Amazing Almost Twins

For the most part, I found my life to be quite exciting. I often got the chance to travel the world, see the sights. Along with my cousins, I was able to travel the world with our parents. It was one of my favorite pastimes, something I practically had to persuade my mother to let me do. Both of my parents were singers: Mom a solo artist and Dad in a band with his brothers. Amid my father in a band with his elder and younger brothers, I was often granted the opportunity to spend some time with my cousins: Seraphina and Scarlet.

Today was to be no exception to that. While our parents were getting interviewed, Seraphina Scarlet, and I were to stay out of the way. Despite the fact that we were teenagers, at seventeen, fifteen, and seventeen respectively, the three of us never really got to do anything fun. Sure, we were allowed to travel the world, but fun was never the motive for any of it. Not even my parents—who were always the fun ones—let us have fun. Touring with them was only allowed for one reason: it was to give us the opportunity to learn in ways that other kids only dreamed about. Fun was never the motive for us touring.

When Mom, Dad, my younger brother, Zack, and I met up with Uncle Nick, Aunt Kimber, Scarlet, and her twin brothers: Trent and River at Uncle Kevin’s house where the interview was to take place, I sidled over with Scarlet. As Trent, River, Zack, and Seraphina’s younger brother, Tommy, were busy having their own little party, Scarlet and I would be hanging out with Seraphina. Despite the fact that we were getting pushed out of the way for an interview, the three of us intended on making the most of it. Everyone went in. While my parents, Uncle Nick, and Aunt Kimber went over to see Uncle Kevin and Aunt A, and the boys went to find Tommy, Scarlet and I found Seraphina seated at the dining room table, tapping her fingers against the table. Scarlet and I slumped down on either side of her. “What’s going on, Phina?” I asked. “You seem upset.”

“I am,” Seraphina said dully. “You would not believe the call I just got. Not five minutes ago, I got a call from Tyler about the party he decided to throw. He wants me to go over there. I’m torn though; I just don’t know if I can go. Just before Tyler called, Mom and Dad told me that they don’t want any of us leaving. We’re eventually going to get interview for this article ourselves. So, there’s no way that I can get out of here without anyone knowing.”

“Not necessarily,” I said.

“How?” Seraphina asked.

I glanced over at Scarlet. An idea was forming in my head to help my cousin. Of course, I was going to need Scarlet’s help in achieving this. Seraphina had the chance to go out and have some fun, and I was going to help her. “Phina,” I said. “You are going over to Tyler’s.”

“Why?” she asked.

“Because,” I replied, “you should be able to go out and have some fun for once in your life. No one ever let’s us go out and have fun anymore. It’s always work, never play. Go out to that party for a few hours; Scarlet and I will cover for you. Uncle Kevin and A will never know that you even left to go to that party. You’ll be back before they even know the difference.”

“What about you two?” Seraphina asked.

Scarlet followed my lead in order to get Seraphina out of here and over to that party. “We’ll be fine, Phina. I mean, it’s not like we can’t spend the day with each other. With our family being so close because of the family band, we get to see each other all the time. One day apart isn’t going to make much of a difference while you go to that party.”

“Alright, fine,” Seraphina conceded. “But, please make sure that no one finds out about this. Tommy, Zack, Trent, and River can’t know about this at all. One of them could tell my parents.”

“No problem,” we said.

After Seraphina slipped out of the house, Scarlet and I slipped down into the basement. Without leaving the house, that was the only place that we could sit and talk without being disturbed. We could always go into the tunnel, but doing that could ultimately get us into even more trouble than we would be in right now. The tunnel connecting the five Jonas houses was only ever allowed to be used to keep over lives private, when there were things going on that we didn’t want the public to know about. Only family and friends knew about the tunnels. And, unless given permission, we weren’t allowed down there. So, the basement was really the only place for me and Scarlet to go.

