In search for the origins

Part 13

I heard some footsteps coming, and turned around, to see my mother coming. She sat by me, on the bench...

-I know it will be hard, and you will need time to do it, but I hope you will forgive me, one day. If I only could turn back time, I wouldn't have given you and your sister away..

-Well, you did, right? It  just can't be changed, and that's final.

-Tyler...listen, please. I...

-Tyler? -I let go a bitter laugh-It seems you don't get it. Now I'm Andrew Stevens...There's no Tyler anymore. He's dead and buried,  since the day the Stevens decided it was worthwhile taking me with them if it that meant having May as well. Because she was the one they were looking for. A girl. And did you listen to me when those people from the orphanage came to take us away? Or every night I spent there, when I cried until I fell asleep, calling for you? God, this is such a nonsense...

I walked away, and almost ran into Sue and Edith, who came out of the house. Sue gave me a reassuring smile, and held my hand.

-Edith, tell May we're gone for a ride, will ya? . We'll be back soon.

Sue drove all around the city, aimlessly. We were both in silence...from time to time, she looked at me out of the corner of her eye, checking on how I was. I  thanked her for not talking...she knew me well enough as to know what I needed then was just that, silence.  I told her how to get to the Rims, and she parked by the edge. We went out , and sat in the hood of the car. Sue lit a cigarette and handed it to me. 

-May told me what your mother said... It must have been really hard for both of you...

-I remembered it all, when I saw her. What I saw in that dream, I mean.  Damn, I wasn't even three and I was taken away from my mother ...and I had to take care of a baby. But what about me? I also needed someone to take care of me, and hadn't even that! " Try to be strong"...how on earth could I?  You know, when that people from the orphanage came for us, I thought it was my fault, that I had done something bad! And then, with the Stevens, you already know how things were there...they never made me a feel part of the family. I knew it didn't belong there and wondered if I would ever belong somewhere, or to someone.

-Hey...don't ever say that again, listen? You belong to me, and to May, and Edith and Mary,... And yeah, to your mother too. Give yourself some time, right now you're too sensitive about this, and it's natural.  But maybe in some time you'll see things in a different way.  It can be a month, or a year, but try to build a kind of mother son relationship with her. These years mustn't have been easy for her, either. 

-You maybe right...I will have to do it, I guess... You're really smart, know that?

-Of course I am! And that's just why I fell for you. C'mon, let's go home. You drive.

When we arrived back home, May, Edith and Mary were in the living room, along with two younger kids. Tom and Emily, my younger brother and sister. I did know they were there too, when I met my mother, but was just too upset to pay them attention.

-Hey, where were you? You had us worried.

I saw Sue denying slightly with her head, as telling Mary not to go on that way..

-Nah, just went for a small ride.  It's all my fault. 

I took a look at my two unknown siblings. Tom was a bit shorter than May, but apart from that, they looked pretty much the same, just as if they were twins. Both of them had the same snooky look, and it seemed they got along really well. And Emily, she was more the ladylike type,  always refined and elegant. Ñ

-Andy, Sue, come sit here! Tom, this is your elder brother...and his lucky girlfriend!

-Can bet I am, May! Nice to meet you, Tom!

I did feel really nice and easy that night...Yeah, I still felt resentment against my mother,  but Tom or Emily had nothing to do with it. In any case, they were also victims of all that mess, just like May and me.