Lesson learned—never hide anything from Aria, especially now that she's become a fighter and not afraid of speaking her mind. The guilt I've felt these last twenty years by keeping Aria from knowing the truth and wanting to protect her heart and mind has increased. And now I'm more than angry with myself for not telling her what I've known.

While walking toward my car, I yelled at myself while throwing punches in the air. I was pissed at not telling her. I was pissed that she found out. And I was pissed that it was the old man who dug up our family and opened his mouth without talking to me first.

Fuck.

I know I shouldn't be angry at Walter. I'm sure he assumed I didn't know and felt he was helping us out by doing the right thing and telling Aria what he found. I didn't just keep quiet to protect Aria, but it was also to protect my mother. She wouldn't be where she is now if she ever knew my father had a child with another woman while they were still married. She'd be six feet under.

I drove around Seattle for hours, thinking. Then, not caring what time it was, I drove to the hospital where my mother was, parked in the parking lot, and then sat in the car—staring at the one place helping to keep her alive.

I looked at the time, then back at the hospital. Visiting hours may have been over hours ago, but I exited my car anyway, hoping they'll still allow me to see the doctor treating my mother.

I walked into the hospital, and when I saw an older woman sitting behind the counter, I acted like she wasn't there and continued walking toward the elevators.

"Ah, sir. Visiting hours are over," she warned, her words echoing against the walls.

"I know," I admitted, still walking toward the elevators. "I'm not here to see my mother; I'm here to speak to her doctor."

I heard the wheels of her chair rolling and knew she was coming to stop me from getting on the elevator. But I was on a mission and continued heading toward them, and when I got to the elevators, I did what never worked—I started hitting the button on the wall multiple times, hoping the doors would open before the nurse got to me.

"Excuse me, sir? Who are you referring to?"

"My mother's name is June. June Nelson," I sighed, turning to face her. "But I'm not here to see her. I'm here to see her doctor. Doctor Fisher."

"Is he expecting you?"

"Sort-of. We've been exchanging phone calls, and he's been asking that I come here to talk to him."

Her brows drew together as she studied my face. Then, with a concerned look on her face, she pointed to my mouth. "Did you know your lip is cut and bleeding?"

"Yes," I said, irritated.

"You also have blood dripping down from your eyebrow."

I already know you don't have to tell me.

Using my thumb, I wiped the blood away from my lip. "Thanks for pointing that out."

She turned, extending her hand toward the counter she came from. "Would you like me to get you a Kleenex or something?"

"That's okay, thanks, anyway," I said as the elevator doors opened. I quickly stepped inside and hit the close button as fast as possible, and when the doors started closing, I said, "Can you let Doctor Fisher know that I'm here? Thanks."

While the elevator moved up to the floor I needed to be on, I leaned against the wall, staring at the big black box across from me, watching the numbers change while we passed each floor. After what happened tonight with Aria, I felt wrong for being here without her, but if I'm bringing Aria here to see our mother, there are some things I need to be sure of first.

I was met by Doctor Fisher when I stepped out of the elevator. "Good evening, Justin," he smiled, offering me his hand.

I shook his hand firm. "How's my mother doing?"

"As expected, with the new medication. But I'm proud to say that your mother's doing much better than she has been. Would you care to see her?" he asked as I walked alongside him down the hallway.

"I thought visiting hours were over?"

"They are. But I can still walk you over to your mother's room. You'll be able to see her through the window, but she won't be able to see you."

My heart started beating faster. I wasn't expecting to see my mother tonight, but since he's offering, I better take it. "Since it would be nice to see how far she's come along, I'd like that."

"Did you bring your sister along with you?"

I shook my head. "No. She has no idea I'm here. I've been working on Aria to come with me to see her, but she's been a little stubborn. She tells me she doesn't see her, but Aria told her husband she does. So before I finally talk her into coming here, I'd like to make sure it's the right thing to do. I don't need to set my mother back, and the way Aria has been lately, I don't need to upset her more than she is right now."

"I think it would be good for her to see your mother. Lately, your mother's been waking up, calling out Aria's name. She's also asked that we call her, begging that we allow her to see Aria."

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes. She also mentioned someone else, but we didn't understand who she was referring to. And when we asked her to repeat the name, she refused."

Huh.

"I have no clue who else she'd be asking for. Unless it was my father, she was asking to see or me."

"I know it wasn't your name she said; it was someone else's. What's your father's name again?"

"Vince."

He shook his head. "No, that wasn't it, either." He stopped walking and then turned toward me. "I'm sure she'll repeat it. But, as I said, she's making progress, and she's been talking to us a little more." His hand extended to the door on the other side of me. "She's in this room here."

