Loving the Surrogate

"You and I both know no one's gonna beat me at football, Han. '' My brother Jose said, grinning. I throw him his two-day-old smelly socks as my form of a sibling protest. Jose and I were fraternal twins. Meaning we don't look like each other, but you can see the similarity somewhere. We were born and raised in a borough in Adamson, Pennsylvania. It was a quiet and quaint little place. We loved it there and we loved the memories we had there. We lived there until we were five or six I guess, or something close to that. Then, Dad, who was a burly truckman, decided to try his luck in the big city. We moved here. Jo had been diagnosed with Asthmaticus Severus, or severe asthma, since he was a toddler. We had been living below average so it kept us poor. His medications were expensive and our father cannot afford regular visits to the pediatrician now and then. We keep him away from allergens and whatever triggers them as much as we can. But Jo was a naughty kid. He'd sneak out and play even if there was pollen and dust everywhere. It was a nasty illness and it cost us a lot of money, as per what my father would always say. One day, I found him gasping for breath. It was an ugly sight to behold and I never want to see that happen again. Like an awful nightmare. Jo was there, like drowning, but there was no water. I loved my father but he was always away, so we grew up seeing him once a week and only on national holidays. Mom was always reminding us that Dad was away to put food on our table and roofs on our heads and not to question his absences from our home and not being able to participate in school activities and on days when we badly needed a father. We were always bullied by kids our age. Because one, we were poor and we had no toys to play with in the park, and two, we were wee little kids. We were smaller than kids our age, but what I lack in height,is compensated by being smart. When dad was away, we learned to be dependent on one another. Besides, father was a heavy drinker and beats us when we are naughty. But he loved us and he loved mom more than anything in the world. Jose shook me out of my reverie. He was shaking me rather vigorously and he seemed to have a lot of fun with it. "Are you daydreaming again?" "Beat it, I wasn't. I was thinking of reserving dinner at the Ritz.'' "The Ritz. That is demented. It was easier to admit that you were daydreaming. " He scoffed at his sister. Did I mention that Jo and I were two entirely different individuals? We do not share a lot of things in common. While I was optimistic and a clean freak, he was the pessimist and the messy one. The only thing that we agree on is food. We both love seafood and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We still do that here in New York whenever we have the time to spare. Reminds us of home and of mom and dad. Why do people have to age? Why cannot they be stuck in the phase of life where they are happiest? Hanna wanted her childhood back if that was possible. It is free to dream. Jo knew I was kidding but being the bully that he was, he played along. "Yeah, about that...let me check on my very tight schedule. I think I have a meeting with Paris Hilton in the afternoon in the most expensive hotel in the state and an early dinner with Zac. I cannot say no to that guy. You knew Zac Efron and I were good friends ,right? We have gone a long way since high school musical. I dated Vanessa once, but she was too loud. I never went out wither again." I had to go along to this little play of ours since my head hurts from his shaking moments ago. "Who hangs out with Paris these days? I'll use the red car today. You can take the other one.You scratched my new car the other day. How dare you, that was a collectors' item. Only ten of those were manufactured and you had the audacity to ruin that one! " "Hey, do not interfere with the women I hang out with. And I am sorry about the car. I'll pay for the repair if that will make you happy." " They are too old for you." "Well, yeah. But who cares?" "Uh, hello, I care. I do not want to call them Auntie." "That is rude and mean. I thought you liked the girls I dated?" "By the way, repairing my car is not what I want. I want you to replace it." "You said that was a collectors item!" Jo protested, stomping his foot like a toddler. Hanna was impressed with his dear brother's acting skills. She made a mental note to try to convince him to audition for the drama cklb at school should the occasion arise. "Yes. And so? What is the problem?" "Nothing, of course!" "Unless you are scared, that you cannot acquire the only one left." She said, squinting her eyes. "Oh, I am so on board." "Bring it on!" "But first, aren't you hungry? Let's make some PB and J." Hanan said, taking his brother back to reality. And they both end up laughing like idiots because they know that those won't happen in the future, but it helps a lot to laugh out their troubles. They were never rich or lived above the poverty line. But they were sure that they were loved greatly by their parents. They may not be the kind of parents that they wished they had, but they did their job well. Hanna knows that she will be fine with her