She had tried to move on, three different times; all of which had been in vain.
The first time, jealousy had amplified the worst in her when he had taken interest in another girl.
The second time, she had done a fine job of moving on; she had thought.
Until he came to London.
Until he became a fixture in her group of mates. Until that night in the snow.
The third time, she had been determined.
Determined to the point that instead of telling him to get lost when he had walked into the bookshop he had known she would be in, she had eventually married him.
Had kids with him.
Lived with him for eighteen years.
That was then.
That was in her teens. In her twenties.
She had failed to move on from him the other times, but the fourth; the fourth would succeed where the others had not.
"If you wanted to distance yourself from him as much as you say you do, you wouldn't be moving into his old place," said her brother.
"It was for sale," she said. "Hand me that box."
"Lots of homes were for sale, Bren." Brandon handed her the requested box. "You chose that one for a reason."
"I chose it for the girls," said Brenda. "That's all. Are you going to help your pregnant sister pack, or what?"
"You're the organizer," said Brandon.
"And you're the one who wields a mighty tape dispenser," said Brenda.
Brandon helped her tape up the boxes.
He turned a scrutinizing eye on Brenda.
"Brandon, I told you," she began.
"Isn't about that," he said. "Bren, you're really going to have to tell the others soon, unless you're planning for them to find out without telling them. You, uh, aren't getting any smaller."
"Thanks," she said, voice saturated in sarcasm.
Brenda would have liked to call Brandon uncouth, but he did have an unfortunate point, proven in the progression of photos she had sent to Dylan.
She had perhaps months left yet to successfully conceal the pregnancy in her costume as, true to her word, Tish hadn't said anything.
Brenda had a week at most to conceal it with her normal, everyday twenty-first century wardrobe, if not less than that.
"I just don't know how to tell everyone," she said. "I could barely tell you or Dylan. What am I supposed to say, mother of two on the brink of divorce got herself knocked up again?"
"Since we both know the gang won't care about that, I take it this tabloid speak of yours is more about Dad," said Brandon.
"You know he's just bursting at the seams that my marriage is a bust, whilst yours has never been healthier," said Brenda.
"I wouldn't exactly call it a bust," said Brandon. "I may not be able to tolerate Dylan much at all right now, but your kids and all the years you spent together can't be considered a bust. Even Dad wouldn't call that a bust, because of his grandkids."
"You sound like Val."
"Then maybe you should listen to both of us. Instead of your depression."
"Now you sound like Dylan."
"I'll forget you said that."
It had taken nearly a fortnight for the owners of the bungalow to agree to the sale and in that entire time, not once had Brandon come up with answers for Brenda's mysterious epistolist.
"Naomi!" Brandon called. "Come in here and help your aunt pack."
"I was going to help Ade pack," said Naomi from the hallway.
"Ade needs help," Callie piped in, "she hasn't packed a thing."
"Oi, put a sock in it, Callie!" Adrianna yelled.
"Mum!" Callie yelled. "Ade told me to put a sock in it!"
Rising from the bed, Brenda made to attend to her girls.
"I'll get them," said Brandon.
"Dylan should be here soon," said Brenda.
"And how does Dylan feel about you and the girls moving into his old place?" asked Brandon.
"Why, Brandon," said Brenda, "I didn't know you care what Dylan thinks about anything."
"Kelly," said Brandon, "can you help my sister?"
"Sure," said Kelly.
"Stall her," said Brenda.
"Not the hoodie again," said Brandon. "They're going to catch on, Bren."
"We'll tell them at the new place," said Brenda. "Stall her."
"You mean, the old place," Brandon corrected.
He did, however, stall his wife.
"Alright," said Kelly, "where should I start?"
"The closet?" asked Brenda with an extra dose of syrupy sweet. "I've just been working a lot lately."
"The closet it is," said Kelly, "after you take off your hoodie."
"I'm cold," said Brenda.
"Oh, come off it, Bren," said Kelly. "I know you're pregnant. And no, before you ask, the others haven't caught on, but they probably will soon if you don't mention it."
"Pregnant?" Brenda nervously chuckled. "You – you think I'm pregnant?"
"Bren, three different people ordered you to sit when you were anxious over Ade," said Kelly. "And don't think I haven't noticed how protective my husband's been over you lately."
"That's just Brandon," said Brenda.
"When are you due?" asked Kelly.
Deciding there was no use in continuing to hide from Kelly, Brenda removed her hoodie as she sat back down on the bed.
"I've got to get me one of those hoodies," said Kelly as she looked over Brenda.
"If I'm ever in Volos again, I'll get you one," said Brenda.
She explained to Kelly where Volos was on the map.
"I take it you made the best decision for you?" Kelly slid beside Brenda on the bed.
"I went to the clinic, Kel," said Brenda. "I couldn't follow through with it and now here I am, right on the edge of seventeen weeks."
"I'll assume Brandon knows," said Kelly. "And Val? Have you told Dylan?"
"They all know," said Brenda. "We were going to tell you. All of you. There just didn't seem to be a right time, between Donna's schedule, Steve's schedule, my schedule…"
"Is it really about our schedules?" asked Kelly.
"Don't go all caseworker on me," said Brenda.
"It isn't though, is it?"
Brenda might as well have been speaking with Brandon.
"Dylan and I told the girls," she said. "We told them the day of homecoming and with – with Adrianna getting – I guess I – guess I thought something could happen to any of you if we told anyone else. I've not wanted to risk it. So we just haven't, yet. Dylan's wanted to. I'm the one that's been holding back."
"This is what you want, honey?" asked Kelly.
"Not under these circumstances," said Brenda, "but yes, it is what I want."
"Then I'm thrilled," said Kelly. "It's been so long since we've had a little baby around."
"It's also been so long since I raised an infant," said Brenda. She dropped her head on Kelly's shoulder. "Am I still cut out for it?"
"You raised two," Kelly noted. "Splendidly, might I add."
Brenda said she had been younger then, much younger.
Kelly told Brenda to consider Kelly's mother.
"My sister has turned out just fine, hasn't she?" asked Kelly.
Brenda admitted that Jackie Taylor-Silver had not permitted age to step in the way of raising her youngest child and that Erin Silver had indeed turned out fine.
"I've been wanting to ask you something, Kel," said Brenda. "I'm just not sure how to go about asking it without opening some old wounds, perhaps for both of us."
"You can ask me anything, Bren."
