The Things We Keep Hidden...

Chapter 1

Everyone seemed on edge a lot. It had been over a month since Don had wrapped up his undercover assignment, but he was still acting different. Ande's nightmares had started again, and she was trying as hard as she could to keep anyone, other than Alex, from noticing. Alex was worried about his sister, she hadn't been like this for a long time, and he was also fighting against his own bitter memories, which he would talk about with an old friend of the family.

"OK, seriously what's going on with you two?," Don asked abruptly one night while they were eating. The twins exchanged a glance.

"Nothing," they replied in unison.

"Uh-huh, sure," Don said sarcastically. "So why have you guys been so quiet, and acting different?" They shared another glance.

"Well, what about you? Why have you been so quiet and acting different?," Ande countered.

"We're not talking about me," Don said, trying to change the subject back.

"Well, maybe we should be," she continued.

"OK, fine. How 'bout we talk about both?" Don was compromising now. Ande rolled her eyes, but Alex spoke up.

"That sounds like a good idea to me," he said pointedly toward Ande. She just scowled at him. "What? I'm tired of not talking!," Alex told his sister, getting aggravated that she didn't even want to talk anymore.

"Well, I'm not talking so get used to it. You guys can talk all you want, but leave me out of it," Ande told them bluntly, getting up and going back to her and Alex's bedroom.

"Ande, come on...," Don tried, but failed. She'd already gone. Alex let out an exasperated sigh.

"Just forget it," Alex told Don. "She won't listen to anyone anymore. Not when she gets like this." Alex felt defeated, again. Don was worried.

"Why? What do you mean 'when she gets like this'?," Don asked, knowing he was definitely missing something.

"Nothing, I didn't mean anything!," Alex said, getting aggravated with himself again. "Just forget it." Then Alex followed his sister, and went to bed.

What the hell is going on with them?, Don wondered after they'd gone. She's not talking, and he's sounding more like her. Something's going on. Don knew he wouldn't be able to figure it out tonight, so he gave up, got a beer and went into the living room to watch TV, which he fell asleep doing.

The next day while he was at work, Don's cell phone rang.

"Hello?," He answered. "Uh-huh...OK...Yeah, just..." He looked at his watch. "Give me 20/30 minutes?...OK yeah... see ya then."

When he got to the school Don knew exactly where to go. He'd had to pick Ande up four times in the past week, after she'd gotten into fights. And here he was again. When he walked into the principal's office Ande was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk, she didn't even look up at him.

"Mr. Eppes, have a seat," the principal said, motioning to the other chair by Ande. He sat down, and she continued. "OK, well, as my assistant told you on the phone, Ande was in yet another fight." She paused, and sighed, looking at Ande then back at Don. "That's the fifth one in a week. Now, obviously something is going on. I don't know whether it's problems at home or-"

"Wh-," Ande started to say something, sitting up out of her slouch, but Don slapped her arm and shook his head to tell her to not say anything. There was silence for a minute.

"Look, Ms. Peters what exactly are you saying?," Don asked. The principal just sighed.

"Well, I can see that apparently my insights after 20 years as principal are useless in this case." Don just stared at her, obviously confused. "I can see where she gets it," Ms. Peters clarified. Ande choked back a laugh, receiving a scowl from both the principal and Don. Ms. Peters ignored her and continued, "OK, under normal circumstances we'd probably just give some detention and some advice, and that'd be that. However, this is the fifth incident in a week." She looked over at Ande, who just stared back. "It's two weeks suspension."

"Two weeks?," Don asked in disbelief.

"That's right Mr. Eppes, two weeks," the principal replied with a very firm tone. "Now, I will see you in two weeks," she told Ande. She stood and held the door open. Don and Ande took the hint and left.

"Was this intentional or were you just being stupid?," Don asked as they got in the car.

"What's that suppose to mean?," Ande spat back. "You think I wanted to get suspended?"

"How the hell should I know?" Don was raising his voice now. He took a deep breath and looked over at her, much calmer now. "You don't talk to me, you hardly talk to Alex, and you barely sleep at all. How am I suppose to know what's going on in your head?" Ande just stared at him, she hadn't realized she was that transparent. When she didn't say anything, Don knew something was wrong. "OK, what's going on?" She looked away from him, but he turned her back. "Look, if you tell me, then maybe I can help," he told her, starting to worry now.

"I can't," she practically whispered. You could now see the concern on Don's face.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean I can't tell you."

"Why not?," he pressed. She sighed, but didn't say anything. He took the hint. "Fine, but if it's going to affect you this much, you're gonna have to tell me sooner or later."

"TWO WEEKS?" Alan was in disbelief after Don had told him what happened.

"Don't worry about it, dad. I've got it under control," Don replied calmly.

"Oh, yeah I can see that," Alan said sarcastically. Don rolled his eyes, then Alan turned serious. "Donnie, your seventeen year old daughter was just suspended from school for two weeks."

"I know, dad, I was there." Don was sarcastic now.

"Well, does that sound like it's under control to you?" Don looked at his father.

"Look, I'm handling it," Don said seriously.