not-so little brother on her side at all times. She knew that she would do anything for Jose. Their beautiful mother, on the other hand, was like a saint. Rebecca Twill was from Ohio.Born and raised there. She never mentioned or talked about her family there or the kind of life she lived there, so they never asked. Some people just wanted their pasts to be a blur. Her mom, for example. They have never met their grandparents and never once attended family reunions. She simply said that the two of them should not go looking for people who are long dead and she can't recall a time where she raised her voice or her hands on them no matter how naughty they were, unless their father was there, because beating them was their dad's job. He thrived in that department. She guesses that that was how their mother compensates for the brutality they get from their father whenever he is at home. So you see, they only had each other and now, her brother only got her when their parents passed away. There was no way that she's gonna let something happen to her sweet Jose. Well, he is not really sweet. He's a bully and he's got a knack for trouble even at a very young age, which often gets them beaten all the time. She would always tell their Dad that it was her idea and she convinced her brother to join , so she got beaten too because she was, after all, the mastermind. That's how it always goes with them and they liked it. She never complained either. and never regretted any of the beatings she recieved. To this day, they were Bonnie and Clyde. Harry Potter, Batman and Robin. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. Always. Partners in crime and no one will snitch against one another. That was their thing. Where Hanna was, Jo was sure to follow. And the other way around. "I seriously think we need to have a relationship outside of this bubble.'' ''Uh, what bubble?" That was me playing dum-dum. Sometimes I play jokes on him and he did not like it. It was one of those times now and I am happy about it. ''Sis, you are a solid 8 according to my friends. Mason said he would even court you if he was smart. Todd was even happy to say that had he been taller, he could have consider dating you." ''Excuse me? You let them rate me?!I am very disappointed, Jo. And tell Mason that he is smart in thinking that. I don't date men who still play lego.'' Jo sits up on our old couch which is probably older than us. We have had this since we were little. This is like a family heirloom which we will have to slice in half if the time comes. The couch will be included in our last will and testament. "No offense sis, but if it's up to me, you're a 4.'' I made a snort. "Well, if I'm a four, you're a four too. In case you miss it, we are twins. Ugly. If I am ugly, you are ugly too. I rest my case.'' It was two hours until midnight. Hannah and Jose Twill Summers are of legal age in a hundred and twenty seconds. Everything will be fine for them. Hannah had everything planned for their birthdays this year. They didn't have money for a fancy dinner at the Ritz, but she had saved up enough from her waiting-tables, sidelines at Bernie's, but it was enough for a modest celebration. They will go out for dinner and probably have a bottle of beer or two. No harm because they are adults now. Yawning, Jo excuses himself to bed. "Hey, sis, I'm gonna hit the sack. See you in the morning." "Forgetting something?" "Huh.What?" "The time." Hanna looked at the wall clock. It was almost midnight. "Oh, Happy birthday sis. I love you." "Happy birthday, I love you more." Hanna wasn't planning on sleeping yet. Too much laundry and clothes to fold. She had no idea that Jo had no intention of sleeping. He's gonna sneak out the window and head to Georgie Wood's place. And so he did. Like a thief in the night. In a town this small, everybody knew everybody and everybody knew Georgie. He preys on little kids at school. Preferably the nerds and the weaklings because they are easier to scare. He bullies them and takes their lunches for fun. But there was something about Georgie's life outside the school that piqued Jo's interest. He is living the good life! He's got his own dope place and a fancy luxury car. Georgie doesn't have parents. He grew up in an orphanage until he was too old to be adopted. The system cared less for him. That is how the system works. So, he sort of just made it on his own. Jo wanted that life too. Unlike his sister, who seems to be content with whatever life hands out, he dreams of a comfortable life for them. He wants Hanna to feel extra special on their birthday. That's the least he could do for her because of all the sacrifices she makes for them. Jo had it all planned out. This is just a one-timer. No biggie. Georgie said the pay was really, really good. One transaction pay can last for weeks for him and Hanna. He does not intend to be in this business for a long time. Hanna will find out, she always finds out. He has no idea how she does, but she always does and it creeps him up. Not this time, Jose thought confidently. "Our 18th birthday will be one of a kind." He mumbled as he crept into the window in the dark of the night down the willow street, welcoming him.