Manhattan, New York City

~Beckett~

I felt a continuous tap on my arm till I woke up.

“I want to see a peacock” her voice reached my ear.

I groaned.

“Beck, I want to see a peacock” her voice came again.

I opened my eyes, confused, and rolled over to look at the person seated beside me.

“A peacock?”

“Yes.”

“Now?” I asked.

“Mm hm,” she hummed.

I reached over to my nightstand to grab my phone. It was six in the morning.

“Aubs” I groaned. “I thought you saw one—”

“That was on the television!” she glared at me angrily.

I sighed deeply. She wanted to see a peacock at six in the morning.

“Let's do it another time okay, my love? I have a long day ahead of me and I need to learn my lines for the next scene of the movie” I mumbled sleepily.

It's only a dream, Beckett. It's only a dream.

I slowly found myself drifting off to sleep. Then suddenly, she started crying loudly which caused me to wake up with a jerk. I sat up and looked at her crying state.

Oh shit! It's not a dream.

Taking a deep breath and running my hand through my already messy hair, I stared at her with drowsy eyes.

“Aubs, hey. Sweetie, what is it?” I whispered hoarsely.

She sniffed, looking at me.

“I wanna see a peacock” she demanded, rubbing her nose.

I kept staring at her for a good two minutes until I realized she wasn't kidding.

“Okay Aubree, we'll go to the zoo in the morning. Right now, I need you to sleep okay? You shouldn't cry or be awake at this time. It isn't good for the baby” I muttered.

She glared at me furiously before snatching the covers away from my body.

“Your this baby...” she pointed to herself, “...is only demanding to see a peacock!” she said haughtily.

Now I was annoyed because my sleep was disturbed. But knowing her mood swings, if I scolded her now, she would cry and irritate me again. This way or that way, I was bound to get pissed.

Breanna was never like this when she was expecting Roman.

“Okay fine” I mumbled and got out of bed, causing her to glee in excitement.

“Help me up,” she said, holding out her hands to me.

I took her hands in mine and gently helped her to her feet. We walked into the living room and I switched on the television and searched for the discovery channel. Luckily for me, they were displaying a peacock.

Oh, thank you, God.

I turned towards her.

“Here keep staring at your peacock. I'm going to sleep” I sighed and walked back into our room, leaving her fuming there.

She was twenty-nine weeks now. It wouldn't be long before she had the baby and I would finally be rid of the mood swings and impossible demands.

“A peacock at six am? One for the books” I scoffed.

Just as I was about to sit on the bed, she came barging in.

“Could you come watch with me?” she asked.

“What?” I asked.

“The peacocks. If you're not going to show me a real peacock then the least you can do is watch the virtual one with me.”

I shook my head.

“I'm not sure that's how it goes, Aubs. Go watch your peacock. I'll stay in here and sleep” I told her.

“Fine” she replied a little too willingly.

I watched her as she sat down on the bed and stared at the door.

“W-what are you doing, Aubree?” I asked.

“Sitting down” she replied curtly. “I'm not letting you ruin my mood, nor will I let you sleep till I see a real-life Pavo cristatus”.

“A Pavo what?” I asked.

She folded her arms.

“Look it up.”

And true to her word, she didn't let me get any sleep. Now as we both sat on the bed, I kept staring at her with a blank look while she gave me a challenging look in return. I glanced at the time and it was already seven forty-five.

I had a scene to shoot and she wouldn't even let me go over my line because she'd moved all my scripts and was demanding to see a live peacock. What was I supposed to do?

Brenna was never like this.

“Aubree,” I sighed.

She uncrossed and crossed her arms again, waiting for me to continue.

“Look, I can't take you to see a peacock now. I have a lot to do today okay? So let's move this peacock thing to another day okay? And let me have my scripts, please.”

She frowned.

“But Beck—”

“You want something to eat?” I quickly changed the topic and in an instant, her hand went on her bump.

“Yes,” she muttered.

“Okay. How about some sweet potato fries and stir-fried chicken with vegetables hm? And that fruit thingy with melted dark chocolate you love.”

Her eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“Of course” I smiled. “But I'll be needing my scripts back.”

She nodded with a sour look.

“Fine. It's in the nursery... under the crib's mattress.”

I scoffed and got up, moving out. She was frowning but still followed me. I retrieved the scripts, put them in a safe place, and entered the kitchen. The chef she'd hired without my consent a few months ago was already present.

