Chapter 1!
Conner and Murphy McManus were excited about their fourth birthday. Ma said that Da would be there- if he didn't have to work. Murphy always wondered what Da was always up to. He would leave early in the morning, and wouldn't come home until late. He and ma were always fighting about his job. Ma said it wasn't right, but Da insisted. Whenever he and Conner asked about it, Da would just shake it off. Murphy wanted to be just like Da when he grew up- he wanted to be as devoted to God as Da was.
The time rolled by as Conner and Murphy waited for Da to come home. Rocco had already gone home, and it was passed midnight. Murphy stared at the leftover cake sitting on the kitchen counter. Why did Da always do this to him? Why was he always gone?
Murph sat wondering, when the phone rang. He leaped out of his chair and answered it before Ma could get to it.
"Hello?" he said as he picked up the phone. It was Da!
"Hey, Murph my boy! How's my big four year ol'?" he was always so cheerful.
"I'm good Da. Where are you?" Murph asked. He wanted to know everything.
"Uh, nowhere son. Can you get your mother for me?" Murphy's heart sank. He really wanted to know where his father was. But he called for his mother, obeying his father's wishes. He quietly left the room and went to his own. Conner was sitting on his bed staring at the ceiling.
"Hey Murph?" Conner asked.
"Yeah Conner." Murph answered. He and Conner often had the same thoughts, same feelings… same everything a lot of the time. Whenever Conner was hurt, Murph knew. And vise versa. He figured that was what being a twin was all about.
"Why is Ma and Da always in a fight? I mean, you can hear her yelling at him now." Murph listened to his mother through the wall. She was crying too.
"How did you get yourself thrown in jail?" Murph heard his mother say to the phone.
"Conner, I think Da's in jail!" Murph exclaimed.
"What?" Conner sat up from his bed and pressed his ear against the cold white paint of the wall. He could hear his mother crying. The twins got to spend their fourth birthday waiting to hear that their dad had a life sentence in jail.