The Change

Five

 Shock filled the room. We all stared at my dad in utter confusion. I watched as my dad nervously clenched his hands into fists as we all waited for an explanation from him. When he didn't say anything for a while, I spoke up angrily, "What are you talking about? What do you mean that we're looking at him?"

"I'm Ned Troabblro, I'm the guy that they're looking for." He said with a heavy sigh. 

All the air felt like it was sucked out of my lungs. A hundred questions were bouncing around in my head at a hundred miles per hours. "What the hell do you mean?" 

"I guess I have to let this out sometime-" My dad began, nervously rubbing his hands together. "When I was younger I used to get into a lot of trouble. I got into all sorts of bad stuff, gangs, drugs, fights. During senior year I joined a really big and notorious gang, we had code names that were an arrangement from the letters of our regular names. If you rearrange the letters of Bart Bordelon you get Ned Troabblro. In my gang I met your mother-" From the corner of my eye I could see him look up at me but I was staring down at the floor furiously. "She was in some trouble with the leaders of the gang, which I am assuming are the ones who came and got Nash, and because of the trouble and things she owed to the gang leaders she was putting me in danger and Brylee as well so she left us. And now that the leaders of the gang are back means that she's been spotted somewhere again." 

I felt like I couldn't breathe and that I needed to make another escape out the door, but Matt grabbed my hand as if he sensed what I was about to do and kept me here. I don't remember my mom at all, she left before I two, and now my dad was telling me that she was back? And that men were looking for her? After all these years couldn't they just forget about it? Was it that important?

"Well," The police officer said with a sigh. "This has been an eventful day. I'll get someone to look at the descriptions of the gang members and we'll see what we can do. Please be careful everyone." 

"You're going to help me find my wife, aren't you?" My dad said before the man could leave. He reached inside his wallet and pulled out an old photo of my mom and handed it to him. 

The officer looked down at the photo, "We'll see what we can do sir." 

Bart nodded, "Thank you." 

When the police left my dad turned towards Nash, "How are you feeling? Think you'll be well enough for Magcon tomorrow?" 

"I'll be fine," Nash said. 

My mouth fell ajar slightly, "How can you just act like nothing happened!" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I feel like I've just now realized who you are! Why wasn't I told sooner about this? You met mom in a gang? I can't even believe this." I stood up and ran a hand through my hair. "I need food, I need sleep. . .I can't even think straight. What if the gang leaders come looking for me? I'm her fucking daughter!" 

Anger flashed in my dad's eyes, "Watch your language." 

I stared at him with dull eyes, "It's not like you haven't done worse." 

"The past is the past." My dad said, his voice rising with anger. 

"And you get mad at me for sneaking out," I scoffed. "At least I'm not in a gang." 

"Let it go, Brylee." My dad said, his eyes narrowing. "I changed my ways and I want the best for you. We could be living in an old apartment dealing drugs to make money but we're here and we're very blessed." 

I turned away from him, "Just take me back to the hotel." 

"I'll go see if the doctors can let you go." He told Nash and disappeared out the door. He came back minutes later, discussing things about Nash's health with the doctor but their conversation was flowing through one of my ears and out the other.