I wanted a chef when I was still married to Breanna. But she refused and I grew attached to eating her home-cooked meals every day and night. Now I was eating home-cooked meals made by a chef and not a wife. Because Aubree Isadora Nolan was not going to cook.

“Make sure you get everything she wants right” I instructed and left the both of them in the kitchen.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

It seemed her cravings increased by the second. For me, my headache increased. I'd never imagined a pregnant woman's mood swings could be this dangerous. Breanna was nothing like this. And this was Breanna's sister... identical sister. How was Aubree's pregnancy different?

“Beckett!”

I shut my eyes tightly when I heard her yell my name for the umpteenth time. I couldn't even listen to myself think in peace for ten minutes straight without her demanding or requesting something or the other.

“What do you need this time, Aubree?” I asked in a calm tone as she entered my study.

I deliberately didn't look her way because whenever I would do so, she would start with her waterworks for God knows what reason.  She sighed dramatically.

“I need someone to talk to” she complained... more like whined.

I nodded, engrossed in what I was doing on my laptop.

“You have friends, Aubree.”

“Who have never been pregnant. They can't relate to what I'm going through.”

“And that's what best friends are for. You have a best friend. Call her” I suggested.

Aubree frowned at me.

“Firstly, you're ignoring your pregnant wife and now, you're telling me nonsense?”

I looked at her.

“Beck, Dove has her own life. She isn't free to sit and chit-chat with me. She has a job too.”

Her tone was snappy and it made him sigh. She was in her seventh month of pregnancy and according to the doctor, she was supposed to be given utmost care and love. Giving her stress could cost her complications and so I had been this patient with her until now.

“Well if you know she has a job and I have a job too, then why are you telling me about your problems, huh?” I asked. “Do you have to make a fuss about everything?”

My voice was stern but not that harsh and even though she was used to me being this aloof sometimes, tears still gathered in her eyes.

Oh, God.

She sniffed and wiped her tears before turning around to leave.

“Aubree... hey where are you going?” I asked, getting up.

She halted in her tracks but didn't turn back. Her sniffing was loud and her hands moved up to wipe her tears which caused me to sigh.

“Don't talk to me” she declared and left the study.

I could feel the frustration rise in me and it wouldn't be the first time it'd hit me that I'd made the biggest mistake in my entire existence.

“Aubree come back.”

I followed behind and found her in the living room, sitting on the bay window Breanna absolutely loved to sit on too when she was expecting Roman. A small wistful smile crept up my face. Aubree didn't look at me and kept staring outside the window with a grumpy face.

“Okay listen, I'll call Dove and ask her if she can come over till the baby's born. Then you can chat with her all day long so I can get some work done” I suggested.

She shot me a glare.

“I don't want my best friend to work according to my demands when she has her own life, Beck!” she snapped. “I'm not a monster.”

I just gaped at her.

What the hell did this woman exactly want?

“I'll just go back to Virginia and stay with my parents until the baby's born. I'll be alright there. They'll always have time for their daughter” she stated.

My answer was immediate.

“No,” I announced, my voice stern.

“Why the hell not?” she argued.

I gave her a sharp look but that didn't make her back down.

“Why would I let you go all the way down to Virginia? You're seven months pregnant. I won't be able to reach you there immediately if you're going into labor” I pointed out and she scoffed.

“Like you take care of me” she mumbled under her breath but unfortunately I heard it.

“So I don't?”

Aubree flinched but didn‘t cower back. Instead, she glared at me.

“Only physically. You've never even bothered to know my mental state Beckett and I don't even intend to tell you about it” she said. “And besides, you missed Roman's birth. So why do you care if you miss this one, huh? It wouldn't be a surprise.”

I stood there, watching her in disbelief. Why would she say something like that to me? Yes, it was the truth. But why would she bring that up? To spite me? I opened my mouth to question her but the constant ringing of the doorbell cut through the house.

“Wren!” I called out as the doorbell continuously rang. “Wren!”

There was no response.

“Wren—”

“I fired her” Aubree let out.

I furrowed my brows at her.

“What?”

“Wren,” she said. “I fired Wren.”

“What? Why?”

“She got the ice cream I wanted wrong so I fired her.”

Unbelievable.

“So who's supposed to answer the door and clean up the house, huh?”

She frowned and got up.

“Well, obviously not me. I'm pregnant” she replied bluntly and walked off toward the kitchen.

