Cal, equally choked up, took his turn hugging Amy adding that he was so happy to meet her. “We have 49 years of spoiling our little sister to make up for.”
Asshole.
“Let’s go find Aunt Ellie,” I said, taking Amy by the arm and heading into the house.
Amy, Dean, Cal, and I found Aunt Ellie in the kitchen watching the oven impatiently. “A watched pot never boils and an oven stared at never dings,” I said.
Ellie gave me the biggest smile and hugged me hello. “Where are the girls?”
“Outside making the mundanes uncomfortable with some PDA,” I answered.
She swatted my arm and turned to Amy, “Who are you, dear?”
“Eleanor Pearson,” I said, “this is Amy Fries.”
“You are so lovely dear. Call me Aunt Ellie,” she said, picking up her coffee cup.
“Yes, that’s the idea,” I said looking at Aunt Ellie over my glasses.
“What do you mean by that,” Ellie said looking at Amy. She looked right in her hazel eyes. The same eyes that I had. The same eyes that Ellie’s sister had. She dropped her cup and it shattered on the floor. Dean, Cal, and I stood nearby with smiles on our faces. Aunt Ellie just stared. She stared open-mouthed at Amy slowly raising her hand to Amy’s face and touching her cheek. A tear ran down Amy’s face and while it was because someone nearby was cutting onions, I found myself tearing up, too.
“Are you…” Aunt Ellie began. Amy, unable to speak, simply nodded her head shyly. Aunt Ellie wrapped Amy in her arms and let out a sob.
“We knew it! Your mother and I always knew he’d find you. If anyone could, it would be David.”
“Believe it or not,” I managed to choke out, “she found me.”
“Of course, she did,” Ellie laughed. “Of course, she did. She just couldn’t let go of Amy.
“We need to talk,” I said. “I have a lot of questions.”
“And I suspect I have most of the answers,” Ellie said, pulling herself together. “Let’s talk in the parlor.”
We were led into the other room; the room Aunt Ellie called her parlor. As the five of us took our seats I looked out the window seeing a good view of the driveway. Good. My surprise should be here soon.
Aunt Ellie opened a book from her bookshelf and pulled out an envelope. She handed the envelope to Amy and said, “Your mom wanted me to give that to you if you and David ever found each other. She wrote it just in case she passed before it happened.”
“If she’d have said something to me after Dad died, she could have told Amy herself,” I growled. Aunt Ellie was right, if I had known about Amy before Mom passed, I would have stopped at nothing to find her.
“Hush, David,” Aunt Ellie scolded. “Let Amy read the letter.”
Amy tore the envelope open and read the first few lines. Her breathing stopped for a moment and she paused to wipe her eyes. She began to read out loud:
“My daughter,
I hoped to have gotten the chance to tell you all this in person but since your father-your birth father has passed the weight of everything has gotten too heavy. I know David and the boys felt like I abandoned them when they needed me but the truth is I could no longer face them.
I have watched David grow into a brilliant young man. He’s married to a woman that compliments everything about him. They’ve given us two amazing grand children but I see it every time I look into his eyes. He knows. He knows he isn’t whole and he is so angry.
I pray every day that you find each other. I pray that if you felt the loss, too, that you can heal each other. Even now I pick up the phone to call David to tell him everything but even now I am still too scared to do it. I love you and I miss you. I think of you every day and I am so sorry. I failed you and I failed David. I will never forgive myself. I hope you can forgive me. I hope all of you can.
Love, Mom”
When Amy finished the letter, she quietly placed it down and began to sob. I pulled her close making shushing noises, trying to calm her down. “You’re making my shirt wet,” I said.
“Asshole,” she whispered.
My phone dinged and I stole a glance at it. “We’re here,” the message read.
“Hey,” I said, looking out the window, “who’s cars are that coming down the lane?”
Amy looked out the window and squinted. I could tell that she recognized the two cars but didn’t immediately place them. When they parked and two kids, a teenage girl and a young boy got out she looked at me in disbelief.
“You’re not the only one who can Google,” I said with a smile.
Amy jumped up, leaned over, and gave me a kiss. Yeah, she forgot herself and gave me a kiss in front of Aunt Ellie and our brothers. Well, that would be fun to explain later.
She ran from the room and out of the house toward the figures getting out of the car.
“Who are they,” Aunt Ellie asked.
“The rest of her family,” I smiled again.
Part Three:
Aunt Ellie looked at me in surprise as what I said sank in.