"What happened to make you and Dylan split for the final time?"
That sounded better than bluntly asking Kelly if she and Dylan had split over his memory of Toni.
Kelly's perfectly maintained eyebrows leapt to her forehead.
"That, I did not expect you to ask," she said.
"Sorry," said Brenda.
"No, it's fine," said Kelly, "just unexpected. Dylan didn't tell you?"
"It was kind of my condition," said Brenda. "I didn't want to hear anything more about your reunion than I needed to."
"You can hardly call it a reunion," said Kelly. "I think it lasted, what, a month? Less? Maybe two? before we started to fight nonstop. Again."
Sitting back on her hands which made her belly push out more, Brenda listened to Kelly's story.
It had begun with a work party, said Kelly.
She had assumed following David's and Donna's wedding that Dylan would begin attending Kelly's work parties.
"He did not," Brenda guessed.
"Oh, it's worse than that," said Kelly.
Dylan had told Kelly he would be all in, but his definition of "all in" had differed significantly from Kelly's.
"I had forgotten what it was like being in a relationship with him – a real relationship, not just lusting after each other while we were with other people; God, Matt deserved so much better; I'd even admit Gina did, if she wasn't doing this to you now," said Kelly, "and compared to what I had had with Brandon and Matt both, it was miserable. Absolutely miserable. His drinking that he said he could handle? Spiralled out-of-control."
"Was that when he began attending AA again?" asked Brenda.
Dylan must have done that when he had returned to London, said Kelly, for he hadn't once attended a meeting when he had been with her.
"He just kept saying he could handle it. 'I can handle it, Kel,'" said Kelly in her best impression of Dylan. "'Quit being such a killjoy stick-in-the-mud. I can handle it.' So what does he do? He shows up to the party, completely wasted. I'm mortified. We start fighting outside about it. 'You wanted me here,' he said. 'I'm here.' 'You aren't here,' I told him. 'You're in London!' 'What do you gotta mention London for, huh?' he asked.
So then I told him," said Kelly, "I told him how I would hear him sometimes at night, how he would tell me he missed me and begged me to be in his arms, but when I went to him, he'd push me away and tell me the same thing over and over, 'Not her. Not her. You ain't her.'"
Dylan had scoffed at that, said Kelly.
They were rearing again; those depression demons, as Dylan had called them.
The ones that told Brenda that Dylan had been thinking of Toni when he had pushed Kelly away.
The ones that reiterated that Dylan had done the same with Gina.
Brenda didn't tell Kelly her conclusion, in the event that Brenda's theory would make its way back to Dylan and his denial.
"He came back with 'well, you ain't here, either,'" said Kelly. "I didn't know what he meant by that. 'You're out East,' he said. 'You're with him.'"
Kelly said she had told Dylan she didn't know what he was referring to.
"I was missing your brother," she said. "Enormously, ever since the damn video tape he sent for David and Donna. I didn't think Dylan had realized it, but turns out that he'd heard me, during a couple naps or three, saying Brandon's name, over and over. I told him I was still waiting for him to say he loved me. He claimed he had told me, when he was in rehab, that he had told me other times. I said he didn't love me; he couldn't love me because I wasn't the person he'd tried manifesting me to be. I wasn't you. He said he wasn't Brandon, and he wasn't ever going to be Brandon. Well that was it, Bren. There wasn't any point in staying together after that. Dylan couldn't be all in because his mind was elsewhere and I guess mine was, too. It was either stay together and stay miserable, or call it quits for good. We ended that night, complete finality until the end of time."
"Then you found out you were pregnant," said Brenda, "with Sammy."
"How much has Brandon told you about that?" asked Kelly.
"Just that you ran into each other in DC after your breakup," said Brenda.
"That's not exactly the full story," said Kelly.
Fresh off her breakup with Dylan, Kelly had signed up for a week away with her old sorority sisters in Annapolis within the state of Maryland.
Her sorority sisters had wanted to go to Alexandria, in Virginia.
"I knew the distance between Alexandria and DC," said Kelly, "but Steve had mentioned that Brandon had moved up to Boston. I figured Alexandria would be safe. Then when they wanted to go to DC while we were in Alexandria, I thought it would still be safe. After all, your brother was supposed to be in Boston."
"Supposed to be," said Brenda. "But he was there for –"
"For a journalism conference," said Kelly. "Yeah. He'd flown down that week for a journalism conference."
Whereas alcohol had been the end of her relationship with Dylan, it had reopened the door for her with Brandon.
"We ended up in the same bar," said Kelly. "And well, you know your brother rarely drinks for a reason. So when he did, and when I did; you can imagine what happened."
Brenda certainly could imagine what had happened, though she preferred to not imagine it since it did involve her twin brother.
"Are you ladies gabbing in here or packing?" asked Brandon, returning to the room.
"Both," said Brenda, "we're doing both."
"I was just telling Bren about DC," said Kelly, "or did you want to do that?"
Brandon asked which time.
"The second," said Kelly.
"In that case," said Brandon, "skip to the part when we knew Sammy was mine."
"I'll let you tell that part," said Kelly.
Brandon had not recalled his night with Kelly, at first.
Nor had Kelly, until several months into her pregnancy.
"I had just kind of assumed Sammy was Dylan's," said Kelly.
"I know," said Brenda, "he was back in London by that point and was an absolute boil on my arse trying to convince me why I should dump my perfectly fine boyfriend and be with him, instead."
"You did dump your perfectly fine boyfriend," said Brandon.
"Correction," said Brenda.
Her perfectly fine boyfriend had come out to Brenda. It therefore had become necessary for Brenda to end the relationship, at least in the romantic sense.
They had remained friends.
"Dylan was so bloody great about it, it fucking fucked me off," said Brenda. "I didn't want to be with a guy when his ex was pregnant. Even if said guy had started attending meetings again and was working on getting his life together."
"I thought he'd hate me," said Kelly. "I was convinced Dylan would hate me when I told him I'd realized there was a possibility that the baby might not be his. But he didn't. He was actually…relieved about it."
"He was nervous," said Brenda. "Didn't want to bring a kid into his life if he couldn't get his shit together."
"It did work out," said Kelly. "By the time you learned about Ade, Dylan did have his…stuff together."
"He used to, anyway," said Brenda.
"Why do I have a feeling you're talking about me?" Dylan poked his head into the room.
"Because you're so bloody conceited, you think everyone's always talking about you," said Brenda.
