I'd like to thank Kenjisato again for editing and my friend Ashley for input.
Two of a Kind
The month of June
It was June and I was leaning against the half-wall off the atrium; it had a fountain, and a botanical garden in the inner courtyard of the College of Education at ASU, my university. Many people liked to gather there and enjoyed the sounds of the fountain and the coolness it supplied; after all, this is Arizona.
I had just this summer semester and the fall semester to finish, then I could start teaching somewhere I was looking in earnest for, and this was the first down time I had had in months. Because I had transferred two years ago from a school in upstate New York, when my parents retired to Arizona from Long Island, I had lost a few credits. For the fall, my final semester, all I had to do was student teaching; I took an elective, early in the morning, as I needed just one more semester hour, and this was two.
Bonnie
Back to the fountain. It was always packed, and there just happened to be a space next to me because the dude who was there, saw a girl he wanted to connect with, had taken off. That space was filled with a beautiful redhead, about five-foot nothing, long hair in a ponytail, sparking green eyes, and just a small sprinkling of freckles. I was tongue tied for a moment.
I mentally shook myself back to reality, and said, "Hello, nice spot to relax."
She said, "You can say that again."
So in my suave and debonair style, I said,"Nice spot to relax." I thought, you fucking asshole, couldn't you do better? Since, I had already put one foot in my mouth, before I could stop myself, I then said, "I'm not trying to come on to you, but I have to be honest. You are the most beautiful girl that has walked in here today."
She rolled her eyes, but I guess she saw the truth in my eyes and that I was serious (thank God for good facial expressions). She said, "If you're going to say things like that, you need to know my name, it's Bonnie Campbell."
I said, "Now, that is an Irish name!"
"Yep, one-quarter Irish and it shows," she said, pointing to her hair.
"My name is 'Fin', short for Finlay, Finlay Sinclair. I am half Irish."
"That sounds Scottish to me," she said with a grin.
"Yep, but I AM fifty percent Irish."
It was almost time for our classes, so we both said, "Goodbye."
I added, "I hope to see you again."
Two days later
I greeted her with, "There's that lovely Irish lass." I thought I was smooth and not coming on too strong.
She replied, "There's that hot Scottish bullshitter," but saying it in the manner of the terrier dog breed.
All I heard was the word 'hot'... shit, she thought I was hot! I'd address the Scottish remark sometime, er... later.
That day, we had more time, so we chatted about this and that. We found out we both were education majors and were going to graduate next year, myself in January, she in June. She was going to do her student teaching next spring semester. Bonnie told me her sister was going to be a teacher, too; never saying she went to ASU also.
I decided to take a chance; after all, she had called me 'hot' and seeing no ring, I asked if she had a boyfriend.
She said, "No, not now."
I immediately said, "Would you like to go out Friday?" I thought, in for a penny, in for a pound. "There are some good movies at the Centerpoint 11. If you want, we could meet there. That way, if I start bullshitting you, you can leave me high and dry," I said, with a grin.
She said, "Hmmmm, okay. Pick me up. Here's my apartment address and phone number, just call me and I'll come out."
Before the weekend, I saw Bonnie a couple of times walking on campus, but was too far away to catch up, before I had to head out to the middle school I was student teaching at. It was funny, I would see her near one building and then see her near another building. Some were farther away, she must have been taking the shortcuts around campus, so she could miss the always congested Cady Mall or Palm Walk.
Friday night
I drove up and called her like she wanted. When she came out, she was wearing a beautiful, deep-turquoise sundress. I was speechless... again. My mind went into overdrive telling me not to fuck up! We went to the Centerpoint, and I let her pick from the eleven showing. She picked 'The Fantasticks'. Wow, I never thought she'd be a fan of musicals. I thought it would be some romantic movie like'Pretty Woman' or 'Ghost'. I was happy because I do like musicals, right along with space operas, action flicks, police dramas, and John Wayne movies. (Really, okay.)
