"What can I tell you about the alchemy of twins? Twins are two bodies that dance to each other's joy. Two minds that drown in each other's despair. Two spirits that fly with each other's love. Twins are two separate beings conjoined at the heart!" Kamand Kojouri

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XXXII. Two By Two

Noah had wanted a Steinway piano for as long as he could remember. They were the best of the best, and up until Pete's piano in London, he had only played on one a handful of times.

He could never justify buying one himself. A top tier Steinway could cost upwards of two hundred thousand dollars. Noah had no idea what his father had paid for this piano, but because of its condition, he hoped that John had got a great price.

The bones of the piano were good. The bridges and soundboards on the interior were still good, and the frame was as strong as when it had been carved in 1911. There were bass and treble strings broken, and tuning pins missing, as well as keys that were missing their ivory. But all of that could be replaced. This piano could be brought back to life, and Noah was eternally grateful that his dad had honestly cared enough to find this for him.

Joy had taken the girls off shopping as it was the day after Christmas, and Haley and Mark had gone off on their own to catch up. John and Noah remained behind in the garage with Maddie as they started on the piano with a gentle sandpaper.

"Do you see these lines here, kid?" John asked Maddie as he ran his finger along the wood. "This is called a grain. You always sand with the grain. You start going all side to side, you tear the fibres of the wood and you'll ruin it. Go on and show me what you've got," he urged.

Maddie was wearing an Elsa costume, one of her present from Santa yesterday, and she just looked absolutely priceless as she diligently followed John's instructions dressed as an ice princess.

Noah started gently sanding the wood on the cover, going with the grain as his father had instructed. "Did you know that Maddie is a great pianist as well as a guitar player, Dad?" Noah asked purposefully to prick Maddie's ears. "She helped compose my score."

"Really?" replied John, impressed. "Are you better than Noah, Maddie?"

Maddie thought for a minute. "Well, I am only eight years old and Noah is a man so I can't be better than him yet," she replied bluntly.

John laughed but Maddie missed the humour.

"But, did you know I have a special superpower which makes me concentrate on piano really good?" she continued.

"A superpower?" repeated John, raising his eyebrows. "What's your superpower, kid?"

Maddie's back straightened proudly as she looked up at Noah's father. "I have autism," she told him. "I can do lots of things good, and some things are hard, but I am smart so I will get better."

John's blue eyes flashed to Noah as he raised his eyebrows with a smile. Noah had honestly been impressed with his dad's behaviour towards Maddie so far. He had certainly been a lot more tolerant and interested in her than he had been when Noah was a kid. Times had changed, and kids didn't fit into perfect boxes anymore.

"Well, that does sound fine now, doesn't it?" John played along. "Go on now, get sanding. You're slacking off like Noah is."

Noah chuckled as he returned his focus to the cover. Maddie's laser focus quickly zoned her out of what was going on around her as she concentrated on her task.

"Dad, it seriously means a lot to me that you would find this, buy this for me," Noah told him again, for quite possibly the twelfth time that morning.

John just shook his head, not one to get mushy or sentimental, even though he might have been feeling it inside. "When I think of all the damn prom dresses and spring break trips and cars I bought for your sisters, it was only fair. Damn Tally totalled at least three cars." He shook his head as he cursed under his breath.

"Dad," Noah said insistently. "Seriously, I know the thought, the time, and the effort that went into this, and I promise I'll make it home more to work on it with you."

John looked away from Noah, but he did have a small smile on his face. "Well, it wouldn't kill you to make it back here a little more often," he said stiffly. "We know you kids have all got your fancy lives down there in LA, but you know we'd have you any other weekend. Doesn't just have to be a holiday."

Noah did often get caught up in his work. He could work for weeks straight without taking a day off. Tally often had to drag him from his room to take a break. As much as his mom was over the top, this was his favourite place in the world.

"You've got it, Dad," promised Noah.

They continued to work for the next half an hour, John stopping every two minutes to check Noah's work, to correct it, and to tell him what he was doing wrong, before demonstrating how to do it right. Noah wished he could say that he was doing it on purpose, but he was not at all handy.

He could tell, though, that John enjoyed teaching him. This was what John had wanted out of buying this piano, and Noah was indeed learning something. He might not have been able to learn how to throw a football from his dad, but he could treat some timber just fine.

