Star Crossed [Sample Only]

4] Forcing Patience

Forcing Patience

As soon as I'm home I find a pair of slippers. My feet are sore from walking with bare feet all the way from Alex's house. Even though it hurts, it's a good distraction from the emotional pain of finding out that who your parents are, who you are, has all been a lie. It's made even worse because I don't even know the truth of who I really am.

Why did Fabien react as he had? And Elizabeth? It all had something to do with my biological mother, no doubt, but who was she? And what was wrong with her that it reflected badly upon myself?

I stand in the hallway after slipping on the slippers from the shoe rack. I wriggle my toes in the soft, silky and fluff filled heaven. I have to talk to my parents. I have to tell them I know... that I'm not their child.

My mum's watching a cooking show on T.V. and my dad is in his study doing some work. I don't know whom I should talk to first. I decide to stay standing in the hallway. It's about in between both of their physical positions.

"Mum! Dad!" I call out, a heavy haze seems to weigh suddenly on my shoulders, "I – I... found out I'm adopted..." Silence. I wait and then the words I say seem to sink in, finally. My mum instantly mutes the T.V. and my dad rushes out of his study and into the hallway. My mum is now standing up and looking at me from over the couches. My mum has her hand to her heart and my dad looks completely shocked. I feel tears prick in the backs of my eyes, "Were you ever going to tell me?" I ask, my voice wavering.

"How did you find out?" my dad asks as my mum comes to stand beside him in the hallway.

"A long story," I giggle a little hysterically, take a deep breath and explain, "In short... some guy called Fabien came from another world. He, uh, he broke the news to Alex, John, Flick... and I found out second hand, that...that we aren't from this world."

I let this sink in, and my parents just continue to appear stunned, I add, "I figured I can't be related to either of you... because my power is so different to both of yours. In fact my power is different to everybody's! ... Sure, some people have fire magic, but mine is coincidentally always extremely more potent... and just plainly different, like me."

"Honey," My mum says, "you are still our child. You may not be connected to us through blood, but you are still our child," I choke back more tears, still feeling overwhelmed.

"Did...did you ever meet my parents? D-Do you remember who they were? What they were like?"

"We never met your dad," My mum explains for me, "We only ever met your mum. One night she rang our doorbell and she was carrying you in her arms, you were wrapped up in a white blanket. She said she researched your dad and I. She knew we could never have kids, so she gave you up to us."

I gape at both of them.

"Why..." I find it hard to ask the question, "Why did she give me up?" My mum just shakes her head.

"We don't know. She handed you over to us, and the next day was that moment in history, when the portal was cut off to the rest of the universe. Our world had only been connected to that portal for a few years. It occurred to us she might have been from another world."

"What was she like?" I ask, my voice dropping to a whisper.

"She looked very similar to you, Jasmine," my dad adds, gently, "very similar, but not identical. She had darker, longer hair."

I nod. No wonder Fabien recognised me.

"I think I'm going to bed. I – I need to process... everything..." and I don't think I can stand looking at their dazed expressions any longer. They still look very worried so I add, "Don't worry, please. It changes nothing between us. You're still my mum and dad, and I'll always love you both best."