Dylan gave a low whistle.
"Someone's frustrated with the packing," he said.
"It used to be so much easier," said Brenda.
"Bren and I were talking about –"
"When you two ended," Brenda finished.
"And when the test said Sammy was mine," said Brandon.
"Guessing this is the last I'll hear from my wife for the rest of the week, then," said Dylan. "I assume you told her it all?" he asked Kelly.
"All of it," said Kelly. "She wanted to know."
"I knew your arse capability when I married you," said Brenda.
"Maybe," said Dylan, "but I have never once behaved like that at any of your functions, have I?"
"You've not, but…"
Brenda's but lingered in the air, as she could not find anything to accompany it.
Her arguments with Dylan during their coupledom, even the one that had initially ended them in London, had always been more private.
His jealousy, a little less private, had still been somewhat decorous compared to the encounter Kelly had illustrated.
"But that's enough of that," said Brenda. "The movers are meant to be here within the hour."
"I told you we didn't need any damn movers," said Dylan.
"That's because you're hoping I won't take as much stuff as I am fully intending to take," said Brenda.
"I see you removed the hoodie," said Dylan.
"Kel caught on," said Brenda.
"Did you tell her?" asked Dylan.
Brenda knew he was asking if she had spilt the secret of the twins.
"Not quite," said Brenda.
"Not quite?" asked Kelly. "There's more?"
"Bran, you may want to sit for this," said Brenda. "Except we gotta wait until Val gets here, or she's going to kill me."
"Then we may as well wait until all of them get here," said Dylan.
"Can you wait three hours?" Brenda asked Brandon.
"No," said Brandon. "What's going on? Is it something with the baby?"
"I'm mad at you for not telling me," said Kelly with a playful pout.
"Aw, baby, don't be like that," said Brandon just as playfully. "You know I swear by the twin code."
"Now," said Brenda. "Now he swears by the twin code."
"I could just as easily stop swearing by the twin code," said Brandon.
"Whenever you re-implemented it, you re-implemented it and therefore, it must stick from here 'til eternity," said Brenda.
"Is it any wonder she became an actress?" Brandon asked Kelly.
"If we're waiting 'til the others get here, then Bren, let me get the boxes," said Dylan. "You can get literally anything else."
"They aren't even heavy," Brenda protested.
"I'm with my soon-to-be former BIL on this one," said Brandon.
"That is ever-so-kind of you," Dylan drolled.
"Why are men so touchy about pregnant women and boxes?" asked Brenda.
"Because you shouldn't be lifting so much weight," said Dylan.
"I think it's sweet," said Kelly, giving Brandon the eyes of a schoolgirl at the same time that Dylan spoke.
"You're supposed to be on my side," Brenda told Kelly.
"Bren, just let the men do the heavy lifting," said Kelly.
"This from the girl who chose herself," said Brenda.
"She's never going to let us forget that," Brandon groaned.
"Never," said Dylan.
"Just as long as she doesn't bring up," Kelly began.
"Colin?" asked Brenda. "In an airplane? Mile High Club, wasn't it?"
"Alright, which of the gang do I have to kill?" asked Brandon, rolling up his sleeves.
"She's wicked, but I love her," said Dylan.
That diminished Brenda's joking spirit considerably.
"Back to packing," she said, trying to brush off Dylan's words.
"You're helping your wife pack up," Brandon told Dylan. "You may be eligible for Ex-Husband-of-the-Year."
"I'm not her ex," said Dylan. "Cállate!" he added to Brandon.
Brandon inquired about what Dylan had said.
"He told you to shut up," said Brenda.
"That's what I thought he said," said Brandon.
The men wouldn't have admitted it, but Brenda had noticed a slight change in the way they spoke to each other since the night of homecoming.
Almost as if their animosity had become less of an animosity and more of a friendly slagging she had become accustomed to amongst the London gang.
"I'm going to check on the girls," said Brenda. "See how they're coming along." She looked at her discarded hoodie. "Should I cover up for Naomes?" she asked Naomi's parents.
"Only if you think The Big Guy and possibly Donna would not blow a gasket if Naomi learns of your pregnancy before they do," said Brandon.
Brenda pulled her hoodie back on.
"I'm glad you know," she told Kelly.
"I'm glad I know too," said Kelly. "You know I'm always here for you and the girls if you need anything, don't you?"
"I do know that," said Brenda.
"What they need is me," said Dylan.
"I think they were getting by just fine in those weeks Bren wasn't talking to you," said Brandon.
"I'll remember that when your wife goes weeks without talking to you," said Dylan.
"Would never happen," said Brandon.
"Oh, here we go again," said Brenda.
She walked out of the room.
Had it only been earlier that year when she and Dylan had purchased the house they stood in now?
The one she hadn't lived in for months?
The one she might not live in ever again?
What a waste of a purchase, Brenda thought, even if she did love the house enormously.
"Can I get you girls anything?" she asked in the direction of both her girls' bedrooms. "Any snacks or anything to help you hurry along faster?"
"I'm done, Mum," said Callie.
"Do I have to, Mum?" asked Adrianna. "Why can't I live here? Or with Aunt Val?"
"She doesn't want to live with you," said Callie. "But I do, so I'm the much better daughter, Mummy."
"That does not have one iota of truth," said Adrianna.
"She just really hates packing," said Naomi.
"She's like her dad that way," said Brenda. "Your Aunt Donna is coming by with Ruby, so you'll have more hands to help you," she told Adrianna. "Naomi," she added, "do you mind helping me with the snacks?"
"Sure, Auntie Bren," said Naomi.
Brenda made small talk with her only biological niece, until Naomi stopped talking mid-sentence about the boy who had recently caught her attention.
"Auntie Bren, are you still listening?" she asked.
"Hm? Oh yeah, sorry, Naomes." Brenda put her chin in her hands and her elbows on the counter. "I'm listening. I just wondered…how's Adrianna been lately? At school?"
"She's quiet," said Naomi. "Barely raises her hand in class. It's weird. Kai said Adrianna knew every answer in the class they have together and never once raised her hand."
"She's been quiet around here, too," said Brenda. "She's a bit more herself when you come over, but otherwise; should I be worried about my daughter, Naomes?"
"I don't think it's anything to worry about," said Naomi.
"She isn't still blaming herself for homecoming, is she?" asked Brenda.
"Auntie, it's Adrianna," said Naomi. "No offense, not intending this to be rude at all, but what do you think?"
