts in. “What…” He stops and stares. “Jesus. Twins?!”

“Really?!” They both say at the same time and then laugh.

“This is Ted. He’s Kemi’s godfather.” Ems introduces him. “These two are Kenya and she’s Kendi.”

“And I’m her godmother.” Kenya smiles and then her phone rings. “No, you have to come now! We’re at Liberty Avenue Diner...you have to see this for yourself. Justin, just get here!”

“Why not send a picture?” I ask Kendi.

“He doesn’t have a camera on his phone.” She rolls her eyes and wrinkles her nose. “That is definitely going to change!”

“Okay… when you get here, ask for Debs.”

“How long is dad going to be?” Kendi asks then stares at Gus. “Wait, you’re my brother!”

“Shit! I have another sister! Do you have any brothers?” He asks hopefully, but his face falls when she shakes her head.

When the door opens, Ernesta comes in with coffee and brandy. I can see Michael hovering, but Debs shuts the door firmly when Ernesta leaves.

“Shall I be mother?” I ask and then chuckle at what I said.

“You smile the same.” Ted tells them.

We’re sitting in silence, trying to absorb everything when we hear Michael shouting at someone, saying he can’t go back there. “I believe your dad has arrived.” Kenya intones and gets up.

KENYA

When I step back into the diner, Michael is blocking the way. “Can you move please?” I ask, politely.

“No, nobody is getting back there!” He states over his shoulder. “Especially this pushy princess!” He sneers.

“Michael...?” Kemi starts to protest.

“Kendi, what happened?!” Justin shouts, as he pushes past him and then stops. “You have green eyes!” He looks incredulously at me. “Seriously Kenya, what the fuck is…”

“Hi dad.” Kendi comes out, smiling and Justin gapes.

“Hi Justin.” Brian comes out and Justin faints.

AN HOUR LATER

JUSTIN

I must have been very stressed! I think to myself and open my eyes but immediately close them again! I open one slowly and there, grinning with tears in her eyes, is an unbruised Kendi standing next to a bruised Kendi.

“What happened?” I mumble. “And who am I lying on?!”

“Hi, my name is Debs.” I look up at her and smile.

Suddenly she breaks into a huge grin. “Holy shit! Sunshine!” She screams, sitting me upright and pulling me into her arms in seconds. “I can’t believe it!”

“Sunshine?” Kenya echoes and helps wrest me out of her grip.

“Yeah! No way would I ever forget that smile!” She cackles. “So you went to Babylon and met Brian, did you?”

“Ma! Let me in!” The loudmouth shouts.

“No!” A guy yells back. “Now drink this sweetie, I am Emmett.” I take the glass with brown liquid and on discovering its brandy, knock it back quickly.

“So let me get this straight... You got pregnant, too?” I look incredulously at Brian, who just nods. “How the hell are they so alike?!”

“SOME FUCKING ONE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!” The loudmouth comes in after a young boy.

“Meet the man that knocked up the Stud of Liberty Avenue and his daughter.” Debs laughs.

“No! Two of them?! Seriously?!” He froths.

“Yes, two of them!” The young boy shouts at him. “They are carbon copies of each other, apart from the eyes. I’m Gus by the way, his son and their elder brother!”

“Justin” I smile at him, he so looks like Brian. “Wow you sure were busy 14 years ago!” I laugh nervously and Brian gives me an equally nervous smile.

“Are you sure she’s his?!” He screeches. “It could be a scam!”

“Ex-fucking-cuse me!” Kendi bellows. “Who the hell are you and how dare you cast aspersions on my dad like that?! Keep talking and I’m going to knock you on your ass so hard, you won’t sit down for a week!”

EMMETT

“I believe she has just provided an answer to your question, Michael. There is no mistaking that temper!” I laugh. “But in all seriousness, let’s leave them be. Come-come, you four, sorry Gus, five go back to the loft…”

“Hang on, what about Kenya? She’s got to come too!” Kendi objects.

“And me!” Michael has recovered from his shock at the way he was just spoken too.

“No, there is nobody but them!” I tell him firmly.

“Did you drive here or take a cab?” Brian asks him.

“Cab. Actually, can we not do the loft?” Justin blushes, no doubt, at the memory of what they did that weekend and Brian holds back his trademark smirk. “Shut up!” He chides him, but does start to smile.

“So where shall we go then?” Michael tries again.

“Nowhere! You’re not coming near my grandpa’s house!” Kendi shouts.

“Kendi, calm yourself sweets, but Emmett is right. You guys need to do this on your own.” Kenya looks at her watch. “Right... where is a good place for a gal to get a drink?!”

“With me and Teddy!” I declare.

“Done and done, let’s go!” She grins.

“Wait for me!” Michael states. “I need the bathroom; I won’t be long!”

“Okay, Michael.” I sigh and he dashes out.

“One second.” Debs smirks and follows him out. She’s back less than two minutes later, smiling. “Oh dear, he seems to have gotten locked in…”

As we run out of the diner, I turn back to see the kids, jabbering away excitedly. Brian and Justin keep giving each other quick looks and shy smiles.

“He’s the only one.” Kenya tells me and I frown. “He’s not bottomed for anyone else since.”

“Because he’s afraid of getting pregnant again?” Ted asks.

 “No. Because he didn’t want to taint the memory.” She replies.