Double Trouble (A Psych Fanfiction)

The Truth Comes Out With A Happy Ending

The police station was once again busy as the gang members were processes and formally charged. “I thought you said we were going for smoothies,” Ethan accused, collapsing onto a bench. He glared up at the grownups. “I haven't eaten all day. Well, not since twelve o'clock.”

“Dude, you were like five yards away,” Shawn exclaimed. “How could you have heard that? I was whispering.”

Ethan just grinned back at him. Frowning, Evelyn tilted her head as she looked down the hallway. Her eyes widened as she recognized the blonde haired woman pushing towards them. “Mom!” she squealed, running forward. “You're here! You won't believe what happened to us!”

“Mom!” Ethan echoed, jumping up. He rushed to the woman.

Madeleine Spencer hugged both of the children tightly. “I was so worried about you two,” she said, moving back enough to look down at their faces. “Just what have you been up to?”

The pair started to talk at once, their voices rising to be over the other one. There was a fond smile on the woman's face as she listened to them. She happened to look up and spotted her ex-husband and son standing not far away. “Hey, hey,” Maddie said, cutting the twins both off. “Let me talk to someone, all right?”

Both twins twisted to look behind them. “About us, right?” Ethan guessed. “OK. Give us a couple dollars and we’ll find a vending machine somewhere.”

Nodding, Maddie handed over her purse. Ethan bounced away, not ashamed to be seen with a purse. Evelyn followed, a worried frown on her face. “Maddie,” Henry said, approaching the woman. Gus discreetly vanished with the twins. “Is there something you want to tell us?”

“Actually, yes,” Maddie responded, taking a deep breath. She stepped to the side of the hallway. “I’ve been trying for years to figure out the right way to tell you without you blowing up.”

Shawn leaned against the wall. “Just tell us, Mom,” he said. “Dad’ll blow up over anything no matter how you say it.”

Henry shot his son an annoyed look, but chose not to respond. “After we first separated, I got some news,” Maddie began, her tone careful. “And I know I should have consulted you first, Henry, but you were already having problems with Shawn and I didn’t want to add to that.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t want them?” Henry demanded.

Maddie’s eyes narrowed. “You haven’t let me finish,” she said sternly. She paused. “You think Ethan and Evelyn are ours? How could you think I would keep something like that from you?”

“Mom, Ethan looks like me,” Shawn spoke up as Henry became flustered. “He remembers what he hears like you. Evelyn can draw details most people forget. And just now they both called you ‘Mom’. What else were we supposed to think? How can they not be related to us?”

“I didn’t say they weren’t related to us,” Maddie corrected. “They are my sister Sara’s children.”

Her son and ex-husband stared at her incredulously. “Sara’s dead,” Henry finally said. “She died right after the divorce was final.”

“They’re my cousins?” Shawn asked.

“She died from complications of the pregnancy, but the twins survived with little trouble,” Maddie explained sadly. She shook her head. “I have formal guardianship of Ethan and Evelyn, but they spend most of their time with my brother and his family in Northern California.”

“And their father?” Henry asked. “Why did you feel you couldn’t tell me about them?”

“Their father has had no contact with them. I doubt he even knows about their existence,” Maddie answered, glancing down the hallway. She shook her head as she saw Evelyn peeking around the corner. She raised her hand to her mouth. “I didn’t tell you because I promised I wouldn’t. Sara didn’t want the father to be forced into raising the children.”