“I figured she could use her people here,” I answered the unspoken question. “They’re family now, too.”
Aunt Ellie looked at me with a sweet smile. “You’ve changed. She’s changed you,” she said.
I shrugged in half-ass agreement and watched as Amy embraced her parents, brothers, and children. I silently picked up the letter, folded it, and put it in my pocket. Now knowing why Mom avoided us for so long did temper the pain some but there was still so much to know.
Dean and Cal shuffled out of the room. Sometimes even the buttheads knew when to do the right thing. I felt Aunt Ellie’s eyes on me. “Ask your question,” she said.
“Why,” I asked, simply.
“I don’t know everything, only what your mother told me and I don’t think she knew everything.”
“Go on,” I prompted. I was listening but I never took my eyes off of Amy and her family.
“It was your grandfather, your dad’s dad. When he found out your mother was having twins he said if one of you was a girl, he demanded that she be given away and never spoke of again. I know you don’t remember him well but he was a cruel man. He threatened to cut your parents off at the slightest provocation. He threatened to cut them off from everything.” She let out a little sigh as she relived the memories.
Continuing, Aunt Ellie said, “Your father capitulated and for whatever fucked up reason your mother went along.”
I turned to look at my aunt. She rarely ever used swear words and never the F Bomb. This was the first time I’d ever heard her say “fuck”. This was serious.
“Your mom despised your grandfather for it and never forgave your father or herself. Dean and Cal were lied to and so was the rest of the family. Your twin sister was stillborn and you were never to know. But your mother told me the truth and made me swear to keep it secret.”
“You could have told me after Mom and Dad died,” I said, the anger coming back a little.
“I wrestled with that every time I saw you. But I made your mother a promise and it wasn’t my place.”
I looked at my aunt knowing she was telling me the truth; knowing what she had gone through keeping the secret and I couldn’t be angry with her. I drew her into a hug and told her that I wasn’t mad at her and that I was still trying to figure out what came next.
“Not surprising,” she said, “but I have to ask: When you go forward are you going forward with her as your sister or your woman?”
What the fuck? How were people figuring this out so easily? Did I suck at hiding my emotions that much?
Aunt Ellie laughed and said, “Oh come on. Only Cal and Dean are thick enough to have missed the feelings behind that kiss or the way you two look at each other. You can barely take your eyes off of her even now.”
“And this doesn’t bother you?”
“Oh, I know it should, “she replied, “but if you think you’re the first in this family to take a sibling or a cousin to bed then you’re as thick as your brothers.”
“No shit?”
“Sure! There’s been kissing cousins and sexy siblings all over. Couple of oopses, too. Your Uncle Jim and one of our older sisters had a fling until Daddy found out, as a matter of fact. I thought he was going to kill your uncle. Yeah, he made them separate; made Jimmy join the army. But they were miserable their entire lives without each other. Did you ever see Jimmy or Doris happy? No, you didn’t. They loved each other and could do nothing about it.”
I wasn’t sure how to take this information. I also never wanted to hear Aunt Ellie say “sexy siblings” ever, ever again. I already knew what I was doing was fucked up. I didn’t need a euphemism to make it worse.
“C’mon,” Aunt Ellie said tugging at my arm, “I have a great niece and nephew to meet.”
Aunt Ellie and I went outside just as the newcomers got to the porch. The little boy launched himself at me and excitedly saying that he’s played every game I ever wrote and that he couldn’t wait to tell his friends. His sister, a pretty girl who was very subdued said, “So you’re my Uncle David?”
“Looks that way. Assuming you’re my niece, Clare.”
She nodded and shook my hand.
Ellie wasted no time and knelt down to talk to Chris and Clare, “And I’m your Great Aunt Ellie. I bet you’re hungry. Come with me and we’ll get you lunch!”
Amy nodded her permission and off they went. Amy took my hand and pulled me along. She said, “Mommy, Daddy, this is David. My brother, David.”
I put my hand out for a shake and started to say, “Glad to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Fries,” when I was pulled into a big hug from both of them. It seems that COVID reminded people of the importance of a good hug and a handshake. I reveled in the human contact.
“None of that Mr. and Mrs. Fries bunk,” Amy’s mom said, “We’re Saul and Emma. Hell, you can call us Mom and Dad if you want. You’re now our son, too.”
I was extremely touched. I found myself wanting very much to take them up on their offer. At the same time my lizard brain reminded me I was fucking their daughter and their openness didn’t help me with the moral incest dilemma. Ooph.
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