Today was a special day in the St.Clair's manor. The eighth birthday of the St.Clair twin sisters, daughters of business tycoon Thomas St.Clair.
The mansion glowed an ethereal glow as the servants and maids paced back and forth, busy decorating.
Upstairs, Rina sat Infront of the mirror, she had just woken up and after the maids had brushed her teeth and bathed her, she sat there for what felt like hours before finally deciding to go check what was taking her mother so long. Upon opening the door to her room, she finally saw her momma coming out of her sister's room.
"Mommy, you were in Rhea's room all along?" She asked with creased brows after seeing her sister all ready and glowing with excitement. The pink dresses they were both supposed to wear, Rhea already had hers on while hers hasn't even been out of her closet. Her blonde hair was styled perfectly into a low ponytail and a hairpin in the shape of a butterfly was pinned in the side of her hair.
"Good morning Rina, Happy birthday," Rhea greeted and wished with a smile but was completely shunned.
"I waited for you for hours and you were with Rhea, I knew it mom, you never think or care about me, only Rhea!" Rina begun to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Oh honey, it's not how you think, I love and care for you both equally. I came into Rhea's room to wake her up but she was already awake and ready, I just helped her finished by doing her hair and adding some finishing touches. Now don't cry, unless you want mommy to cry too," Their mother said, crouching down to meet Rina's height, holding her daughter's hand in hers affectionately.
Rina finally calmed down and embraced her mother, she didn't want her mommy to cry, so she just let it slide, but she'd surely get back at Rhea for this. "Good morning Rhea, happy birthday too, sorry I didn't answer you before,"
"It's okay, just don't cry on our birthday again, here I made these for you, it's a gift," Rhea revealed a beautiful bracelet made with beads, she held unto Rina's hand, placing the bracelet on her sister's wrist.
"Aw, how thoughtful of you Rhea, it's lovely," Macy said to Rhea and embraced her daughters. "Happy birthday to you my angels, I love you both very much,"
"We love you too mommy," They replied in unison.
"I'll go check on the decorations, Rhea please do me a favor and help your sister get ready, I'll be back soon,"
"Yes Mommy," Rhea answered and Macy walked away, leaving the two girls.
"What are you trying to do Rhea?" Rina asked as soon as their mother was out of sight.
"Hmm?"
"Don't act like you don't know what am talking about, you are trying to steal mommy's attention away from me!" Rina exclaimed.
"What are..."
"...Oh stop with the. Pretence, you act like you're so perfect, but I see right through you, Sister," Rina said, taking off the bracelet and breaking it while Rhea watched in stupefaction. "I don't need your ugly bracelet, I already have enough, now let's go, mommy said you should help me get dressed,"
Rina smiled as if she hadn't just said and done something hurtful to her twin, leaving Rhea saddened and confused. 'What just happened?' She asked herself inwardly.
The twins were in Rina's room, Rhea grabbed a brush, gently brushing her sister's hair when Rina suddenly winced. "What's wrong Rina, are you hurt? She asked in concern.
"My hair, you're brushing too hard, give me that, you can't do anything right," Rina forcefully took the brush off Rhea's hand.
"I--i'll get your dress," Rhea stuttered.
"Oh forget that, I'm going to wear something different anyway, there's no way am wearing that ugly thing," Rina said as she brushed her hair.
"But it was you who chose the dress, that's why mommy bought it, and we always wear the same thing, so why not on our birthday," Rhea asked, causing Rina to slam the brush down. She walked up to her sister.
"You're so full of yourself, why do I have to share a birthday with you?!"
"Because we're twins," Rhea answered.
"I never had a problem with it before, but now that I think about it, would I have to share my birthdays with you as we get older, come to think of it you're taking everything that's meant to be mine!" Rina scolded.
"If--if it's the gifts you're talking about I'll gladly give you all of my gifts too,"
"Ard you going to give me my birthday too, oh I know, you can give me my face back!" Rina said and Rhea froze, this was a new side of Rina she had never seen before. She knew Rina always saw her like another version of herself, a second version but this is more worse than her sister calling her Rina two, they were identical twins, not from parallel universes.
