The Summer He Saved Me

Chapter 18 - Reunited

Olivia's POV

"Tyler!" I screamed as I ran into his open arms!

"Olivia! I can't believe I found you!" He cried.

He held me tight, tighter than ever, "I'm never letting you go." He said.

Suddenly, from an adjacent room I heard, "Livvy? Who's there?"

"It's just me and a friend mom!" I called back.

Then my "mother" came into the room. She's a slightly heavy set women, with long brown hair pulled into a pony tail.

"Hey, mom."

"Hi sweetie." She said smiling, then she looked at Tyler and stopped, dead cold. 

"M-mom?" I asked, "Are you alright?"

Then I looked at Tyler and back at her, "This, this is..."

"Tyler." She whispered. 

"Y-yeah, how'd you know?"

She looked at us both, "He's your brother. I'm almost sure of it. Same hair, same eyes, same intense gaze." 

"M-m-my brother?"

"Yes." Tyler said. 

I looked at him, "How do you know? Is that why you approached me that day on the beach? What do you want from me?"

"Calm down, I know because I could tell how alike we really are. I didn't know that first day on the beach, and all I want from you is for you to come home safely."

"I don't belong with Karen and Dean," I whispered, "I belong with my mother. This woman may not be my biological mother, but she's the closest thing I've ever had."

"Liv, I know you love her, but she has to return to her family, and you have to return to yours."

"Karen and Dean aren't family..."

Tyler cut me off, "I wasn't talking about Karen and Dean. I was talking about my mom and dad."

"They gave me up, Ty. Why would they want me back?"

"They didn't give you up..."

I cut him off, "Y-yes they did."

"No, they didn't. They adopted me, about a year after you were put into the care of your mom."

I just looked at him, why didn't he tell me and how did he know?

As if he could read my mind he said, "I found out one day. Come live with us, it's for the better."

I nodded, and gave my mom one last hug as I whispered, "Goodbye, forever."

Then with tears slowly rolling down my face Tyler put one arm around me and led me to the door.