It was his aside that spoiled the secret identity of Santa Claus; he who laughingly revealed the mechanics of sex; he who gave me my first sip of beer. Yet, when he found out I was sneaking cigarettes from my dad's stale dinner party supply, he chastised me before either of my parents could, and when my mum was diagnosed with cancer and I was just 15, he was already a 22-year-old medical student.
I had heard about the special bonds that twins share, and I was excited to witness that up close. I thought it would be like watching a fascinating story unfold. My sons are 13 now, but they have been mostly inseparable since birth. When they were babies, they hit milestones within days of each other. Through the years, they've shared rhythms, reactions, and inside jokes that didn't need explaining.