Chapter 4: LYLAS

"Nancy, well she's my mother so I love her but...I don't know...I can't help feeling...betrayed...I mean...she gave me up...you know?" Tabitha looked at her sister expectantly. She hoped she wasn't about to get blasted about how wonderful her "mother" was.

"Wow," Chloe said. Tabitha could hear the amused tone in Chloe's voice and found it unsettling...until Chloe continued. "We may be physically different but mentally we are the same. I feel the exact same way. But I'm warning you now, Nancy doesn't understand it at all. She thinks that I...we...should just forget about all those years during which she pretended we didn't exist. I can't do that...I try but it hasn't worked so far. If she would just tell me who my...our...father was it might be different. I don't know. Craig isn't bad though." Chloe was actually relieved to be able to share with someone else who understood exactly what was going on. "You know...other than the height thing we really aren't that physically different." The two sisters regarded each other. Chloe was about six inches taller than Tabitha and her hair was about six inches longer. Tabitha's was the same dark brown though, and it was curly just like Chloe's own. They had the same color eyes. They really were very similar...what made them different was there clothing more than anything. Tabitha wore olive colored parachute pants with a matching bandana in her hair, a black cotton t-shirt, and a beat up pair of Vans. It was a sharp contrast to Chloe's refined outfit. Plus, she wore no makeup. Tabitha noticed the difference.

"Well, we definitely have different personal styles." They both laughed and felt this...connection...like they'd known each other all their lives. "Oh, call me Tabi"

"OK...Tabi" Chloe was surprised at how well she and Tabi were getting along already. Other than Belle Chloe really didn't have any female friends. She didn't seem to get along with other girls in Salem...or anywhere she'd lived. "I'm really sorry about what happened with your foster family. I know how hard that is."

"Yeah, thanks." With most people Tabi felt compelled to tell them they didn't understand but she could tell Chloe did. "Weird" she said, laughing slightly.

"What is?" Chloe asked.

"This may sound weird to you but...I've never really had girl friends. I've always hung out with guys. It must be this twin thing...as cheesy as it sounds I feel...well...connected to you. Does that sound stupid?"

"Not at all...I completely understand." Chloe was amazed at how similar they were. "Whoever our dad was must have had a good demeanor cause neither of us seem to get our personality from Nancy." They both laughed. Then the phone rang. Chloe ran to answer it but she was too late. They heard a voice calling from downstairs.

"Chloe, it's Brady."

"I got it Nancy." Chloe picked up the phone and heard the click of the other line being hung-up. "Did she say anything to you?"

"Who, Nancy, No Chloe she didn't...don't worry. But anyway, my paranoid princess, I was calling to see how everything is with your double."

"Tabi is great Brady. If you want you can come over now and meet her."

"Are you sure I won't be interrupting your 'getting to know each other' phase?"

"Not at all...we don't need that phase...we seem to just...understand each other." She looked at Tabi and they both smiled. She heard Brady's laughter on the other end of the phone. "Shut up! You just don't understand. Come over."

"Nancy won't be waiting at the door to attack me with a meat tenderizer?"

"I hope not. I'll wait for you down stairs just in case. I'm hanging up the phone now so you can leave. Bye." Chloe hung up before he could protest.

"Who is this 'Brady' that you were talking to?"

"He's a good friend and my best friend Belle's older brother." Tabi gave her an inquisitive look.

"Is he a friend or a friend?" she asked.

"He's just a friend." Chloe stated. But Tabi saw the look on Chloe's face and knew that if they were "just friends" as Chloe claimed that Chloe definitely wished they were more. "Come on...let's go wait downstairs."

They walked back into the living room and Nancy immediately pounced on them from her perch on the couch. "Girls! Would you two like any desert? I made some brownies. Tabitha, what do you think of your room?"

Tabi started to answer but Chloe got there first. "No Nancy, we would not like any brownies. We are only here waiting for Brady so you don't verbally attack him the second he walks in the door."

