The Sound Of My Voice

Birthday Cries

All night I stared at the sealing, thinking how this was possible. Either I'm adopted or my mom cheated on my dad. Should I still call him Dad? He's not my dad, someone else is. I finally fell asleep, but only got 10 minutes of sleep. I went downstairs looking for coffee. I was too tired to properly get dressed so I was wearing sweatpants and an oversized shirt. My hair was more ratty than ever.

"Um...Melody? Are you ok?" Andrew asked.

"I'm fine. I just need coffee."

I took my mom's cup of coffee and jugged it down like nothing mattered. Technically, nothing did mattered.

"That's my coffee!"

"Shut up, Mom."

I left the house. I couldn't go anywhere cause it's Christmas Eve. I just walked until I came across a bench. I sat down and just stayed there. Times like this really makes me happy knowing that I have ear buds. I plugged in my ear buds into my phone and played my favorite song. I closed my eyes and listened to the song. For the entire day, I sat on that bench and listened to music. I got home and went to bed. I was thinking about tomorrow. Tomorrow is Christmas, my birthday. And the man that I called my dad for 17 years, it's his birthday as well. I woke up and saw my brothers in front of my bed, each holding gift boxes.

"Uh, what's the occasion?"

"Melody, did you forget? It's your birthday." Andy said.

I was hoping to let this one slide.

"Oh, right."

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Melody, happy birthday to you!"

As the boys were singing I couldn't help but think of what would happen if I told them the truth. That I may not be their sister at all, or I just may be their half sister.

"Thanks for this little birthday gift, but I think I'll eat my cake later."

I got dressed and went to Anders Café, like I did every year. I sat at my normal table and just stared out the window. Normally I would get 2 turkey bagels, one for me and the other for my dad. But I was too sad to eat, so I just got a coffee. Just then Kyle walked in.

"Hey, Melody. Happy Birthday."

He sat down and I tried to hold in the tears that I could feel forming behind eyes.

"Come on, smile. It's your dad and your birthday."

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I burst into tears.

"Oh, um, birthday cries. Are these happy tears?"

"No! These are sad tears. There's no point in celebrating this day, because it's all been a lie."

"What are you talking about?"

"Robert, he's not my dad. I'm either adopted or my mom cheated on him."

"Are you going to tell your brothers?"

"I don't think I have the heart to tell them."

"Well, you have to at least confront your mom. Because she's your only hope at knowing the truth."

"Maybe, but what if she tells me something completely different?"

"Then we'll just have to find your real dad."

"Which could be anybody."

"True, make this easier. Try to find someone who looks like you. Or you can go to the hospital you were born in and try to get answers there."

"Maybe, but I'll have to look more into the attic. That's where I found the papers about my birth father."

"I'll help you, go look for answers and I'll do some research. I'll look back into the year 2004, and maybe I'll be able to find out who was at the hospital the day you were born."

"Alright."

Knowing Robert wasn't my father hurts. My birth father, he could be a total stranger or someone my mom knew. Hell, maybe I've seen my father before. I was ready to go on a search, the search for my real father. And when I find him, I'm gonna make him regret leaving me in the dark.