“Summer, do you really think that this is going to work?” Scarlet asked me. “I mean, whenever we try to do something fun, Mom, Dad, Uncle Joe, Z, Uncle Kevin, and A always seem to figure out what we’re up to and put a stop to it. It’s a never-ending vicious cycle.”

“It has to work,” I said. “At least one of us should be able to have fun. Tyler Henrie is giving Phina that chance. So, we need to cover her in order for her to go over there.”

“Yeah, well, I hope this works,” Scarlet said.

“Me too,” I intoned.

For awhile, Scarlet and I just sat around talking. Of course, I soon became aware of what was going on with my cousin. Despite being cousins, Seraphina and I had a bond that no one else could: we were born on the same day, at the same time. Plus, with our mothers being sisters and our fathers being brothers, that made us double cousins. And, our double cousin status offered us the ability of twin telepathy, an ability I just tapped into. I heard Seraphina’s thoughts running through my head as I sat there with Scarlet. Tyler is never going to let this go, Phina was telling herself. He just wants me to go have fun and not worry about the fact that Mom and Dad would kill me if they realized that I defied their orders and snuck out of the house while family was visiting in order to go to a party. Yeah, right. Like that’s really going to happen. I deal with the paparazzi all the time and nothing is going to keep me from worrying about any of this getting out to the public. Dad and his family may have always led a very private life, but there will come a time when that ends. All things come to an end, and this is just one of those things. I just know it is.

“Damn it!” I said when I realized what was going on at the Henrie household. My cousin was regretting this, resisting having fun like I wanted her to. For some reason, she just didn’t want to have fun. It almost seemed as if I was the only one that was really interested in having fun.

“What is it?” Scarlet asked.

“It’s Phina,” I said. “She’s regretting going to Tyler’s party. She’s resisting the idea of having fun like Tyler and I each enjoy doing. I think she might want to leave the party.”

“Stop her then,” Scarlet said.

I nodded and sent a message out to my almost twin sister. Phina needed to have fun. Phina, stop worrying about Uncle Kevin and A. They won’t find out. This had to work.

A response from Seraphina came back almost immediately after calling out to her. Yeah right. So says the daughter of Uncle Joe and Z. I just don’t think that you and Scarlet will be able to hide this from them for very long. They’ll eventually learn that I snuck out and that you two are covering for me. And, when they do, I’m going to be in major trouble.

Still though. Have some fun, I said.

I will, Seraphina replied.

“So?” Scarlet asked.

“We’re good. Let’s just hope it lasts,” I said.

The day continued pretty easily. No one was there to bug Scarlet or myself about where Seraphina was. We were able to sit around talking as we awaited Seraphina’s return from Tyler’s party. And, once Phina returned, my plan to secretly go out and have fun. No one would ever know. And, this plan would have worked if not for Tommy coming downstairs. “Hey, do either of you know where my older sister is?” Tommy asked. “Mom and Dad want to see her before the reporter comes. I’m not sure what they want her for, but it must be important.”

Scarlet and I shared a quick glance before turning back to our cousin. Seraphina had already told us that Tommy and the others weren’t allowed to know. We needed to keep this a secret. “She’s somewhere,” I said, looking at Tommy. “We’re not sure where though.”

Tommy shook his head. “No she isn’t. I’ve searched everywhere in the house. My sister is nowhere to be found. I think I may have to go tell Mom and Dad about what’s going on.”

Once Tommy left the room, I immediately took action. Seraphina needed to get back home before Tommy told anyone that she wasn’t here. Uncle Kevin and Aunt A couldn’t know what was going on. Phina, get home! Uncle Kevin and A found out. They know you’re not here, I thought.

Damn it! Okay, Summer. I’ll be home as soon as I can. It may take a while though. I’ve got to go seven blocks. Just hold my parents off for as long as you can, Phina said.

Okay, I replied. I then turned to Scarlet. “Come on. We’ve got to keep Uncle Kevin and Aunt A busy. If we don’t, we’re going to be in major trouble for what we did for Phina.”