When Two Ends Meet//LRH

27

         "What the fuck do you mean that's not your father. Amelia, he looks just like you, wearing a jacket with your last name and is old enough to be your father." He looks at me with rather a sarcastic manner in his tone. "Therefore, Amelia. That's your father!" He yells in my face enough for that man to turn. "Ethan. He's only 26." He cocks an eyebrow and parts his lips. "That's a young father." I had to fight the urge to punch him in the face, yet not nearly as much as I thought I would have too. I was still in such shock that my vision is focused on Austin. Austin Cobalt.

         "He's not my father. Maybe someone else's. I wouldn't know and I don't care."

       "Amelia! There you are kiddo!" He yells from across the hall.

        "Colly." Ethan stares at me hard as the man approaches us. Once he reaches us, he opens his arms for a hug which I gladly reject.

        "Ethan, meet Austin. My brother."

-

       I took the jacket off it's hanger and slipped it onto my own back. I walked over to the mirror and saw my freshman place get swapped with my current senior one. Other than me shrinking a good two feet, my face has always had the same hopeful look to it. I blink and see my true reflection. The hope is gone. Same jacket. Same girl. Same trophies on the bookshelf behind me. Different kid. I pierce my lips together and blow, making a horse like sound as I plop my back onto my bed. I shove my hands in my pockets and feel a fine chain. I pull it out to see a gold chain with the letters to spell out  Amelia on it. I sit up almost immediately. I run downstairs, clutching the necklace tightly in my hand as I rush to put on my shoes. "Mom! I'm going out!" I yell out as I slam the front door shut.
-

      "Why are you here?" I ask my long lost brother. Austin is the middle child. He is 26 while our older brother, Adam, is 29. Then there is me. Little 18 year old Amelia. My Mom's maiden name started with an A so all the kids has an A letter first name with our Dad's last name. "You're 18." "Have been for a while. Why are you here?" I ask again. It still makes my blood boil to know they all knew I was here. She knew I was here and didn't even come to talk to me about it. To change. To make things better, to tell me she loves me for the last time even if it was a lie. She just left me here. And god knows if my dad was really looking for me. Things I don't even care to know anymore.

      "You can't stay at a foster care facility when you're an adult." I stare at him dumbfounded. "Huh?"

       "You can only stay here until your 18. I think you have 6 months while your 18 when you can still stay here. Dylan was telling me he was looking for places since last year." Ethan buds in. "Well where am I supposed to go?" "You're coming home Amelia. That's why I'm here." I stare wide eyed, mouth gaped open. "And what the fuck is home?"

       "You're not taking her anywhere. She's staying with me." Ethan buds in again. I don't want to live with Ethan. But hell knows I'm not going back 'home.' Austin just stares at Ethan. Not buying anything.

        "Listen Meils." I cringe. Meils is something only my father had the privilege of calling me. If you are calling me a nickname for Amelia then you say Amy. Like Emma but with an E at the end. Not Meils. "We have this gorgeous beach house in Gold Coast and-"

       "Gold Coast?" I make him pause. "We lived in Melbourne our whole lives, ran away from Dad so we came to Sydney and now she's in Gold Coast? Who the fuck was she hiding from now?" He looked almost confused.

        "That's where Dad is. So we went back when they got back together." He sounds sorry. He may not give a damn about me. But he's still my brother.