Bliss.
The sweet one and the complete opposite of her twin Blake. Of all my sisters, I was closest to Bliss. My mother once told me Bliss thought I was her baby doll, so she mothered me in a sweet, innocent way for years. Then she became my cheerleader. Now, she was one of my favorite people, always rooting for me, always making sure everyone was good.
“Also, what is the issue again?” Bliss continued. “I’m confused. How old was the baby?”
Char shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe three. Four. Shit, he could’ve been a small five-year-old.”
“Okay.” Bliss sighed, rubbing Char’s belly. “Shhh, it’s okay. Now, do you really think Dex cheated on you and had a baby with some random woman?”
“Exactly. That math ain’t mathing, Char,” Blake added under her breath.
Bliss glared at her twin. “Stop.”
“What?” Blake threw her hands in the air. “You know I’m right. They just got married last year.”
“Orare you more concerned that he might have lied to you about a baby he had with some random woman?” Bliss asked, rolling her eyes at Blake.
“We were in the mall,” Char explained. “And we saw a little toddler with light brown skin, chubby cheeks, and beautiful, deep dimples. I told Dex that the kid looked like he could be his. Instead of assuring me it wasn’t, he just shrugged and asked me if I wanted a cookie.”
The room erupted again as each of my siblings asked my sister-in-law more questions. I had to hand it to Char, though. She was holding her own against my loud ass family, probably because she’d grown up around us. I almost walked in at that point. Not because I wanted to argue for my brother’s honor, but because I enjoyed watching everybody else freak the fuck out.
“Are we sure this is really a thing, though? I’m not saying it’s not possible, Char. But will say it’s not probable.”
Paityn.
The voice of reason in any situation. Her soft touch could simultaneously soothe and heal. My oldest sister was seven years older than me, but she’d been more of a second mother than a sister. Always on hand to offer advice and a strong hug to anyone who needed it. Just like Momma.
“And even if that baby is a Young, it’s not my baby.”
Dexter.
The calm in every room, the family counselor. I could count on one hand the number of times Dex lost his temper, and even now that he was in the hot seat, he’d still maintained his composure in a way no one else could.
“I mean, he looked like y’all,” Charlye shouted. “And you didn’t even say he wasn’t.”
“Because I didn’t think you were serious. Why would you automatically jump to the conclusion that it’s mine?” Dex asked.
Char’s shoulders fell. “Because I?—”
“He’s right,” Duke interrupted. “Dex is the last person who would have a kid he didn’t know about.”
“That part.”
Dallas.
The third triplet. Duke, Dex, and Dallas shared a womb, so they had a different bond with each other. It surprised me that she hadn’t added her voice before now. Quiet wasn’t like her. And she was always up in everybody’s business. Even after she married Preston, she still terrorized us in the family group chat. And don’t forget to text her ass back. She didn’t think twice about hunting us down and showing up unannounced. But she was also a fixer, the one you wanted on your side when shit got fucked up because she wouldn’t stop talking and maneuvering until she got the charges dropped. I knew that firsthand.
“Char, I’m not saying that you didn’t see what you saw,” Dallas added softly. “But it’s not Dex. You know better than that. If anything, it’s Duke.”
“Wow,” Duke responded. “Really, DD?”
“I’m just sayin’,” she responded.
“Dallas,” Demi chimed in then. “Now you know . . .”
“I’m sorry, boo. I know this is the last thing you want to think about during your wedding week. And I promise I’m gonna be there for you, even if Duke is a nasty-ass ho.”
“Sit yo’ ass down,” Duke muttered, shoving Dallas playfully. “I only have one kid I didn’t know about, and you already know why. I’ve never been out here waving my dick around without protection.”
