Family

I Hate You

24 Jan, 2022

"Michael Lu!" James sprouted.

"What?" Liam exclaimed. "What the fuck are you saying? Just fucking explain yourself!"

"I am," the man exhaled calmly. "Michael Lu, the husband of Talia Lu-"

"What, the people that bought the dog from the ORIC to give information to Bojan?" Liam questioned.

"Yes, yes them," James nodded. "Michael's ex-wife was Shona Lu, and his daughter, Leslie Lu, was brutally killed by a riverside a year and a half ago."

"What?" Liam shuddered. "What...what the fuck has Leslie Lu got to do with any of this?"

"Look, I'll take it from the beginning," James assured quickly. "A long time ago, there were a group of friends. There were the sisters, Shona and Sophia, and then there were also the siblings Jacob and Rosa Moresby. And finally, there was Talia; and the five of them were irrevocably close. After a while, Shona found a man, named Phy, your father, and the two fell deeply in love."

"What the fuck?" Liam spluttered. "Does any of this have a point?"

"Of course it does, Liam, why else would I be telling it to you?" the doctor snapped. "Anyway, Phy and Shona quickly got married, but over that next year she cheated for a little with Phy's brother, Phil. Phil was married to Mary, your mother, but after a while she broke it up. But then one thing led to another, and Phy ended up with Mary and Phil got with one of Shona's friends, and Shona was left with nothing. Nothing, that is, until she met a man named Michael.

"He was decent enough, and the group very quickly got acquainted with him. Meanwhile, Jacob and Talia got together after years of buildup - it was like fireworks when they kissed. Rosa was alone for a while, but it was around this time that she met the love of her life, Paula, but she didn't know it yet. So anyway, Talia and Jacob had a son, who you know as Chris."

"What the fuck?!" Liam jumped up. "What the fuck does Chris have to do with this?! How do you know all this about my life?!"

"Just...listen," James continued calmly. "During this time, Shona's sister, Sophia, was starting to feel left out. The only other member who hadn't found a partner was Rosa, and even she was interested in somebody. Sophia was jealous of them - she wanted to have a partner. Jacob was the only boy in the group, not including Michael since he joined later on, and slowly Sophia began to loathe Talia for being with him.

"She seduced Jacob, and the two were soon having an affair. Finally, Rosa and Paula married, and Talia told Jacob she was pregnant again. Jacob was overjoyed to hear this, but the enthusiasm sank when he found out Sophia was also pregnant. Soon, Talia gave birth to twins - Renata, and a girl you know as Chloe."

"Holy shit," Liam shook his head. "Renata is Chloe and Chris' sibling?"

"Yes," the doctor nodded. "Anyway, around this time, Shona and Michael had a daughter, Leslie, and as time passed they got less and less close with the greater group - but they were still casual friends, as always. Meanwhile, Jacob had finally gotten sick of the noise the babies caused. He convinced himself he only wanted two children, and that getting twins was the reason for his misery. So he persuaded Talia to put up Chloe for adoption, and quickly the couple was left with only two children. But at one point, overcome by guilt, Sophia rang Talia and told her all about the affair. Sophia was entering childbirth, and couldn't bear to allow her son's father to be a cheating wreck. Soon after, she gave birth to a boy she named James. She gave birth to me."

"What?" Liam exclaimed. "You - you're the child of Sophia and Jacob. Leslie Lu, she's your cousin. Chloe, Renata, Chris, they're all your half siblings! Holy fuck, you and Chris have the same biological father. What the actual fuck?!"