C.A.K.E

Arden steps back into the apartment, with the after-effects of Casper's touch still clouding her thoughts. She presses the front door closed and leans her shoulder against it. When she turns, two freckled smirks are waiting for her.

“He likes you,” Teagan says in a sing-song tone. She swirls a lock of her auburn hair around her finger and swings side to side. The hem of her floral sundress swishes with her every move.

“A lot,” Rowan adds, his stance firm and Converse tapping the hardwoods.

“He's a friend.” Arden wipes the smile off her face and walks past them.

“What kind of friend?” Teagan asks.

“A friend. No other adjectives to report.”

“How long has he been a friend?” Rowan eyeballs her.

“You heard, a little over a week.” Arden puts a hand on both of their shoulders and directs them over to the sofa. “Enough of the third degree. I believe you two are the ones who owe me an explanation.”

The twins plop down on the couch in a simultaneous flurry of fiery hair. They avoid Arden's expectant gaze, by pretending to be too engrossed with the new artwork on the walls.

“Oh, you bought the Cezanne,” Teagan points out.

Ardi rolls her eyes and addresses Rowan. “Ro?”

“I thought you were leaning toward a more contemporary piece,” Rowan muses.

“I too was of this mindset. But the Cezanne is much more nuanced.” Teagan swirls her hand through the air like she's flicking a paintbrush.

Rowan runs his hand over the peach fuzz on his chin and crosses his legs.

“I concur, dear sister. Indeed, a remarkable piece.”

Arden folds her arms across her chest and stares them both down. She looks at Rowan, before deciding to zero in on Teagan.

Her green eyes peek at Arden, before finding a less intimidating focal point. Tea has never been a good liar.

She scoots in between the two.

“Why aren't you in New York, Teagan?” Arden smooths Teagan's hair away from her face.

The girl plays with her dress and refuses to look at her Ammi. Neither one is willing to answer Arden.

They are supposed to be spending the summer with their mother in Manhattan. That's been the arrangement since they were in elementary school.

When they were five, Elliott asked for a custody review. Before that, the twins lived with their mother full-time. The judge asked them who they would like to live with, and they chose their father.

They chose Arden.

So she and Eli have primary custody of the twins. Once the academic year is over, they belong to their mother. Elliott and Arden put their babies on a plane, and count the days until August rolls around again.

The twins will be starting their senior year of high school at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in the fall, which means soon they'll be spending more than three months away from Arden. And Ardi is not ready for that yet.

She'll be rattling around in this house all by her lonesome. Elliott's absences will be even more noticeable when they're gone.

Arden sighs deep and glances at the two silent teenagers. They want to play hardball. That's fine. She heaves herself from the sofa and retrieves her phone.

“Since you two won't talk, I'll just give Melinda a call. Maybe she can tell me why you're not in New York with her.”

Ro and Tea abandon the statue act and scramble from their seats.

“All right, all right. We'll talk.”

“Just drop the weapon.” Rowan pats the air, signaling her to put down the phone.

Arden keeps her finger poised to dial Melinda's number. She is in no mood to unleash the crazy that is Eli's ex-wife. But she will. The kids need to know who's boss around here.

“Let's hear it first.”

The twins look at each other, and sigh. Rowan decides to take the lead.

“Melinda has a new boyfriend, and he's an asshole.”

Arden raises her eyebrow at Ro.

“Sorry.” He shrugs and tries again. “He's not the easiest guy to get along with.”

“Did he do anything to you?” Arden searches the twins for any signs of foul play. They brush off her worried hands.

“No, he's just a dick.” Teagan's nose wrinkles and her freckles glow like embers leaping from a fire. “They stay out all hours of the night. He smokes weed constantly. And the other night we heard him talking about shipping the rugrats back to their dad.”

“So we granted his

something to Melinda about

since her assistant picked us up from the airport and dropped us off at her

hasn't spent any time with

has been known to ignore her own children, then remember they exist when she needs two smiling

Rowan and Teagan become life-sized dolls she thinks can be put on a shelf until

be long, before she's calling

that her American Express is missing first.” Teagan dismisses Ardi's concern. “The fraud

fugitives.” Arden scoffs. “You should

Rowan frowns, shaking his head.

already, without you

sexy, trophy wife. She's supposed to hate you,”

she didn't.” Rowan grins at

laughs and gives them both a kiss on the cheek.

sky blue?” Teagan smirks

right, give me

dark jeans with a cotton button-down shirt. By the time she makes it back to the kitchen, the twins have taken their

roasted chicken paninis and some fresh lemonade. After they eat, they sit around the dining table playing

she lets them play for real money. She tallies up their chips and converts it to cash. However much they win goes into a savings account that only she and Eli can access. But she lets them keep a third of the money to do with as they wish. Between the two of them, they've fleeced her

down his hand like he's at the Bellagio. He gloats, as he rakes in his

in mind, I still have to call your father. So don't get too comfortable taking all my

Ammi.” He smiles behind the red plastic of the visor covering his

smirks at him and reaches for her

on the second ring. No matter what he's doing, he'll always answer her call.

“Hello, my love.”

when she hears the affection in his gentle voice.

“Hi, sweetheart.”

“How was your day?”

through her head. She pushes the former out of her mind, and Eli doesn't

here by mistake, but I

packages also be the same ones, who will be costing us a substantial amount of college tuition

them.” Arden puts the phone on speaker and holds it so the twins can scream

they yell

you two doing home? You're supposed to be with your mother.” Surprise and irritation are apparent in

launch into a frenzied explanation of their exodus from the Big Apple. The result is three

to quiet Rowan and Teagan and takes the phone off speaker. She steps out of the kitchen, and into the living room, out of

let you know they're here. We can discuss it when you get home.” She shoves her free hand into her jeans pocket, buying some time to prepare her nerves before she asks him a

to be Carbon dated, there are layers of soil and debris deposits

butts into his rambling of reasons why she won't see him

Elliott. I understand. We'll see you ...

a dog, she'd kick him right about now.

Ardi.” He groans.

imagines he's removed his glasses and is running his hand over his face. He doesn't like this

have to work. What

you and

and plays with a button

“I love you.”

... love you,

hangs up and she feels even more alone than if she'd just watched him walk out the door. She stares at the phone in her hand like it's the

shadows a mixture of red, yellow, and green with their blinding lights. Her eyes shift in and out of focus as her mind drifts, making the world outside

begins, taking a step toward her. “He's

tonight.” She puts an arm around

our weight in junk food,” Tea says with a

Arden nods. “Right.”

throws that request in, hoping to strike while the sympathy iron is

And you know good and well about

a shot.” He

decide to order a pizza, giving her a little break from the kitchen. Their

pig out and watch desperate groups of survivors fight off the dead and each other.

the statement into the air, where it hangs for

already brimming jar of hurt, that their Ammi

both too busy for

Arden, who takes a spoonful before handing it

search for the right words. “Both of your parents love you.

career,

they could make time for us like you

cream over and over with his spoon. Arden

to spend half the night piecing together remains, or performing analyses. And Melinda damn sure doesn't have to be such a vacuous bitch. But Arden doesn't

tries to assure Ro and Tea with the same line that seldom helps her sleep