Travis and Marla Knight are trying to help out their eldest daughter and single mother, Kit. Dominic and Nadia don’t know their father and they’re getting more curious about him everyday… can Kit keep them from finding out?
It was an unfortunate incident. Travis was older than Marla and his health had been in decline lately. It was no surprise when he dropped over while watching the twins. Luckily, Dominic and Nadia were smart enough to call 911 and their missing elders. Kit and Marla rushed home only to be told he was dead when they arrived.
Kit was distraught but Marla, surprisingly, showed very little remorse. Instead, her first thought was that they were taking a vacation.
They stayed at a cabin deep in the mountains. It was Marla’s way of giving the kids time to mourn and deal with what they’ve seen. Kit, also, seemed to need some time. She’d never been close to her father, but it’s never easy to lose a parent.
The mountains were a great place to go and just unwind to get away from it all.
Of course, it’s also fun to try and see who can stay on the log longest. After the kids gave up trying to beat the adults, the adults went toe-to-toe. Kit was surprised by her elder mother’s agility and found herself face first in a pit of water more than once.
Nadia and Dominic were disappointed when they were told they couldn’t throw axes. Instead, they were forced to watch as their mother and grandmother showed immense skill with hitting the target. It was pretty clear to everyone at the lumber yard that day–don’t mess with a Knight woman, she knows where to aim and she’ll definitely hit the spot!
They spent nights around the camp fire outside of their cabin, roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. The twins didn’t talk too much about their grandfather’s death. He’d always been very active in their lives, but the mystery of their father and all the weirdness they’d dealt with as small kids kind of made them of a stronger skin. Instead, they enjoyed the holiday with their mother and grandmother.
“Our birthday is coming up,” Dominic said, cornering Marla one morning. “Is mom going to finally tell us about dad?”
Marla sighed, “I don’t know sweetie. Your mom is only worried about you two, that’s all. She’s not withholding just to be cruel.”
“We should know, everyone should know who their father is.”
“Sometimes, yes… but in this case? I can’t help but wonder.”
When they weren’t trying to get information out of her, they were enjoying a round of early-morning fishing. Kit wasn’t nearly as eager, deciding to instead read a book and try not to fall asleep. Marla, herself, was quite the experienced fisherman so she gave the twins plenty of tips. One has to be able to make their own catch to be a culinary marvel!
While the twins enjoyed the mountains, they didn’t quite understand the culture. A round of Slap Dancing later and they were both terribly confused.
“Dom, this is silly,” Nadia exclaimed, feeling awkward amidst the crowd of slap-happy locals and their own mother.
“I know, I don’t even know how you’re supposed to do that leg thing.”
“Let’s go poke that hole over there. Maybe a snake will come out!”
“Okay!”
“Mom, why aren’t you more upset about dad’s death?”
Marla sighed, closing her eyes, “it’s complicated, but I’m sure you know that. I guess I’m just glad it’s over, you know? We’ve really only stayed together these past years because we were too old to start over.”
“Dad wasn’t very faithful.”
“Not in the least, sweetie. I’ve spent years blaming Katarina, but I guess it wasn’t just her, it was him, too. It feels like a weight gone, I don’t have to worry about it anymore. I feel free.”
“Do you think our family is doomed when it comes to love? Nothing ever seems to work out.”
“I think that we make our own luck, Kit. You can make the best of something, if you really try, or you can cling to something you know isn’t going to work out. In the end, your luck is driven by the decisions you make, for better or worse.”
“Sometimes, I feel like a fool. A really big joke,” Kit frowned, staring forward. “I’m probably going to be alone forever, just because I was so stupid when I had chances.”
“You don’t know that, maybe you’ll meet someone here.”
“I don’t want to,” Kit languished. “I feel old and I know I’m almost there, teetering on the edge. I have two kids who I can’t even tell about their father, for fear he’ll find out or worse his father will find out. I’m too complicated to start anything… and even that wasn’t true, I wouldn’t want to.”
“You’ll be okay, sweetie. You’re strong, you’ve made it this far.”
“I guess so, but I still feel really stupid. The feelings are still there and I don’t think they’ll ever go away. It sucks, to know someone has that kind of control over you without really knowing it or even caring.”
“Just focus on what you need to do now. You will have to tell them, sooner or later… or they’ll find out on their own.”
Kit leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes, “I know, I know, I just… I’m not ready to open that can of worms yet.”
The get away was a success and both the twins were exhausted. Marla tucked them in, checking their suitcases before she left the room to ensure that everything was packed. This was the last time she’d do this as when they returned home, they’d have their birthday and be too big for grandma to tuck them in anymore.
Had it really been so long ago that they’d been born and Kit had come to their door looking a mess?
Nadia and Dominic did, indeed, have their birthday. At this point, it was almost impossible to deny their lineage, written plain as day in their eyes, on their faces. They seemed to have nothing of Kit in them, just a painful reminder of the past.
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Note from Mao: Travis kicked the bucket the first day of play, LOL! Good thing I checked his age bar and had the present state of mind to call the nanny. Kit and Marla don’t get home until late at night. Marla couldn’t have cared less, he had cheated on her at Shelly’s party, so she was furious with him. Go figure!
Sometimes, I feel really bad for Kit. After hanging out with her mother in the sauna, she rolled up a “WooHoo in Sauna” want. Sorry, Kit, no dice.
The twins turned out amazing. It’s kind of ridiculous to think their father doesn’t show blatantly… Dominic has his face and Nadia the skintone and eyes. Geeze. Also, I didn’t get a picture of it, but when they were still kids… Dominic brought Selene home from school, LOL! Awwwkward.