The doorbell sounded again and I groaned before walking to get the door. I pulled it open and my eyes roamed her face.

“Oh great! More drama!” Aubree called out as she stepped into the living room with a glass of juice.

I watched her take a seat and turn on the TV.

“So it's true?” the person in front of me asked.

“Kat—”

“You're an even bigger idiot than I thought” she cut me off. “Color me officially impressed.”

I sighed and stepped out of the doorway to let her in.

“Could you come in first, at least?” I asked. “Paparazzi is lurking around all over.

She stepped through the door, a little suitcase behind her. I closed the door.

“Would you like anything to drink or eat?” I asked.

She ignored me and kept her focus on Aubree.

“You did this to your own sister? How can you live with yourself?”

Aubree rolled her eyes.

“Look here Kitty... or whatever you're called. We've all been over this and it's in the past now. Breanna's fine with this, so I don't see what exactly your problem is. Why do you even have a problem?”

“Because this is wrong!”

“The only wrong thing is you... in this house... my house. So if you have nothing meaningful to say, there's the door” Aubree pointed.

Katie-Ann scoffed and looked at me.

“You're going to let this little girl talk to me like this? Huh?”

“Of course he's going to let me” Aubree interrupted, standing up. “I'm his wife. I'm carrying his child and I have equal rights in this house like he does!”

“Child?!” my sister exclaimed, pivoting around.

Her eyes widened at Aubree's bump and my heart rioted in my chest.

“Katie-Ann...”

Her head snapped back to me.

“What is that?!” she asked, pointing to Aubree.

“Excuse me?!” Aubree exclaimed, marching towards us.

“Okay, okay Aubs” I stopped her. “Calm down.”

She gave me a stunned look and scoffed, shaking her head.

“I am not going to put myself and our baby in this unhealthy atmosphere, you hear me Beck? I'm going back to Virginia and that's final.”

She stormed off and my shoulders sagged.

“Wow,” my sister let out. “Our baby? Interesting.”

I turned to her.

“Let's do this in my study, okay?”

She shook her head.

“It's this way—”

“I know the way” she snapped and took the lead.

I pursed my lips and followed her into the study.

“Start talking young man” she instructed, the second I closed the door behind me.

I sighed.

“Where am I supposed to start from, Katie?”

“That child!” she snapped. “We both know that that pregnancy isn't from you. That child isn't yours!”

“Maybe it is!” I exclaimed, threading a hand through my hair.

“What are you—”

“Breanna got pregnant after Roman, okay?”

She stepped back.

“What?”

I nodded.

“So where's the baby? And why hasn't anybody told me anything?!”

“Because there's no baby, anymore” I let out. “She lost the pregnancy.”

Katie-Ann held onto the desk to steady herself.

“W-Wha... how?” she stammered.

I shook my head.

“She had an accident. Some psycho knocked her down on the road.”

“Wha—”

“He's in jail now.”

My sister inhaled sharply.

“When was this?”

“Some months ago... I've not exactly been able to keep count with everything that's gone on.”

“God” she sighed.

“And that's why I know that the child Aubree is expecting could be mine. Because I know Breanna and she'd never cheat on me. And the timing was accurate so I know.”

“Or you could be wrong, Beck,” she said.

“Katie...”

“You're my little brother. I was there with you when the doctor told us what had happened. If Breanna got pregnant after Roman, it could have been a one-time miracle!”

“Or not, Katie!” I scolded. “It could just be that the doctors were wrong, okay?!”

She closed her eyes and clenched her fist.

“Katie, you know how much I've wanted kids. Roman was our miracle. When Breanna got pregnant again I was overjoyed but I couldn't exactly express that because we weren't and aren't in a good place. I had to ignore her, her calls, texts, and emails. Because Aubree had just found out she was pregnant too. What would you have me do huh?”

“Fight to be with Brie!” she groaned. “Have you forgotten how hard you two have had to struggle? Did you think about how she'd feel? How my nephew would feel? That child and his mother did not deserve that from you! And you and I painfully know that!”

I sighed deeply.

“What's been done has been done, Katie-Ann,” I said. “It wasn't supposed to be Breanna in the first place. I met Aubree first. I fell in love with her first. She didn't tell me she was a twin. I met Breanna later and she didn't tell me either. When I found out, I was already in too deep with Breanna and so—”

“And so you sacrificed one sister's happiness for the other... just like you've done this time too... after all these years. You two were married for almost seventeen years, Beck. Do you realize how priceless that is?”