I must have scored points when I sang a couple of bars of 'Try To Remember' on the way home. I had been in choir all through junior high and high school. I was even in a band, where I sang and played guitar, while in high school; just 'gigs' like birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, or irritating tweenager parties. We made a little money, but broke up at graduation; all the members went to different colleges, or into 'the world of work'.
Bella
For the next couple of months, Bonnie and I started dating exclusively and regularly. We became intimate in September; we made love and treated each other to many a happy night and, or day, as we learned about each other's likes and dislikes -personally, romantically, and sexually.
I had not been in Bonnie's apartment as yet; she always would come to my place. So the first time I was invited to her apartment, we were going to have a spaghetti dinner with her roommate. (You can't go wrong with spaghetti.) I knocked on the door, and Bonnie opened the door. I took her up in my arms, and gave her a fantastic, loving kiss on the lips. She promptly pushed herself out of my arms, and slapped me! Behind her, I saw another 'Bonnie' walk into the room!
It turned out that Bonnie had an identical twin, who was her roommate. Her name was Isabella, Bella for short. (note: Bonnie and Isabella both mean beautiful.)
Bonnie immediately came to my aid and shouted to her sister, "This is Fin! I've shown you his picture!" Bonnie said to me, "I am so sorry. My younger sister is in a I-hate-all-men-mood today. She just found out minutes ago her boyfriend is a cheating douche bag! And every man she sees is a target for her Irish temper."
Bella said with a sniffle, "Younger by only ten minutes."
Why do twins always do that? I never knew why she never told me she was a twin. Maybe being twins they never thought about it.
Now Bella was a carbon copy of Bonnie in every way. I had trouble telling them apart when they dressed alike-the same voice and mannerisms, they both sashayed the same when they walked; the same humor and Irish temper; the same cute behind, and the same size everywhere, if you know what I mean.
My Ex
I looked at Bella and said, "It's okay. My last girlfriend, Jean, cheated on me; I found out from a friend of hers. I had asked her friend to help me set up a time and place to propose, and her friend told me. It was supposed to be one and done, her last fling. Since I had bought the ring from a jeweler who was my parents' next door neighbor, I was able to get my money back.
"The guy who she cheated on me with, knocked her up and left town when she told him." I smirked, "One and done? She tried to get back with me, and even tried to force me to marry her, saying it was my child. I said I'd wait and see. After the baby was born, the DNA paternity test said the little girl was not mine.
"Her parents tried to look for the daddy, then put a hard press on me when they found out the asshole died in a stupid bar fight in another state. They offered me some big money to forgive her and take her back. When I asked her dad, what he would do if his wife cheated on him and gave birth to another man's child. Red-faced, he told me to get out of his house."
Bella started to cry and grabbed me in a helluva hug and tried to kiss me while trying to say, "I am sorry."
I looked at Bonnie; she winked, and mouthed, 'Just go with it.'
I let Bella kiss my cheek. I figured that was safe.
We had dinner and spent time on the couch, with Bella between Bonnie and me. I thought, well guessed, that there would be no loving tonight, so I put on my white knight armor and tried to help Bonnie soothe Bella's hurt soul. Bonnie and Bella were not just identical twins, but they were best friends, and had that 'twin telepathy' they say that twins have.
After a couple of hours, I retired to Bonnie's bed. Bonnie came in about two hours later. Because of the time we spent with Bella, I figured we would just hold each other and fall asleep. About an hour after Bonnie came to bed, the door opened quietly, and Bella walked in. Now, Bonnie and I were both sleeping naked, when we were awakened by Bella, and she was naked, too! She asked Bonnie if she could get in bed with us because she was feeling so shitty. I figured she'd get in on Bonnie Bonnie's side, and we would just make a Bonnie sandwich. She got in on my side! Well, little Fin perked up-I was meat in the sandwich!
Love to the second power
Then Bonnie whispered in my ear, "Please make love to my sister; she is depressed and doesn't feel desirable."