Amongst The Water-Fresh Waters

Chapter 6: The Premonition Dinner! Part 2

Originally Published: 2013-2014. Updated July 2017; November 2019; July 3, 2020; September 25, 2021; August 7, 2023; August 26, 2023. 

      Evie looks at them nervously; her chest tightening. "I guess it is." She shrugs. "Here are the cookies I was telling you about." She changes the subject and shifts her gaze from Kevin and Brianna to Kylie. 

      Kevin puts his head down shamefully and motions for Nicholas to come toward him. Nicholas does so and Brianna walks toward her fiance also. She scolds him for making things awkward. Kevin sighs and Evie hears him apologize to Brianna.

      Kylie looks at her dad and then at Evie, smiles, and takes the Mermaid scale container out of her hands. When Kylie grabs the container; her hands wrap around Evie's and suddenly eases Evie's anxiety. 

      Kylie tilts her head and looks at her father again, who is now talking to Nicholas and Brianna. "Sorry about that. I'm not sure what got into him." She shrugs embarrassed as she lays the container on the island behind her. 

      Evie sighs. "It's fine. He's not the only one who's been wondering why we have so much in common." "Or why you guys look so much alike." 

      Kaylee walks by them as she goes to the fridge. Evie and Kylie's eyes widen at Kaylee. Then they slowly look at each other. "Yeah. That too." Kylie says quietly. Evie fans herself, feeling her anxiety come back.

     "I guess Kaylee noticed too." Kylie shrugs, watching Kaylee make her way back to the living room. Kaylee turns around and nods at Kylie and Evie, then she sits down. 

     "This is weird," Evie says plainly. Kylie looks at her dad, remembering his text on their last day in West Virginia. "No kidding." She sighs. Evie looks at Kevin and then at Kylie. "Could I possibly ask your dad something?" She says, looking down at her lime green Converse. 

      Kylie looks at her friend. "What? If he's your dad too?" Kylie nervously laughs as she chews on her lip. Evie's eyes widen and she shrugs. Kylie sighs and looks down at her Little Mermaid socks. "You're serious." She says as more of a statement. Evie nods. "Maybe."

       Kylie looks up at Evie and shrugs. "What would you do if he says no?" Evie shakes her head not really knowing what she'd do. "I'm not sure." That is all she says. She doesn't exactly want to tell her new friend that her dad is mentioned in her birth announcement. Evie doesn't know for sure if Kevin is her father too or if it's somehow a typo or a stupid mix-up. She hopes it's neither because that'd mean she would have already come face to face with both of her birth parents.

      "It's time for dinner kids." Kevin's voice takes Kylie and Evie's focus away from their current conversation. 

      Evie smiles at Kevin. "It smells delicious." Kevin smiles back at Evie. "Thank you. It's a family recipe that I keep trying to perfect." Evie looks at Kylie curiously. But Kylie is just staring at Brianna, who she notices looks very similar to Evie, but with a lighter skin tone and of course older.

      Nicholas looks at his sister and chimes in. "He says he lost the recipe not long after he got it. So he's been trying to get it to taste as he remembers as a child." He smiles proudly. 

      Evie chuckles. Kevin shakes his head. "It's my great grandfather's fault for giving it to me on a napkin when I was 8. He should have known better than to think an 8-year-old would keep his dream of wanting to become a chef for his entire life." He chuckles, dishing out a bowl of Gumbo. He places it on the island and passes it toward Brianna. 

      "Guests get theirs first." Brianna says gently pushing the bowl toward Evie. Evie smiles. "Thank you." Brianna smiles at Evie. "You are very welcome. And Happy early birthday." She smiles again, trying to fight the tears that are welling in her eyes. Evie looks over to Kylie, getting in the fridge.

      "Who wants tea and who wants Lemonade?" Kylie asks holding the door open.

       "I'll take water if that's alright." Evie says. Kevin turns around and lays another bowl down on the island counter. "As long as it's not alcohol, you can have whatever you'd like." He jokes. 

      Kylie chuckles and Evie nervously laughs. "You don't have to worry about that. I practically live on water." She puts one hand up, palm facing forward. "I drink it every day I swear." She laughs. Kevin smiles and laughs. "So does Kylie." He puts the soup ladle down and looks at her inquisitively. "You guys could be twins?" He jokes with Evie. 

      Evie recoils back; Kylie spills the Tea she was pouring and looks at her dad nervously. "That's funny Dad." And Brianna gasps shocked. Everyone exchanges awkward glances, including Nicholas, who drops his spoon back in the drawer. And Kaylee stops mid-stride.

      Evie looks at Kylie and nervously chuckles. She bites her bottom lip, keeping her emotions from pouring out. Evie looks at Kaylee cautiously walking into the Kitchen. She nods awkwardly at her and Kaylee nods back. "What in the world did I miss?" Kaylee asks, leaning up against the island, standing next to Evie. She looks from Evie and then to her mother. "Mom, you look like you've seen a ghost." She says concerned. 

      Brianna waves her comment off and chuckles. "It's nothing." Kevin looks from Evie and Kylie and to his fiance's stricken face. "What's wrong?" He asks worriedly. Brianna shrugs. "Nothing. I was just thinking about my sister and how long it's been since I've talked to her or seen her." Kevin nods, not believing her. "Oh." That is all he can say.

      Brianna looks to Evie and Kylie and forces a smile. "I have a twin sister and Kevin's comment about you two..." She sighs. "Sort of jarred me." "We never had a good relationship and it brought back those memories." She tries to keep direct eye contact away from Evie, Kylie, or Kevin. 

       Kevin walks up behind Brianna and places a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry I brought it up." He says soothingly. She shrugs. "It's fine." Her gaze darts from Kylie and Evie. "Let's celebrate their birthdays." She says, changing the subject. 

      Evie, Kylie, Kaylee, and Nicholas all look at each other completely confused and not buying it. She definitely was covering for something else.

      Kevin and Brianna walk into the small dining room between the living room and kitchen to place their bowls on the table and set the silverware. 

     Meanwhile, the kids remain in the kitchen. "What in Sam Hill was that?" Kylie asks utterly confused. 

     Kaylee scoffs. "Don't ask me." She shrugs. "I was just joking with my mom at first when I said she looked like she saw a ghost, then she really did look freaked." Kaylee says worriedly.  

      Nicholas looks at his father and Brianna. "Why have they been saying things about you two being so much alike? It's weird?" Nicholas looks at Evie and Kylie. 

     They both shrug looking and each other nervously not saying a word. Kaylee rolls her eyes and looks over to her mother. "She thinks they look alike too." She looks at Kylie, scowling. She sighs exhausted from keeping things from people. Kylie gasps shocked.

     Kaylee looks to Evie, then to Kylie. "You do." Kaylee grunts annoyed.