MELROSE

CHAPTER 40

It felt like the world had frozen. Nobody moved, nobody talked, no one else was there, just the seven of us. My gaze travelled, noting the looks on every face. Justine looked hella confused. Blake's expression contradicted hers, a look of understanding on his face, like he was expecting it to happen. My twin's initial shock passed, as he now studied Nolan intensely, no doubt taking in how similar he and Ethan looked.

I was doing the same, feeling stupid that I hadn't noticed it before, as Blake looked like them too, and I had stupidly mistaken his and Nolan's turquoise eyes for aquamarine ones.

Nolan broke the silence first. "Catharina. It's been so long."

Mum nodded, tears running down her cheeks. "Almost twenty one years. A long time indeed."

Justine opened to mouth to ask questions but her brother hurriedly clamped a hand on it, silently telling her now was not the time.

Nolan moved towards her. "Years. Catharina. I spent years looking for you." He looked at me. "I knew there was something about you when we met. I just wasn't sure what it was."

I smiled awkwardly as response.

Ethan spoke up. "Okay. This reunion is not supposed to be happening in a place this public."

Nolan eyes widened at him. "You look like me when I was years younger."

Ethan rolled his eyes, clearly tired of all the drama. "That's because I'm your son stupid. I'm Mandy's son."

Nolan looked at mum disbelievingly. "We have a son?"

"Great!" Ethan sarcastically uttered. "I forgot my own father doesn't even know I exist!" He dangled car keys. "I'm going home. You guys take a taxi." He started walking away.

Mum's tone had never been so commanding. "Don't. You. Dare."

He halted. She turned to the Francos. "It's late. How about following us home for dinner? Clearly, I have a lot of explaining to do."

The minute we all got home, Justine and Blake were so amazed at the splendour of the house they immediately went on a self tour, Ethan locked himself in his room, while mum and Fletch got busy in the kitchen, leaving me to tell Nolan the story mum claimed she wasn't in the right mind to say.

"When she couldn't take any of your mum's shit anymore, she left. What she didn't know was that she was pregnant. She had the child, left him in front of an orphanage, came to America where she met my dad and had my twin and I, went back to look for him for seven years in a row, but didn't find him until he moved here with his adopted parents and here we are."

"This is a lot to take in."

I agreed. "Should I call Blake and Justine so you can explain things to them?"

He waved me off. "No. They know about your mother. The only new information is Ethan, considering it's new to me as well." He spoke to himself. "I have a son. With the first woman I fell in love with. Wow."

Ethan didn't come down until mum yelled dinner was ready, and even then she'd had to drag him down herself. He ate his food in huge bites, wanting to finish fast and escape back to his room. Alas, this was not to be.

Nolan pushed his food away, unsure. "E - Ethan?"

The mentioned pointed his fork at mum, his mouth full. "Lorenzo. She calls me Lorenzo, the name you dreamed of naming your first child. My name is Lorenzo to you."

He swallowed. "Okay. Lorenzo, can I have a word with you in private?"

He pretended to think about it. "No."