Too much too young

36

I was sat at the table across from the old woman who claimed to be my grandmother. I looked her up and down, she looked kind and cuddly. Her big brown eyes shone brightly, I wasn't sure how old she was she looked quite young. A few lines surrounded her eyes but other than that her face was quite youthful. I was twiddling my fingers hoping that Donnie would hurry up and join us. I mean how long does it take to make tea.

I looked up and caught her smiling at me, I gave her a tight smile in return. The woman had told us her name was kitty, Donnie had insisted on seeing her ID which confirmed the name she gave us. Part of me was sure that the reason he was talking so long was because he was having a private eye look up my would be grandmother.

"Here we go, I forgot to ask how you took your tea so I made a tray" Donnie laid a teapot, and everything we would possibly need. There was even a plate of cookies which I attacked immediately.

Kitty thanked him and proceeded to make her tea and take a sip.

"So your telling me in your grandmother, why did my mother never talk about you" I was so confused, my mother had always told me that we had no family.

A brief look of grief flashed in her eyes but left almost as soon as it had appeared. "It doesn't surprise me that Debra didn't mention me or any of the family. When she met your father everything changed, we disapproved and she chose him"

"What happened" Donnie asked, he held my hand in support.

"Debra was a good girl, she was all about family. My youngest daughter Elenor looked up to her like a mother. When I was at charity functions your mother would look after Elenor, she wouldn't hear of us hiring a babysitter." Kitty smiled as she reminisced.

"Well when she was 16 she met a boy called Harry and to cut a long story short they fell in love and your mother became pregnant. As I'm sure you can understand her father and I were less than happy but we supported her."

My head was reeling, my dads name was harry. "So my dads actually harry"

Kitty shook her head "no he's your brothers Dad"

I don't know how I didn't fall from my chair "I have a brother"

Kitty "Yes his name is George, your mother was a huge wham fan. He's 30 next month"

Donnie "how is it possible that he and Emily never met"

Emily: "my mum never told me about a brother where was he when I was growing up"

Kitty : "your mother left George in his crib when he was just 2 years old and left under the cover of darkness. We never saw her again"

Emily: "no my mother would never abandon her child"

Kitty: "she did leave him, he would get cards and letters but she never gave a return address so we couldn't contact her"

Donnie: "I hate that I'm having to ask this but do you know that Debra's no longer with us"

Kitty: "yes, a few years ago with George's approval we searched for Debra again. We had hired many PIs over the years but none were able to locate her. 3 years ago I got the call I had been dreading the PI had found your mothers death certificate. He was able to find her grave so the whole family visited"

Tears welled up in kitty's eyes, she dabbed at them with a handkerchief and continued. " I made a point of visiting every time we went, there showed no signs that anyone else had visited so we thought she had no one. Then I went not so long ago and found a bouquet of flowers and a card that said mother. It was sighed with just the letter E. ... we had no idea that she had any other children until then. We had just gotten ahold of your birth certificate when we saw you fathers face on the news"

Emily, "you knew my dad"

Kitty: "yes he was our Gardner, he had left when your mother did so we had always assumed they had left together. He and your mother had never officially married she just took his name that's why we had so much trouble finding Debra"

Donnie: "so you realised Emily was your granddaughter when you saw that monster on the tv"

Kitty : "yes, before that we only knew we had a grandchild called Emily and her date of birth. We searched for the name on your birth certificate but found no trace of that name after you were 7"

My head was spinning, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I didn't have my original birth certificate but I had assumed that I had always been Emily Kline.

"What was the name on my birth certificate" I asked.

Kitty pulled a piece of paper out of her bag and handed it to me.

I read my name aloud " Emily Ann Gerber"

Kitty nodded "it's a long story, I'm not sure I'm adequately informed to explain myself. I will give you the number of the PI and he can explain it all"

" thank you, we will do that. Please excuse me while I just answer this call" Donnie said as he stood from the table.

I watched him leave , i was so shocked I didn't know what to say.

"You look like your mother, I brought you a photo of her. Debra was 18 here" kitty said as she handed me an old dog eared photo. There was no mistaking that the curvy woman was my mum, she was holding a small chubby child.

"Is that my brother" I asked, he was fair and had light blonde hair.

Kitty smiled brightly "yes that's George, he got his looks from his father. None of our family has blonde hair"

I ran my fingers through my own fake blonde hair, kitty smiled.

"Unless its from a bottle that is" she said kindly.

"Does George hate me and my mum" I felt so guilty that I had my mother in my life for 15 years he had only known her for 2.

"No of course not, he was hurt for many years that he had no mother in his life. He understood that she did what she thought was best for him, he just wants to meet you Emily. He wants to meet his little sister" kitty put her hand across the table, I put my hand in hers.

Donnie came back into the room while I was telling kitty all about mine and my mothers life's. kitty had been upset when she heard how much we had struggled when I was growing up. It hurt her deeply that my mother hadn't gone to her for help, kitty and her family had money and would have loved to reunite with her her long lost daughter.

"I'm sorry kitty but I was less than trusting of you when you told us who you were so I called my own private eye. I hope you understand but Emily has been through so much I couldn't be too careful" Donnie admired as he sat by us.

"I would have done the same" kitty replied.

Donnie looked at me and tilted his head "kitty is your grandmother, my PI just confirmed everything she said"