Destiny- Byron Miller

~3~

(photo is of Daniel)

Daniel.

Daniel.

Daniel.

It can't be. This can't be the Daniel.

Daniel is the name that is inscribed on my wrist. Daniel is the name of my soulmate.

I'm not ready to have a soulmate. I have to take care of Maisie. I know that if I start having relationships, then it would end in me not being there for Maisie. I can't risk that.

After about a minute I realize that I was staring off into space. I immediately snapped back into it and realized that both Daniel and Maisie were looking at me.

"What?" I said, wondering what was wrong.

"Nothing, you just didn't answer and started staring at the grass like it offended you" Daniel said jokingly.

"Well we should start going, right Maisie?" I said wanting to get as far away from this attractive male as possible.

"Wait, you never answered my question, you were too busy daydreaming," Daniel called after us. "My little sisters don't have many friends. They're home-schooled. So I was wondering if you'd like to exchange numbers so that Maisie could come over and play with them some time?"

"Umm...I'm not so sure about that." I was actually completely fine with Maisie having some new friends. What I wasn't sure about was him having my phone number. He's a potential soulmate for me. Therefore I have to stay away.

"Oh come on big brother, I only have Gwen as a friend at school. No one else likes me." Maisie stated adamantly.

"Ok ok fine." I gave in. I can never say no to Maisie. Especially when it comes to her happiness and having a normal childhood.

I entered my phone number into his phone and he did the same with mine. After that, me and Maisie headed off to one of our favorite hiking trails.

Maisie loves this hiking trail because it has a tower so you can see all the way down the mountain. I love this hiking trail because I get to see her happy face.

After spending about two hours on this trail and having some lunch, we headed back home. It was now around 12:30 and I have work at 1:15, even though it is the weekend. I have to do what I have to do in order to provide for my sister.

I don't even see my mom anymore. Honestly, I don't know when the last time I saw her was. I think it might have been last week...maybe.

Truth is, I'm pretty sure she started dating some guy from down the street. I think his name is Donald. I'm pretty sure Donald is like 68. But to each their own...right?

But because I have to head into work, Gwen's mom is going to watch Maisie.

I have work in 45 minutes, but we are heading over early because I need to talk to Gwen's mom, Amanda.

Amanda has been helping me out with Maisie for about 2 months now and she doesn't even know the full story behind our family situation.

She knows parts of it. She knows that I am Maisie's main parental guardian. She knows that there is no dad. She knows that our mom exists. But she is still left in the dark about most of the details.

So that's why we are headed over early. Because I feel like I owe it to Amanda to explain our situation. It wouldn't be fair to her if I didn't explain why I needed her to watch Maisie in the first place.

When we got there I immediately told her that I wanted to talk. She looked a little hesitant at first but took a seat in the living room anyways.

Their living room was cute. It was the perfect family size. Not too big but not too small. It had big comfy couches and pictures of Gwen all over. And to top it all off, it has the softest, most comfortable rug I've ever laid eyes on.

Anyways, I started the conversation by going right to the point. "I need to tell you about our family."

Amanda's face had a look of shock. It's like she was never expecting to hear the history behind the Miller-Harrison family. (Maisie has a different last name because she has a different dad). Amanda followed my statement with, "Well if that's what you want, then you can tell me anything."

I then proceeded to tell my whole life story, "It all started when my mother married my father. They fell in love instantly. They got married in a random house, on a random day, after only 2 months of dating. After I was born, my mom said that my dad was like a new person. Very tough and mean and opinionated. So you can imagine that when I found out I was gay on my 10th birthday, it did not go over well. To say that my father hated me, would be an understatement. He hated me so much that he decided to leave us 4 days later. Happy birthday to me, right? Anyways, my mom met my stepdad not too long after. They dated for a while and then planned to get married. But before they got married my mother accidentally got pregnant with Maisie. After she was born they got married. Maisie was 3 when her dad died. His plane crashed in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. That was the last father figure I ever had. But that was when our mom went really downhill. She turned to drinking and started neglecting me and Maisie. I was only 15 when I became a father figure to Maisie. I had no other choice. I had to go searching for a job. Just anything that would give me money. It was hard at that age, but I finally found a place that would hire me. I'm now going on 3 years of parenting Maisie. I love her like she is my own, but goddamn, it would be so much easier if I was just a brother to her. I turn 18 in 1 month. That means that it's only 1 month until I become the legal guardian of her. Every day I fear that they will take her away from me. every day I fear that they will find her beforeIi get the chance to fight for her to be in my legal care. But there is nothing I can do to prevent that from happening. I love her too much to lose her. I love her too much"