VINCENT'S POV

March 19th, 1959. 3:34 pm. Stanford University.

"Mr. Winter! What's the answer?" Professor Brown asks.

I look down at my note book. "Um, twelve over one?" I sadly attempt to cover my French accent. No one here really knows that I'm French or related to a rock 'n' roll star. I try to keep both of those under wraps.

Professor Brown nods. "Correct! How did you come to that answer?"

I try to quickly explain how I somehow managed to get there.

"Yes, good job, Mr. Winter."

I look back down at my paper and pick up my pencil. I'm the last of the triplets to carry the Winter name, naturally. Of course, I'm the only male. I always knew that Violet and Juliet would be married early. I always knew.

The professor announces we can leave and I quickly pack up my things and shove them into my bag. I wander out to the courtyard.

"Vinny!" I hear.

I turn around as Linda runs up and basically jumps on me.

"Hey ma poupette." I laugh. "How are you?"

"I'm great!" She smiles and kisses my cheek. "How are you?"

"Good, good. My sister had her babies!"

"Violet was pregnant?!"

I shake my head. "No! No, Juliet. She just had twin boys."

Linda nods and tucks a piece of short brown hair behind her ear. "Oh!"

"I guess I'm offically an uncle." I grin. "Can't wait to meet them!"

"Mhm, when are you going?"

"Spring break, so next week." I reply, starting to walk to my dorm. "I think Buddy and Vi are already going to be gone by then. I haven't see them in a year."

"Aw, I'm sorry Vinny."

"Just busy, all of us." I'll never admit just how much I miss Buddy.

"What was that call about, anyway?" Linda grabs my hand.

"Don't worry about it." I mumble. "Personal matters between us three."

"But Vin, I bet Vi told Buddy!"

"They've been attached at the hip for damn near eight years, they live together, and they're married. Of course he knows."

"I bet Juliet told Russ!"

"Again, been together a long time, live together, married."

"C'mon, you gotta tell me!"

I shake my head. "No, it's too personal. Too hard to talk about."

"Is it about France?!"

I stop in my tracks. "Shhh! I do not want people here knowing!"

"Why not? Are you not proud?"

"Just please don't say. I don't want anyone to know. People here just think I'm English. Let it be."

"Oh? So Mr. Baseball star can't be French?"

"Linda, please. Not now, I just want to do my homework and see how the babies are."

"Do you even love me, Vincent?" She scowls.

I roll my eyes and push up my glasses. "Yes, of course I do. Please, leave my past alone. Maybe I'll tell you in the future, but right now I just want to call my sister and check on my nephews."

Linda drops my hand. "Fine! Be that way!" She turns and stomps off.

I sigh and continue to my dorm. I'm not about to open up my chest of secrets to a girlfriend of six months. Some secrets I'll never tell. I'll never tell anyone the worst one. Only two people on earth will ever know, and that's Buddy and Violet.

I finally make it to my dorm. I set my bag down and plop onto my bed.

"Tough day, Vin?" My roomate, Josh, asks.

I nod. "Linda is on my ass."

"Why's that?" He turns to me from his desk.

I decide to tell him. He's been my best friend since we started here at nineteen. "Well, apparently there's books based off of Violet written by an old friend of ours. They're supposed to be very popular. She's been trying to get me to spill all about my childhood."

"Aw, bud, I'm sorry."

"She tried to use Buddy and Vi's relationship to get at me. Saying that Buddy probably knows all about it. If course he does, they've been steady for eight years! They're married!" I feel a pang in my stomach as I say that.

Josh nods sympathetically.

"And then it was Juliet and Russel. They're married, too."

"That sounds frustrating."

"She's just upset because I'll be gone almost all summer."

"For your vacation?"

"It's not a vacation as much as it is a trip down memory lane."

"How so?"

"Us triplets are going to visit the man who wrote the books."

"Oh, is it just you three?"

I shrug. "Buddy will probably come. Him and Vi don't really function when apart. Plus Vi is going to be an absolute wreck. He's like her rock and vice versa."

"Why are they so attached?"

"I couldn't tell you, Josh. I'd assume that it's because they've been together for so long."

"Maybe." Josh nods.

"Anyways," I say. "I'm going to go call Juliet. See how the babies are doing." I stand up.

"Tell me how they are, okay?"

