Sister Surprise

David has just discovered the two girls he had been dating, and having great sex with, are actually his sisters. In fact, one of them is his twin. Is that the end of the sexual relationship, or is something else at play here?

When David awoke he found himself in a strange bed with Raven beside him.

"Have a good sleep?"

"How long have I been out?"

"Twelve hours."

"Have you been in bed with me the whole time?"

"I don't have anywhere else to sleep. It was a bit crowded in a twin bed, but I managed."

He started to get up and realized he was wearing only his undershorts. She laughed "I had to undress you. I didn't want shoes and all in my bed. I've seen you naked. Besides, I thought you'd be more comfortable."

She threw back the covers on her side and sat up.

"Jeez, Raven. Is that all you wear to bed all the time? I mean, things are different now."

"Mostly I sleep in my undies. You saw me like this at your place. I don't wear jammies. Do you object?"

"No, no. You're the most beautiful girl I know."

"You don't have a pointy thing in there, do you?"

"How can you think that now? You're my sister!"

"Am I any less desirable?"

"NO! And that's the problem. You are very desirable."

"Do we need to visit Uncle Stan?"

"Shit. I don't know. We've got to tell Amanda."

"You're still agitated. We'll get Amanda and go see Uncle Stan, but right now you have something that needs tending."

She pulled the covers off him and reached around in his underwear to pull him out. She stroked him and pulled his shorts off, soon tossing hers on the floor with his.

"How can you even think of sex right now?"

"No, you are right; it's not the time for sex, so we won't have sex. I just think you need something."

She rolled on top of him, trapping his erection between them. She combed fingers through his hair, kissed him and rhythmically slid up and down his body whispering in his ear "I'm not entirely surprised. It did cross my mind that we had more than a passing resemblance."

"But you kept having sex with me?"

"I love you, David. That's all I thought about."

He reached behind her and grabbed her firm butt. He wanted to fondle a breast, but was that even an option any more?

He writhed beneath her and she continued to slide up and down on him until he came, the thick fluid seeming to cement them together, and he grabbed a handful of hair. "I love you, Raven, and I don't know what to do about it."

She got up and rubbed a hand over her abdomen. "Now we're sticky and need a shower. Sorry there's only room for one in mine, so we'll have to take turns. And we'll figure out what to do about the other situation."

He looked at the time. "Didn't you have an eight o'clock?"

"Guess I missed it. I had more important things to tend to. Like now you need something substantial to eat."

"I am starved. And Raven? Would you mind not telling Amanda yet? I'd like to be the one to tell her."

"I don't know her schedule for sure, but I know we can all make it Saturday. It's even supposed to warm up a bit, like into the upper fifties or low sixties, so we should be good to go for a trip to see Uncle Stan."

Amanda was puzzled by the request to 'visit Uncle Stan,' but drove the trio there. She spread the blanket on the ground while David paced.

"What's up David?"

"Raven, show her your DNA results. Look at them carefully, Amanda. Now, here is mine."

At first Amanda looked disbelieving at the reports. "Are you sure there's no mistake, like maybe they sent a duplicate of Raven's?"

"It's genuine. What conclusion can you draw from looking at these reports?"

Amanda's eyes widened. "You mean you could be Raven's brother?"

"Yours, too."

"Oh, my. We've been having sex with our brother, Raven."

"This changes everything. I'm screwed. Because of a lousy piece of paper I just lost the only girls I've ever loved."

"We still love you."

"But now it's family love. Romantic love is gone. This is the worst day of my life."

Amanda kissed him and Raven combed her fingers through his hair, saying "I admit it looks bleak for you and us. But we're at Uncle Stan's so we shouldn't assume anything. We'll take some time to think it through like we did when Amanda and I found out we were sisters."

Amanda got up and walked over toward the house. "Well, Uncle Stan. This is a sticky one, isn't it? Where do we go from here?"

She turned around and faced the others. "I'm not getting anything from him. Usually something just pops into my head, like he's talking to me."

"I don't want to be your brother. I want things the way they were."

"The old saying says that when one door closes another one opens. Let's not do anything rash until we see what door opens for us."

