Chapter 20: Bonds

Cameron succeeded in getting his degree and the position as Sports Agent. All of the family was extremely proud of him. He achieved the things he wanted to accomplish and more. Lilly went back to work with Zoe in her catering business since all the kids were in school. Both parents found themselves busy between work, children and their own relationship as husband and wife. They still couldn’t believe they were now adults with two teenage daughters and three children. James retired from the police force and settled into a small house in town to stay close by. The kids (all five of them) were growing more and more each day. All was going well, or so it seemed.

“Willow, where the hell is my book!?” Amelia confronted her twin sister. “What book?” Willow asked though she really did not care. “My text book you dumbass! You borrowed my textbook because you couldn’t find yours!” Willow yelled. “Chill out will you. I think I put it back in your book bag.” Amelia replied. “You think? Geez you can’t be trusted with anything you know that?” Willow griped.This was an everyday occurrence between the Palmer Twins. It did not seem like a normal day if they were not arguing with each other. “Whatever Willow.” Amelia snapped as she stormed out of the room. Willow scoffed, “I can’t wait to get out of here!” she searched the room for her textbook.

“Amelia, where are you going?” her Lilly asked. “I’m going to hang out with Gavin or something.” She said as she grabbed her keys. “Just stay out of trouble, please.” Cameron told her but his words were ignored as she slammed the front door. “Ah the teen years.” Lilly mumbled. Cameron sighed, “And to think we have three more.” Lilly laughed, “Remember when you said you wanted more after the triplets were born.” Cameron thought about it, “Yea hell no. The five we have are enough.” She smiled, “good because my lady parts can’t handle anymore.” “I’m sorry, ‘Lady Parts’?” he asked. Lilly pointed behind him. Aurora was standing there listening in on their conversation. They were not sure how much she had heard. The atmosphere became awkward. “Hi Rora honey.” Cameron smiled nervously. “What are lady parts?” she asked with all innocence. “Say, where are your brothers?” He asked her instead. “Way to dodge her question.” Lilly snickered as she walked out of the kitchen. “Thanks love.” Cameron said with a smile, missing the sarcasm in his wife’s voice.

Aurora still looking confused, “Wyatt and Bryson are in the clubhouse.” “Oh and why haven’t you joined them?” her father asked her. “They said no girls allowed. They don’t want me to play.” She gave him that puppy dog face that he couldn’t look away from. The look Lilly used to give him when they were kids. “I’m sorry baby girl. Boys can be that way sometimes,” He tried to comfort her, “They’ll be begging you to play with them before the day is through.” “Well boys suck!” Aurora said. “Hey.” Cameron crossed his arms. “Sorry. Boys stink.” She corrected. “That’s better.” He gave her a smile and he could see she felt a little better. Aurora walked away and headed to her room, which she shared with the twins. “I don’t think I handled that well.” He said aloud. “No. You handled that just how I thought you would.” Lilly remarked as her re-entered the kitchen with a smile.

Aurora walked into the bedroom to find Willow playing video games. “Can I play Willow?” she asked. “Sure Rora. The boys not playing with you again?” she said not taking her eyes off the TV. “Yea, what else is new?” Aurora grabbed a controller. “I know what that’s like. Amelia and I used to go off and play by ourselves because the other didn’t want to play.”  “Do you really want to leave Willow?” she asked. Willow paused the game, “I don’t really know Rora. I would really like to get into this school but part of me thinks I'm not ready to leave.” Aurora looked at her, “Maybe that means you don’t really want to go.” She was small but she was smart. “Why do you ask anyway? Do you not want me to leave?” Willow asked. Her little sister became quiet for a second, “The boys always leave me out of things and Amelia’s constantly grouchy about one thing or another. Other than mommy and daddy, you’re the only one who pays attention to me. I like spending time with you.”

It hadn’t occurred to Willow that she had formed such a strong bond with her baby sister. She and Amelia were not this close when they were younger. Heck, they were not this close now.  She regretted that in a way. Willow loved her twin sister a lot but she could not be around her for very long. They were like polar opposites. “I love you Rora.” Willow said with a smile. Aurora smiled back, “Thanks Willow, I love you too.” The sisters continued to play their game and enjoying their bonding time. To them it was...peaceful.

***

“Oh my gosh! I can’t stand even sharing a room with her!” Amelia complained to Gavin. Gavin’s fathers, Erik and Noah, were Cameron and Lilly’s closest friends. “It’s kind of hard to believe that you two shared a womb honestly.” He was being honest. The twins were older than he was but he had known their whole family for a long time. He was always there for Amelia anytime she wanted to vent. They had so many things in common so there was plenty for them to discuss. Gavin was oblivious to the fact that Amelia had the biggest crush on him, okay so maybe it was more than a just a crush. Amelia loved him.  While he enjoyed spending time with Amelia, Willow was the one that made his heart jump every time he saw her. “Hey Mel? There’s a party this weekend.” Gavin was nervous and Amelia’s ears perked up. “Yea there is.” She said with a small smile. “Please ask me. Please ask me.” She said to herself. “I was wondering if you knew whether or not your sister was going.” He said instead. Amelia’s heart sank. “I…I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“Well I was going to see if she maybe wanted to go with me but didn’t have the courage to ask her.” He replied. Amelia didn’t give him a reply. “Listen I have to go home. I’ll talk to you later.” Amelia hopped onto her bike and sped home as fast as she could to avoid hearing what else he had to say. She tried to fight them but lost; the tears started streaming down her flushed red cheeks. “I should have known.” She thought. Her feelings for Gavin bubbled up inside her for so long. How could she have not noticed? She threw her bike down on the front lawn, stormed into the house and headed straight to their bedroom. Willow was Just putting away the video game controllers when her sister stormed into the room. “Why are you always trying to ruin things?” Amelia yelled. “What the hell are you talking about?” Willow looked at her sister with a very perplexed look. “I’m talking about Gavin! He likes you. You’re telling me that you didn’t know.”

