Nightly Confusion

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

I needed to come up with new words because I was past shocked. Did he just say sister? “Huh?” was all I could seem to say, I felt like the wind had just been knocked out of me and all the walls were closing in. I was very close to my family, especially my sisters. There couldn’t be one I never knew about.

Joey began to explain. “Linda and my father had a baby, a girl. They believed she was killed right after birth because of my father’s business. That was the secret he learned before his death, why he called Linda but she never got the call. Who took Elena away and killed my father is the same person, we know now he was killed he was killed for learning the truth. We just don’t know why Elena was taken in the first place. Whoever this person is didn’t know he also tracked Elena down and filled her in. She came to us and Linda knew it was all true having lived through it.”

I looked at Elena now, she sat on a chair with her head down, and she looked like she was close in age with Alissa. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “No, I have sisters, Erin and Alissa that’s it. How do you know what she told you is real? She could be lying about being the baby to hurt you both.”

“No,” my mother spoke. “What she says is the truth.”

“How do you know?”

“A mother knows.” She had fresh tears in her eyes, she wasn’t easy convinced of anything, and if she was so sure it had to be true.

“No.” I ran off the boat, I couldn’t do this now, it was crazy and I was in no condition to wrap my mind around any more crazy for the day.

“Sam wait!” Joey called out.

I kept walking. I needed air, I just needed to get away. But he caught up and grabbed my arm and spun me to look at him, I met his eyes now. “I don’t want to know anymore. You figure it out, just leave me alone.” I tried to pull myself free but he wasn’t letting ago. I felt the tears I had been holding finally fall I looked away.

“Sam, just stop.” He grabbed my other arm “Why are you crying?”

I still wouldn’t look at him, it was just easier not to. “She never said anything. My whole life she had another child and she never talked about her or let any of us know we had a sister, dead or not. She lied, my mom doesn’t lie.” It was a tough pill to swallow.

“It wasn’t easy for her. She thought her baby was gone her and world was turned upside down. She didn’t tell you because what difference would it have made then? You’re being too hard on her.” Joey explained. He spoke soft, almost caring but he was only adding to the anger I felt building up inside my chest.

“What do you know? Now all of a sudden you can read her mind?” I looked into his eyes again. “You don’t know how I feel. So stop trying to make it right and change my mind. For the last time; just leave me alone.” I was angry and maybe taking it out on Joey when I shouldn’t be but I wasn’t thinking clearly. Learning about new family could really affect you.

“Are you always this stubborn?”

“Yes.”

“Well cut it out.” He let me go and turned away. “Be grateful you had a loving mother everyday, some of us didn’t. This isn’t easy for anyone, I didn’t know about her and Elena always believed her parents gave her up because they didn’t love her.” Now as I looked I could see this was hurting Joey as well, there was something new in his eyes. The coldness and blank stare was gone, it was sadness I saw.

“I’m sorry.” I mumbled I didn’t like saying sorry. “What happened to your mom? You said ‘us’ when you were talking about children with no mothers.”

“She died when I was young, cancer.” Joey sighed and faced me again. “Are you done with your temper tantrum?”

I smiled; he was still ticking me off but this time in that very special Joey way I was getting used to. “You just love being on my shit list. I guess you can say I understand better but I don’t know. I also have a few questions.”

“It’s you, of course you have questions.”

“Watch it. So your dad is her dad and my mom is her mom, making her our half sister but making us, me and you, nothing.” I wanted to make sure I understood this. Jerry Springer was fun to watch but not be apart of.

Joey smiled; I was good for lightening up the mood. “Right, we’re nothing to each other. It’s relieving to know since we’ve made out.”

I wanted to say something snappy but he was right; we had made out, part of a plan or not, tongues still touched. “Yeah, good to know.” I agreed, the silence had been too thick and I had nothing else to say.

“Are you ready to go back?”

“Home? Sure.”

“No, to the boat. You can’t leave it like that Sam.”

He was right damn it, Joey always found a way to be right. I guess this is the moment in my life where I realize my mother isn’t superwoman; she’s not perfect, just human. On some level I always knew that but right now it was staring at me and I wasn’t handling it well. My mind began to think of the family, how would they react and dad how would he feel? I was the first to know so I decided to push my feelings aside and help my mother; she was going to need it. “Ok, let’s go.” I sighed as we walked, I made up my mind but I still wasn’t glad about it.

Joey and I walked back to the boat and to the bottom layer. When I looked at my mother’s face she looked happy to see I was back. “What happens now?” I asked, still the little child seeking answers from mami.

She smiled sadly, her tears were gone but the sadness was written all over her face. “I don’t know.”

“This is crazy.” Elena spoke. “I’m happy I finally know the truth about you, “she said to mom. “But we don’t have to change our whole lives, let’s just go back to how it was.”

“No.” Mom stood from the table she was sitting at. “You’re my daughter; I will be part of your life.”

“If you like it or not.” I chimed in. “You’re right, it’s crazy but….you’re family and we stick together, again like it or not. Sometimes we want to kill each other but we always stick by each other. This is all so new so we just have to work on it.” I realized Joey and my mother were giving me surprising looks. “What? I can be sensible and act like an adult too.”

Joey laughed. “Didn’t know you had it in you kid.”

“Yeah, ha ha you’re so funny.” I mocked. “Now let’s get out of here and face reality and meet the insane family.”