“They have bakeries on every corner.” Ade rolled her eyes. “Who needs to bake at home?”
“Good point. Do you think we’ll be able to get canned pumpkin?” Steph asked.
Ade shrugged. “Honestly, it’s been really hard to get anything that tastes like it’s from home. Even the cheese tastes different over here.”
“Different, as in better?”
“Not really.” Ade shivered. “It’s not what I’m used to.”
“What have you been surviving on?” Steph plucked a jar of cinnamon from the shelf.
“Pastries and chicken tenders.”
“Jesus, kid. You’re impossible sometimes.” Steph shook her head and darted down the next aisle.
“It’s not my fault that stuff tastes weird.” Ade organized their cart like a game of Tetris. “This isn’t going to be easy. There’s no sign of condensed milk. What are we going to do?” Her shoulders sank. She wanted everything to go to plan.
“We’ll just have to tell Dad and Pops that things might feel a little different this year.” Steph rubbed her shoulder. “They’re coming to see us, not for a perfect Thanksgiving meal.”
“I know that. I just wanted things to be the same.”
“Ade, we’re making a meal for four in your living room-cum-bedroom. Nothing is the same.” Steph handed her a jar of cranberries and held her hand. “But we’ll all be together, and that’s the main thing.”
They wandered through the market until the glare of the lights forced Ade to call it a day. Steph packed up the last of the groceries while Ade waited outside on a bench, staring at a patch of cobblestones and counting the number of shoes that stepped across it.
Back at the apartment, she laid on the bed while Steph made them something to eat. She hadn’t lied earlier when she’d said she hadn’t missed her twin. But now Steph was around, moving in and out of the small kitchenette, it was like an empty part of her had filled in.
“Whatcha thinking about there?” Steph wafted a cloud of steam rising above a boiling pot. “You’re miles away.”
“I’m right here, thinking about how it’s nice to have you around.”
“I love that.” Steph’s face lit up. “You know, you’re kind of different.”
“What do you mean?” Ade asked.
“You’re softer around your edges. Fuzzier. Almost glowing.”
Ade wriggled under Steph’s gaze. She wasn’t aware of being any of those things.
The buzz of an incoming call disturbed them, and Steph dived at her own cell. “Hello?” She nodded excitedly at Ade and fumbled with the speaker button.
“Hey, girls.” The crackly voice of Pops filled the studio.
“Pops! Are you here?” Steph beamed.
“We just got to London and checked into our hotel. Your dad and I are pretty wiped.”
“Hey, you two. I hope you’re behaving yourselves over there. We’ll be with you in a few days. Make your beds and polish your shoes.” Their dad’s deep laughter rang out between them. “Ade, are you there, or has Steph tired you out already?”
“I’m here, Dad. Hey, Pops.” Ade scooted closer to the phone, leaning on Steph’s shoulder, a warmth radiating around her heart. She’d forgotten how it felt to be surrounded by the people she loved, by the people who loved her so much, no matter what.
“When will you be here?” Steph asked.
Ade tutted. “It’s on the calendar.” She’d been marking it off until Thanksgiving, looking forward to the reunion of her little family.
“We’re going to do a bit of sightseeing here for a couple of days, and we’ll be with you on Wednesday. We’re flying down south. Your dad didn’t want to spend that many hours on the train.”
“We just don’t know what they’re like, Sam,” their dad said. “You never know about the quality of the transportation.”
