Gone but Why?
Love & Murder
(3 individual stories of murder)
Broken Reflection
"Oooh sister, I can't wait until I
pop. She's gorgeous!" Aubrey belted as
she hovered over her twin sister, Ashley,
and her new niece, Charity.
Ashley smiled from her soul as
she looked down at her new bundle of joy.
She leaned in and kissed Charity's
forehead and hugged her lightly. This was
a monumental day for her and her twin
sister.
Aubrey and Ashley Stewart were
twenty-three-year-old identical twins
originally from Baton Rouge. The only
children of Melissa and Herbert Stewart,
Aubrey was born thirty minutes before
Ashley. By age ten, Herbert and Melissa
were divorced, leaving the twins in the
custody and care of their mother.
Throughout their lives, they did everything
together, even graduating high school as
valedictorian and salutatorian. Instead of
going to college, the twins ventured into
modeling and became a household name in
their hometown.
When they learned that they were
both pregnant but a few short weeks apart,
their entire lives changed for the better.
This time in the hospital allowed their
bond to grow deeper. Aubrey looked over
at her identical twin and smiled genuinely.
Looking at her reflection, Aubrey stood at
5 feet, 7 inches in height while Ashley
stood an inch under her. They wore their
peanut butter complexion with pride and
any man who crossed their path were
smitten. Ashley carried her 150 pounds
very well, possessing an Apple bottom that
stole the attention of every man far and
wide. Aubrey sported the same body type
except her breasts were fuller and her hips
were rounder. The twins’ popularity
preceded them so they were well liked
throughout their neighborhood.
Aubrey stepped back and rubbed
her belly with glee. In a few short weeks,
Aubrey was due to give birth to a baby
boy. Her fiancée, Lil Dave, patiently
waited as their bundle of joy continued
baking in his mother's womb. Knowing
that their children would be a few weeks
apart from their birth dates sent the twin
sister's in a frenzy. They'd already planned
sixteen of eighteen birthdays for their
children. Becoming mother's together
lightened the load for both ladies.
"So, where's what's his name?"
Aubrey boldly asked, referring to her
niece's absent father.
"He said he'd be here so give him
time," Ashley answered with an attitude.
Aubrey rolled her eyes then
rubbed her swollen midsection.
"Whatever. I can't wait until this little
booger is out of the hatch. It's time to
snatch back this new 40" ass in time for
my fiancée on our wedding day," she said.
Ashley laughed. "I just hope that
breastfeeding snatches me back much
quicker than working out."
"Ok!" Aubrey sang. "This is
going to be so fun, sis. We're doing this
together and it feels amazing."
Ashley pulled her attention from
her daughter and looked at her twin sister.
"Every trial and tribulation that we've
experienced prepared us for this. I couldn't
imagine doing it without you, sissy."
Aubrey swallowed the lump in
her throat and hastily approached her twin.
She leaned in and stretched what arms she
could around Ashley and the baby, and her
belly.
"I love you, too!" Aubrey
returned. She kissed her sister's forehead
then backed up.
"Anyways, honey, don't make my
face look ran through. I just gave birth,
and with this beat that ole Nicky gave me,
I cannot lose," Ashley joked, wiping a tear
from the corner of her left eye.
"Right!" Aubrey quickly agreed.
7
"Hey, hey, hey. Am I a
grandmother?" the twins mother, Melissa,
yelled as she entered the birthing suite.
The twins turned their attention to
their mother and smiled. "Hey ma!" they
greeted in unison.
Melissa ran over and instantly
pulled her new granddaughter from her
youngest twin's arms. She looked her all
over, counting ten fingers and ten toes. She
traced her granddaughter's perfect pair of
tiny lips then traced her face. It was a sight
for a new mother to