"So . . . where do you want me to start?" Lena asked, breaking the tense silence surrounding the five kids.
"How about the day you left?" Lucas suggested. "But maybe you could add in a little backstory if the need arises."
The rest of the group murmured in assent.
"Yeah. Okay so, Lucas, remember the time I broke my ankle and I told you I fell in the stables?" He nodded, confused. "I lied."
"I knew it!" Lucas exclaimed.
"Anyways, you're not going to want to hear this. You sure you can handle it?" He nodded once more. "It was Austin."
"Austin like my dad Austin?"
Maya cut in, "Wait, your dad? I thought you were twins!"
"Yeah, we are. We just have different fathers. It's rare, but possible," Lena answered.
"Moving on! Okay, so Austin was mad because he wasn't my father, so he abused me. I secretly got emancipated, I wrote the letter, and I left. I know I shouldn't have left on our birthday, but I just wanted our last day together to be the best of all."
Lucas, with tears running down his face, put his head in his hands, sobbing.
Lena wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her, clutching her tiny body in his embrace.
"Should I stop, Teddy?"
"No. I need to hear this."
"Okay," Lena said softly, stroking her brother's hair. "After that, I went to college at Northwestern, stayed with a nice family for those years, and came here."
Lucas nodded, finally calming down.
"Wait, Austin isn't here, is he?" Fear was beginning to creep into Lena's voice.
"No. He and Momma got divorced. Are you going to come live with us now?" Lucas asked hopefully.
"I'm really sorry, but I can't. I just can't. It's just too much for me." Sensing his disappointment, she hurriedly added, "But I already have a room set up here for you, in case you want to stay over sometimes. And would it be too much to ask if I could visit you and Momma, and maybe even have a room at your place?"
Brightening up, Lucas said, "By the way, I didn't tell Momma you were here. I wanted to do that together."
Nodding, Lena said, "Yeah, that would probably be best. Tell you what, I'll bake some of my special cookies and bring'em down for y'all tomorrow. You aren't allergic to anything, are you?"
They all shook their heads, excluding the recently reunited twins.
"Okay, y'all's turn," Lena said.
Lucas, Farkle, and Riley's stories were quick, as was Maya's, at least until she said, "I have some good and bad news. Mom got a lead role in a Hollywood movie."
There were whoops all around the table until Maya cut them off: "And she said if I can't find a place to live by Friday, I'm going with her. And no, Riley. She said it can't be a place where I'm on the couch."
There was silence all around until Lena piped up, "Why don't you stay with me? Even with Lucas's room, I have one extra: the room above Riley's, because no offense, Teddy, I'm not about to set you on top of your future girlfriend."
Lucas and Riley blushed while Maya elatedly replied, "I'd love to, but are you sure? You barely know me!"
"I am 100% sure beyond sure beyond sure. You are staying here, Maya, and that's final!" Lena exclaimed, adding, "Won't you want to live above your best friend?"
Maya simply grinned, pulling Lena out of Lucas's arms and into a bear hug of her own.