///~///~///~

Chapter 7 - Let's Try and Figure This Out.

“Okay, let’s try and figure this out,” Qianna suggested as the sisters huddled together in their room later that evening. “I know you’re furious - I am too - but somehow I just don’t believe my dad would do something like splitting us up. I just CAN’T see him doing that. He’s pretty much the best dad anyone could hope for, despite his current Hairy Alex-Induced stupidity. We’ve always been super close. We talk about everything. I’ve told him so many times how much I really wanted a brother or a sister, and every single time he’s said that he wanted that for me too. I almost think that’s why he’s so intent on settling down with Alex. He wants to have a family almost as much as I do, or at least a bigger family than just the two of us. He’s been so lonely for so long that I think he finally just gave up and that’s why he’s agreed to marry Alex. So, if he knew that I had a sister out there, I’m positive he would have told me about you.”

Quinne listened to her sister and let the words slowly drown out the anger she’d been feeling all day. “I want to believe that you’re right, QiQi, but it’s hard for me to get there. I mean, how could they NOT have known?”

“Well, let’s look at this logically.” Qianna took out a notebook, opened it to a blank page and sat poised with a pen hovering over the paper. “Let’s write down everything we absolutely KNOW and see where there are gaps. That should at least lead us to the right questions to find out more.”

“Good idea,” Quinne agreed, moving over to sit on the same bed as her sister while they went through what they did and did not know.

The list they came up with had a lot of gaps.

1. Justin Taylor and Brian Kinney met sometime during Justin’s senior year of High School.
2. Justin’s father found out he was gay and kicked him out of the house when he was seventeen, during his senior year of high school. (Did this have anything to do with Brian?) Justin’s parents got divorced soon after this.
3. Brian showed up at Justin’s senior prom. According to the news reports, Justin was eighteen and Brian was thirty at the time. (Age gap ?). They danced in front of the whole school. After the prom, Chris Hobbs attacked them and injured Justin. Justin recovered but was never quite the same.
4. (What happened between the men after prom?)
5. Five years after the prom bashing, Brian and Justin got married/committed.
6. Just over a year later, Lizette Richards (? married name), gave birth to two baby girls. (Where?)
7. Qianna grew up in California - doesn’t remember ever living anywhere else.
8. Quinne grew up in Pittsburgh - where all prior events happened and where family has lived since Brian was in high school. Also, Pittsburgh is where the wedding happened.
9. (What happened between birth and age twelve? Where is Lizette?)
10. Quinne & Qianna meet in Colorado by accident at age twelve.

“So I didn’t put it down as a fact,” Qianna surmised after they’d spent several minutes looking over their completed list, “but I think it’s safe to assume that our dads continued to see each other between the date of the prom and the time they were married. Which means they were together for, like, six years or so. That’s a long time.”

“Yeah. Especially for someone as allergic to commitment as my father,” Quinne agreed. “I think it’s safe to say that your dad must be the one romantic relationship my father has alluded to - the one he uses as the excuse for not ever having another. Based on everything he’s let slip, it obviously ended badly. I mean, my Pops would rather be alone for the rest of his life than even TRY for another relationship. So, really, really, badly, I’d say.”

“Maybe, but the question is WHY?” Qianna pressed. “Because they’d already been through a lot - getting through the bashing and all the treatment my dad would have needed afterwards according to all the reports we’ve read, would have been hard, you know - and yet they were still together five years later. Plus they must have still been happy together or they wouldn’t have gotten married, right? So what happened?”

Quinne looked over the timeline they’d developed one more time. “Judging by the timing alone, it would seem like they had to have hired Lizette to be their surrogate within only a few months after the commitment ceremony. Do you think it’s safe to assume that they were still together when they decided to have kids? I don’t know about your dad, but my Pops probably wouldn’t have hired a surrogate to have me if he’d just broken up with the one guy he ever cared about enough to marry.”

“Definitely,” Qianna agreed, pencilling that assumption into their timeline. “Especially since my dad was only twenty-two at the time and didn’t have any career to speak of. He’d never do anything as financially irresponsible as starting a family when he didn’t have the ability to support a kid; he’s kinda miserly about money stuff, and worries all the time about not saving enough, so it would be totally out of character for him. Not to mention that he probably wouldn’t have had the money to pay for a surrogate on his own. I think it’s a given that our dads were still together when they decided to hire Lizette.”

