The party was beginning to break up. It had been an impromptu affair to welcome me to the fold, and I’d enjoyed myself more than I’d expected to. The Barnes females were giggling in the kitchen, and I went back into the living room to find some masculine energy. But I found the room was empty, so I stood in front of the fire admiring the portrait of Ziggy Barnes that was the focal point of the room and appreciated having a quiet moment to reflect.

Leo walked in carrying two beers and motioned for me to take one.

“You old enough to drink these?” I asked, only half-joking as I twisted off the cap of the one he handed me.

“I’m twenty-two, actually. But it’s not like I haven’t been drinking beer since I was a teenager.” He pointed to a comfortable-looking chair and I sat down. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as comfortable as it appeared.

Leo sank down into the chair across from me his lips curling up into a smile smirk. “Mom’s furniture, right? It looks like a million bucks, but it feels like crap. Nick and I always laugh about that.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Where is Nick? I asked. He’d been around earlier.

“Helping Eden with the twins. Those little whirling dervishes. I can’t imagine what Ivy and I must have been like at that age. I don’t want to know.”

I chuckled, trying to imagine spirited Ivy and Leo as toddlers. “I’ll bet your mom had her hands full.”

“Yeah,” he said, staring into the fire.

We were quiet for a moment. I was more comfortable with silences between people than the average person because, as a counselor, you learned to sit with silence. Most people liked to fill the space, but that space was what allowed people to go to a deeper level.

“You know, Ed, you’re not the only one with father issues.” Leo jerked his head at the portrait of Ziggy.

“No?”

“No.” Leo spoke slowly. “I don’t think he was my dad.”

My pulse quickened. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“I don’t think I’m the son of Ziggy Barnes.”

“But Ivy and you are twins.” My mind was spinning, but I was trying to get a handle on what he was telling me.

“Oh, I think it’s possible Ivy is his. Just not me.”

“But how?”

He shrugged. “I’ve read about it happening when a woman sleeps with two men on the same night. Twins can have different fathers.

“But why would you think that? What about your musical talent? Everyone says you’re just as talented as Ziggy or more so. How could you possibly have more talent than Ziggy if you’re not his kid?”

“I don’t really remember my dad, but I’ve heard that Ziggy always said that Eden’s dad was more talented than him. The two of them were best friends. They loved each other like brothers. Both died in the same plane crash and there were rumors they both loved the same woman.”

“Leo, where did you come up with this idea?”

“I was in Italy last summer on a break from the tour. Just writing music, hanging out. I rented a motorcycle one day and had a little accident. When I got to the hospital and they asked me my blood type. I didn’t know so they checked and told me it was O positive. One day I was looking through my mom’s wallet. She told me to run and go grab a credit card and bring it to her and when I did I saw her blood donor card that said she was A positive. I knew from reading a lot about Ziggy that he had a rare blood type—AB. A mother with Lucinda’s blood type and a man with Ziggy’s blood type can’t have a child with an O blood type. I looked it up.”

“Do you know what blood type Eden’s father had?”

Leo shook his head. “He’s dead too. And I don’t know that I want to know if it’s somebody else.”

“Man, Leo, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s all good, Padre. I just wanted you to know this is one fucked-up family, but we care a lot about each other, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other family in the world. No matter who my real dad is, I’m pretty fucking lucky to be a Barnes. I’ve been all over the world, and I get to play music and get paid for it. That’s a charmed life, and I try to be grateful for it. If it seems like a bit of a curse to you, I just wanted to tell you that there are blessings that come with it as well. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

“Thank you, Leo. I appreciate that.” My brother had a lot of wisdom for a twenty-two-year-old. When I was his age, I was trying to deal with the fallout from the accident I’d been in. He seemed to have a pretty good head on his shoulders.

“That must be a lot to carry around.”

“Yeah, well don’t mention it to anyone. Lucinda doesn’t know I know, and Ivy—well, she would flip her wig. I don’t want to go stirring things up, ya know?”

“I do.”

“But don’t think every time I’m around Nick and Eden’s twins I don’t wonder if I’m really their uncle from Eden’s side, or hell, both sides! Fucks with my brain, you know?”

I shook my head. What could you say to that?

We sat, basking in the warmth of the fire and our dysfunctional family.

As if summoned, Lucinda popped her head out from the kitchen and said, “Who’s up for a Barnes Family Thanksgiving show?”

Amidst a chorus of groans, Chloe came over and planted herself in my lap.

“Chloe should do the cooking!” I shouted.

Everyone looked at me as if I had two heads.

“What? I may be a slow study, but I’m coming around,” I said, pretending to be defensive.

“Really?” Chloe asked.

“Really. From the very beginning I told you I’d do everything in my power to make your dreams come true. So, if you want to be on TV with Lucinda and everyone else, I think you should go for it.”

Lucinda clapped her hands. “Yay! You see what a good idea it was to find Eduardo.”

There were several dutiful “Yes, Mothers” and a lot of laughter.

“And Eduardo can say a special Thanksgiving blessing,” Ivy piped up.

I held up a hand in protest. “I don’t think so.”

“C’mon, Ed. You can do that. We won’t make you sing or anything,” Dynassy teased.

“You don’t want me to sing?” I joked back.

“Please no!” Nick chimed in, and I felt more a part of something bigger than myself. Having a family like this was something no one could have prepared me for.

As a young boy, I’d had a home with my mother. Then away at school, I’d had one with the Morleys. Later, I convinced myself the church was my family. But none of that compared with the feeling of belonging I got being a part of the Barnes clan.

They were crazy. High energy. Meddling. Outrageous. Not to mention loud. My crazy new family had almost broken my marriage, but they had also helped put it back together again.

As Chloe wound her arms around me, and whispered in my ear, “Thank you, my love,” I knew if lightning struck me at that moment I’d die a happy man.