I spun on my heel, turned to the door, and took a couple of deep breaths before stepping closer. I was nervous yet excited to see if my mother was still just as beautiful as I remembered her. Then, finally, I got the courage to look through the window. I stepped to the door, rested my hands on either side of the window, and when I leaned forward and saw her sitting, rocking back and forth, my body went numb, my heart sunk deep into my stomach, and I felt like crumbling to the ground.

Her hair was still as long as I remembered, but very disheveled.

I wanted her to lift her head so that I could see her face, and when she didn't, my heart felt like it was breaking in two. With my hands still pressed on the door, I turned my head the doctor's way. "I thought you said she was doing well?"

"She is," he smiled proudly.

"Why does it look like she's rocking a baby?"

He stepped closer, looked over my shoulder, and watched. "She must have had a mild episode and is self-soothing herself, calming herself down. It's normal. But she's fine."

I know I should trust what the doctor is telling me. But seeing her looking the way she does and how she's rocking herself the way she is, I don't think it's a good idea for Aria to see her just yet. So when the doctor asked if I'd like to see her, acting proud of her progress, I assumed that I'd see my mother looking more 'normal' than she does right now.

"I thought you said this new medicine is helping her? I don't see it. What I see is the same woman from when I had her institutionalized."

"I did say that. And it is working."

"Where? She looks the same as when I brought her in here."

"Justin. Listen to me. What we're now giving her is working, and since she started taking this medication, we haven't had to give her any shots to calm her down. So now, she's a lot calmer and relaxed. You can also sit and have a decent conversation with her to where she now understands and comprehends what you're saying."

I turned around and crossed my arms against my chest as I leaned against the door. "For how long?"

"It depends on the day. Lately, our conversations have been lasting for more than ten minutes. With each day getting better and better."

"The problem I have is. What will happen when my mother sees Aria and me? What kind of person will she be? Will she be happy, or will it bring her back to square one?"

"Why don't you come back with Aria? I'll guarantee you'll like the results. Like I said earlier, she's been asking for her."

"But not me," I groaned, looking down at my feet, hurt that she hadn't asked for me. And I'm sure she wants nothing to do with me since I'm the one who brought her here.

"She has been asking for you. She always has. But lately, it's been for Aria."

I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket and removed pictures I had taken recently, looking at them as I said, "Aria might kill me for doing this. But I'm going to ask that you please hand my mother these. I took these pictures of Aria, her husband, Gunner, and their child, Wyatt, not too long ago, and I thought if my mother saw she had a grandson, it might help put her in a happier place. There are also some pictures of me and my fiancée, Nikki. My mother knows who Nikki is, but since it's been a long time since she has last seen her, I'm not sure if she'll recognize her."

The doctor smiled as he took the pictures from my hand. "I'll definitely show these to her," he said, looking at the photos. He looked up. "I agree with you; this may be just what she needs to see to help with her healing process."

I turned back to the window, and when I looked in and saw what she was doing, I smiled. My mother wasn't rocking back and forth; she was slowly walking with her hand against the wall, talking or singing while heading toward me. I continued watching, and the closer she neared me, my heart rate gained speed. Then I jumped when she stopped at the window and looked through, looking as if she was staring at me.

"She can't see you. You can only see her," the doctor reminded.

Whew.

"I better go," I muttered.

I wanted to stay and watch her every move, but I couldn't stay longer. I felt even guiltier that I was here, talking with the doctor and watching my mother without Aria.

"I'll walk with you," the doctor said when I started walking away. "I hope you can talk your sister into coming with you the next time you decide to come here—during visiting hours, that is."

"I will. If not me, I know Aria's husband will."

"That's good."

"Thanks for talking with me and letting me see her."

"You're most welcome. And thank you for the pictures," Doctor Fisher smiled, holding them up.

I nodded.

"If anything changes with her. I'll make sure to call you right away."

"Thank you."

***

I sat outside my father's house, popping sunflower seeds into my mouth, sucking and chewing on them before spitting the empty shells out the window, all while staring at the home he shares with the woman who stole my father away from Aria and me. If Aria ever found out I knew where our father lived, she'd demand I dig my own grave and would then bury me in it, alive.

After running into Stacey at the grocery store a few years ago, I was curious to see if they were still together and if they were. Also, I wanted to see where they lived and if they had any more children. So I hurried to my car, then waited for her to leave so I could follow her home. Since then, I've driven to their home once a week, parking further down the street to spy. But, unfortunately, in the three years that I've been doing this, all I've seen were Stacey and Felicia.

Until now.

