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KAIA
I was eleven when my mother and father sat my twin sister, Kira, and I down to tell us they were getting a divorce. My mother was draining a bottle of wine with a bored expression while my father explained how he would be moving across the country to Seattle to start a new job. Kira was a blubbering mess of tears the second the words left Dad's mouth, begging my parents to stay together, but me on the other hand? I was happy. No, scratch that, I was ecstatic.
I could barely hide my smile as I thought about the bucket list Kira and I had made the night prior for the upcoming summer. Our list now wasn't subjected to being completed in just the Bronx. It would travel with us to an entirely new place, where we could create entirely new experiences for the first time ever.
Visit the zoo...In Seattle.
Climb a tree...In Seattle.
Dance in the rain...In Seattle.
Sleep under the stars...In Seattle.
Go to a carnival...In Seattle.
There were no tears coming from me. I didn't care that my mother and father—who spent more time yelling at each other about God knows what—were getting a divorce. No, that didn't matter to me at all. Instead of tears and arguments, Kira and I would get double the Christmas and birthday presents. We'd be able to fly on a plane regularly, and have two houses, with brand new furniture and hopefully a huge backyard. I couldn't wait to explain to Kira how she didn't need to cry because this was a good thing and we needed to plan to add on to our list instead of crying about a marriage that was bound to fail anyway.
But then Dad uttered words that made all my plans go to hell, my head spin, and the chicken nuggets I ate for lunch threaten to come out of my stomach and spill onto the floor. Without looking me in the eye, Dad consoled Kira and whispered, "Your mother and I agreed that it's only fair to split custody in a way that we both see fit. Kira, you will be leaving with me, and Kaia, you'll be staying here with your mother. We'll see each other every other holiday, and maybe every other birthday. I know that this is tough, but it's what's best for everyone involved."
Just like that, life as I knew it was over.
Kira, the person I shared a womb and every day after with, was moving across the country with our father and leaving me behind. It didn't seem right. We'd done everything together; from wearing our matching frilly dresses and ballerina buns to making sure we were walking at the same pace, on the same foot. It almost felt illegal for my parents to go and separate us by so many miles.
It had been my turn to turn into a sobbing fool, screaming at my parents that just because their relationship was ruined, it didn't mean they had to ruin mine and Kira's. They ignored me while I hollered and pitched a fit—Dad too busy holding Kira and Mom too busy nursing her alcohol. Nobody really cared about what I had to say.