"Chloe Lane! I can't believe you would say that. And I am sure Tabitha can answer on her own whether or not she would like a brownie. And I DON'T appreciate you being so rude. What an impression to make on your sister!"

"Oh please, don't start acting like a saint now. Tabi is going to live here...why bother with this charade?"

Craig walked into the room just then. "Nancy, Chloe, I think you should both calm down."

Tabi saw headlights through the window and realized that it must be Chloe's friend Brady. She didn't know what was going on between Nancy and him but didn't want to find out. "I would love a brownie, Nancy. Thank you!"

"Great. I'll get you a glass of milk to go with it." Nancy shot Chloe a triumphant look before going to the kitchen. Chloe turned to Tabi with a murderous look in her eyes. Just then the doorbell rang and Chloe realized what Tabi had done. Her look turned to one of thanks and she went to let Brady in.

"Come in Brady...let's go upstairs quickly and then Tabi will meet us." She herded Brady up the stairs right before Nancy returned.

"Here you go." Nancy held out a plate with a massive brownie and handed it to Tabi along with a giant glass of milk.

"Thanks." Tabi said with the best look of feigned gratitude she could muster. She went upstairs to see her sister and found a really hot blonde guy sitting with her. He stood up and put out his hand.

"Hi, I'm Brady Black. You must be Tabi." Tabi took his hand and he shook it firmly, nodding. "Hey, thanks for saving me back there."

"No problem." Tabi said, nonchalantly. She took a bite of the brownie and immediately spit it back on to the plate. "Oh my God, this tastes like crap!"

"Nancy has never been good with desserts...I would have warned you but I didn't see you about to take a bite." Tabi set the plate on the nightstand and took a sip of the milk. She made a face as she swallowed it.

"This is whole milk isn't it?" Tabi asked, feeling the thick liquid go down her throat. "That's so gross. I'm used to skim milk."

"Let Nancy know and she will jump through hoops to accommodate you." Chloe smiled because she knew it was true. Nancy would do her best to win over Tabi by spoiling her but Chloe realized, even if Nancy didn't, that material gifts would not win over the love of either of her daughters. But she was free to try if she wanted.

"I'll drink it." Brady said and Tabi gladly handed over the glass. As she did she studied the blond twenty-something sitting next to her on the bed. He really was attractive and very muscular. And he seemed nice. She hoped there were other guys like him in Salem since she knew that Chloe had Brady staked as her territory...even if Chloe wouldn't admit it. "Hey," Brady said, interrupting both girls' thoughts. "The reason I came over was to ask if you two lovely ladies would like to accompany me to pick up Belle and Shawn from the airport tomorrow."

"That sounds cool...but who are Belle and Shawn?" Tabi was curious to learn about Chloe's friends.

"Well, as I said earlier, Belle is Brady's little sister and my best friend. Shawn is her now ex- boyfriend though I have yet to find out why. She wouldn't tell me and I find it very odd. But I'm sure she just wanted to explain in person. Shawn's really cool. He hangs out with Belle, me, and Phi..." Chloe stopped herself before saying his name.

"You, Belle, and who?" Tabi was now really curious...so many secrets surrounded Chloe's life. Brady answered for Chloe.

"Philip Kariakis, Chloe's ex-. But anyway I have to be going...I'll pick you two up at noon tomorrow, OK?"

"OK." Chloe said and stood up to walk with Brady to the door. "And we will come to the picnic." she turned to Tabi. "The Blacks are throwing a 'Welcome Home' picnic for all the kids coming back from Puerto Rico...they were there on a field trip."

"Oh, OK. Well, it was very nice to meet you, Brady."

"You too. See you tomorrow. Bye Chloe." Brady left and the girls went upstairs.

"You have the biggest crushes on each other!" Tabi accused.

"We do not. We're friends."

"Sure." Chloe threw a pillow at Tabi and pulled out last year's yearbook to show her sister. They spent the rest of the night talking about Chloe's friends.