Ballet, Apples and Wolves (Oh my!)

More questions. Less answers

I don't think my eyes have widened ever so much when I heard the strangers confession.

Darin. My uncle. Darin Ricci to be precise.

Hmm.

Wait.

I have no relatives with that last name. removing my hand from Darin's grasp I step back an inch closer to the door so that I have a sure chance if I need to make a run for it. Something is not right. I clear my throat, it became surprisingly dry after Darin's confession.

"Darin, is it?" Darin nods curtly staring at me calculatingly, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I'm sorry, but I think you may have the wrong girl."  Darin crinkles his eyebrows in confusion. "Your name is Josaphine Samuels, correct?" I nod. "Your guardians are Nancy and Gregory Samuels correct?" I notice he says guardians a bit bitterly but nod nonetheless. He nods and smirks, "Then I have the right girl."

Now I'm confused. My mothers maiden name is Luthi. She was an only child and my father has one brother named Steven, whom I've met before and looks nothing like Darin. Darin is strongly built, tall frame, black hair and brown eyes. Both of my parents have light eyes and light hair.

Makes me wonder where I get my looks from as well since I don't look like either of them. I mean, Darin's hair is the same color as my own and our eye color is the same but that doesn't necessarily mean we are related.

So, this Darin guy is lying. But why does he seem to be telling the truth and so sure?
"My parents never told me I had an uncle named Darin. And no one in my family has the last name Ricci." Darin's assured face drops as I break the news to him. His face turns stern and hard, eyes turning a deeper shade of brown if that's possible. He looks up at the sky startling me as he barks out a bitter laugh. Shaking his head he looks down at the ground deep In thought muttering to himself, "Of course they didn't tell you. Why would I of thought otherwise." What? I mean it isn't that shocking. Unless I caught him in his lie... I back up a little more to the door my right back foot in contact with the door. Well I guess I'm going to g-" "Josaphine." The urgency in his voice has me stopping in my tracks and look at him. He looks hesitant yet determined.
"Look I don't have much time. But I just want you to know that I am your uncle."
"But I don't have an uncle nam-"

"I'm your fathers brother."

"But that can't be true. My fathers last name is-"

"Samuels, I know. I'm the brother of your real father, Andrew Ricci."

My heart stops. Wait what? Yeah this guy is nuts. But why is my heart beating so fast?

And why is my throat suddenly dry?

"But my-my mother-"

"Nancy, Is not your real mother." Darin looks at me and frowns. I think that's his pity-look. My head is spinning. I put my hand to my head. He's lying. He must be.
"Now Josaphine I know this is a huge shock to you and you must have more questions then you've already had but people are coming, including your, 'parents' so please." He places a small white card from his breast pocket of his suit into my cold hands. "Take my card. My number is on it. Call me if you'd want to talk or meet up or...Hey, oh crap Jo don't cry or scream or do something stupid." Wow, sympathy is dead.

"Just breathe and look at me." Taking slow deep breathes I feel a little better. This cannot be happening. I look up into his eyes, what else can I do? I open my mouth to say something but words fail me. "Okay look, this is what you're going to do. You're not going to tell anybody about me or what we talked about alright? Not even your 'parents'. Knowing them, they'll probably pack up and move you far away from me." Darin snorts as I nod still in a bit of a shock. He pats my shoulder and looks at my face, as if he were reliving something awful he shakes his head not looking my way.

"I'm going to go. Remember what I said Josaphine, all of it." He points at me as he walks away backwards, his eyes not leaving my face until I nod slowly. As he turns around and gets a few feet away I finally snap out of it. "Wait! Darin!" I want to at least have one question answered. He turns around, stops and nods his head at me 'what?' He seems to say with the gesture. I stand on my toes, a nervous habit I'm never going to kick. "My mother. My birthmother. What is her name?" I say my eyes downcast. If I'm adopted then both of my birth parents must of not want me which hurts but knowing their names.. I just want to feel something. I look up at Darin finally and find his head downcast. When he looks at me his eyes are guarded, his face expressionless.

"Stephanie." And with that he leaves, never looking back. I flatten my back against the back doors. Father of all that is holy my head hurts from thinking too much. I bring my hands up to my face and let myself shake a bit. I need to cry. But Darin said I can't.

Darin said a lot of things. I look at the card given to me and stuff it in my Juliard folder. I just can't help my raging brain, swarming with questions after questions. Why was my supposed uncle staring at me so much? Why is he here? Where did he run off too? What are my birth parents like? Where are my birth parents? Didn't they want me? Why didn't my 'parents' tell me I was adopted?

"Oh there you are bunny! Your father and I were looking for you!" She opens the back door, relieved that she's found me. I swallow the lump in my throat and come up with a casual reason why I was in the back, "It was getting to be too crowded in there and I went to get some air. You know how I am with crowds." My mother laughs. Mother. I'm not even sure what to call her really. "How could I forget, come on let's go out to celebrate your fantastic dancing skills! You were really wonderful up there Jo."

She wraps an arm around my waist as we walk to the car. I try  not to stiffen but I do. I'm in no mood to celebrate at all. She looks at me, concerned. "You alright bunny?" I gulp and look at her. Okay now would be a time to ask her questions about my birth parents and Darin. But I don't want to disappoint Darin or go back on my word. "Um, well mom. Uh.. I spoke with Juliard and.." She nods then widens her eyes catching my drift. I hold up the envelope that the Juliard scouts had given me. "They want me to attend their fine establishment of a school." I smile my excitement from the news earlier coming back. "Oh!" She squeals. Jumping and clapping her hands before she gives me a bone crushing hug. "I had no doubt they would snatch you up. No doubt at all! Oh this is so great! I knew you could do it bunny." "Mom," I whine embarrassed looking around at other parents and their kids.

We get into the already started car thanks to my dad. Mom practically yelling the news at my dad she's so excited. Geesh you'd think she was the one being accepted to Juliard. My father chuckles and tells me that he is emancely proud of me as he pulls off on the road. His hand grasping my mothers. But she's not really your mother now is she?

And he isn't your father. They lied to you. And just like that my excitement for Juliard is gone. Why haven't they told me I'm adopted? I'm eighteen going on nineteen, why wait so long to tell me if they were?

Why keep this from me? "So, where are we going to celebrate Jo? Your pick." I look at the one that one I've called dad so many times and fake yawn. "You know I'm actually a bit tired. Can we just go home and celebrate some other time?" Mom looks like she is about to protest when dad speaks up, "Of course we can. If that's what you really want."

I nod and look out the window once again. What I want is the truth. And I get the feeling that neither of you are going to tell me anything anyway. Looking out the window I try to picture what my real parents must look like. Stephanie and Andrew. Why do I feel like I've heard their names before...