Part One

I'm Erica. Erica Bing. I'm adopted.

For most people, they always comment on how lucky I am to have two parents that want me, love me that much. But I see it that I had two parents who didn't want me, didn't love me that much.

Don't get me wrong, I love my mum and dad. They're really cool; well, Dad thinks he is, anyway. Dad's like the king of awful jokes, and Mom's the only person he can make laugh.

I was adopted as a twin, which doesn't make me feel totally alone. Jack is really cool. I can basically talk to him about anything.

We have three cousins too; Ben, Emma and Izzy. Emma's two and a half years older than me, but she acts like she's a full on adult, and I'm a child. Izzy is two years younger than me, and is a bit annoying. She follows me round all the time; Mom thinks its sweet. Ben is eight years older than me, and frankly doesn't really care about me. We don't see him as much, because of his moms. They're lesbians, and Uncle Ross used to be married to Aunt Carol. If you ask me, I'm glad they divorced, because I cannot imagine Uncle Ross without Auntie Rachel. Auntie Rach is my favourite grown-up lady. She's so sophisticated; she's a full on fashion designer for Dolce and Gabbana- I couldn't pronounce it until I was thirteen!

Me and Jack are sixteen now, and we're helping tidy the house for Thanksgiving. Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike will be here any minute with their four children- Freddie, Vincent, Connie and Frey. They're all younger than me; Freddie by a year, Vincent two years, Connie (short for Consuela; I've never got the joke) four years and Frey by six. Frey's tiny, and soo cute. She's nine, so she's a little bit of a madam- but when she's older, she'll awesome.

'ERICA!' Mom yells up the stairs. 'Come help Jack clean the linen cupboard!'

Linen cupboard? Why would Uncle Joey, Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike care about the linen cupboard?

'NOW!' Mom shouts.

'Fine,' I mutter, trudging out of my room and onto the landing. Bizarrely, I see Jack hiding behind the china cabinet, looking terrified.

I stare incredulously at him.

He wriggles around a bit uncomfortably, and then he sees me. Guiltily, he averts my gaze.

'Jack?'

'Mm?'

'What on Earth are you doing?'

He tries to cover up a splutter of laughter as he realises how ridiculous he must look. I look at him expectantly, until sheepishly he admits that 'Ivy's here.'

Ivy is three years older than us, and is Uncle Joey's stepdaughter. Also, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Like, she practically glows.

'Ah,' I sigh. Then I burst out laughing.

'You are a wimp, Jack Bing!' I screech. He glares at me.

'Hey! It's not my fault... even Ben fancies her!' Jack protests, while I guffaw.

My enthusiastic raucousness must have alerted Mom, who then came to the bottom of the stairs and yelled at us both to 'Get down here right now and help.' Rude.

While I wash up the dishes from breakfast, I watch amusedly as Jack gazes like a puppy dog at Ivy. She's on her phone, scrolling through Snapchat or something. She sees Jack staring, and smiles nicely. He goes white, and blabbers something about nice weather, and then runs off. I stifle a laugh, especially when Mom sees and looks questionably at me, eyebrows raised. I smile secretly.

Just then, the doorbell rings.

'Erica, can you get that?' Dad says, midway through reviewing Uncle Joey's taxes.

I open the door, and am greeted with a perfumey, stifling hug. Auntie Rach!

I grin at them all, and Uncle Ross hands me some sort of bone. He seriously informs me that 'This bone will get you all the guys... don't tell your dad I said that, though.'

I quench down a laugh, and thank him.

Uncle Ross and Auntie Rach go into the living room, leaving me with Ben, Emma and Izzy.

Emma rolls her eyes, and gets out her phone, Ben already on it. Izzy gazes adoringly at me.

'OK!' I say, faking enthusiasm. 'Do you guys want some Mini Rolls?'

Ben nods at me, smiling, while Emma goes 'OhmyGod, no, Erica, those things have like calories and will definitely halt my metabolism,' Emma states, swishing her hair and following her parents into the house, Ben and Izzy behind her.

Great, I think. This going to be hell.

After Aunt Phoebe and her clan arrived, Mom sat everyone round the table and served two huge turkeys. Uncle Joey licked his lips ravishingly.

We were all tucking into our food, when Uncle Joey and Lilia, his wife of two years (mother of the evervescant Ivy) shared a knowing look. Uncle Joey put down his fork.

The moment he did, Auntie Rach said quickly, 'Jeez Joe, are you OK? You're not eating.'

Straight away, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Ross, Mom and Dad stop eating and stare at him worriedly.

'Joe?' Dad says.

Uncle Joey grins sheepishly. He reaches across for Lilia's hand, and surveys the table. Even Emma stops inspecting her Titanic-sinking nose to see what's going on.

Lilia smiles, and her dark brown eyes light up as she says, 'We have something to tell you...'

Uncle Joey smiles widely as he announces, 'Lilia's pregnant!'