"So, what are you going to do about Sophie?" John asked, in a tone that suggested he had been building the courage to finally bring it up.

Noah frowned. "Don't you like her?" he asked, eyeing Maddie who was not at all aware of the conversation that was going on around her. She was humming to herself, a tune from their score.

John huffed. "I like her just fine. Mom is planning your wedding already, don't you know? But what are you going to do about her? It's not like she lives in Downtown LA."

Noah sighed, resting against the piano as he abandoned the sandpaper momentarily. "I know," he said, resigned. "We haven't talked about it. I suppose that will be a conversation that is coming soon." One that Noah had absolutely no idea of how it would turn out.

"You can't move there, kid," John said emphatically. "It would break your mother's heart. She stresses enough that Casey is here, there, and everywhere year-round."

"Dad, I don't need second-hand Mom guilt from you," Noah groaned. Although, he knew his dad was right. Joy would absolutely lose it if she thought that Noah was going to move to London.

Logistically, it was difficult. His work, his studio, his connections, his colleagues, his favourite orchestra were all here in California. So were his family.

He struggled to make it home to see them living in the same state. He'd never get home living in another country.

He thought about Tally and being that far away from her permanently. God, they were about to turn thirty, but the idea of not seeing her every day was just unthinkable.

But Sophie was in London, and so was Maddie. Would she consider moving? For either of them, it was so much change, so much to give up for the other person. The end result was worth it, but who was going to make that sacrifice?

"I'm going to make it work, Dad," Noah said firmly. "And I'm going to do what I haveto do to make it work. I'm not letting her go, I'm not losing her if distance is going to be the problem."

John nodded once as he listened to what Noah had to say. "Is she the one?" he asked simply.

Noah nodded this time. "Yes," he said confidently.

"And the kid?" John motioned to Maddie. "You're ready for that?"

Noah nodded again. "I'm learning to be what I need to be for her," he replied. "But the point is I want to be there for her."

John clapped Noah on the back, a gesture of approval. "I'm not going to pretend I don't want you all to end up here, because that would be a lie. If you moved there ... I'd miss you, kid," John admitted. "But I'll be proud of you whatever happens."

Noah felt a tug in his chest. "Thank you, Dad."

***

Sophie was suddenly blinded by a bright light and deafened by an excited cheer on the morning of the twenty-eighth.

Squinting and looking at the digital clock on Noah's bedside table, she could see that it had only just gone five in the morning.

Tally had leapt onto Noah's bed, landing directly on her brother as she cried, "Happy birthday to us!"

Noah groaned as her knee got him right in the stomach. "Jesus, Tally!" he exclaimed as he sucked in a breath and sat in a tight breath.

Tally wriggled into the bed between them and clapped her hands. "Mom, we're ready!"

It was like a parade, and Sophie felt like she was a teenager being caught in her boyfriend's bed as Noah's parents, sisters, partners and Maddie came prancing into the bedroom singing Happy Birthday at the top of their lungs. Joy was front and centre carrying a plate with two gourmet cupcakes, decorated with sparklers and candles.

Sophie quickly hopped out of the bed and stood with Maddie as she joined in the singing, self-consciously wishing she was wearing more than a thin singlet and short shorts.

Noah looked a little bashful as well, but the kind you experienced when people were all singing Happy Birthday to you. Tally was enjoying every second as Joy placed the cupcakes down on the bed between them.

"Okay, okay!" shouted Joy over the top of the noise. "It's 5:04! Thirty years ago, right now, Tally was born! Happy birthday, Hallie Elizabeth!"

They all cried, "Happy birthday!"

Tally clapped her hand again as she closed her eyes and blew out her candle. The moment she had made her wish, Noah tapped his ear, and Tally whispered something to him.

Did they share their birthday wishes? Sophie's heart melted.

Moments later, Joy shouted out again. "Okay, and at 5:06, thirty years ago, right now, my baby Noah John was born! Happy birthday, honey!"

Noah grinned as he received the well wishes, before he closed his eyes and blew out his candle. Just as Tally had done, he then whispered his wish to her.

Noah looked to his sister and held up his fist, saying, "Came into this world together ..."

"... got your back now until forever," finished Tally, completing their adorable fist bump explosion.

It seemed like a ritual; one they completed every year on their birthday. Sophie wondered if they'd ever had a birthday apart. What must it be like, she wondered, to be bonded with a twin?