“No. No I didn’t. Why does it matter anyway?” Willow asked the question but she instantly remembered, “Oh yeah…” her voice trailed off. All those love struck looks her sister had whenever Gavin was around. Willow knew for a long time that her sister liked him. “I’m sorry Mel. I didn’t know he had those feelings.” She said sincerely. “Yea right.” Amelia said with tears still running down her face, “How could you not know?” “How could you not tell him how you feel?” Willow asked. Her sister didn’t respond. “As long as you’ve liked him and as much as like him why didn’t you tell him?”

Amelia fell onto the bed, “I don’t know but you’re wrong.” Willow hesitated, “About what?” “I don’t like him. I love him. I love the way he smiles, the way he laughs, the way he fidgets when he’s nervous. I love how klutzy he is and I love how passionate he is about even the smallest things.” Willow didn’t say anything to her. The quiet room filled with the muffled and heartbreaking cry of a heartbroken teen. Willow grabbed her pillow and decided she would sleep on the boys extra bunk bed along with Aurora giving their sister time alone.

***

Two weeks had passed and the twins weren’t saying much to each other. For once in a long time, the house was quiet from their bickering and yelling. They were somewhat being civil to each other. Willow found out that she was been accepted into the private school that she wanted. She’s scheduled to leave in about another week and settle into the dorm room.

Amelia had not spoken to Gavin since that day. He called the house constantly looking for her. Amelia was hurt, everyone could see that but not talking to Gavin wasn’t making her feel any better.

“Mom, Dad I’m heading over to Gavin’s!” Willow yelled as she grabbed her house keys. “Oh good, can you take this book to Erik for me. I was going to head over there later to give it to him.” Cameron said. “Sure dad. Anything else you need?” she smiled. Cameron smiled back, “Yea ask them if they'd like to join us for a cook out this weekend. You know, before you leave.” his voice mellowed out. His daughter was leaving. Cameron and Lilly both knew this time would come eventually. The realization that one by one their children would leave the nest. “Okay dad. I'll be back later.”

Willow hopped into her car and heading down the street. As she rode along the streets of Starlight Shores she understood why her mother and father picked this town to raise their family. She would miss this town and hoped to come back after she graduated from college but she had dreams of traveling  and seeing the world. As she pulled into the Gavin's driveway it occurred to her that she really didn't know what to say to him but she had to say something. Before she could make it up to the doorstep Gavin emerged from the side of the house. “Oh. Hey Willow.” His face turned bright red and he wasn't sure of what to say other than “hi”. “Hey Gavin. Do you have some time to talk?” she asked trying not to make much eye contact. “Yeah of course. We can go into the living room.” They both headed into the house which was quiet. “Your house is so quiet. I forget that you don't have a house full of siblings ranting and running around.” she said a nervous chuckle. “Yea it's pretty quiet. Both of my dads like it that way. I think at one point they discussed adopting another baby but they got busy with their careers.

 I've gotten used to it being so quiet but you're right about your house. That's where I go when the silence is deafening or so to speak.” They sat down on the sofa, “What is it that you wanted to talk about?” Willow cleared her throat, “my sister. You know she's heartbroken right?” Gavin didn't respond. “Listen I don't know what feelings you have for me but I do know that my sister cares about you a lot and she's torn apart. I don't know if I'm expecting you to say something to her or what. I do know that I can't leave with her angry at me or angry at you. I just wanted you to know that.” Gavin still didn't say anything and they sat in silence for a few minutes. “I know now that Mel has feelings for me. I'm not that dense. But I also don't know what I can say to her. I care for her but not the way that I care about you.” There was more silence. Willow was starting to think that her coming over was a bad idea. She was afraid that at the end of it all two people would end up with broken hearts. “I'm sorry Gavin. I'm sorry that I don't have the same feelings that you have for me.” She stood up “But I hope we can still be friends. Do me a favor? Talk to Amelia.” With that she left. She wasn't sure she handled that well but at this moment she was more concerned about her sister than Gavin.

***

Willow walked into the house to find her parents frantic. “What's going on?”  Lillibeth was in tears, “When was the last time you saw Amelia?” “I...I don't know. The night before. I still sleep in the boys room so I haven't seen much of her.” Aurora tiptoed into the room, “She's gone.” Everyone turned to look at the child. “What do you mean she's gone?!” Cameron asked. “She...she said she had a plane ticket and she was leaving.” “You didn't say anything?!”  her father yelled. “Dad, calm down.” Willow chimed in, “Rora did she say where she was going?” Rora was trying hard not to cry, “No. She just said she was leaving and goodbye.”

Just then Willow's phone rang. She didn't hesitate to answer it, “Amelia! Oh hi Grandma. What?!” she pulled the phone away from her ear, “DAD! She's at Grandma's!” “What the hell!?” Cameron yelled, “Tell her I'm coming to get her.”  Lilly grabbed him by the shirt and shook her head “no”. “Let her go Cameron. She's safe that's the important thing.” Lilly let the tears fall down her face. Willow put the receiver to her ear, “Grandma can I talk to her please?” There was shuffling on the other end and Amelia's meek voice spoke, “hello?”

Willow took a deep breath, “You really messed up Mel. You always think of yourself and never about other people's feelings. I'm glad you're safe I really am but maybe this is exactly what needed to happen. Take care and I love you.” she hung up the phone. Willow and Amelia were once close and now there was a big rift in their relationship. 

*End of Chapter 20*

Coming up Chapter 21