Switched at birth (FACE)

3

I hid behind some bushes across the street. I was at the address the place told me to go to. "Okay, deep breathe, Alfred; you are just going to go over there, knock on the door, and ask for Matthew, then..." I began to look over.

"You will wing it," I spoke nervously.

I continued to take more breaths, and I finally stepped out from the bushes. "You got this!" I cheered. I looked around and quickly ran across the street. I placed my hand on the small metal gate, slowly pushing it open. There was a beautiful garden with lots of flowers and fruit. The house was very nice and was a standard brick building. The house looked peaceful and welcoming.

I walked closer and looked at the doormat with the last name "Kirkland" on it. Like the name, I had read in those papers. I was still a little confused about what had happened.

If Matthew was supposed to be my cousin, and that meant his mom and my mom were sisters, yet my dad was this Arthur guy and lived with him, what does that mean? Who was his...?

I lifted my hand in a fist to knock, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Who was his...?

Something was missing in the story.

If our moms were sisters, then our dads... who were they?

If my dad was supposed to be Arthur, this man I had never met in my life... does that mean that...

"The longer you leave it up, won't make a difference whether a noise is created," a voice spoke. My eyes widened, and I jumped at the sudden voice. "What the?!" I called, horrified. I jumped away, turning my head fast.

There was a boy standing there. He looked around my age. He had wavy hair that was longer and shaggy, beautiful violet eyes, and a kind smile. He looked...like...

"Ah! Right! I knew that!" I spoke.

He laughed at me and began to come up to me. "What brings you here?" he asked sweetly. He looked like...Papa...

I watched him sadly as tears began to fall from my eyes. His face suddenly dropped, and I soon began to cry more. "How is this possible?" I cried. He looked at me confused and looked around nervously.

He was obviously my Papa's real son! And me? I wasn't! And it was apparent!

I cried more and more, falling to my knees. "Hey! It's okay! What's wrong? Do you need help?" He asked. I continued to sob into my hands, and he fell to his knees to help me. "Hey! Don't cry; look at me!" He demanded. He pulled my face to look at him, and my eyes widened.

He was everything I wanted to look like.

How was this possible?

"What's wrong? Why did you come here? Do you need help?"

I didn't say anything.

"Here, my dad is away on business right now; he won't be back till Friday; how about you come in? I can try and help," he suggested. I nodded my head slowly, and he smiled.

I grew jealous looking at him. If papa knew about him, he would want to get to know him! No! He wouldn't do that to me, right? There was no way that he would do that to me. I was still his son, right?

"Great, come on! I'll make some tea, and we can talk," he laughed. He was so nice. He didn't know me, yet he offered to help and talk to me. "My name is Matthew; what's yours?" He asked. "Alfred..." I spoke. He nodded at me and smiled. "Nice to meet you, it is so odd seeing you here, but I will help!" He cheered.

He helped me to my feet and began to open the door. "Come on, just take your shoes off and come to the kitchen," he smiled. I nodded at him and began to do as he said. He dropped his keys in a bowl by the door, and I looked around. His home was clean and perfect.

"So, what brings you here?" He asked. I began to follow him. I got to the kitchen, and he gestured for me to sit down. Some of me were hesitant to say something, but I didn't come all this way for anything. I needed answers!

"Well, I know you don't know me...but..."

"But...?"

"Well, we are related!" I spoke. Matthew stopped what he was doing and looked at me, puzzled. We stared at each other, and he looked serious now. Matthew slowly turned his body to me and quickly sat beside me. "What? How?" He asked.

"We are cousins..."

"I don't have cousins..."

"Our mothers!"

Silence once more...

He looked at me, and I looked at him, and we looked nervous. "How? I can't just believe you," he started. I immediately took the papers out of my pocket and looked at him as I placed them in front of him.

"About a month ago, my papa told me my mother was Canadian, and I went behind his back to get a DNA test. Well, the results...led to something more confusing," I started. He began to look at the papers, and I felt my hands shaking.

"It was strange because the DNA test showed that my mother was American, and my biological father was British, but my papa is French," I added. It looked like the blood had drained from his face. "How is this possible?" He asked.

He looked at the papers and held a hand to his mouth. "My dad told me that my mother was American...and he...he is British," he spoke. I nodded at him, and we looked at each other nervously.

"Does this mean that my dad, he isn't my..."

"I think so..."

"Wait! So who is my real dad?"

"My papa...I think... it's the only explanation..."

We both looked at each other silently. We had no idea what to do. "I see...but how?" He wondered. That's when something finally hit me about the situation.

"I think..." I started slowly. I placed a hand onto his shaking hand, and he looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "I think we were switched by accident."