Page 7 of Unbearable
“Yeah, but they’re still little. I don’t think they’d be much fun to play with yet,” Knox said.
“That’s okay,” Ethan assured him.
“I think that’s what threw us when we met you,” Knox continued. “We had information on your sister. We had no idea you even existed. Dover said the DNA match was most likely yours. Somehow, our guy followed the wrong twin.”
“Yeah, I was.” He paused to look at Ethan. “Umm.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Memphis said. “It’s not any of our business anyway.”
“It was a misunderstanding, but fortunately my records were sealed when I turned eighteen. Never did that again.” The food arrived sparing him from any more questions. He could tell Knox wanted to know more. The incident had certainly gotten his attention. There was no way he was sharing with them.
Fox put the farm animals back in the backpack and cut up Ethan’s pancakes. He added syrup. Ethan, like always, argued for more. Fox put just a touch more on his pancakes. Just the act of winning the argument always seemed to appease Ethan. The boy never seemed to care that he had maybe half a teaspoon added.
“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Dover said, walking up to the table.
“I thought you had a work thing,” Fox said.
“It’s all good.” She waved him off. “Hey there, little man. What’ve you got?”
“Pancakes,” Ethan said, his mouth full. Dover reached across the table and stole a piece of bacon off his plate. “Hey.”
“Here, you can have one of mine,” Fox said. “Remember to finish the bite in your mouth before speaking next time.”
“Okay,” Ethan agreed, his mouth still full of pancakes. Fox laughed. He really was crazy about this kid.
“So what is really happening at work?”he asked, turning toward his sister.
“I told you it’s fine.”She stopped chewing to scowl at him.“I promise. Just some paperwork problem.”
“You know it’s considered rude to whisper, right?” Memphis said. “This seems somehow worse.”
“What are you talking about?” Dover tried playing clueless. Fox knew these two men were too perceptive for that.
“Do you think you’re the only ones to inherit some sort of something extra?” Knox said.
“What color is he?”
“I can’t quite tell. He’s always sort of shimmering between orange and red. Like a fire. The other one, though, just hovers between blue and yellow.”
“Seriously?” Knox growled.
“I’m going to clean Ethan up. Then we’re headed to pet some animals.” Fox stood. Ethan scooted out of the booth behind him.
“Are you coming, Aunt Dover? Can Aunt Bailey come too?” Ethan asked.
“Maybe later, squirt. I need to talk to Memphis and Knox first,” she answered.
“Okay, bye,” he said with a wave at the table.
“Fox,” Dover called after him.
“I know,” he answered, walking toward the bathrooms, Ethan in tow.
“One of these days he’s going to get in trouble hanging around with Bailey Sullivan,” Dover said. “Do you know how I know?”
Both Knox and Memphis shook their heads.
“Because every time he gets around her, he glows pink.” They looked back at her with confusion. “You see, he’s made the mistake of falling in love with his girlfriend’s sister.”