“Katie...”

She shook her head and held out her hand to stop me.

“Where Brie?”

“Back at her parents... in Virginia.”

She nodded.

“I'd like to speak to my nephew.”

I nodded.

“Okay. We'll call him in the evening.”

She nodded.

“How long are you going to stay?” I asked, eyeing her luggage as she gripped it.

She scoffed.

“Till I believe that that child Aubree is carrying, is yours.”

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Berlin, Germany

~Brie~

“And then we took Dashy out for ice cream” he finished.

I smiled.

“Sounds like you had a ton of fun, Manny.”

“Mm-hm.”

I got up to go fix myself a tuna sandwich.

“So how is school?” I asked, sniffing the bread to make sure it hadn't gone bad.

“Fine” he replied.

“Have you made friends?”

His reply was delayed and I glanced up from the can of tuna to the laptop's screen. He was holding his thumb and index finger almost apart. I chuckled.

“Don't worry. Good friends aren't rushed.”

He nodded and I looked back down at my sandwich.

“What about you Mommy? Have you made any new friends?”

“Not exactly” I replied. “I saw an old friend I used to work with back in New York and another one I went to school with.”

“Boys?”

I chuckled and nodded.

“Boys. Oh and I saw Rainey's parents too.”

“I miss our summer camping trips.”

I sighed.

“I know. I miss getting rid of you for the summer too” I joked.

“Mommy” he giggled.

I smiled and packed up the rest of the bread. From the background, I heard my mom yelling something at Dash. I chuckled and cleared up the counter before searching through the fridge for a Coke.

“Daddy called” Roman let out.

I shut the fridge door and pivoted to look at him. His eyes were lowered.

“Oh... okay,” I say, trying not to sound odd.

I grabbed my sandwich and moved to settle in front of the laptop.

“What did he say?” I asked, taking a bite of my sandwich and then getting up to go get that coke.

I turned back just in time to catch my son's shrug.

“I don't know.”

I made a confused face.

“You don't know?” I asked. “How don't you know?”

I settled back in front of the laptop, waiting to hear my son's response.

“I don't know because I didn't talk to him. And I don't wanna.”

“Roman,” I said firmly.

He shook his head at me.

“Don't make me mommy, please? I don't wanna.”

I sighed.

“Look at me, Manny,” I said.

He kept his eyes lowered.

“Manny. Look at me.”

He refused. I took a bite of my sandwich, sipped my Coke, chewed, and swallowed.

“Kendrick,” I said firmly this time.

He looked at me with a sour expression and I shook my head at him.

“You don't and shouldn't have to harbor hate in your heart. You shouldn't resent anyone. Whatever you do, he's still your father.”

“And Auntie Aubree is still your twin sister but you two don't exactly see eye to eye either” he muttered loud enough for me to hear.

“Hey. That's completely different, okay Manny?”

“Is it, Mommy? Is it?” he folded his arms.

I sighed and Roman shook his head.

“I don't wanna speak to him.”

“Roman... I know this is hard. And I know it still hurts. But black or white, he's still your father. And in his own way, he loves you.”

“I don't think you're supposed to hurt the people you say you love, mommy” he whispers.

My heart tugged.

“Sweetheart...” I sighed desperately. “Look, baby. You are a great kid with a beautiful soul and the biggest heart. Please don't let our adult problems interfere with that. Daddy did wrong. We all do wrong... we all make mistakes. But I know that he loves you. In his own way, he loves you. Because like it or not, you're our baby boy. And so I'm going to need you to try for me okay? Just this once.”

“Mommy...”

“When did he say he's going to call again?”

“He told grandma he'd call tonight.”

“Okay then. So when he calls, I want you to try really hard to talk to him. Even if it's just a 'hi' okay?”

He reluctantly nodded.

“You promise?”

He nodded again.

“I promise.”

A small relieved smile crept up my face.

“Energy zap?” I asked.

“Mommy... I don't need an energy zap!” he whined.

I scoffed.

I do.

“But I'll be needing an energy zap in advance for our last week here.”

He smiled and presses his index finger to the screen. I met mine with his against the screen and, “Zzzzzaaaappppp!”, we cheered.

He giggled.

“Thank you Mommy” he smiled.

I nodded.

“Hey we're a team, remember?”

He sat up.

“I love you.”

I smiled, my heart bursting with pride.

“I love you more, Manny.”

Thanks for reading! ✨