VIRIDITY • jb

thirty seven

          I've always been so nervous about everything. But never like this. I'm shaking badly, in the verge of crying. Especially when I saw her eating on the same table as me for dinner. She's alive. Healthy. Well. She's here. And back.

          “How have you been? You've made Justin so broken when you left.”

          Really, Wendy? What's with the bîtchy remark?

          “I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry. I meant well, you just can't see it yet.”

          She seemed sincere, so I nod, watching her wipe the plate using a towel in her hands. “Is that related to Justin telling me you have something to say?”

          She breathes, putting the plate in the storage and leaning against the granite. “I guess this is it huh?”

          “I guess it is. Go ahead. I'm all ears.”

          My hand twists the faucet normally to casually wash my hands, but it made a mess by splashing water everywhere. “Oh no, I'm sorry!”

          “No it's okay, the faucet's been acting out lately. I'll call Justin to fix it.”

          That leads me to the backyard, face to face with my long lost sister. Sophia.

          She looked the same. Her eyes, lips, nose. Except her hair, she dyed it into strawberry blonde. Up until now, we look nothing alike. She's so much prettier and girly.

          “Sophia... h-hi.”

          She scoops me in her arms after seeing my eyes teary. See, she controls her emotions, unlike mine. “Olivia, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.”

          “Can you tell me what happened?”

          We sat on the grass under the night sky, feeling the thin breezy air against our skin. I notice her to look bronzer than usual, and her hair cut short like what mine used to.

          “Where do you work? What do you do? You look differently same. It's weird.”

          She laughs. “Los Angeles. I'm currently a travelling photographer. Always not in the same place for twenty-four hours. You?”

          “Just finished college. Uncle Wil put his convenience store in New York in my hands.”

          “New York? You met Justin there and not in Australia?”

          “I'll tell you my story after you tell yours.”

          She inhales deeply. “I left you in the park right? I was stupid. My mind was telling me that I should leave you, and that's why I did. I overheard Mom and Dad arguing about Mom's affair. I didn't understand what it meant back then, so I searched through the dictionaries and cried. Dad was accusing her of sleeping with another guy, and he said one of us probably wasn't his. I didn't know it was possible until I spent my whole day in the library to figure that out. And it's possible.

          Mom was quick to respond and just admitted to Dad that he's probably right, and the illegitimate child is you. It broke my heart that I almost want to be the illegitimate one. Dad was mad, since you're obviously his favorite.

          That day in the park. I came up with a spontaneous plan, thinking of nothing but to give you the love you deserve from our parents. And left you there. Ran to nowhere.

          Pattie found me by the beach, freezing. She asked if I was lost and I lied. She eventually kept me during her stay in Australia and decided to adopt me. I lied to her about everything, putting her name at risk on doing something illegal. But I admitted everything when I was thirteen.”