I Knew You Once

Chapter 8

"That's impossible!" My dad is shocked.

"Yeah, didn't you say he died during 9-11?" I ask Mason.

"I...I thought he did. We buried his body. We got him dressed and everything. Well, actually some other guy did." Mason replies with his voice a little shaky.

"Why didn't you?"

"I was in bad shape and I couldn't look at him or else I would cry. Some guy who knew my father said he would do it for me."

"Did you know who he was?"

"No, I never asked for his name. I've got a picture of him and my dad though."

"Lets see it."

Mason goes to a drawer in the kitchen. "Here." He hands a photo to me. "This is the picture and that's the guy." He points at a man with grey fluffed hair and green eyes. He looks a little formal and professional.

He also looked familiar. "I've seen this man before."

"Really? Where? When?" Mason asks.

I try to remember. "I don't know. It'll come to me eventually." I keep trying to remember the man's face.

"Joe, are you okay?" My dad walks towards Uncle Joe.

"He's alive." Uncle Joe looks from the floor to my dad. Tears run down his face showing sadness and also showing happiness. "I can't believe he's alive." Uncle Joe starts to sob. "This whole time!" He stands up and raises his voice. "Of course! All of the signs he's given. The mail, the emails, and the on and off phone calls.

"What are you talking about?" Mason goes to Uncle Joe.

"There has been letters delivered to our house from your father. He wrote them before he supposedly died. An unknown phone call kept calling and there were emails saying 'I'm coming.'"

"And you didn't bother to tell me?!" Mason yells at his uncle.

Uncle Joe sighs. "You didn't need to know."

"He's my father! Of course I need to know!"

"Yeah, Joe. He has the right to know about this. You can't keep things like this from your family." My dad comes in to help Mason.

"Oh really?" Uncle Joe starts to laugh. "What about you? You're keeping stuff from your own daughter! Or should I even call her that?"

"What is he talking about?" I turn to my dad.

"Nothing sweetie." My dad walks even closer to Uncle Joe.  "This is different." He quietly says to him.

"Yeah? Then you shouldn't try to be a super dad when my situation is different too!"

"Chuck." My mom calls my dad.

"Yeah?" My dad turns to my mom.

"I think we should tell her." My mom starts to cry.

"Tell me what?" I join the conversation.

My dad looks down. "Yes, I think we should." He answers to my mom.

"Tell me what?!" I ask again.

"Your dad and I wanted to tell you this a long time ago." My mom wipes her tears. "But we just didn't have the strength to do it." Her tears give in. She comes to me and gives me a hug. "I'm so sorry my little angel."

"Sorry about what?" I hug my mom back.

"We're not who you think we are Julia." My dad places his hand on my shoulder.

Those words. Mason said the exact same thing. "Mason, do you know what they are talking about?"

"I think so." Mason looks at my parents. "But, I just found out today."

"How did you find out, Mason?" Uncle Joe asks.

"I over heard Julia's dad and mom talking. I was at their house in the living room and I heard them talking in the kitchen. Then they left and an hour later I heard something in the backyard." Mason replies.

My dad puts his hands on his face "Julia, your mother and I love you very much."

"Yeah, I know that. I love you too."

He grabs my hand and takes me to the couch. "Sit down."

I do what I'm told. "Okay, now what is it?"

"We're not your real..." My dad is interrupted by my mom's cry.

"Please don't hate us." My mom cries even more.

"I could never hate you." I comfort my mom.

My dad continues his sentence. "We're not your real... parents."

My heart stops and my tears escape my eyes. "How could you do this to me?" I wipe my tears. "How could you lie to me?"

"Oh, my sweet heart." My mom tries to hug me.

I pull away from her arms. "Don't." I look in the opposite direction from my mom.

"Please don't hate us." My mom says in a sad tone.

"I don't hate you. I'm just mad at you." I stand up from the couch. "This hurts me. For 18 years I was being lied to!"

Everyone stares and my dad looks hurt. I grab my things and walk out the door. Mason comes after me. "Julia!" He yells.

"No! Mason." I try to open the door to my car. "Why can't I open the door?!" I mumble with frustration.

"Julia!" Mason walks towards me. I keep struggling with the door.

Mason grabs my shoulders and turns me around. "Julia!"

"What!" I catch my breath.

"Calm down! Anymore pulling, you will rip off the door!"

Mason should know to never tell a girl to calm down. I open my mouth to spill my words but he says his first. "Three things. One, the door is locked. Two, I have the keys. And three, your parents love you very much."

I'm still angry. "They're not even my real parents."

"Don't say that! I'd die for parents like yours. My mom is crazy and my dad is like a zombie or something. But your parents are the best things that happened to you. They cared for you when your real ones abandoned you. They fed you, spoiled you, kept you safe, and loved you." He looks deep into my eyes.

I start to cry. Mason's right. They did all they could to give me a good life. "What am I going to do?" Mason gives me a hug. "I can't go back in there after all the things I said."

"It's okay, they understand why you're so upset. They'll forgive you. Don't worry."

He's always there for me. "Okay." I whisper. I walk into the house with Mason. "Mom, dad." There is silence. "Mom! Dad! I'm sorry for what I said!" I call again. Mason and I walk around the house looking for them. We walk into the kitchen. We couldn't believe what we saw.

Mason drops to his knees. And all I could say was, "No."