Amanda's phone jingled with a text. Her face became distressed as she read it. "It's from my Aunt Sophie. Mom's been taken to the hospital. She's had a heart attack. I'll drop you off and go on to the hospital."

"Like hell you will. We're all going. She's our mother too, you know."

They were directed to a room and told only family members could visit, and even then only one at a time. "We're her children and we want to see her."

Amanda went in and stayed about ten minutes. She was tearful when she came out of the room. "She looks awful. They got her here in time to save her and now she's hooked up to all kinds of machines. They're talking about a triple bypass."

Raven touched Amanda's arm. "They've made great strides with that surgery."

Raven entered the room and likewise spent about ten minutes.

When she came out David said "It's about time for me to introduce myself."

"Do you think that's a good idea given her condition?"

"Anything can happen during surgery. I think she needs to know about me."

The girls each gave him a peck on the cheek and he opened the door.

"I'm David."

Colleen's voice was ragged. "Oh yes. Amanda's told me all about you. She's lucky to have a friend like you."

He pulled a chair up beside the bed and took one of her hands in his. "More than a friend, mother. I'm Raven's twin. I just found out and thought you'd like to know."

She closed her eyes and he thought she had drifted off to sleep, but she put her other hand over his. "I'm so glad. My brood is all back together again" she said in almost a whisper. "If I don't make it through the surgery I can at least go at peace."

Her labored breathing and the sounds of the devices she was hooked up to was all he could hear before she spoke again. "My younger sister Sophie is an RN and is coming to stay with me until the operation and while I recuperate. There's one favor I'll ask of you and Raven. Sophie is bossy and opinionated, always has been. She doesn't know about you and Raven. And I'll never hear the end of it if she finds out."

"So Uncle Stan really was the only family member who knew?"

"Cynthia and Stan both took the secret to their graves. Although she was young their daughter Grace was three or four when you were born and she is the only one left who knows anything."

"As far as Sophie is concerned we're just friends of Amanda's from school."

"Thank you."

He thought it would be best to lay all the cards on the table. "Mother. How much detail has Amanda gone into about our relationship?"

"I know she loves you."

"And I love her. The trouble is I love Raven also, and she loves me."

"I see. That's awkward."

"It was fine up until now because Amanda and Raven like each other, so there wasn't any jealousy."

Colleen got a gleam in her eye that could be interpreted several ways. "I'm not naïve, David. I know Amanda is twenty three and is sexually active. I assume with you."

He felt his face redden. "But now everything's changed."

"So there is love between you and the girls, but now you're their brother."

"That's about it, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to lose the only girls I've ever loved."

"Follow your heart, David, follow your heart."

"That's what Amanda says, but I don't know how to do that."

"You'll figure it out. Don't wind up with regrets like I have. Not that I begrudge you your adoptive family. I'm happy for you. And no matter what happens with the surgery I know my family is all together again."

He bent to kiss her forehead. "You're going to be fine. We'll all come to visit."

David explained the situation to the girls, and as they were about to leave they heard the click of heels on the floor as a woman with a scowling pinched face briskly strode down the hall.

"I hope you haven't tired her out. Only family members are allowed, Amanda. You know that. The rest of you, scoot."

"I drove us all, so we're leaving together."

They watched Sophie go into the room. "Bossy. I'll say," Raven remarked in the elevator.

As they crossed the lobby David suddenly stopped and gripped the arm of each girl. "That's it! Follow my heart! Just as you said, Amanda. She told me the same words. I've been such a dope! The solution is right in front of us. Meet me at Uncle Stan's next Saturday around two. I have some research to do."

No matter how much they cajoled him during the week he was not forthcoming about his plan.

Saturday a little after one thirty Amanda bounced down the track to the house. The girls got out and were stunned."

"What's all this?"

"That over there is metal to repair the roof. We've loaded materials into the house to repair the water damaged ceilings and floors so we'll at least be dried in."

Raven asked "Who is 'we'"?

Amanda stared at the beat up old red F-150 and furrowed her brow. "This looks like Uncle Stan's old truck."

"That's because it is."

A young woman strode out of the house. Amanda ran to her. "Grace!"

After greetings and introductions Grace climbed into the truck. "Next weekend?"