"Yes, I thought so."
"Auntie," Naomi fidgeted with her string of bracelets. "Would you – would you be mad at me if I maybe, if I, uh, if I dropped in to the hospital?"
"To see that Ty Collins?" asked Brenda.
"I just…I've known him for so long," said Naomi. "I know I'm supposed to hate him, and maybe I do, but I – I kind of just wanna see if there's been any change. I want to – I want to know what was going through his head when he drugged our Ade. I want to ask him how the hell he could do that to my Ade and, if I get a chance, I want to bust his balls for it."
"You know," said Brenda, "for all the slagging you do of your dad, it's amazing how much alike you two are. Except for perhaps the last part; that's far more your uncle."
"Did I mention Aunt Val is my favorite aunt?" asked Naomi. "Followed by Aunt Donna, then Aunt Silver; oh, and Godmom Andrea, she's up there, too; you can throw in Aunt Janet, even though I never got the chance to know her, then there's Great-Aunt Paula and –"
"Yeah, yeah," said Brenda. "I don't have an issue with you visiting him – though maybe don't tell your uncle, or any of your uncles, might not be a bad idea to keep it from your dad, too – but if this Ty wakes up and starts talking to you when you're there, I want you to tell me so I can chat with him myself."
Naomi said she would.
"Can I still call Uncle Dylan my uncle?" she asked. "If you're getting divorced, doesn't that make him not my uncle anymore?"
Naomi's question had never entered Brenda's mind.
"Who says we're getting divorced?" she asked.
"You're living apart," said Naomi. "It's so obvious. But don't worry. I'll just add it to one of the many things our family keeps out of the public eye."
"Just because your uncle and I are…distant, at present," said Brenda, "he doesn't stop being your uncle, Naomes."
"But Dad doesn't even like him now," said Naomi.
"Oh, I think your dad still likes Dylan more than he wants to admit," said Brenda, "and that infuriates my brother more than anything."
"I think you're right," said Naomi. "Dad can be very stubborn."
"He's a lot like his daughter that way."
"Would you stop that?" asked Naomi. "Please," she added, a little more politely.
"Your Aunt Donna didn't stop being your aunt when she divorced your Uncle David," said Brenda.
"I thought that was different because Aunt Donna's like a sister to Mom," said Naomi.
"He's still the father of your cousins," said Brenda. "Dylan's still your uncle, and our…separation," she struggled uttering the word, "doesn't change that."
"I'm glad," said Naomi, "because I like him being my uncle."
"He likes being your uncle," said Brenda.
"You're talking about me again," said Dylan, coming up to the pass-through window.
"Do you have some kind of internal alarm that goes off every time your name is mentioned?" asked Brenda.
"Only when you mention it, darlin'," said Dylan.
"That hat does not belong in my living room," said Brenda.
"Well it's not your living room anymore, innit?" said Dylan. "Hasn't been for weeks. My house, I get to wear my hat."
"You aren't allowed in the new house if you're wearing that hat," said Brenda.
"Think you mean the old house, baby," said Dylan. "And I happen to think a bungalow is a perfect place for a hat like this."
"Innit," said Naomi. "I like that. Innit. You guys are funny."
"Was there something you wanted?" asked Brenda.
"Thought you'd want to know Val's arrived," said Dylan. "With the pizzas."
Brenda questioned whether Valerie had remembered to get Brenda's favorite.
"Yes," said Dylan, "that insult to pizza you insist on eating was ordered specially for you. Though I don't know why you'd subject your body to something that crude."
"It makes your ancestors turn over in their graves, dear, and that's reason enough," said Brenda.
"Pretty sure it makes your ancestors turn over too, Bren," said Dylan.
"Are you sure you want to divorce him, Auntie?" asked Naomi. "Because I've never seen two people more in love."
Brenda told Naomi to plate Naomi's pizza before the others got to it.
"She's never seen two people more in love," said Dylan. "That kid is a genius. A genius, I tell you."
"She's sixteen," said Brenda. "What does she know about being in love?"
"Plenty, last I checked," said Dylan.
Brenda grew uncomfortable under his heated stare.
"Yep," said Dylan, "I've never seen a woman more in love, either."
"You're confusing love with irritation," said Brenda. "And regardless, I've not once in all of this denied my love for you, have I? You're my children's father. Of course a part of me is always going to love you."
"Say it, Bren. Say 'I love you.' It ain't that hard."
"I just said it."
"'A part of me is always going to love you' isn't the same as 'I love you.' Saying it isn't a question of whether you're in love with me isn't saying 'I love you,' which I'll keep telling you on repeat until I hear it back like I used to."
"You'll be waiting a long time."
Dylan asked if Brenda had begun experiencing déjà vu.
"Because didn't we have this conversation before?" he asked. "About eighteen years ago? Before you and I parented four children?"
"I'm getting pizza," said Brenda.
She happily ate her pineapple and sausage pizza, despite the judgmental looks she received from most of the others.
"Pineapple is a travesty to pizza," said Brandon.
"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it," said Brenda.
"You could not pay me to try it," said Brandon.
"My Italian ancestors would be appalled," said Valerie.
"You don't have Italian ancestors," said Brenda.
"If I did, they'd be appalled," said Val.
"Let the woman eat her pizza in peace," said Steve.
"Thank you, Steve," said Brenda.
"Of course the guy who ordered anchovies would say that," said Val.
"Your godson is literally over there with sushi as his pizza topping, and you're going to judge my anchovies?" asked Steve.
"He's your son," said Val, "and sushi on pizza is delicious."
"You got that from her," Steve told his son.
"Which 'her' would that be, Dad?" asked Kai.
"Both," said Steve.
"At least I didn't put artichoke on mine," said Kai.
"Way to throw me under the bus," said Naomi.
"And Bren's actually had pizza in Italy," said Dylan, "which makes her love for pineapple pizza even worse."
"It's not as if I went up to an Italian and requested pineapple on my pizza," said Brenda, shoving in another slice as she rolled her eyes at him.
The sweet juice of pineapple perfectly aligned with the salty flavor of pizza.
"I think it's fair to say most of this room has insulted the entire population of Italy today," said Donna.
"My margherita pizza is one hundred percent Italian-approved," said Dylan.
Once the two gangs had ceased arguing over pizza toppings, they returned to packing.
When Brenda had put in the offer on the bungalow, she hadn't believed it would come through.