“I think we can get even more precise than that. Clearly, if they’d broken up after the surrogacy contract was signed but before we were conceived, they would have just backed out of the contract, right? So whatever happened, didn’t happen until after Lizette got pregnant.”

“Yes!” Qianna replied, sounding much more enthusiastic now that they seemed to be getting somewhere. “So, whatever happened - and it had to be something massive to break them up when they were expecting a baby in the not too distant future - had to have occurred sometime after say . . . February first.” She marked that date on their list and underlined it multiple times for emphasis.

Quinne nodded, biting at her lip in a quizzical fashion. “But, if we’re still going with the assumption that neither of our dads knew we were a twin, then wouldn’t their big break up have to have been before we were born? Because if they were still together at that point, they would know about us, right? Although I STILL don’t see how that’s possible . . .”

“What if they broke up really early after the pregnancy started?” Qianna insisted. “Like, before the surrogate knew she was having twins, maybe? I remember reading a story once about how this mother didn’t know she was having twins until they were born, so it’s conceivable that our dads might not have known they were getting twins before they broke up. Maybe?”

“Maybe. At least we don’t have any better explanation for now. But if that’s so, then we can narrow down the date even further,” Quinne thought for a minute and then grabbed the notebook away from her sister, marking down ‘August 1st’ as the presumed end date of their period of inquiry. “I think it’s reasonable to say that most mothers realize they’re having twins by the start of the third trimester, wouldn’t you?” Qianna nodded her agreement. “Okay. So, whatever happened to our dads, probably happened in this six month window. But whatever that thing was . . .” She gave up and just shrugged.

“I have no idea either,” Qianna agreed. “But at least we have a good idea of WHEN it happened. Now, if we only knew what questions to ask.”

“Or better yet, WHO to ask,” Quinne responded, nibbling at her thumbnail as she mulled over the problem. “Especially if we don’t want to give ourselves away in the process.”

///~///~///~

The girls still hadn’t devised a plan to find out what they needed to know by the time the weekend rolled around. They were still pondering the problem on Saturday when the camp headed off on busses to visit the Denver Zoo’s  Conservation Lab. The Zoo was a participant in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan Program. Together with Zoos all over the world, Denver’s team of biologists and conservation experts are working to make sure that we preserve the zoological biodiversity of the world. To do this, they are maintaining the most comprehensive DNA database of animals in history. The goal is to make sure that they breed their animals in the most successful and efficient way possible in order to preserve even the most endangered of species. This goal, of course, involves a lot of bio lab work, which is why the students were so interested in seeing the lab and breeding facilities that the zoo maintained.

After getting a full tour of the Zoo’s labs, and visiting some of the more interesting - and generally off limits - areas of the zoo, they were all very enthusiastic about the possibilities for future careers in biology. The kids were then divided into smaller groups and sent off to explore the zoo for the rest of the afternoon. Qianna was particularly fascinated by the Giraffe Encounter, where guests are permitted to feed fruit to some of the zoo’s tallest inhabitants. QiQi couldn’t get over the fact that they all had black tongues or the scratchy feel as they would lick her. Stella, on the other hand, got the biggest kick out of the Penguin Encounter - even though the fish they let you feed to the birds were smelly as hell - because they were so very sociable. Quinne, personally, thought they were both crazy, and instead preferred to just look at all the strange creatures from behind the glass or metal barriers of most of the exhibits.

When it was time for dinner, they gorged themselves on burgers and hotdogs. Then the whole troupe got to see a concert put on by an eclectic band called ‘Pink Martini’ in nearby City Park. The music was a wonderfully strange mixture that crossed the genres of classical music, classic pop, Latin music, and jazz. Quinne loved it - she’d been a fan of the group for years but had never had a chance to see them live. Qianna liked it okay but got a little bored - she was more of a rock ‘n roll girl. They agreed to disagree on musical tastes afterwards.

The concert didn’t end till late and then they still had the long bus ride back to Colorado Springs, so the campers weren’t back at the dorms until almost 1:00 am. It had been a very busy and fun day but it meant the girls didn’t get a chance to do any more research on their personal mystery project. It also meant that Sunday got off to a slow, lazy, tired start for all.

