We had always been inseparable. Our mother even gave us rhyming names, thinking it was cute. Tyler and Skyler.
I was 26 and sitting in my office about to finish up my last work day, organizing a bunch of papers, when I got a call from Tyler.
"Hey, Sky." A smile formed on my face and I blushed a little. I couldn't help it. I loved hearing him say my name.
"Hey."
"Mom's finally putting the old cabin to use. Says it's been too long since the family's gotten together." I glanced at a framed photograph on my desk. In it I stood between mom and Tyler, with our siblings gathered around us. It was 6 years old, taken during the last Christmas I had made it home for. I missed my family terribly, especially Tyler.
"Anyway, she's bringing the others in a few days but wants me to go early to make sure everything's in order," Tyler continued.
"That's actually perfect timing. I was hoping to surprise you guys, but I'm coming home for the summer."
"Your boss is giving you the entire summer off?"
"Well, not exactly. I gave my notice two weeks ago. It was jus time to move on, you know?"
"Well, I'll look forward to having you all summer, Tyler said, making my heart skip a beat. "Anyway, I was hoping you would meet at the cabin later tomorrow morning. I'd be a lot more interesting with you around."
My heart raced, which is how I know I shouldn't have agreed. I should have suggested having our older brother or one of the teenagers join him early instead. You see, as much as I hated to admit it, I had been in love with my own twin brother since we were 18. I knew it was wrong, which is why I never did anything about it. Well, aside from the times I'd cuddle up to him on the couch when we were alone.
But I couldn't turn down a few days alone with him.
"Uh yeah, that's fine. I'll see you soon."
"Can't wait."
My family's cabin was only a five-hour drive from the city I was in living in, and I couldn't wait until the morning. I rushed home, threw some random clothes and basic necessities into a suitcase, and jumped into my car. I spent the five-hour drive telling myself the same thing over and over again. This is your brother, your blood-related brother. Your twin brother. You cannot, under any circumstances, do or even think anything that wouldn't with your other siblings.
It was getting late by the time I pulled up at the cabin. A shiver went down my spine seeing my brother's old worn down truck. I pulled up beside it and grabbed my random luggage from the backseat of my shiny new car.
And then there he was, leaning over the old wobbly wooden railing of the cabin.
Even though we were twins, we didn't look all that much alike. Tyler was a foot taller than me, and he looked more like our mother, whereas I had more resemblance to our father. Ironic, considering it was our father who was tall and our mother who was short like me. But we had the same dirty-blond hair and hazel-brown eyes. And he wore that damn orange sweater, well it was now a few shades lighter because of age. It had been his go to since we were freshman in high school. I used to steal it all the time whenever I was home alone, breathing in his scent.
He smiled at me with that damn irresistible charm, making me weak at knees.
"You weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow," he called out. But something in his tone made me think he hadn't really expected me to only come in the morning.
"You ever going to get rid of this thing?" I asked, kicking the tire of his truck.
"Yeah, at the same time I get rid of this sweater," he replied.
"Oh, so never."
He laughed and ran his fingers through his short hair. I had to look away and remind myself that I was with my brother.
When I looked back, he was walking toward me. And before I had time to react, he was pulling me into a tight hug. It seemed to be a long hug, but I didn't complain. I breathed him in until he pulled away.
"It's great to see you, Sky. I've missed you."
"We talk all the time," I giggled.
"Yeah, but it's not the same. Now, let's get in. It's supposed to rain."
He reached for my luggage, and his hand briefly brushed against mine, making me blush. Thankfully, the darkness of the night hid it.
We walked toward the cabin, and as he stepped inside and I was about to, it started pouring rain. Within seconds, the rain drenched me from head to toe. I let out a girlish squeal and jumped into the cabin. Tyler was laughing at me.
"You always have had rotten luck," he said.
I rolled my eyes and took my luggage back. I headed into the smaller of the two bedrooms and threw my suitcase onto the bottom bunk. There were 4 twin sized beds in here, which might have worked fine when all of 7 of us kids were small, but I couldn't hardly imagine how we would all fit now.
Especially if Ross, our oldest brother, brought along his pregnant wife and their toddler. None of us were small anymore. Andy was 24 and if he brought his girlfriend, that would take up even more room. Billy was 19 and Millie was about to turn 18. They were Irish twins, and so our mother thought it would be cute to rhyme their names too. Even the youngest, Lily, wasn't little anymore as she was now 11.
I changed out of my wet clothes and threw on a white tank top and these striped pink and white pajama shorts. I didn't think anything of it as that's what I always wore to bed at home.
As I entered the living room, Tyler's lips parted slightly as he looked me over once. But he quickly looked away and cleared his throat.
"Mom and the others will be here the day after tomorrow," he said.
I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. When he had said they wouldn't be here for a few days, I had thought he meant more like four or five days.
"Okay," I said as I sat down beside him, a little too close. He didn't say anything, he just wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I fought off an incoming smile.
"Not much to do around here without the family," he said.
I had some ideas, but not ones I should be doing with my brother. I quickly pushed those naughty thoughts to the back of my mind.
"We can just talk," I said.
"We talk every day," he replied.
"Well, do you have any other ideas?" I asked.
He coughed and looked away for a minute. He couldn't mean... no. No way. It was only me who felt this way, he had never seen me more than his sister.
"Why did you quit your job?" he asked.