It almost hadn't. A newlywed couple had put in an offer themselves that the realtor had said the owners had strongly considered.
Brenda wondered if her name had been the deciding factor.
Either way, the bungalow was hers, and hers alone. Entirely in her name.
She had gone from flatmate to flatmate – one of whom had been her ex – to Dylan, and then to Valerie.
It was the first time she had purchased a place of her own, for her and her children.
"Should I get the hoover?" asked Dylan.
"Hoover?" asked Brenda.
"Bit dusty in here. You might want to hoover," said Dylan. "And then afterwards, I'll treat us to some hydrogenated bean oil."
She knew what he was doing.
It wasn't going to work.
"I'm not reneging on the lease," said Brenda.
"In that case," said Dylan, "did you realize where you're standing?"
She would not let him get to her.
"Just wondering when the last time I applauded you from afar is," said Dylan. "And I've definitely given you more than my applause," he added, blatantly checking her out.
"Why don't you help the girls pick out which room is theirs?" asked Brenda.
"Why don't I help you choose yours," said Dylan.
He moved quickly, directly hovering over her.
Brenda attempted to look anywhere but at Dylan's bewitching eyes, the ones that Callie had inherited.
"I think I can choose my own bedroom, thanks," said Brenda.
"And I think I know this place well enough to tell you if you chose a good one," said Dylan.
"I chose the one that was added on after you lived here, the one with its own bathroom," she said. "Satisfied?"
"Not quite," said Dylan. "Sounds like your choice of bedroom needs christening."
"I didn't realize we'd be having the twins' christening here, or that we'd be having a christening for them at all."
"We aren't giving our kids equal treatment," said Dylan. "I think by this point, we traumatized both Ade and Callie plenty when they were in your womb. Don't you think we should traumatize the twins equally as much?"
Dylan slid his hand to Brenda's back.
Just rested it there, nothing further.
He kept doing that; setting the various body parts of his upper half against her upper half as slippery innuendos flowed out of his lush lips.
She was beginning to hate those lips.
"They're traumatized enough by that hat," said Brenda.
"No more than they are by your hoodie," said Dylan.
"Soon as the gang gets here, we can tell them," said Brenda. "Now go check on the girls."
"Yes, ma'am," said Dylan, tipping his hat.
"I don't think any real cowboy tips their hat half this much," said Brenda.
"How about we go on holiday to a ranch and find out?" Dylan suggested.
"I have unpacking to do," said Brenda. "Take your new girlfriend to a ranch."
"My new girlfriend?"
"You're a free man now, Dylan. Might as well make the most of it."
"Like I wasn't already free with you. Be realistic, babes. What woman in her right mind would date a guy with two kids, one of whom is sixteen, and two more on the way with the woman he refuses to call his ex?"
"You're Dylan McKay," said Brenda. "Any woman would want you."
"Any woman?"
"Any other woman."
"Yeah, no. No woman's gonna be keen on a bloke fully hung up on his wife."
"Then you'll just have to find a way to become off your ex-wife, won't you?"
"How are those hormones treating ya, Bren? Because as I recall, you're probably feeling a bit," he licked over his lip, "sensual." He trapped his arm beneath Brenda's side braid and released the holder. Free of the braid, her hair fell in long waves over her shoulders. "I can help with that, you know."
"The…the girls," Brenda managed to muster despite her disconcertion.
"Old enough to choose their own rooms," said Dylan. He grazed his forehead over Brenda's skin.
The others couldn't have arrived at a more perfect time, she thought.
"Could they have chosen a worse time?" Dylan muttered.
"Right," said Brenda, fixing her hair back into the braid Dylan had destroyed, "I'm gonna help unload."
"Oh no you aren't," he said. "I'll unload. You do your organizing thing."
It was a compromise she could get behind.
The new furniture she had purchased specifically for the new place grouped with bits of old furniture she had brought over in the initial move. Filled suitcases lined the hallway. Boxes strewn about everywhere.
With zero space to sit, the gang gathered in the backyard.
"Bren and I have some news," said Dylan.
"You're getting divorced," said Steve.
"They can't get divorced," said David. "If Bren and Dylan get divorced, what hope is there for the rest of us?"
"I mean, there's always Kel and I," said Brandon.
"You're sweet, but I don't ship you," said David. "Not like Brylan. Bandits. BD. Whatever you want to call them."
"Ship?" asked Kelly.
"It's this thing Ruby does," said Donna. "Shipping. She mostly does it with characters, but also sometimes with celebrities. There's that one couple she's obsessed with, the really pretty couple. Which show is that again, David?"
"Outlander," said David.
"Great show," said Val.
"Fantastic show," said David.
He locked eyes on Valerie, who ducked behind Brenda.
"Shipping, huh?" said Dylan. "Guess I ship you and me, Bren. Captain of that ship, I am."
"You weren't always," said Brenda.
"I knew from the start how good we were together," said Dylan. "You're the one who kept breaking up with me."
"And you're the one who had a choice."
"And then another choice, on a little thing called our wedding day."
"I should get a cake," said Steve.
"A cake?" asked Brandon.
"Divorces don't have to be sad," said Steve. "Look at my parents. Divorcing each other was the best thing they ever did. You get a cake for a divorce, you can start your new life off right."
"We aren't getting a damn divorce," said Dylan, "and even if we were, you wouldn't be getting a fucking cake for it."
"He thinks we aren't getting a divorce," said Brenda.
"Alright, so the news is you aren't getting divorced," said Steve. "Weird news, but it is you," he told Dylan. "Should we get back to unloading now?"
Dylan reached over and unzipped Brenda's hoodie.
"Hey!" said Brenda.
"How's this for news, Sanders?" said Dylan.
"Okay," said Steve, his eyes bugging out at Brenda, "that's cause for a news report."
Those who hadn't already known looked around at each other, unsure whether to congratulate the estranged couple or remain mum.
Brenda assured them congratulations were acceptable, which allowed for an outpouring.
"Did you know?" David asked Brandon.
"Of course I knew," said Brandon.
"He didn't know everything," said Dylan.
"None of you do," said Brenda.
"I think I can guess," said Donna.
"Well you know how Bren can't just outdo her brother," said Dylan, "she has to really outdo him. So if Brandon has two kids…"
"Bren can't just have three," said Valerie. "Oh my God! Brenda!"
"Not how I would've put it," said Brenda, "but I guess that's as good a way as any to tell you Dylan here put the next set of Walsh twins in me."
