Family Secrets

Chapter 5

Peter Williams

After Ellie's parents bolted out of the restaurant, the rest of us just sat there, shell-shocked. Ellie was still quietly sobbing and it was breaking my heart, but I didn't know how to proceed. Out of all the possible problems that I could foresee our relationship facing, sharing a sibling with my fiancée was not one that came to mind. Ever. And not only that, her mom had also ruined my mom's engagement (which turned out well for me), my brother's relationship with his father, and part of his self-esteem in the process. Cole would never admit it, but he always missed having his father in his life. I knew he loved dad and considered him his father for all intents and purposes, but it must have been eating away at him growing up, thinking his father wanted nothing to do with him.

Ellie gathered her stuff, and without looking at any of us quietly said: "I'll just go home now."

I grabbed her hand because my heart felt like someone was squeezing it in a fist at the thought of her leaving like that. I knew this woman, and I loved this woman. And I knew she was about to give up on me due to some misguided sense of justice or noble feelings. Whatever may come, I knew that she was one of the good ones. So I stood up and announced to my parents:

"Mom, dad, Ellie and I got engaged last night. That was the actual reason for this dinner. Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out," I grimaced slightly. Mom jumped up, ecstatic. I had no idea how she was able to muster up such genuine joy after tonight.

"That is wonderful news, you two! Congratulations," she hugged me, and then leaned down and scooped Ellie up in a mamma bear hug, which only made her sob more.

"I understand if you hate me now and if you don't want me to marry your son," she managed to squeeze out and my mom looked absolutely devastated.

"No, sweetheart, don't ever think that, I could never!" Mom sighed, and sat down next to Ellie, holding her hand.

"I was hurt by what your parents did, yes. But neither you nor Peter would be here today if they hadn't, look at it that way. It is actually quite fitting that the two of you ended up together," mom smiled while Ellie eyed her, incredulous. "And yes, my heart breaks for Cole and what he had to endure, but that is in no way your fault. If anything, he'll be happy to have a younger sister," Ellie perked up upon hearing that.

"Do you really think so? Will he not... will he not hate me?"

"No way my boy could hate you. He has a huge heart and a lot of love to give. And since you get along with Peter so well, I am sure you and Cole will become fast friends too."

"Thank you so much," Ellie squeezed mom's hand and mom hugged her again.

"Tonight has been a lot for all of us," Ellie said. "I think we all need to retreat and process. I'll call you tomorrow?" She looked at me shyly.

"I'll walk you home," I told her and offered her my hand, which she took and I saw her shoulders relax slightly.

While walking home, her phone kept ringing but she ignored it.

"Are you really okay with this?" she looked up at me as we were walking side by side. I hummed and thought for a bit.

"It's a bit weird sharing a sibling. And I'm not sure we'll ever have that big family Christmas you'd always dreamed of, nor will I ever be close to your parents. I'd actually prefer having nothing to do with them, ever. Are you okay with that?" It was my turn to analyze her face now. She looked sad but determined.

"More than okay, since I am not even sure what my relationship with them will look like moving forward. I don't even know them, tonight has proven that. My whole childhood, the things I assumed about their relationship, their character, their past – there is a lot to unpack there, and I think therapy is the way to go. No way I can tackle all of that by myself," she hugged her waist as if to stabilize herself.

"And I don't want to work for them anymore, obviously. We can discuss the details after the dust has settled a bit, but I was thinking, if you're fine with me still going to Arizona with you for the summer, we can make new plans there, maybe look for jobs in Phoenix. Most of all, I'd like to finally meet my brother, our brother," she winced, "boy, that felt weird to say," and we both burst out laughing. And just like that I knew that we would be fine if we could still hold hands and laugh together after an evening like this.

Even twenty years later, when remembering that night, I would think less of all the family secrets unearthed at that dinner, or all the pain that flowed so freely due to two people's deceit and mistakes. Instead, I would think of holding the hand of the woman I loved more than anything, and sharing a laugh at the bizarre thought that we now shared a sibling although we were engaged. Ellie and I would go on to have four children together over the course of the next 10 years, perhaps subconsciously working on creating those big family Christmases for ourselves. And what great Christmases they were, filled with the pitter-patter of 7 pairs of tiny feet, my parents, Cole and his wife, her parents, me and Ellie exchanging presents, laughing together – it was almost exactly what she had dreamed of all those years ago. 

A few years into our marriage, both Ellie and Cole had gotten to a place with their father where they would occasionally meet with him, together and separately. Then a few years after that, we'd spend the day after Christmas with him, as well as one week in the summer, and he was the most involved, proud, and enthusiastic grandfather I'd ever seen. He then moved to Arizona to be closer to all of us, after selling his half of the business and splitting the money equally between Ellie and Cole. I guess he also fulfilled part of his lost dreams through reconnecting with Cole and enjoying his seven grandkids. As for Susan, Ellie wrote her a letter after that dinner and went completely no contact with her. She said she just couldn't forgive what she had done to Cole, I guess she felt like she was serving justice for her brother by cutting her off. And the two of them? They became thick as thieves, and often ganged up on me to prank and tease me, they were worse than the kids.

My mom would often get this dreamy look in her eyes when we'd all assemble at her house, absolute mayhem ruling the living room after dinner, and she would press into my dad's side and give him a warm hug, and he'd understand. He'd understand her just like I understood Ellie, and how Cole understood Mariah. We'd built this precious life full of love together, and we knew to honor and appreciate it, forever.

                                                                                THE END

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