"Maddie!" Noah called, beckoning Maddie to come over to his side of the bed. "Come and help with this, would you?" he urged, holding up his cupcake.

Maddie didn't need to be asked twice as she raced over to Noah's bed, climbing atop the covers to inspect the treats. Tally wasn't sharing as she swiped her comically.

And then Joy started to cry. It was refreshing for Sophie to be the one not crying for once. John wrapped an arm around her and rubbed her arm comfortingly.

"My babies are thirty!" she stressed. "When did that happen?"

"Well," said John, "they turned one in 1991 and have been getting older every year since."

Joy slapped John's chest. "Oh, stop!" she scolded as they all laughed. "Okay, I've got a new poem for this year." Joy cleared her throat, pulled out her phone and her glasses as she found whatever she was looking for.

"Mom likes finding twin poems in Facebook groups," Casey uttered to Sophie.

"So many good things come in pairs,

Like ears and socks and panda bears.

But best of all are sets of twins,

With extra laughter, double grins.

There's so much fun in having two,

With twice as many points of view.

So much alike, forever linked,

And yet they're also quite distinct.

They share a birthday and a name,

But moods and tempers aren't the same.

Although at times they may dispute,

Their loyalty is absolute.

From days of youth till life is done,

It's one for both and both for one.

We're all quite novel and precise,

But these special twins God made them twice."

Joy managed to hold it together as she pushed her glasses up on top of her head. "You might think your mom is cheesy and silly but that doesn't change how much I love you two, and how much I love the way you love each other."

"Naw, Mom, you're hitting me right in the feels." Tally jumped up on the bed, stepping over Noah and Maddie before bouncing down onto the floor to give Joy a hug. Noah was quick to follow, kissing Joy on the cheek.

"We love you, cheese and all," added Noah.

"Okay, we sang, we heard the poem, are we all allowed to go back to sleep now, it's five in the freaking morning," Haley urged.

Tally laughed. "Are you saying you don't want me to wake you up at 2:13am on the fourth of July to sing to you?"

Haley pinched Tally's nose. "You're so cheeky. You're thirty now. Happy birthday, baby sister and baby brother." She took Mark's hand and led him out of the bedroom.

Birthday wishes were exchanged before everyone dispersed, with Joy taking Maddie last, promising to put her back to bed. Noah shut the door behind them and exhaled, before turning back to face Sophie.

"I mean, just when you were starting thing these people were normal, once of us has a birthday," he laughed, shaking his head.

Sophie laughed, too. "I don't know why you feel the need to dismiss or make fun of any of this. Really, I think everything, every little tradition and ritual you have with your family is precious. People like this are not a dime a dozen or whatever the saying is."

Noah grinned. "Don't I know it." They sat back down together on the bed and Noah placed the empty plate on his bedside table.

"Happy birthday," she said, leaning over and kissing him softly, careful of the fact that she hadn't cleaned her teeth. "I have a little gift for you, but it's in the other room. I'll fetch it later."

"Thanks," he replied cheerfully.

"Did you tell Tally your birthday wish?" Sophie asked curiously. 

Noah grinned sheepishly. "Yes," he admitted. "We've always shared everything, including birthday wishes. I can't tell you what it is, though, or else it won't come true. Sharing with your twin doesn't affect the bad juju." Noah winked. "And I really want this one to come true, so I'm not risking it."

Sophie smiled coyly.

Noah suddenly frowned. "When is your birthday? I feel like I should know what. And Maddie's, too."

Truthfully, Sophie only knew when Noah's birthday was because she had stalked his Wikipedia page back in London. They hadn't talked about birthdays.

"The fourth of April," replied Sophie. "And Maddie is the fifth of June. It would have been quite funny if they'd already been and you'd missed them," she teased.

Noah laughed. "Okay, and do you know what time you were born exactly? I have to organise flights, cupcakes, and inappropriate entourage of Bentleys bursting into your bedroom ..."

"Oh, yes, I see your dilemma," Sophie joked. And as funny as she found the jesting, just the mention of flights caught her off guard a little. The distance was looming in the background, and was determined to be addressed very soon.

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Hope you enjoyed it! 

I mean, is distance going to rock the boat? Or is something else going to torpedo it? I don't know ... oh, wait, of course I do, silly me hehehehe *evil laugh*

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