Stoic

When Ends Meet

"What the fuck? You did what? Linh just cause you hate someone doesn't mean you can just do stuff like that!" Paisley was pacing back and forth frantically in front of me, I sat on my bed flipping through a magazine. "I think you're overreacting Paisley, I mean I feel a little guilty because my stepmom called me but yeah other than that I don't feel anything toward him." Her eyes widened at me, "you're some other kind of twisted! And why did she call you?" I tossed the magazine on the table, "she asked me if I could help clean out his office or whatever at their house, I told her I'd let her know if I wasn't busy." "Call her back and tell her you're going to help! It's the least you can do, you heartless bitch." She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at me, waiting for a response. I shrugged, "I guess so." She sighed, "you know I still love you but you're one fucked up person."

I pulled up to the front of the house, I sighed walking up to the front steps and knocked. I waited there and knocked again. Ok if no one answers I'm going home. Right before turning around, Mitchell answered the door, "why are you here?" "Your mom asked me to come by and help pack stuff." I said flatly, he took a step back and gestured me in.

Mitchell's 12 years old. I was 6 when he was born, and dad had loved him so much, just like Derek and Jase. When Jane was born, two years after Mitchell, I thought for sure Jane was going to be treated the same way as me but I was horribly wrong. Dad loved her like crazy, Jase and Derek told me that he'd bring her along on the trips they took. I was jealous of her for a while but then I didn't care anymore.

"Linh, I'm so glad you came," my stepmom walked in. "Glad to help Gina," I gave her a fake smile. "Can you start in his office?" Her eyes were dull and she had bags under them. I nodded as she led the way.

I was going through all his paper work in his desk, I kept important paper work and threw out junk. I accidentally knocked over a leather journal, and an envelope fell out. I picked up the envelope, it was addressed to dad from Walter Tylers? My uncle? I tucked the envelope in my jacket and continued to box up the office.

At the end of the day I finished the office and his side of the bedroom while Gina took the boxes to storage and thrift stores. "Thank you again Linh! You were such a big help! Mitchell, Jane! Come say bye to your sister!" Jane came running in and clung to my leg, "bye Linh, come back soon ok?" I nodded, Jane was such a cute little girl. Mitchell hesitantly gave me a hug, "bye Linh."

On my way home I was thinking about the two kids. That's when the guilt hit me. I had killed our dad, their dad, a dad that loved them both so much.

When I got home I went straight to my room. I shrugged off my jacket forgetting about the envelope until it hit the ground. I looked at the sending address again, Walter Tylers, Greenland? Why the hell was he there? I opened the letter and pulled out the paper. My eyes roamed the paper;

My dear brother,

I'm so sorry, I regret betraying you. I'm sorry for not telling you this in person either but Lisa and I were not in the right state of mind. She was already one month pregnant when she came home to you. The twins aren't yours, I'm such a shit brother, I'm so sorry. I have moved to Greenland so that I can stay far away from you and your family. You don't know how sorry I am. I've ruined your life enough. Lisa and I talked about it all and I've already told her that she can keep the kids. I also think it would be best if we never told the two about any of this, they should know that their father is you and not me.
Your brother, Walt.

Mom cheated? Jase and I aren't dad's, or Douglass's? Uncle Walt is our dad? Why the hell was this supposed to be a secret? Our whole lives were practically a reminder of how mom fucked up.

My head was spinning trying to comprehend everything.

I have to talk to Jase.

I went running down the stairs from my room, "Jase! Jase!" I heard a reply from the living room. "Linh, what's wrong are you ok?" My hands were shaking with the paper still clutched in my hands, "Jase, Douglass wasn't our dad." Jase looked confused, "ok, you're being irrational, it's ok, we all have our ways of mourning." I stuck the letter out to him, "no I'm so serious! Read this, this is from his office at Gina's house! It's from Uncle Walt! Wait no, Walt isn't our uncle he's our dad!" He took the paper from my hand and began reading. I could see in his eyes a mixture of disbelief and sadness. "I don't- I don't understand." "I'm going to talk to mom about this."

"Talk to me about what?" Mom had walked in on us, Jase crumpled the letter and threw it at her, "this bullshit!" I was taken aback by his actions and so was mom. "Sweetie calm down," she picked up the paper and unravelled it. "So when were you going to tell us who our dad really was," I spat coldly at her. She froze in her spot, her face paled, "how did you find this?" "I found it while I helped Gina move Doug's crap out of her house." "How could you keep this from us," Jase sniffled, I could tell he was on the verge of tears. She sighed, "you weren't supposed to find out." I balled my hands into a fist, "you had to keep it a secret from us, I had to deal with an asshole who was quote- unquote my dad, for no fucking reason! My whole life he hated me! No wonder he never loved me because I wasn't his! But I don't understand why he loved Jase and not me!" Jase was crying and mom took a step toward me, "I'm sorry, he resented you because he thought you would do the things I did, being unfaithful and such." I took a step back, "I rather die than become the whore you are." I ran upstairs and locked myself in my room. I grabbed the envelope off my bed and sat at my desk, pulling out my laptop to search the address of Walt. Someone was pounding on my door but I didn't care, I eventually found his number. I wrote down his number on a piece of paper and stuck it I'm my pocket. There was still continuous shouts and pounds on my door. I need to get out of here for a while. I started to pack my backpack, grabbing things that I'd need for a few days.

After I finished packing, I opened my window and climbed down the side of my house. I walked across the lawn and pulled out the piece of paper and my phone, I dialed the number. It rang a few times then an answer,

"Hello, this is Walt Tylers."

"Well hey there Walt, not sure if you'd been informed but your brother, Doug, yeah he's dead and the funeral already took place and if you're wondering who I am, I'm your biggest regret, your biological daughter, Linh Tylers."

[(A/N): ok so huge thank you to ilikewattapadalotta for helping me come up with ideas for this chapter because I hit a major writer's block on this one, but sad news this story is coming to an end. The last chapter will be the next chapter, the Epilogue. So I hope you've all enjoyed this book and thank you to all who've continued to support me, you guys are amazing! And almost 800 reads now! xoxo]