A Different Kind of Love | ✔️

A Different Bunch

"See?" Jack teased his daughter and she only answered with a groan. "C'mon," He bent down and helped her up before turning around and bending his knees, signaling for her to get on his back. When she obliged, they were out her door. "You really should tidy up in here, how is your brother so much neater than his sister?"

"Because my brother is a genius and probably has OCD." She said grumpily. 

Jack thought about the OCD part for a second before shaking his head. "You can be athletically inclined and still have a clean room, Jo."

"Y'know athletically inclined is a synonym for stupid, right?" Adrian passed them on their way down the staircase.

"Hey!"

"Shut up, dork!"

Jack and Joanna spoke at the same time and wore the same frown too. Adrian looked back at the two with a smile on his face. He shook his head. They were too much alike. 

When everyone was finally downstairs, Charlotte grinned and came from behind the counter. "Happy birthday, my babies!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her son in a tight hug. 

"Happy birthdayyy!" Jack hopped around with Joanna on his back.

"Dad, you're gonna give me whiplash!" She shrieked before he let her down. She went to hug her mom and Jack brought his son into a big embrace. 

"Thanks, y'all," The twins spoke at the same time wearing similar smiles. 

"How does it feel to be eighteen?" Jack ruffled his son's curly hair before his hand was shoved away.

Joanna scoffed, grabbing some food from the spread that Charlotte had set up. "Why is that question ever asked? No one ever feels any different."

"You don't feel different, son?" Jack turned to Adrian who only shook his head.

The four of them ate with smiles on their faces while they enjoyed each others company. Usually, Adrian was up and out of the house on his way to campus while Joanna stayed in bed until her first training session. She was homeschooled so that she could play tennis while Adrian chose to attend school. Still, each year on their birthday, they had breakfast together and got their gifts from their parents before everyone went on their way. 

"Adrian's award ceremony is today," Joanna said, folding a strip of turkey bacon into her mouth. He shot his sister a deathly glare while she only grinned evilly. 

"Wait, what awards ceremony," Jack frowned as he poured himself some coffee. He looked to his wife. "Did you know about it?"

"Not at all," She shook her head. She eventually retired from the school district to put more time into the schools she and her colleagues formed, so she didn't know about all the happenings that she used to even though their son attended Denbrook. "Why didn't you tell us about the ceremony?" She asked Adrian.

He only shrugged, not meeting his mother's eyes. She and his grandmother were the only people he couldn't lie to so when she gave him a pointed look, he huffed, "Because y'all are embarrassing."

His parents gasped dramatically, both of their hands flying to their chests. "Who?" Charlotte frowned. 

"Not we!" Jack said in the same disbelieving tone. 

"I know, right! How could he think such a thing!" Joanna quipped around the scrambled eggs in her cheeks. At Adrian's glare, she chuckled. 

"Anna, don't speak with food in your mouth, baby." Charlotte chided gently before turning to her son again. "Adrian!" She said, almost whining. "We want to be there to support you!"