Rhea could feel her heart shattering, they were so close before what was happening to them, why was Rina treating her this way. She ran out of Rina's room, bumping into her mom at the entrance.
"Rhea," Macy called out as she ran after her daughter who seemed to be crying profusely.
"She's too much, always finding ways to shift the attention to herself!" Rina yelled in anger, pushing everything to the ground and staring at the mirror in disdain.
Macy found Rhea where she'd always go whenever she felt down, at the little balcony right outside her window. She smiled to herself as she approached her crying daughter. "Are you okay?"
"No mommy, Rina--Rina hates me," Rina said and broke down into tears, clinging unto her mom.
"What, don't say that dear, you know that's not true,"
"She--She said she hates sharing birthdays with me,"
"That's impossible, you're twins, it's your birthday too," Macy hugged Rhea warmly. "Am very sure Rina doesn't mean that, your sister loves you, you know how she is, she might still be upset that I was late to wish her a happy birthday and she's taking her anger out on you,"
"You might be right mommy," Rhea said, sitting up.
"Mommy's always right," Macy smiled and wiped her daughter's tears and then tickled her, the sound of laughter now replacing the sound of whimpers and sniffles.
"Let's go down," Macy said.
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Macy and Rhea got to Rina's room only to find the three maids standing behind her as she checked out herself in the mirror.
"Rina, why aren't you wearing the dress you chose?" Macy asked, she was surprised. Rina had chosen a dress for she and her sister to wear on their birthday, but right now, she was in a completely different dress, even her hair was styled differently.
"Who told you to do this, my daughters were meant to wear the same dress today!" Macy scolded the maids who were now cowering.
"I did mommy," Rina answered, turning to Macy with a smile.
"What, why--why would you do that honey, you picked the dress you and your sister were supposed to wear today," Macy was stunned, wondering what had changed. Rina was always so excited when it came to dressing in the same attire with her sister.
"I got sick of wearing the same thing with Rhea mommy, I don't have to look like Rhea everytime, I am my own person," Rina said.
"What do you mean look like Rhea, you're twins, identical twins, you both look like each other, you look like Rhea and Rhea looks like you," Macy said.
"Then why do people always call Rhea's name first whenever they see me, I am sick and tired of that mommy, it's as if Rhea is the main character in a storybook while I am an extra, can't I have my own identity?" Rina asked.
"Mommy, let it be, it's bad luck to argue on a special day, it will ruin your mood," Rhea said, tugging at her mother's dress.
"Well aren't you miss know-it-all,"
"Rina!" Macy scolded "I have had enough of your attitude young lady, fine if you want to wear a different dress, you can do that, but do not be mean to your sister,"
"Yes Mommy," Rina answered.
"Is everything okay, why the gloom expression?" The old nanny walked in, she was like a mother to Macy and a grandmother to the twins.
"It's fine Artie, there was a little misunderstanding with the kids, but it's fine now," Macy said, running her fingers through her hair. "Have you heard from Thomas?"
"He sent gifts ma'am," Artie responded with a smile.
"Daddy can't make it right?" Rina asked, there was an awkward silence that lingered for a while " I knew it, he doesn't care about us,"
"Of course he cares, he's just busy with work, right mommy?" Rhea said, walking towards her sister and holding her hand in hers.
"Y--Yes dear,"
"Busy to spend time with his own children on their birthday, that's a very bad excuse," Rina said, pulling away from Rhea.
"Now Rina, calm down, your Daddy loves and care for you, he doesn't have the time to come all the way from Singapore, and he's busy with work, if not for him do you think you'll be enjoying such luxury?" Artie asked.
"No nanny," Rina answered.
"Good girl," Artie said with a smile.
"Your Daddy cares about you two, that's why he sent gifts, speaking of gifts, let's go open some," Macy said with a smile and the twins faces lit up, running outside with speed.