"I'll have another list."

The gears ground as Grace shifted the manual transmission into first. With a wave she jolted her way back to the highway.

"What the hell is going on, David?"

"Do you know what? The property has ended up in Grace's name. She sold off some to a timber company but never sold the house or the land around it, and kept the truck, too."

Raven furrowed her brow and asked "Just what is happening here?"

"I'm following my heart. I don't have a lot of money, but in the summer when I start work for the Cardinal architectural design firm I'll have a real paycheck. When you finish your MSW at the end of the summer so will you, Amanda. Grace is going to let us use the house as long as we want it if we fix it up and pay the taxes. Dad is floating me a small loan to get started with necessary repairs. Raven, you could be in grad school. You can save rent money by living here."

The three went into the house and David pointed to a large envelope on the kitchen counter. Amanda pulled out a photograph and gasped.

"Uncle Stan wasn't the only one who knew about us. So did Grace. There she is at three years old holding us as tiny babies. Raven's birthmark is plainly visible. Grace is tickled that someone will be living here. Three someones, I hope."

"But we're still your sisters.'

"I'm following my heart, and I hope your hearts lead you to come along on the journey with me."

Raven grinned. "I'm in. Who's to know? We all have different last names."

"Let me show you some sketches I made. I think Uncle Stan would be pleased. I have a portfolio of sketches for renovation projects here on the kitchen counter. Money will be tight at first, but eventually we could add on another room."

"Yes, he would be pleased," agreed Amanda, scanning the sketches, "but how will it work, logistically? It's a small two bedroom house. When I stayed over Grace and I slept on a pullout bed in the living room because Uncle Stan had the small bedroom fixed up as an office."

"We don't have to decide sleeping arrangements right now, but the large bedroom is big enough for a king bed. Over the summer I'll upgrade the well and add on another bathroom behind the kitchen."

Raven looked askance at him. "Chickens?"

"If you want 'em and will take care of 'em"

"I love you, David."

"And I love you, Raven and you, too Amanda."

"Ooh, we'll be like hippies living on a commune! It's so nineteen sixties! No one will know who we are! Brilliant!"

"I'm going to call the power company during the week and get them to turn on the juice."

"We could spread our blanket out on the floor and spend the night tonight."

"Maybe next weekend. I've got to repair some windows first. It will get a might chilly until I do. Grace and I cleaned out the wood stove in the living room and we found some nicely aged wood out back so we can have heat until the propane tank is filled for the furnace. That won't be cheap. Kitchen stove's electric so we can cook as soon as we have power. There's no microwave and most of the appliances are dated, but all the major appliances are here, including a washer - drying apparently took place on clotheslines out back. We can replace appliances as needed."

"How did you come up with this idea?"

"I researched ownership of the property at the Register of Deeds to see if the owner would be interested in selling and found Grace still owned it. I talked to her and she couldn't bear to part with it but would love for us to live here. She was excited to find out who Raven and I are. We can borrow the truck whenever we want it. She keeps it under a shed so it's in decent shape."

Raven pursed her lips. "My dad is pretty handy with a hammer. I bet he'd be willing to help."

"Amanda, you need to be with your mother during her recovery. Raven and I will visit her after Aunt Sophie leaves, but we can work here while you visit."

She laughed. "I take every opportunity to get away from that old battle ax, Aunt Sophie. She's good with mom but not so much with me. She thinks I'm 'too forward to be seemly for a girl my age.' I get a lot of lectures on how to dress and act. I'll check in with mom from time to time and call her every day, but will spend more time with mom when the BA goes home."

Raven jumped up and down. "I can't wait for the semester to be over and to get through graduation."

"Me, too, Raven. Me, too."

"Our first house!"

"First? You're assuming the arrangement will last that long?"

"I'm in this for the long haul, buster, so you better get used to me."

"Yeah, David. We love you. To prove it we'll let you watch us one night. That's something you want to see, isn't it?"

"I don't care if you do or if you don't. We are three. Whatever happens, happens. We'll just let love lead us."

"And no one's the wiser as long as long as we don't start reproducing. Then our cover would be blown."

David wrapped his arms around the girls in a group hug. "I couldn't bear to lose either one of you."

