Double Trouble

3

That evening, after dinner, when all the other girls were in the big camp house playing games, Lena and Elle went to the tree strunk near the lake, watched the sunset and talked.

"You said your Mom works a lot. What about your Dad?" Lena asked.

"I don't have one. And your parents?" Elle said.

"It's exactly the other way around with me. I only have my Dad. We live in New Orleans." Lena played with a small branch while speaking.

Elle nodded thoughtfully.
"Hmm. I live in Mystic Falls. You probably don't know it, it's a small town."

Lena stopped playing with her branch and looked at Elle in surprise. "Mystic Falls? No way! I was born there! Don't tell me you were too?!?"

"Actually, I was."

Lena shook her head in disbelief. "But not on the 10th of octobre in 2002, right?"

Now, Elle looked just as surprised as Lena. "Yes, I was!"

For a long moment, both of them looked at each other shellshocked, trying to comprehend what they were finding out here.

Lena whispered: "You think that's all just coincidence?"
Elle silently shook her head no, pursing her lips.

She thought for a moment, then asked: "Do you know what your Mom looks like?"

Lena nodded. "Yeah. My Dad had a picture of her on his piano once. But he took it away at some point."

"I have an idea. Come!" Elle dragged her to the girl's bedroom and took out a photograph showing a brunette woman.

Lena looked at the woman for a moment. "That's her! My mother!"

The two girls looked at ech other. A smile started growing on both of their faces.

"We're sisters!" Lena sqealed.
"We're twins!" Elle called out, thrilled. They started laughing and spontanously gave each other a big hug.
"I've always wanted a sister!" Lena whispered.

"Wait! But, how come we never met before? And why did we not know of each other? It doesn't make sense!" Elle suddenly said, confused. Lena nodded her head, considering. Finally, she said: "I don't know. But, you and I have two more weeks to find out, right? And even if we don't, we can talk to our parents after this."
Her voice sounded anything but convinced.

They continued having a great time at the camp, but they had no success in finding out why their parents had kept them hidden from each other for all these years.

Soon, the two girls became inseparable. Although their characters were quite different, they made an incredible team. And at the same time, they got to know each other more. Their parents were still the main topic of their talks though.

"What is your... I mean, our father, what is he like?" Elle asked.

"He always wears suits. He owns like half of the New Orleans Opera. And don't get me started on our aunts and uncles!" Lena replied.

Elle shook her head in disbelief. "Hold up, what?"

Lena grinned. "Yeah! There is aunt Freya, uncle Kol and aunt Rebekah. Uncle Kol has a wife, aunt Sophie. They got married last year. Their wedding was awesome! Aunt Rebekah has a husband, uncle Marcel. They have a daughter. My cousin, Davina."

"No way! My middle name is Rebekah!" Elle said.

Lena raised her eyebrows. "And mine is Freya. Hmm. I guess that kinda makes sense. What's our Mom's name?"

"Elena. Elena Gilbert."

Lena stared at the lake. "Elena. Elle and Lena." she rolled her eyes, "Just how did our parents come up with such original names?!"

Elle giggled. "Absolute mystery."

"And what's our father's name?"

"Elijah."

Elle looked at her expectantly. "And his last name?"

"Mikaelson. We're all Mikaelsons at home."

Elle nodded and looked at her sister with a bittersweet feeling in her gut. She would have loved to have a big family with many aunts and uncles and a Dad. Of course, she was never lonely at home, her Mom made sure of that, but sometimes, she would have liked more.

About a week before the holiday was over, Elle and Lena came to the girls' bedroom finding a crying girl with a letter in front of her. The Saltzman-twins were already there to comfort her. Elle and Lena recongized the crying girl. Her name was April. She had arrived with the same bus as Elle had. Her hair was black and she was a little chubby.

Elle sat down next to them with a concerned look on her face.
"April, what's wrong?" she asked empathetically.

"My -my parents are getting- divorced." April said between cries.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" Elle said and gave April a hug.

"Th- thank you! I- I think, my Dad loves another woman!" she said.

"What a coward! He should have told you face to face and not send you away for holidays and then go with a letter!" Josie said.

Elle looked at Lena. At that moment, they were both thinking: can it be that one of their parents had someone else?