"Walsh-McKay," said Dylan. "Mainly McKay. First set of McKay twins."
Brenda glowered at him.
"Grandparents!" said Dylan. "I mean we could have another set of McKay twins when we're grandparents!"
"You do realize one of the kids would have to have sex for that, right?" said Brenda.
"Surrogacy exists," said Dylan.
Brandon almost stumbled over himself to get to Brenda.
"Twins, Bren? Twins?"
"Twins," said Brenda.
"The genes live on!" Brandon scooped Brenda up until she laughed heartily.
Dylan warned him to be careful.
The others piled on.
Brenda easily distinguished which of the others had taken hold of her back.
Disentangling herself, she looked over her shoulder at Dylan and told him to inform Adrianna that she could tell the cousins.
"Twins," said Val, stealing Brenda away. "My girl is really carrying twins right now."
"You texted you had something you wanted to talk to me about," said Brenda.
"Yeah," said Val. "I, uh, let's find a place to sit down."
They sat in the grass, beside an old tree untouched by seasonal change.
Brenda's mind painted the leaves in gold and red.
Autumn would be in full force in London.
"You know Sophie retired," said Val, raising her knees up to her chin. "It's left a vacancy the company sorely needs to fill."
"You're asking me if I know anyone who needs a job?" asked Brenda.
"I've been interviewing," said Val, "and none of the candidates seem right for the job. I have another one in mind, but I wanted to check with you before I hire her."
"Who you hire at the company is none of my business," said Brenda.
"Gina," said Val. "I want to hire Gina."
"I'm sorry," said Brenda, "come again?"
"I've heard chatter in the office," said Val. "Gina's been losing clients left and right since word got out that she was fired by a McKay; though Amy in particular needs to stop reading gossip rags which are getting the reason completely wrong. I really don't know where they come up with this shit. Anyway, we have an opening; Gina needs to rebuild her reputation."
"You want to hire Gina? But you hate her. And after everything you told her at the mall, I'll be shocked if the feeling isn't very much mutual."
"You know the old adage, Bren. She's an enemy. If I hire her, I keep her close; extremely close. Unfortunately, she's good at her job, and we need someone who is."
"If you want to hire Gina, you don't need my permission."
"She seems a tad obsessed with you and your husband, so I thought it best if you not show up to the office for lunch to the total shock of seeing her working there. Which, by the way, I'm taking you and the twinnies-to-be out to lunch."
"Isn't she kind of your ex's girlfriend?" asked Brenda. "That won't be weird?"
"No weirder than being friends with my ex's ex-wife," said Val. "Though I blame you and Bran for that."
"Then if you think Gina will be an asset to the company, by all means, hire her," said Brenda.
"You're the greatest, Bren," said Val.
Following the lead of her father, Naomi was the next one to nearly tackle Brenda as the other teenagers surrounded the two with their own joy.
"Ade just told us," said Ruby. "Auntie! You're having twins!"
"I sure hope at least one of them is a boy," said Kai.
"I have a brother in there," said Adrianna. "I know I do."
"I'd like another girl," said Ruby.
"We have plenty of girls around," said Kai.
"Who can rough you up just as much as any guy," said Ruby.
Kai fell silent.
"What's it like?" asked Naomi. "Carrying twins?"
"Ask Grandma," said Brenda. "I'm just starting."
"Four kids," said Naomi. "I don't even want one."
"I think I'd like two," said Adrianna.
"Don't let your dad hear that," said Brenda.
"Not anytime soon, of course," Adrianna rushed to add.
"Dad said twins have superpowers," said Kai.
"That's ridiculous," said Ruby.
"Then how do you explain how Daddy knew that Auntie was struggling during Callie's birth before we even arrived at the hospital?" asked Naomi.
"Luck," said Ruby.
"I still go with superpowers," said Kai. "Like telekinesis."
"I believe it's called telepathy," said Ruby.
"So you're saying twins have telepathy," said Kai.
"That…no, that's not what I meant," said Ruby.
"It's what you said," said Kai.
"Are you caught up on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. yet?" asked Ruby. "Because I can easily spoil the latest episode for you."
"Auntie!" said Kai.
"Ruby, don't torture your younger cousin," said Brenda.
"Not that much younger," said Kai.
"Kids, I'm stealing your auntie," said Steve.
Brenda thanked him for the reprieve.
As much as she loved all of her nieces and her nephew, they could, at times, become overwhelming.
"I could still get you a cake," said Steve. "Two kids equals two cakes, all for you. McKay can get his own cake. Also two of them, since he likes keeping two around."
"I'm just glad all of you know," said Brenda. "But we still need to tell Mum and Dad, so you can't tell them, Steve. Especially Dad. Swear you won't."
"You haven't told them yet? Bren, you know I can't keep things from your parents! Big Jim always gets it out of me."
"Then avoid him until we tell them. Steve, swear."
"Bren."
"Swear!"
Breaking out into swears, Steve swore.
Jim Walsh would have also gotten it out of Brenda, which was the main reason she hadn't been to her parents'.
That, and when she had intended to go, her daughter had been drugged.
Visiting her parents had lost its appeal.
The messy state of her house had also not been appealing to her.
Instead of tackling the mess immediately as she normally would, she sat her drained body in the comfort of a bubble bath.
Nearby, her mobile dropped in an email from the production coordinator, informing Brenda that she wouldn't be needed on set the following day.
Convinced that smartphones had rotted the brains of the world, Dimitri often communicated through emails. He owned a simple phone, one with a prepaid plan that he said got the job done better than any smartphone.
Brilliant. She could drop off the girls at school and then do an early lunch with Val.
Perhaps she could check out that museum exhibit she had been itching to see.
Closing her eyes, Brenda leant her head back against the pillow formed from a towel that she had laid across the back of the tub.
Wind rustled through her in spurts.
She sat up.
"Was that – did you just -"
She sat perfectly still, waiting.
Waited until her toes began to prune.
There it was.
The wind.
"Okay, which of you did that?" asked Brenda.
She reached for her mobile.
It's happened, she texted.
I'm coming over, said the reply.
You can't come over. I'm in the bath.
One of my favorite spots.
I'm serious.
So am I. I was already coming over, to see if the girls needed anything.
The girls are out with their mates.
Even better.
The front door had opened before Brenda had finished drying her hair.
She quickly flung her flimsy satin robe around her and cursed herself for leaving her clothing in the bedroom.
