Unidentified

Chapter Twenty

ALYSSA

And just like that, he leaves. I just can't believe it. Even after we found so much proof that this could be his actual family, he still won't accept that there is some kind of hope.

I get that he might feel scared or a little insecure, but why won't he just talk about it instead of lashing out and walking away when there is something that has to do with emotions.

I deeply sigh and plop down on my bed. I put my gaze on the ceiling, trying to forget about everything for a while.

. . .

I am woken up by the sound of a door being opened and people talking. I get out of bed, being afraid that someone might have broken in. It may seem exaggerated since we have a high secured alarm, but I mean, I just broke into a school, so it can't be that hard...

When I'm at the top of the stairs, I am relieved to recognize my patents' voices. Wait, I thought they were only coming back in two days, so what are they doing back here in the middle of the night?

"This is absurd Michelle!" My father groans, addressing himself to my mom. "No, she deserves to know why we are treating her this way, why you want us to treat her this way. And until you tell her, I am not going anywhere with you," my mother replies, her voice steady and secure. "Alyssa won't understand," his groaning is harder this time. "Sshhh, you might wake them up," my mom shushes him.

"I think it's already late for that," I say and they both look up at me. I slowly walk down the stairs and when I'm down, my mom comes towards me. "What are you doing up so late?" she asks me, after kissing my forehead. "I heard you guys come in," is my simple reply. "I thought you guys were on a business trip for the weekend."

"We came back here because..." she looks at my father and he sighs. "Because your father... and I have to explain you something very important."

"Okay..." I say dragging the last syllable. "Then tell me." She just nods and then my father and my mother go towards the living room. I follow them, before taking place onto the couch across from them.

My father is the first one to speak. "These last couple of days, we we've been having a lot of arguments... You, your mother and I. I know you don't understand why I want this arrangement to happen and I am sure your opinion about will never change. I just wanna explain to you what the real reason is why I do this to you."

I'm left there speechless. It's the first time in weeks that he's been honest with me and I am already shocked. The worst part is that I am going to find out about something they've kept from me, for probably way longer than a few weeks ago.

I wait for him to continue. He sits up straight and looks at me in the eyes. He opens his mouth but the words don't come out. My mother puts her hand on his back, to try to encourage or make him feel at ease, maybe both. What he's going to reveal to me is maybe way harder to say out loud than I think...

"A few years ago, when... When Danielle died..." he starts, his voice slightly shaking. "Dad, I thought we wouldn't talk about it," I cut him off. "I know we wouldn't, but just let him finish," my mom's sweet voice says. "She was intelligent, hard working, brilliant and successful. Your sister became everything we ever wanted for her."

We never talk about what happened to my sister. Her death wasn't something out of the extraordinary, it was a simple car crash. We just don't like to talk about that. When we talk about her, which is not often, it's mostly about the good things. Our best memories with her.

My father continues after taking a deep breath. "When she just started her second year of business school, she told us that she was in a relationship with a guy, one she knew we would never approve. At the time, I was convinced that he wasn't good for her and I still think he would never have been. She kept arguing with me about it, but I still wouldn't change my mind about him. One night we had a fight and then she took her car. It was pouring outside and... That's when the accident happened."