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A lot was a huge understatement. It felt like everything that he had ever known was a lie… well, because it was all a lie. He turned to face her and found her eyes full of sympathy.

“—but I’m here. We can get through this.”

Emmanuel pulled her into his arms and held onto her with everything he had. Only she seemed real now. It made sense. They stayed in each other’s embrace, neither saying anything for some time… He couldn’t be sure how long.

The whole time, his mind was all over the place. A twin. A fucking twin? He couldn’t keep his thoughts straight. Not while he had so many questions. The pieces of what Doc was trying to tell wouldn’t come together.

“Wait…” Emmanuel said as a thought struck him. He pulled an arm’s length away so he could look at Ivy. “… first you were talking about the paternity test, then you switched topics to my adoption. Are they related? What am I missing?”

“Yes, the two topics are related. While I was talking to her, she was telling me about meeting you. All I could think was that sounded absolutely nothing like the man I know. As a matter of fact, I was convinced it wasn’t. For a second, I thought, hell, maybe Manny has a dissociative identity disorder, and I’ve missed it.”

“I don’t get it…” His tone was riddled with confusion.

“Even before I spoke to your mom, I started thinking, how can Manny and the tests both be right? Cause fuck me, that’s what I should have been thinking all along.”

“What? How are the test and I both right?”

“If, the father of Jasmine Journee’s son shares the exact same DNA with you…” Ivy stopped as if waiting for the pieces to come together.

Christ! The penny finally dropped, yet his voice was unsure as he said, “Like my twin?”

“Yes. Well, he is obviously your identical twin.”

“Sorry, what?” Shaking his head. This was too much for him to wrap his head around.

“You two are biologically the same. Pretty much the same in every way. Except…” Ivy’s voice pitched as she became animated. “…you are a marvel of science. Get this: you two are mirror twins. You’re left-handed and whoever your twin is, is right-handed.”

“Wait, how do you know that?”

“I told you I went to Jasmine Journee’s house?—”

“Doc—” The censor in his tone was normally reserved for their children. “You went to this woman’s house?”

Ivy looked like a reprimanded child. As well as she should. What in the holy hell!

“So, this woman let you and Roy into her house, just like that?”

No answer. Ivy bit her lip and looked down, avoiding his gaze.

“Doc, did you go into this woman’s house by yourself?”

“Don’t be upset. I had to sort this out. I think the end justifies the means.”

When Emmanuel woke up this morning, he was certain of who he was and the love he had for his woman. Now they were sitting on the couch in the condo after she dropped the biggest bombshell of his life on him. He no longer knew who the fuck he was. The only thing he was still certain of was the love he had for Ivy.

It was because of their love he was still fuming over the fact Ivy had gone and visited that Journee woman alone. Roy would hear from Emmanuel for allowing Ivy to expose herself to danger. In the meantime, Doc was receiving an ear full.

“We aren’t done talking about this, Doc.”

“Manny, just let it go. I did what I had to do.”

“What if this woman was some kind of psycho and attacked you? Do you have any idea what I’d do if anything happened to you?”

“I wasn’t in danger. Roy was right outside. I couldn’t go in there with him. I doubt that she would have let both of us in. As it was, I made the right call.”

Ivy was right. Emmanuel looked at Doc’s eager expression. He was certain there was more. No, he didn’t like that she had gone off by herself, but at least she’d gotten some answers. Those answers seemed to be just the tip of the iceberg though. He’d have to deal with that fallout.

“Alright Doc. What else do I need to know?” Honestly, he wasn’t certain he was ready for any more bombshells, but look where ignorance had gotten him so far.

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