Twin Image: Family, Before Anything

Chapter 14

~Tobias' POV~

"Well, what did she say?" Naomi asks me, before handing my niece her bottle while she sat in her pink high chair. "She brought up the fact she has more kids then I do now. And that, just like I'm trying to accept this, she's learning how to divide her attention between eight people." I explain to my sister-in-law. She quirks at me, obviously counting in her head, "But she only has you, and six kids all together. That's seven." She says to me, and I raise my eyebrows at her, giving her this look. And as soon as I do, her lips fall into a frown. "Your brother should be the other father of her other children and nothing more. She doesn't need to give him attention, he just wants it." She surprisingly says, "That's exactly what I told her!" I exclaim, but then I realize something.

"Wait," I say, and she looks at me, "You know?" I ask, referring to the fact my brother is in love with my wife. She sighs, "I knew the day our little girl was born. Since when he got called back into the room with me, Vi, Nat, and the triplets, he uh ..." She trails off sadly, looking and picking at her nails, "He looked straight at her didn't he?" I ask, and she looks back up at me, "Worse, he almost came to her side first. He almost met his kids with her first before meeting his very first child with me. That's when I knew." She explains to me, and my heart breaks for Naomi. And somedays I relate to her completely. Somedays, when I see them laughing, talking and taking care of their kids together, I feel like she loves him, and their kids more than me and ours. She heads into her kitchen, "Does he know that you know?" Is my next question, as I follow behind her, leaning up against the wall that kept my niece in sight.

She nods, putting away the formula she got out and throwing away the water bottle she used for her daughter's bottle. "After that, I made him promise to tell me whenever he started to feel for Natalie, and right then and there, he told me the truth." She says, giving me this look. "What truth?" I ask, and she leans up against the kitchen counter. "He told me that she's his first love. And for a moment, I turned back into his girl bestfriend, and I asked him why he never made his move. You know what he told me?" She questions, and I sigh, knowing exactly where this was going. "Her years instructor. His bestfriend, that also turnt out to be his brother, didn't let him talk to her. And I only got two question for you." She says, and I nod my head for her to go ahead and ask them.

"He never told me how you kept them from talking. How exactly did you do that?" She asks, and I rub my face. "I uh," I start, definitely feeling ashamed of this, "I lied to him." I confess, for the very first time to anyone. "He came to talk to me about her, obviously showing interest. And uh," I pause, "I told him there was a rule that initiates must have no distractions during initiation. Even though there was no rule in the handbook anywhere close to that." I confess further, and Naomi pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me you were at least feeling something for her at that time?" She asks, and I think back nearly eight years ago, when I lied to him, and the guilt rises. "No, I was only curious about her. Curiosity is what made me lie to him." I tell her, and she furrows her eyebrows at me, "well," she starts, "just to let you know, he was already infatuated with her, and you sir, are the biggest cock block in the world." She tells me, and even though it was pretty funny, I look at her confused.

"Why are you talking like you wanted them to happen?" I ask her, and she taps her long nails on the counter, "Because, to know you're the only reason why I'm married to him, feels like a knife got l-lodged into my back and through my heart." She tells me, obviously starting to choke up, and I come to her side. "Naye, I know this is all a bit outrageous but, I still see the way my brother looks at you, even now." I tell her, and it's true, I can tell he still loves her. It's like they have this bond, like me and Natalie do. "But does that even mean anything when he looks at your wife the same?" She asks, looking up at me. "I'm gonna be honest with you," I say, starting to shake my head, "No, it doesn't. It's wrong. It's unfaithful. And it's not what you do while married. But," I pause, "It's also something we, as humans, can't help. We don't chose who we love. It just happens." I say, and I look into her eyes.