I nod, walking out of the dorm.

I get to the pay phone and I instert the coin, dialling my parent's home number. I need to ask if one of them can have Juliet call me from the hospital.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"Hello?" I hear Violet's voice.

"Violet, it's Vincent. How are the babies?" I ask.

"Oh, Vin! They're great! They're so darling. I'm already in love with them. They look so much like mini versions of Russ!"

"Aw! Hey, when are you and Buddy leaving?"

"Ummm, I'm not too sure, we don't even have return tickets yet. Are you still coming next week?"

"Yes! Please stay long enough for me to see you and Buddy. I miss you guys."

"Yeah, sure. I'll talk to Buddy. We miss you too."

"I can't wait to see you, Vi."

"Same here,"

"Okay, I'll let you be, I'll see you in a few days."

"Okay, I love you, Vincent."

"I love you too, Violet." I hang up the phone.

December 17th, 1941. 8:41 pm. The Orphanage, Paris. (All dialogue is spoken in French)

Koch bends down to Velvet, Violette, and I.

"Now kids, you have to remember that I love you."

We all nod.

"And between us, I love you all more than the other children."

We nod again.

"I have to leave for two days."

"What? No!" We all cry.

"Just back to Berlin for two days and I'll be right back with you."

Violette starts to cry. She's such a crybaby. Why is she always crying?

Violette latches onto Koch's leg. "Please don't leave me!"

"Hey, I'll be back before you know it." Koch pats ger back. He sets his backpack down and pulls out a blanket and a loaf of bread. "Here,"

Velvet takes the blanket and I take the bread. Violette doesn't let go of his leg.

Koch nods to us. "Take that to Madame Martin."

Velvet and I turn around and start to walk back to the tall brick building.

"Koch likes Violette most." Velvet sighs.

"Yes, I know. But Madame and Monsieur like us most."

"You're right." She opens the orphanage door.

We hurridly take the bread and the blanket to the kitchen.

We wander into the dining hall. There sits François and Lucas with Madame Martin. They have a weird goop on their heads and they're both crying.

Velvet and I look at eachother, both worrying.

"Where is Violette?" Madame Martin asks.

"She's with Koch still." I answer.

"Well, come here you two. We have to start bleaching."

"Bleaching?" Velvet asks.

"Make your hair blonde." She answers. "Sit down."

"Will it hurt?" I feel my heart beat faster.

"No, not really. Just come here before someone sees you!"

Velvet's lip quivers. "But, Madame, you always said my hair was pretty!"

"Pretty girls have blonde hair now, Velvet."

"But I like my red..."

Madame Martin comes up and grabs Velvet's arm, dragging her to a chair. "Do you want to live or do you want red hair?"

"I want to live!"

"Then we bleach it." Madame Martin picks up a hair brush and brushes through Velvet's hair.

"What about me?" I ask timidly. "I have light brown hair...it's almost blonde."

"Bleach." Madame Martin frowns.

I sit next to Velvet as Madame Martin picks up a strong chemical smelling bowl and a large paintbrush. She quickly starts spatting it on Velvet's head.

"Ow! It burns!" Velvet cries.

"I know, it will be fine. Just let me finish and you can wash it out. Speaking of that, François, Lucas, go wash your heads now."

The two quickly get up and scurry to the bathrooms. I imagine Monseuir Martin is in there.

I grab Velvet's hand as she closes her eyes tightly. "It will be okay."

Velvet squeezes my hand. "Why are we doing this?"

"Because pretty girls and boys have blonde hair and blue eyes. Now, stop looking people in the eye."

"But you said to always look at people in the eyes." I reply.

"Not anymore."

"Our eyes look sort of blue."

"No they don't. They're very green and pretty girls and boys have blue eyes. We can't change your eyes, so no looking anymore." She pulls Velvet's head back.

Tears stream down Velvet's face. "I'm sorry that I'm not a pretty girl anymore!"

"I'm doing this to protect you! Understand?" Madame Martin says sternly.

I nod. Velvet murmurs a yes.

"Good. Now I hope Violette isn't out with Koch much longer." Madame Martin wraps Velvet's hair up and ties it.

"AHEM?" Someone says from behind me.

"Oh, uh, sorry. Zoned out for a sec." I mumble, quickly scurrying away.

Well, I guess I'll be home soon.