Qianna slept right through breakfast and only made her way downstairs about the time the kitchen started to set out lunch. She grabbed a bagel and some OJ and then joined Quinne and Stella in the lounge area. Stella was, as usual, on her computer, only coming up for a spoonful of cereal every two or three minutes. Quinne had her nose buried in a book. Qianna liked the comfortable quiet of their little group; she curled up in a big armchair and started to sketch her two friends.

They spent the next half hour or so like that, just doing nothing much and enjoying the hell out of it. Stella eventually got up and wandered away, intent on finding someone willing to go out with her to find some coffee - a treat that the middle school students at the camp weren’t supposed to have. Neither Qianna nor Quinne felt up to that much exercise yet, so they stayed put and made due with the juice and tea the kitchen offered. Just about the time that Qianna was starting to drift off, her eyelids feeling heavier than the pencil she’d been using to draw with, the dozy peace of their little corner of the lounge was interrupted by the ringing of Quinne’s phone. Quinne almost jumped out of her chair at the unexpected noise. She dropped her book and cursed at the fact that she’d lost her place but still managed to answer the call before it went to voicemail.

“Hey, Em!” Quinne muttered through a yawn.

“Well, now, I’ve had more animated greetings,” Emmett’s twanging voice echoed out of the phone’s speaker. “What’s up, Sparky?”

“Sorry, Em. We were up late last night,” Quinne apologized.

“Oooo - doing something fun and naughty, I hope,” the big queen burbled. “Dish!”

“Oh, Em . . . You do realize you’re a bad influence, right?” Quinne chuckled but you could hear how much she loved the man she was talking to even though she chided him. “And, yes, it was fun but not very naughty.”

Quinne proceeded to detail for her Pittsburgh friend the entire Denver day, the zoo trip, and even the concert.

“I LOVE that band!” Emmett gushed as soon as he heard that they’d seen Pink Martini. “Their music makes you think of some big, elegant, debutante ball from the old south. And that lead singer - I think her name is ‘China’, right? - Lord she has the most magnificent gowns. I saw her a few years ago and she was wearing this absolutely SMASHING fuschia pink dress, low cut and tight through the waist, but with all these gorgeous ruffles making up the skirt. Girlfriend, I would literally KILL for that gown. Can’t you just see me at Pride in that kind of dress?”

Both girls were laughing outright by the time Emmett got through with his dress-gasms.

“I’m sure you’d look fabulous in that gown, Auntie Em.”

“You SAY that, Little Bit, but I can hear you laughing,” Em replied, only slightly put off by the hilarity he knew he’d engendered. “Do I hear another laugh in the background too?”

“That’s just my roommate. Say ‘hi’ QiQi.”

“Hi!” Qianna replied obediently. “Don’t mind me, Miss Em. I’m 100% in favor of your idea for the next Pride Parade. I think you’d be a huge hit. Maybe you could even ride in one of the cars with the Pride Court or something.”

“Exactly!” Emmett agreed readily. “You’ll have to plan on coming and watching the parade though, so I have plenty of support. What do you say?”

“I’d love to. When is your Pride in Pittsburgh?” Qianna inquired, already loving the idea of joining her sister in Pennsylvania, and not JUST for Pride.

“This year it’s right at the end of summer, about two weeks after our Q gets home from camp. And we’d simply LOVE to have you join us if you can get your folks to let you. Can you just imagine all the trouble the three of us ladies will get up to together? Gracious!”

“I’ll see what I can arrange. Maybe I could talk my dad into coming too. He’s always been a big fan of Pride - we usually go up to the big parade in San Francisco every year,” Qianna explained, looking over at her sister who was nodding very enthusiastically about the idea.

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Emmett voiced his approval. “I’d better start planning though. I only have a little over two months. These things take time to arrange you know.” The girls laughed again and Em joined them. “So, how’s the rest of the camp stuff going? It seems like you’re having a lot of fun but are you learning anything?”

“Tons! Like, literally tons. My brain actually hurts a little some days, I’m cramming so much new stuff in there,” Quinne declared, and then proceeded to detail a sampling of what they’d learned over the past week or so.

“Wow. That sounds . . . complicated. Science was never really my thing, you know” Emmett confessed. “In fact, the only class I ever got an ‘A’ in was Home Ec. So I guess I’ll leave the science stuff to you, Sparky.”

“That works for me,” Quinne responded lightly, but then saw an opening to ask some more pertinent questions and decided to plow in through. “Maybe you could help me with something I need for our biology project though. See, I asked Pops about it last weekend but he was a bit tight-lipped and didn’t give me a very helpful answer.”

