Secrets
by;michimichiro
Chapter 10
I stood outside Loire's house; my hands were shaking. The secret I'd uncovered felt like a boulder on my chest. Not only was Zia my girlfriend, possibly my half-sister, but Mrs. Loire might be my real mother. I needed answers, and I knew she had them.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. The sound echoed through the quiet street. Moments passed like hours as I waited, my heart beating fast.
The door opened, revealing Mrs. Loire's familiar face. Her eyes widened when she saw me. "Eli? What brings you here so late?"
"We need to talk," I said, my voice trembling. "It's crucial."
She hesitated, then stepped aside. "Come in."
I entered the cosy living room. The worn leather couch, the photos on the mantel, the smell of lavender—it all felt different now, charged with hidden meanings.
Mrs. Loire gestured to the couch. "Sit down. Would you like some tea?"
I shook my head, too anxious to think about drinks. "No, thanks. I just... I need to ask you something."
She sat across from me, worry etched on her face. "What's on your mind, Eli?"
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "It's about you, and me, and Zia."
Mrs. Loire's expression changed—a flicker of fear crossed her features. "What about us?"
"I found something out," I said, the words tumbling out. "Something that changes everything. I thought... I hoped you could explain."
She leant forward, her hands clasped tightly. "Go on."
I swallowed hard, then forced the question out. "Is it true that you're my real mother? And is Zia my half-sister?"
The room fell silent, and I could hear the ticking of the clock in the corner, each second stretching endlessly. Mrs. Loire's face paled, her eyes wide with shock.
"Eli," she whispered, "where did you hear that?"
Her reaction confirmed my suspicions. My stomach churned. "So it's true?"
Mrs. Loire stood up abruptly, pacing the room. She stopped at the window, staring out into the darkness. "It's complicated, Eli."
"Complicated?" I echoed, my voice rising. "How can it be complicated? You're either my mother or you're not!" This time I shouted to her.
She turned to face me; her expression showed that she was hurt. "Life isn't always simple, Eli. There are circumstances you don't understand," she whispered.
I stood up, frustration building inside me. "Then help me understand! I deserve to know the truth."
Mrs. Loire sighed heavily, sinking back into her chair. She looked older suddenly at the moment, the weight of secrets etched on her face. "You're right. You do deserve the truth. But it's not just your truth to know, Eli. There are other people involved, lives that could be forever altered."
I sat down again, leaning towards her. "Please, Mrs. Loire... Mom? I need to know. How did this happen?"
Instead of answering me, Mrs. Loire just let out a heavy sigh.
I felt a whirlwind of emotions—anger, confusion, and hurt. "Why keep it a secret? And why let Zia and me be together if you knew we were related?"
Mrs. Loire's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Eli. We never meant for any of this to happen. When you and Zia met and became friends, we thought it was wonderful. We didn't realise..."
"Realise what?" I pressed. "That we'd fall in love?"
She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "It seemed impossible. You grew up in different worlds with different lives. We never imagined..."
I stood up again, unable to sit still. My mind was racing, trying to piece together this new reality. "So the man Zia calls Dad., Mr. Loire, he's Zia's biological father?"
Mrs. Loire hesitated, then nodded her head slowly. "Yes, he is."
I stumbled back, collapsing onto the couch. "Who is my real father? Is it true that Margot and I are related?"
"Yes," Mrs. Loire said again.
"So, Margot was telling the truth about me—that I am a child out of wedlock?" I asked, trying to hide the pain I felt inside.
Hearing what I said, I saw in Mrs. Loire's face a mixture of sadness and anger, but she hid it right away and looked me in the eyes.
"Is that what Margot told you—that you are a child out of wedlock?" she asks me.
I remained silent because I knew that's what I was.
"No, Eli. It wasn't like that," Mrs. Loire said quickly. "Margot didn't know the whole story; well, there were reasons your father couldn't be part of your lives."
I shook my head. "This is insane. My whole life... everything I thought I knew was a big lie."
Mrs. Loire reached out, gently taking my hand. "I know this is hard for you, Eli. But please, try to understand. We were trying to protect you both."
I pulled my hand away. "Protect us? By lying? By letting me believe that I had no family? By allowing me to fall in love with my sister?"
She flinched at the word. "Half-sister. And we never thought it would go this far. We hoped... we hoped the truth would never have to come out."
I stood up, anger surging through me. "Well, it has. And now what? What am I supposed to do with this information? How can Zia and I face this after what we know?"
Mrs. Loire looked up at me, her eyes pleading. "Eli, please. Don't do anything without thinking about it. We need to think this through and figure out the best way to handle it."
"Handle it?" I repeated incredulously. "There's no handling this! It's done. The truth is out there, and it's going to destroy everything."
She stood up, reaching for me. "Eli, wait. There's more you need to know. About your father, about Zia's mother... about why I had to give you up."
I backed away, shaking my head. "I can't... I can't hear any more lies right now. I need to think. I need to..."
I didn't finish the sentence. Instead, I turned and ran out of the house, ignoring Mrs. Loire's calls behind me. The cool night air hit my face as I sprinted down the street with my chaotic mind.
What was I going to do? How could I face this, knowing what I knew? And my life... How could I ever look at it the same way again?
As I ran, questions swirled in my head. What were the circumstances Mrs. Loire had hinted at? What reasons could justify giving me up and keeping this secret? And what more was there to know about my biological father and Zia's mother?
I slowed to a stop, out of breath, and lost in more ways than one. The truth was out there now—a pandora's box that couldn't be closed. But it felt like I'd only scratched the surface of this family secret.
One thing was clear: nothing would ever be the same again. And as the weight of that realisation settled over me, I wondered if uncovering the truth had been a mistake. Maybe some secrets are better left buried.
But it was too late for second thoughts now. I'd set something in motion, and I had no idea where it would lead. All I knew was that my world had been turned upside down, and I was falling with no idea where I'd land.
As the night grew darker around me, one final question echoed in my mind: If Mrs. Loire was my mother and Zia my half-sister, who else in my life wasn't who they claimed to be?
