Strands of Blue

Chapter 7: Jeremy

Dear John,

I know the last thing you want is to hear from me, but I feel this is something you need to know. I don't want anything from you, and I don't need you to answer to this. I just want you to know that I am pregnant with our child. Don't let this get in the way of your beautiful family. I know we left off on bad terms, but I hope that all is forgotten and forgiven. It's a boy and I've already decided to name him Jeremy.

From,

Elizabeth

I was speechless, angry, and overall exhausted. How did this lady know I existed? How does El know Jeremy? Why didn't she tell me? El was on her bed tapping away on her phone. I stare at her for a moment in anger. I wanted to yell at her but she would clam up and not answer me.

"El," I said calmly. "Is Jeremy our half brother?" She immediately sat up and turned to me.

"How did you find that out?" she said.

"How did you find out?" I snapped back. She got up and sat next to me on my bed.

"Remember when Dad gave me his old phone last month? Well, Jeremy tried to reach out to Dad, but he reached out to me instead. We've been friends ever since," El whispered.

"Dad doesn't know? Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"No, Dad doesn't know. I didn't tell you because I didn't think you'd be able to handle that type of information," El sighed.

"Did you know that Dad cheated on Mom?" I asked hesitantly.

"Not until I met Jeremy," El said. We sat there in silence for a while. It was hard to realize that I had a half brother for 17 years of my life, and I didn't even know. El went back to her bed and fell asleep. I laid there and stared at the ceiling. I couldn't fall asleep even if I wanted to.

I looked out of the window and saw the sun rising. I hadn't slept at all the night before. It was very cold in the house; so cold that I began to shake. I put on a sweater and some sweatpants to keep myself warm. The house was quiet, and every step I made throughout the house could've been heard in any room. It didn't feel like home anymore. It was just a place to sleep. Love was no longer a part of the house, which made it seem even worse. Instead of staying at the sad vacant house, I went on a walk through the neighborhood.

Every house had a different story. I found myself walking closer to Beau's house. I stopped at the end of his sidewalk and stared at his house. I didn't know whether to go knock on his door, or to just sit and wait for him to notice I was there. He's probably not awake. I thought to myself. Just go up there anyway. I kept fighting with myself. I was so unsure of everything. I decided just to call Beau.

"Hello?" He answered in a raspy, morning voice.

"Hey. I'm outside," I said.

"What? Why?" He asked.

"I'll tell you if you let me in," I said, hanging up the phone. I waited patiently on Beau's porch. He finally came outside to let me in.

"You must be freezing!" He said, pulling me inside. I didn't know what he was talking about because I couldn't feel anything. I honestly wasn't freezing at all. Beau gave me a blanket and some hot chocolate. He sat me down on his old couch.

"What happened? What's wrong?" He said, continuing to wrap me up in blankets.

"I found out some stuff that really makes me sick to the core," I replied, holding back tears. Beau leaned forward so he could look me in the eyes.