doppelgänger --> there's never just one {sequel}

sadie & scout

^dennis (his size in the story currently/his appearance)

Weeks later, when it was a little too late did both Scout and Andy have the time to sit down with Sadie and listen to what she had to tell them about Dennis.

She regretted, way back when, that she didn't say it was an emergency like Scout had asked her, because now Dennis's while torso was covered in scattered scars; he was lighter in weight than he ever had been before, his belt no longer able to hold up his jeans; his waist too small.... and she blamed herself for not letting anyone know sooner.

So while her parents stared back at her, anxiously awaiting the bad news, Sadie shook with fear, so scared that she would feel more than just deep regret and guilt.

*

"So then what was it that happened with Dani that night you guys came home and all those people were here? Like, that crazy party Dennis and Dani just decided to invite everyone to?"

Scout exchanged glances with her husband, Andy frowning. But she had to fell their daughter. It was scary, but it was real life. And real life was undeniable. Real life was not avoidable. They couldn't just go on like nothing happened and not tell a girl what evil took place with her twin sister.

Andy and Scout turned their gazes to Sadie, Scout taking a breath before she began explaining.

"Dani was given a drug called Ecstasy. We think someone spiked her drink that night," Scout explained, as Sadie's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I know about that drug," she responded quietly. She lifted her head again from hanging low, locking eyes with both Andy and Scout. "Why didn't you -- either of you -- tell me before?"

"Sadie G --"

"No, Mom and Dad, why didn't you tell me about it? You just kept it a secret from me? She's my twin sister! I deserve to have the right to know everything that goes on with her," she insisted, huffing in frustration, "even if it is about she and her boyfriend. And every time I asked her what happened that night, she said she didn't want to talk about it, and at the time, I believed her, but now I see that she was just speaking for you guys -- you told her she couldn't tell anyone about it!"

"Sweetheart, of course we didn't want her tell anyone yet," Andy started, "Up until now we hadn't actually figured out what happened."

"But Sadie wasn't even listening but the time Andy had started his sentence, as she ran toward the steps, and then all the way upstairs, Andy getting up after her and calling her name.

"Sadie!" Andy yelled from the bottom of the stairs, starting to walk up. "Sadie G, come back down here and finish this conversation --"

"Andy," Scout said, his head whipping around to look at her in response. "It's okay. Just let her be for a little bit. She needs some time to cool off and think."

He nodded slowly in agreement, taking a seat on the last stair, inviting Scout to sit beside him. "I just don't understand how she doesn't.... understand. I told her --"

"Andrew, she wasn't even listening. She chose not to when you started talking and putting a reason to the problem."

Andy sighed, resting his head in his hands. "Yeah. You're right," he admitted, his voice muffled-sounding.

"Aside from all that, though -- I found something out this morning that I need to tell you, something that's going to change our lives."

"Again?"

"Again."

Andy let out a deep sigh again, lifting his head to look out Scout. "Alright. What is it? Let me at it? Let me at it; I can handle anything. Nothing's worse than my teenage daughter being mad at me and locking herself in her room because of me for the third time this week."

"Andy...."

"What? It's true."

"No, I'm not talking about that. I was about to tell you that this morning, I found out --"

"What? Scout, just tell me, spit it out," Andy told her, which made her laugh a little. She met his eyes again and smiled a little, but the expression on her face, for the most part, was serious again.

And there was a sparkle in her eyes as she said to him, as promised, what she had figured out that morning."

"Andy, I'm pregnant."