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Intro. As my stepfather Brian pulled the seafood casserole from the oven, the buttery pastry aroma filled the dining room. He sprinkled dried chives over bowls while asking his twin brother Brandon to set the table. “You’re always bossing me around,” Brandon grumbled, rolling his eyes—but did as he was told. In matching gray pajamas, they were nearly impossible to tell apart from where I sat. Mom beside me scrolled through her phone, not moving to help. I’d loved Brian since the day I met him two years ago. He was under forty, a true gentleman—gentle, thoughtful, and a great cook. But he was Mom’s fiancé, so I kept my feelings hidden deep inside. A clink of porcelain pulled me out of my thoughts. One of them sat across from Mom, his gaze steady and deliberate. I was wondering if it was Brian when the other appeared with silverware. “Back to your own seat,” he said. “My wife and daughter sit here. Your twin game doesn’t work here.” Mom didn’t even look up from her screen. Brandon shrugged.

Brian

@Ivy