“If I can, I’d be happy to help, Spark. Shoot!”

“We’re doing this genetics unit, see, so I asked Pops about my mother. He didn’t tell me much and he seemed really hesitant. I’m not sure why. Do you know anything about the surrogate he used?”

“Oh, sorry, Sweetie, but I can’t help you there. I know nothing at all about the woman. I never met her. In fact, nobody did. You were already a done deal before anyone in the family knew it was even a possibility,” Emmett elucidated. “It was a real shock, I can tell you! I mean, one day your dad was just floundering away, caught up in his usual ‘Sex and Substance Abuse’ brand of pain management, and then the next day he showed up, sober as a judge, with a three-month old baby in his arms, and declared he was now going to be a full-time father. We were all floored. NOBODY saw that coming, trust me on that. Well, except maybe for Teddy because he probably handled the money, but Teddy’s too loyal to say a peep. It's a good thing you did come into Brian’s life though, Honey, because that man was about to sink before you arrived and gave him an anchor to hold onto. We’d even discussed doing an intervention - not that your dad would have listened to us if we had, of course - but as soon as he got you, he turned his whole life around.”

“Pain management?” Qianna asked, butting into the conversation again.

“That’s what we always used to call it when your dad was battling his demons by doing all sorts of self-destructive shit,” Emmett answered, apparently not realizing the voice that had asked the question wasn’t his niece’s. “Not to tell tales out of school or anything, but your Dad used to go on some pretty wild benders sometimes.”

“What do you mean by ‘demons’?” Qianna pressed.

“Oh, Honey, you know your father. He’d been through all nine levels of hell before he turned thirty-five. Poor man.”

“I know my father had a tough childhood,” Quinne intervened. “He’s mentioned it several times, although he never told me any details. But why would he still be dealing with that by the time I was born? He was, like, thirty-five then, wasn’t he?”

“Well, see, there was other stuff going on, and . . . You know, I really shouldn’t say any more. It’s not my story to tell.”

“Emmett!” Quinne almost shouted at her phone out of irritation. “C’mon. I already asked my dad and he wouldn’t tell me anything. I know something weird went down and I suspect it had something to do with my mother. Why the huge secret? What is everyone hiding from me?”

“Aw, Honey, nobody’s trying to hide anything from YOU. It’s just that . . .” Emmett sighed heavily. “That whole time period was really hard for Brian. He was going through a lot of personal stuff and it kinda made him a little nuts. I think it’s perfectly understandable that he asked us not to make it worse by discussing it all the time.” Then the girls heard a quiet chuckle before Em elaborated, “well, actually, Brian threatened to castrate the first person who even mentioned the subject again - and I don’t think he was kidding either - so, since I’m really rather fond of my balls, I swore I would never ever speak about what happened. Besides, talking about HIM just makes us all sad, so it’s better to let sleeping possums lie, don’t you think?”

“HIM? You mean Justin Taylor, right?” Quinne pressed.

“Where’d you ever hear THAT name?”

“It doesn’t matter where I heard it, Em. That’s who you’re talking about, isn’t it? He’s the guy Pops is referring to when he says he tried a relationship once and he’s never doing it again. Right? I don’t get why it’s such a big freaking deal that everyone’s afraid to even say the man’s name!”

“I’m sorry, Quinne, Baby, but I really, really, REALLY, think you should let your dad explain that to you,” Emmett maintained.

And despite a few more minutes of pleading, Emmett refused to give up any more dirt on the topic of Mr. Taylor. The phone call ended on a stilted note when Emmett realized she wasn’t going to let it go. He apologized and again told her she’d have to talk to her dad about Justin before offering a hasty goodbye and hanging up.

“Well, so much for thinking that Em would be the weak link and tell us everything we wanted to know,” Quinne grumbled as she slumped back into her chair.

“Yeah, but we did learn two important details,” Qianna replied. “First, he confirmed what we already knew about our dads breaking up right before we were born.” Quinne nodded and shrugged, apparently not thinking that was much use. “And second,” Qianna continued, “he gave us a new clue about your dad not getting you until you were three months old. What happened between the day we were born and then? Don’t most surrogates just hand the baby right over?”

“That is weird. But I doubt we’re going to figure out what happened unless we can either find Lizette Richards or force my dad to start talking,” Quinne lamented.

///~///~///~