"I'm so happy I could dive into the swimming hole - our own personal swimming hole!"

"Let's not get carried away when it's fifty degrees."

He took them each by a hand. "Grace and I poked around and found some things. Let me give you the tour of the place. It looks different when you're actually going to live here. I can't wait to start our lives together."

They walked around the side of the house and Amanda seemed pensive. "Raven, when I found out you were my sister and then David turned out to be a brother I thought everything was ruined between us all."

"But now we can be together forever. I bet we can find a way to all get jobs close enough that we can continue to live here."

David stopped and faced them. "I've agonized over how to choose one of you over the other. Now I don't have to. We can 'play house' or we can live as siblings. I'd miss the sex if we did the latter, but as long as I'm with you I'm content."

Amanda stroked his face. "Aww, that's so sweet. Raven, I think we should keep him."

-----------

Grace climbed into the truck. "The last of the furniture is inside now. My job is done here. Good luck, guys. Be happy."

With a wave out the open window she headed the truck out to the highway, lurching through the ruts.

The three stood in front of the house. David said "It's hard to believe this is our place. Us. I think Grace will be a good landlord. I wish we could buy it from her, but she wants to hang on to it in case she has children and wants to pass it on. She said there is enough acreage that another house could be built on the other end of the property. We'd be neighbors but still be a quarter mile or so apart."

The girls laughed, and the group turned to face the house. "Looks a lot better than when we first saw it," Raven mused.

"I think Uncle Stan would be pleased. What with the fresh coat of paint and all the repairs it really is quite cozy."

They wandered around again, noting large and small things that needed to be done. "I think one of the first things will be to get a load of gravel and find somebody to spread it along that driveway. That will be cheaper than constant car repairs or getting stuck in the mud after a storm."

"The barn needs bracing and roof repairs."

"The well should be upgraded. There is the matter of adding at least a half bath and updating the present one. Kitchen appliances will gradually need to be replaced. Some of the stuff we can do ourselves and the rest will take money. We all have jobs or have jobs lined up. I think Raven's idea of a joint bank account into which we all put a certain amount each month is a good idea. That would be perfect for the general expenses and yet leave us our own personal money for clothes or a new car or something."

"Let's sit on the porch while we polish off the rest of the pizza from last night."

"You guys start and I'll be right there. I'm going to change out of my park naturalist duds. Sorry I had to work on a Saturday, but we had a group of girl scouts and I had to lead the program."

While Raven changed into shorts and tee shirt the others dragged three chairs out onto the porch. David commented "At first it will just be me and Raven contributing to the general fund as we're the only ones with jobs."

"I only have one summer session left but as soon as I finish my MSW I've got a job lined up. Since you'll both be gone all day and I'll have some time during the days when I don't have class I'll contribute by cleaning the house and doing some of the cooking until I start my job. We'll all be working nearby! Grace and I found where the old kitchen garden was. With her help I'll get it ready for planting. Hopefully it's not too late to plant something to harvest this year."

"Raven decided to forgo grad school when the old park naturalist retired and the job opened up. She was in the right place at the right time."

They looked out toward the nearby stream in silence for a moment. "Amanda, I'm glad you suggested we wait until after graduation to move in. It's amazing how much work needed to be done."

"Yeah, I thought it would mean more if we more or less formally moved in before spending the night. Are you sure, David, that you're okay with the small bedroom?"

"I'm fine. I'm kind of glad we decided to change up the arrangements. There's plenty of room for the two queen beds in the larger room and you two can talk girl things. I did manage to snag a king bed from a grad student vacating an apartment. It pretty much fills the smaller bedroom and doesn't give me much room to move around, but I have room on the bed. Lots of room. Hint, hint."

Raven caught the end of the conversation as she reappeared and claimed her veggie everything pizza. "Hmm, Amanda. Do you think we should make use of that 'lots of room' tonight?"

"A special move in night of sex! Yes!"

"Sorry, girls, no sex tonight."

"WHAT?"

David put an arm around each of them. "Because tonight I'm going to make love to you. Slow and meaningful."

Raven's eyes moistened momentarily. "Why, David. That's downright romantic."