She made to lock the door, but Dylan was faster.
"You can't just come in uninvited," said Brenda, tying her robe.
"You gave me a key," said Dylan.
"Yeah, if the girls need you to come over. When they're here." She crossed her arms over her chest. "And I'm clothed."
"We have four kids, Bren. Think I've seen you unclothed a time or two."
"That key is a privilege," said Brenda. "If you're gonna misuse it, I can take it back."
"Just seeing if I can feel them."
"You know very well that it's still gonna take you weeks to feel them."
"And you weren't supposed to feel them this soon, but you did."
"I felt one. We aren't sure I felt both."
"Whichever one you felt, you still felt it. So if you've felt our kids faster in the third pregnancy, then I might, too."
"Not this fast. So you're welcome to go back to yours."
Dylan made a clicking sound in the back of his throat.
"Truck's stalling," he said. "And it's storming out."
"So call a cab. Or Uber. I'll get you an Uber."
"Wouldn't want to put the driver's life at risk like that."
"Then walk back."
"Did you hear the part about the storm?"
"We haven't been out of London long enough for you to complain about walking when it's storming."
"Lashing, Bren. Absolutely lashing rain. I could catch a cold. A bad cold. I could get the pneumonia you had and be laid up for weeks."
"It's autumn. In California. Southern California. Suck it up."
"It's damn near an El Niño out there."
Brenda peeked through the blinds to see the storm for herself.
Dylan had exaggerated, but only a bit.
The streetlights went out.
Followed by the lights in Brenda's house.
"I've got the flashlight on my phone, for now, but I don't know where the regular ones are packed," she said. "Or the candles. I think the girls packed those. I'll call them and let them know they can stay out as long as the power remains out."
"I've got some flashlights in the truck," said Dylan. "Think I still have one of your candles in there, too. Problem is, I gotta get to the truck and to do that, I've got to leave my pregnant wife alone in the dark of her new house during a fucking storm when there's a loon after her who quite possibly had our daughter drugged. So that ain't happening."
"Help me search the boxes," said Brenda.
She and Dylan ended up rifling through the same box, which held a few candles, but no flashlights.
"Guess we're doing it old-school," said Dylan.
His arm brushed against her as he took out the candles.
Brenda had never understood how even the tiniest touch from him could elicit a dizzying feeling.
"Would've been better if you were at Val's tonight," said Dylan, "but this place holds up well in a storm. Doesn't do too bad in an earthquake, either."
"I've never been in an earthquake," said Brenda.
"Not a literal one," said Dylan.
Brenda found a blanket and pillow for him and placed them on her messy sofa.
"You're leaving the second the storm clears," she said.
"What if it clears at three in the morning?" asked Dylan.
"Then you're leaving at three in the morning," said Brenda.
Dylan grabbed her waist, lowering his head until it lay against her stomach.
"Just checking," he said.
"I'm, uh, gonna go to bed," she said.
"You could join me on the couch," he said. "Just in case the babies decide to announce themselves again."
Brenda said the first answer she thought of.
"My back's hurting. The couch would be a bad idea."
"Too much moving," said Dylan. "I could massage it."
"Sleep," she said. "I'm going to sleep."
"Need your beauty rest for work tomorrow," he said.
"I'm not going to work tomorrow," said Brenda. "Dimitri emailed that I'm not needed."
The sentences had come out before she could stop them.
"Even better," said Dylan. "We can finally get in a celebration."
"You have to work."
"Nope. I'm off tomorrow, too. There's an exhibit I've been wanting to check out. Think you'd love it. It's on Mary –"
"- Shelley," said Brenda. "I know."
"Perfect. We'll go together and grab lunch."
"I'm doing lunch with Val."
Then, said Dylan, they would go after Brenda's lunch with Valerie and do dinner.
Brenda reiterated she was going to bed and followed through.
Morning dawned an unobscured sky that gave no indication of the storm.
Stretching out in her bed, Brenda's stretch became a scurry to get out of bed when she saw the glaring numbers on her digital alarm clock.
"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked.
"Morning, sunshine." Dylan crunched his cereal and pointed out his pinkie towards the breakfast spread that lay out on the table. "You said you didn't have to work and neither of us had to take the girls to school since they aren't here, so I let you sleep in."
"I don't have enough time to eat breakfast, take a shower, get dressed, and meet Val."
"Val had to postpone, with her deepest apologies. Something about an egregious error with an event in Sedona she has to fix before her client has a meltdown. Told her I'd give you the message since I guess she's having trouble getting texts through to you. Your phone's apparently showing as out of range, or that's what Val said."
"Storm must've knocked out my service. You were supposed to leave when the storm cleared."
"And you're supposed to get a good hearty breakfast for those twins of ours. Eat up and then we can go on over to the exhibit."
"Your truck stopped stalling?"
"Running smooth as a well-cared for blacktop."
"Imagine that."
Brenda ate, showered, dressed, and walked out to a flustered Dylan.
"Bren," he said, "are you sure you didn't have to work today?"
"Quite sure," she said.
"I just got a text from Ade," he said. "Debbie Wilson texted Annie to see if Ade could get through to you. Debbie's been trying."
Dylan offered his mobile to Brenda, who dialed Debbie.
"It's me," said Brenda, "on Dylan's mobile."
"Brenda, where have you been?" asked Debbie. "You were supposed to be here two hours ago! Dimitri is raging."
"But he – he sent an email saying I wasn't needed today," said Brenda.
"Everyone's waiting," said Debbie. "They can't start filming without you."
"I'll – I'll be there," said Brenda.
She gave the mobile back to Dylan. His concern mapped over his countenance.
"I'm – I'm supposed to be at work," said Brenda in a daze.
"I thought you weren't needed today?" asked Dylan.
"So did I," said Brenda. "Debbie says Dimitri is furious."
"We'll do the exhibit another day," said Dylan. "I'll get you to set."
"I can drive myself."
"Truck's faster."
He was, unfortunately, telling the truth.
Brenda showed up to set, in Dylan's truck.
He insisted on going in with her.
"Dimitri," she tracked him down, "I'm – I'm sorry; the storm knocked out my service, and I – I got an email from you saying I wasn't needed and I – you know I don't do things like this…"
"Mrs. Wilson told me," said Dimitri in his thick accent. "It is certainly unusual of you, Brenda. I checked my outbox and the email in question was in there. I don't recall sending it, but evidently I must've done so in a bender, so I suppose the fault is my own. If you can run along to wardrobe, we can make up for the lost time."
