The little boy cried out in a soft voice. "Mom, he's taking my brother away from me. He's taking Dylan away from me and it hurts me so bad. He rarely plays with me and he gives the other two more attention than he does to me." She could tell that he was hurt. She knew how much Ethan loved and looked up to Dylan in many ways. He was like his idol. Whatever he did, Dylan knew it first. Like when they first started walking and learned to speak or when they first rode their bicycles. Ethan picked up the breadcrumbs on how everything happened from Dylan and therefore loved him for that. It was one of those times that she wished the baby on the couch was big enough so that they could play together with Ethan, and he would forget about the treatment from his twin. The little boy shed a tear. She wiped it away.
"Ethan, Dylan is not a little boy anymore, you know that right? Same as you. I mean you two are growing up so fast, and in the process you discover yourselves. I can tell you like keeping Dylan all to yourself, while Dylan wants to be associated with others, no matter the cost. Karl likes attention and that's why he sees himself great when he managed to get a kid like Zayn to play and hang around you three." Layla spoke softly with a warm voice as she stroked her son's hair. The baby was still on its own endless staring contest. "Tell me what you think of the bad of the three types of the boys I just told you."
"Umm…" Ethan began. "A selfish one, a careless extrovert, and a bragger?" He asked. He wasn't sure.
"And what about the good sides of them?" She continued. "What are the good traits derived from these boys?"
"Oh," He blurted out immediately before he stopped to think. "A caring one, an adventurous lad, and a boy who wants people to notice him, because of the small unloving world he's from."
"Right. Boy, you're clever!" Layla couldn't believe that he answered the questions dead on. "Yes. But either way, I love you all as my children. Do you think three years ago you all had these traits?" She asked. He shook his head. "That's because you were kids then. And today you are more grown-up than the way you were three years ago. As time moves on you'll find a new identity and that Ethan is why you can't stop Dylan from finding his. I just want you to know that deep down, he'll always be your brother. Don't forget that, okay?" She smiled at him. Ethan agreed immediately with a smile embedded on his face. They watched some cartoons together as mother and son for the rest of the afternoon.
That evening, during dinner, at the table of six, Karl and Dylan spoke of their great adventures together in the forest when they raced each other and Zayn not far on their trail. They talked of the simple games they played and who won on which rounds. The parents contributed here and there and they all laughed—all of them! Ethan had understood his twin's perception and what a great deal it meant to him; that he was just living and not abandoning him. Though he was still mad at Karl for introducing Dylan to this new person cooler than him, he thought he would let the hate slide and instead try and come up with ways on how to help the two enjoy what they did. The table was filled with happy laughter and tears and jokes and games. It was pure mirth. When they went to sleep that night, in their room, Dylan decided to talk to his brother. Karl was sleeping on his own in another room since he was older than the two.
"Hey, Ethan…" Dylan called out to him as the younger twin climbed his bed.
"Yes Dee?" he answered affording a smile in the end. He sat on his bed and tucked himself in as Dylan arranged his toothbrush on the rack on the sink outside their bathroom door. His bed was on the right side of the room near the bedroom's door and Ethan's was on the left. Two lampstands stood in between them. He walked slowly to his brother and asked him to make room for him in his bed. Ethan slid over and Dylan got in.
"I noticed that um, today when we were playing in the woods that you were angry with me and I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry." He sounded sincere. "You are my brother and what I did, I know that it hurt you a lot."
"Yes, it did… for a while though. But when I finally understood what this meant to you, Dee it's okay… really, I understand."
"I don't know if you talked to mom who calmed you down but I want you to know this… because it's coming from my heart. You'll never lose me. Not to Karl, not to Zayn, not to anyone. You're my twin brother and it's going to take a lot for anyone to tear us apart, okay?" Ethan nodded smiling as he blushed. "I'm going to take care of you and the little baby. I'll forever be the brother you want, in my own ways though." Ethan laughed and looked at the mirror of himself. Even at a young age, Dylan was wise. Just wise enough for a ten-year-old, like him. Their birthday was seven months ago and it would take another four to celebrate their eleventh and become wiser in the process. But Dylan wouldn't be there to celebrate it.
"Don't worry, I'm here to stay. I love you, little brother." Dylan told him as he stroked Ethan's hair. It looked the same as his.
"I love you too…" Ethan answered happily. Dylan got out of Ethan's bed and headed for his. "Dee... goodnight." He spoke up again.
He turned around midway, "Goodnight Ethe." He answered with a smile.
The next day after a breakfast of bacon and eggs, with sausages and liters of milk, just as Dylan had requested for the day, the three replete boys walked their father to his car before he headed off to work. They all hugged him before he kissed them on their foreheads in return and they asked him to come with toy guns and race cars with marshmallow snacks and crisps and chips later in the evening when he returned. Paul loved all the children undyingly and treated them as equals despite fostering one. Whatever one got, the rest had a fair share. The car veered off the ranch-like compound leaving a trail of brown dust behind.
The three went back inside the house and said goodbye to their little sister if she was awake before they would branch off to play again. They made it a custom to do this; the way soldiers did to their families before they went to war. This day, however, Dylan kissed the baby and carried her in his arms, and danced around the living room with her. He made the two wait for him outside for about two minutes before they yelled for him to come out. Layla was attracted by the commotion and she went on to see what was up. Dylan had been hugging the baby so tightly that she thought he was denying her air.
"Dylan, your brothers are waiting for you outside." She told him as she smiled on. Dylan handed the baby back to her mother.
"Take care of this one, I have a lot of stories to tell her when I come back today from whatever mission we have." He told her. Layla brushed his hair with her hand as she nodded slightly, a happy smile tearing across her face. It seemed that the boy had been standing at the door that day when he had come to their room to call her to make breakfast.
"I love you!" She called out to him as he quickly raced through the backdoor to join the rest.
"I love you too!" He answered as his voice died out when they got further and further from their home. Karl, Dylan and Ethan ran to the woods playing the police catch the thief game. They ran and ran, skipping a thicket and a dead bush… cornering some trees and large stones, and jumping over small cliffs. They played captain and pirate over some burrowed logs and dead tree trunks with non-end sharp twigs as their swords. They tried the best to sound like fifty-year-old pirates and ruthless captains. They however ended up making their throats sore. After that, they built miniature dynasties using nature assets. Stones for high walls for Kingdoms and using dead or fresh leaves for granaries and trees. In their play, however, they met up with Zayn Somerhalder again as he was in his own venture through the forest. Ethan's mojo dropped instantly.