Delinquency

Chapter 28: Bloodline

Caelan

I had to stay for another day for observation. My sister—--it still feels weird saying it but it feels nice—-My sister, Ate Natalie is dropping by as much as she can. Since on top of taking care of me, she has other patients for her shift. I kept on reassuring her that I will be fine even if she doesn't check on me, but like a stubborn big sister, she wouldn't listen and would tell me to shush and let her do her job.

During her breaks she would spend it with me, we would look through the box that she had brought that contained pictures and memorabilias she had kept. We had our 'first' family picture in our mother's hospital room after she gave birth to me. Mother was holding me in her arms while our father was standing behind her smiling and holding little Ate Natalie, proudly grinning even though she was missing a couple of her front teeth.

I know they were my family not only because of the genuine warmthness I could feel, but our resemblances were undeniable. It was uncanny, even. Our father, John Welch, had dark hair like mine and we had the same peculiar gray-blue eyes just like what my Ate said. My mother, Junie Welch, had Natalie's blonde, silky hair and the same shade of blue eyes. The picture that she showed me yesterday was my first Halloween, and she told me that I was the one who wanted to dress up as the cowboy, that when Mama took us to the costume store, as soon as I saw the cowboy outfit on display, I had refused to leave it alone. Mama happily bought it for me, and even though it wasn't Halloween yet, I wore it on the ride home.

"I came out to mama when I was sixteen. She was the best woman I have ever known, gentle and kind to everyone, but even then, I was still scared to tell her that I liked Barbies." She chuckled and shook her head. She was currently sitting on the side of my hospital bed, her deep blue scrubs contrasted the color of the white bed sheets. Her hair is tucked inside the scrubcap. The pictures were scattered between us.

"Junie, Mama..." I paused because it still feels weird to say it. Ate Natalie gave me a reassuring look that it's going to be fine. "She looks like she doesn't get mad."

She giggled.

"No, she has the sweetest voice ever. It was the kind that you would trust even if you barely knew her. No wonder in her funeral all of her students who were already grown up flooded the whole cemetery. She was loved." She said that made me smile again. "But even then, I thought she was going to kick me out, but she accepted me with open arms and she told me that she knew ever since we were kids." She said, "I asked her how? She told me it's a "superpower" loving parents have.....that they just know. That one day, if I ever decide to have children, I would understand."

"So I asked her if Pops knew, and she said, yes. Pops might have had a hard and cold exterior from all the years of being in the military, but he's soft when it comes to us. Especially to Mama. Mama was the boss of the home. Can you imagine a five-foot-four adorable old woman bossing around a whole six-foot some tough ex-soldier? It was funny."

I chuckled with her.

"And every night, when we would have dinner around the table. The chair beside me will always be reserved for you. Mama will put food on your plate, like you were there. And in every family picture, we had this thing where we would leave a space open for you."

She handed me more pictures and I teared up. Beside Ate Natalie, there would always be space like I would be standing there. Even in funeral pictures with our extended relatives, when our parents died, there was a space next to Ate Natalie.

"I know it sucks you didn't get to meet Mama and Pops but I want you to know that they loved you with all they were." She said, I sniffled as another tear fell from my eyes. She reached for my hand and lovingly squeezed it.