The Truth of Oliver Fray

Answers, Something Everyone Needs to Know

"So let me explain, I can't tell you everything for," Angelica stuttered, "reasons."

"Can I ask a question?" Dana asked.

"Yeah sure, ask away." Angelica was trying to be as friendly and as nice as she could to Dana knowing that what Dana just heard would be hard for Dana to endure and take in.

"Did my parents not want me? Why did they give me away?" Dana asked shakily, scared of the answer that she would receive.

"No of course not, it was not because they didn't want you. It was because they couldn't handle you. They had their hands full and they were worried that you wouldn't get a childhood that you deserve."

"I didn't even get a childhood that I deserve." Dana mumbled quietly so that only William next to her could hear.

"Wait, let me get this straight." William began," If you are Dana's sister-in-law, doesn't that mean that you are married to her brother?"

Angelica watched him carefully, nodding at his words.

"Who is your husband then? It is Dana's brother too."

"My husbands name is Daniel Fray."

"If Dana's parents could handle your husband, Daniel, why couldn't they handle Dana? The pieces don't fit. Also I'm assuming you and your husband are close in age so there is a difference of age. Daniel would be on his own almost when Dana was born."

"As I told you before they couldn't give you a good childhood that they felt that you deserved. For reasons that I can not tell. It's not my part to tell." Angelica replied annoyed by William's words.

"Why isn't it? Who's part is it to tell if it isn't your part to tell." Dana cut in.

"That is your parents part to tell. I can't give out that information."

"One more question from me. If your last name is Fray, then Dana told me about some dude named Oliver Fray. He would be related to you guys then right?"William asked.

Dana's realization kicked in. She realized the one thing that had been bothering her. That did mean that Oliver Fray was related to her but, how? She had always felt an odd connection between her and Oliver Fray. Now she knew that she was related to him. This just brought more questions into Dana's already complicated head. She looked over towards Angelica, curious for what her answer would be.

"We.... W... Well," Angelica stuttered."I can't say."

"What? Why can't you tell me? It involves my family right so it involves me. I should know. Tell me." Dana told her sternly with a clear voice.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you. Trust me I do, but......."

"But what?"

"It's not my part to tell you this."

"Then whose part is it to tell me?"

"Well in that case that..... that" Angelica's voice got higher as she spoke," That would be your parents's job." She said quickly, spitting out the words before she could chicken out of telling the truth.

"Well, that leads me to my next question."

Angelica looked at Dana nervous of the words that would come out of Dana's mouth. She sat up on the edge of her seat. Leaning in towards Dana.

"My parents. You said they were the only ones who could tell me what you can't. So, as simple as it is. I want to meet them. My parents. I deserve to know who they are and understand there personalities. Maybe, just maybe be part of their family again." Dana's mind began to wander off again. She thought about family, one thing that she never got to understand the true feeling of. She never had a family before. She wanted one. Dana remembered the books that she would read. Each story had a happy, joyful family in it. Dana's mind began to play a Christmas scene. She pictured a family sitting around a tree that was set up in the living room. Hanging on the fireplace were stockings that were filled, candy bulging over the top. She pictured the presents under the tree. Oh the presents. Dozens of presents. The air would be to toasty and cozy. The smell of cedar and fresh apple pie would fill the air. She could hear laughter and happiness in the room. She could here the two parents laughing together while the children giggled to together. Dana allowed a small smile, that was not noticeable unless someone would look at her. Dana continued her imagination. Thinking of the presents the children would get and the caroling that they would do to other families that were in their homes enjoying the calm holidays.

"No."

Dana was snapped out of her daydream. Her mind came out of the happy place that it was in and entered the horrid world that she had gotten herself into. Dana's smile on her face had disappeared and it was replaced with a frown, realizing that it wasn't real it was just her mind imagining all of the things that she wished that she had. Dana stared in front of her. Her happiness of her imagination was gone, Her sadness of knowing that the real world was back into play, only until determination took over.She knew that her future would involve sadness and happiness, but both would lead up to her being in a family, being loved by a family.

Dana looked up towards Angelica. A mixture of determination and sadness held her gaze. Dana let out a shaky breath. She knew what to do.

"I know, that this is going to involve a lot pain and suffering in all of our parts,"She said looking at both William and Angelica."But it's something I need to do. I've gone a long time believing a false tale, I just learned the truth. Learning the truth was only part of my mission. Now I need to learn the whole truth no matter what it takes. I left not knowing anything about my parents, I went out into the world on my own. to search for the one thing I wanted most at that time. A family. You have to understand. I just left knowing that there was a chance that my own mother wasn't even alive and yet I still left holding onto the little hope that I had left inside of me."

Dana looked at William, "You know better than anyone, the value of family. You know what I am going through. You know what it is like to have no hope but still holding on because you are only looking for the best in that situation. Times you want to crash down and cry, but you don't though, you stay strong and you hold yourself together."

Dana turned her gaze away from william who was trying to hold back the tears in his mind baout his own family. Dana looked at Angelica."I don't care who oliver Fray is anymore. I just want my faily. It feels like I'm si close but yet I'm so far. I just want to meet them, get to know them, be with them. I don't expect you to understand how I'm feeling internally right now. But I expect you to know that I've been through pain and sorrow. Thick and thin. I have seen it all. I'm ready to meet my family. Let me meet them. I just want to know who htey are.IF they still can't handle me, i understand. Give me a chance."

Dana looked Angelica straight in the eyes not daring to let go of her gaze. Wanting to make her know and understand her pain that she was going through at the moment. She wanted so many htings hta t she knew she could never have. If things were going to be hard, she would be heartbrocken she would shed a few tears but she could handle it.

"I can't fully understand your situation, but I can try. We can go." A smile appeared on her face. Dana's spirit lifted." Although we cant go now, because of the darkness. You two will have to spend the night here with me. Then we will go tomorrow."

By now Dana was on the edge of tears. She had a big smile on her face. Although her smile held to many emotions. It did hold one that was worth a thousand hearts. It held happiness and hope. One that a heart always took to many servings of.

Dana looked down, trying hold her tears back. As her eyes she saw something white slide across the floor. She tried to reach down and grab it. Before she could get her hands down on the paper, in her grasp another hand that wasn't her own reached and grabbed it first. The hand belonged to Angelica.

Dana held it in her hand and looked at Dana."I see you are already one step ahead of me. I know you said that you didn't care anymore. But here," She held the paper out to Dana."This is a clue." Dana grabbed the paper, unfolded it, and read the words written in black ink.

Your learning so much more every day. I expect a lot from you. Make me proud, sister.

Dana looked up from the note in her hand. she bit her lip as she thought. It wan't worth thinking abou t it. She already knew.

The notes were coming from Oliver Fray.