"That doesn't sound like an apology to me," said Dylan. "You had Bren completely freaked out thinking she had imagined the email. An email that you sent."
"Dylan," said Brenda.
"He is correct," said Dimitri. "I apologize, Brenda, and will refrain from sending emails in benders from here on out."
"It's okay," said Brenda. "I'll just get on to wardrobe. Dylan, you can go."
"Dylan!" called Brenda's co-star. "My man!"
"Think I'll stick around for a little baseball banter," said Dylan. "Not looking good for your Pirates!" he told the co-star.
"Better than for your Padres," came the retort as the two men went off together.
Brenda sat in the makeup chair, listening to the overtalkative stylists prattle on.
"Did you get a look at the woman Dimitri was chatting up last night?" asked one.
"Complete beauty, she was," said a second. "Did he end up taking her home?"
"I asked," said the first. "He didn't remember even chatting her up, but Gavin over in crafty swears he saw Dimitri take her into his place."
"Typical playboy," said the second. "Never remembers the girl's name. You're all done," she told Brenda.
Hardly able to breathe, Brenda forced herself to stand.
"This – this girl," she said, "what did she look like?"
"I'd say auburn, wouldn't you?" the first asked the second.
"Blonde," said the second, "she was more blonde. Or was it light brown? Maybe dirty blonde?"
"Think she had a couple colors in that hair, come to think of it," said the first. "Didn't get a good look at her eyes, though. It should be illegal to wear sunglasses indoors. Why do you ask, dear?"
"No – no reason," said Brenda.
Lapsing into an unsteady gait, she held onto the wall for balance.
"Bren? I've been invited to stick around and watch you film, which might be helpful for this façade we're putting on, but if you want me to go…"
"Dylan." She grasped onto him.
"What's happening?" he panicked. "Is it the babies? Do I need to take you to hospital? Because I don't care what Dimitri says or how many pages you're filming today; if you need hospital, we're going to hospital."
"It's – it's the email," said Brenda. "I don't think – I don't think Dimitri sent it."
"But he said he sent it," said Dylan.
"He took someone home last night," said Brenda. "Someone he doesn't remember. Kind of like Ade, how she doesn't remember too much of homecoming."
"You think this someone sent you the email?" asked Dylan. "Gina?"
"Gina's not going to go home with a random stranger when she's dating David and carrying your kid," said Brenda.
"There's a million things Gina could do carrying someone else's kid," said Dylan.
"Gina's brunette. Just brunette. Distinct dark brunette. This girl; her hair is shaded in multiple colors."
"LL," said Dylan. "You think LL sent the email?"
"She – she could've cost me my job," said Brenda. "Adrianna's life, my job, my reputation if I get sacked from this job, my finances if I get kicked out of the industry, my ability to care for the kids without finances, my custody rights if the state finds out I can't afford my own kids, my sanity if I lose my girls to the state, our twins if I lose the girls to the state; god, Dylan, she's going for every aspect of my life! Who did I slight this much that they're doing this to me? It isn't enough that I've lost you; now I have to lose everything?"
"You didn't slight anyone," said Dylan.
"That's not true," said Brenda. "I slapped Andrea, over an older creepazoid who was never worth it. I said awful things to Emily. I stole Marjorie Miller's boyfriend. Even things I said to Kel..."
"And you think this is what, retribution for doing those things? What about me, Bren? Did Jack fake his death, did I watch what I thought was my father getting blown up, because of how I hurt you? Every bad thing that ever happened to me, including this latest one, has it been my karma? Every bad thing that Val did, was getting raped the way karma paid her back? What about Steve? Brandon? Kelly? Any of the gang that's ever been hurt in some way? Who had to go through some of the worst shit? Did we all deserve it for something we did?"
"No, that's crazy."
"But every bad thing you've ever done requires payback?"
Dylan's question went unanswered.
"You were a kid, Bren," he said. "You did some things, said some things you'd take back if you could. But you didn't slight anyone. You didn't steal anyone's life. We're gonna figure this out."
Dylan pulled Brenda into him.
"We're gonna figure it out, Bren. She's not going to keep doing this to you. You aren't losing your job, you aren't losing your finances, we aren't losing the girls to the goddamn state, we aren't losing the twins, you didn't lose me, and all the kids will be just fine. All of them." He drew his hand in a reassuring circle across Brenda's back. "But I am staying with you. For a bit, to make sure the house is safe. Just during the nights. I'll leave when morning hits and I know you're out for the day, then come back once it gets dark. I'm not leaving you alone. It's not because of the girls. It's not because of the twins. It's because if anything happened to you, darlin', or to our children, or to my entire family, I'd lose all will to live. Those addictions? I'd give into them and this time, there'd be no coming back from rock bottom. So don't ask me to stay away when a loon is out and about trying to do God knows what to you and our girls because I ain't doing it. I love you, Bren, and the day we stood before our friends, family, and the friends who are our family, I made a promise to be there. So I'm gonna be there. You can try to fight me on it, but I am going to be there."
Wrecked physically and mentally to the point that her protests would be half-hearted, Brenda simply buried herself in Dylan.
The truth was, she wanted him to temporarily stay in the bungalow, too.
Just to ensure the girls' safety from the woman set to obliterate Brenda's life.
He could leave afterwards.
She would not, however, change her mind about him sleeping on the sofa.
-x
Dylan did it. He got back in the bungalow; for now, at least.
Loving all the guesses on who LL could be! We'll see if any of the guesses are right, at some point in the story.
Sources: Google, Google Images.
(Shout-out to KJ and Guest[s] to express my continued gratitude and appreciation, as well as those of you whose review I could respond to directly. Thank you, KJ! Isn't it more fun when Val's onboard, even if she's onboard without fully trusting Dylan? Yes! Val would have given herself entirely to David if he hadn't broken up with her again and then later married Donna, but since he did, those walls are refusing to crumble. I'm glad you're loving the moments between BD! Thank you, Guest[s]! I remember when I first started writing Itero, how nervous I was to try writing from Dylan's pov; but now I think his is one of the easiest ones for me to write. Love diving into him since somehow, despite all the trauma they gave him, all the addictions, etc, the writers still barely scratched the surface on Dylan's characterisation. It's especially fun to figure out how Dylan would be in his late twenties, his thirties, forties, etc.)
Thanks a million!