I sat taller and spat the chewed-up seeds out the window when I saw a different car pull into the driveway and park in front of the garage. Felicia got out of the driver's seat, and then a younger boy looking to be about fifteen years old got out of the backseat. I threw a handful of seeds into my mouth, but within seconds, I spit them out the window and coughed when I saw a woman get out of the front passenger seat. I leaned over the steering window and closer to the window, rubbed my eyes, and then blinked a couple of times after I thought it was Aria I saw getting out of the car.

It wasn't her. But someone who looks identical to Aria, only younger.

I guess it looks like Aria and I have two sisters and a brother. One girl looks like Stacey; the boy looks like my father. And the other girl? She'd be Aria's twin if she weren't as young as she looked.

How fucking crazy is that?

I sat back in my seat, thinking. I'm thirty, Aria's twenty-six, Felicia's got to be about twenty-one, and the Aria look-alike looks like Felicia's age or younger. As I studied her and her smile, I frowned—she smiles just like Aria.

Stacey must have been pregnant the last time Aria and I saw her. And if she was, she fucking hid it well. If my father left this tramp because she was pregnant again, I'd fucking lose my shit on him because my mother was also pregnant.

Asshole.

Whatever the reason was, it doesn't matter anymore. What matters is getting down to the truth about why my father chose to stop seeing Aria and me—walking away like we meant nothing to him or like Aria and I was never born.

I know they say we all have a twin out there, and Aria's twin just so happens to be my dad's and Stacey's child—something Aria would love hearing or seeing.

Not...

I reached for my phone, quickly brought it up to the steering wheel, and tapped the camera button, taking a picture to show Aria. Then, just when I snapped a picture of them, I dropped my phone from jumping after someone knocked on the passenger window.

While buzzing the window down, I looked down to where the phone fell, and the instant I heard the voice. I froze. "Boy. You have ten seconds to start your car and get the hell out of here. Or, if you choose to continue staying where you are, I'll sit on the hood of your car and call the cops. I'll inform them about how you've been out here spying on my kids for the last couple of years."

"What?" I choked, grabbing my phone from the ground, afraid to look at him.

He fucking knows I've been coming here?

"You heard me. Now get out of here! There'll be no warning next time I see you sitting across the street. It'll be just the police removing you."

I couldn't believe it was him—my father. I may not have seen his face, but I recognized his voice. My first thought was to start my car and leave. But instead, I started my car and slowly turned to look at him. "Yes, sir," I said nervously. "You'll never see me here again."

Before he could say a word, I looked forward and immediately drove off, smirking.

He recognized me.

When I looked at him and responded, his eyes widened, and his mouth fell open wide.

I looked in my rearview mirror. He was standing in the same spot, scratching the back of his head as he looked from me to his house.

"Asshole."

Now I know my father and Stacey are still together. And Aria and I have not one, but three siblings.

***

"You better tell Aria who Felicia is."

"Not tonight, but I will on our next visit. Okay?"

My eyes narrowed to slits as I looked at him. It pissed me off that I've known about Felicia longer than I should have when Aria and I should have learned about Felicia together. "Why not now? Don't you think she deserves to know that she's our sister?"

"Stacey doesn't think she's ready. And to be honest. Neither do I."

"Who the fuck cares about what Stacey thinks? She's a nobody to Aria and me. She's just a mom to a little girl who happens to be our sister. A girl that doesn't deserve to have the title of being our sister. And the sister we're supposed to have is not with us!"

He raised his hand, ready to slap me across the face, but instead of hitting me, he lowered his hand, then snapped. "Damn it, Justin! I wish you'd stop using words like that. I also wish you would quit talking to me like you're an adult. You're a child, for christ's sake!"

"Exactly! I'm a child who saw something I shouldn't have. You're asking a child to keep a secret from your other child! You're also asking me to do things that parents should teach their children not to do! And to top it all off? I'm a child who's been taking care of mom and Aria! Something you're supposed to be doing! I'm ten years old, dad. Ten!"

My father's face turned beet red, firmly holding his hips. "If that's the case where you're taking care of your mother and Aria, then I'm going to the courts, and I'll be demanding full custody of you and Aria."

"Go to hell," I yelled, turning my back to him. "I'm not living with you if Stacey will also live with you. And neither will Aria."

My dad spun me around, slapped me across the face, and then leaned forward, pointing at me. "You are to not talk to me like that ever again, got it?"

"Bring me and Aria home," I begged, tears filling my eyes.

I stood from the picnic bench and then stormed away from him. I looked around the park for Aria, and when I couldn't find her anywhere, I panicked and started running. I looked inside all the enclosed slides, up in the trees, and inside every bouncy inflatable they had for Felicia's birthday party. Then I looked at my dad as he stood by the picnic table watching me.

I hurried over to him, breathing fast; I asked, "Where's Aria? Have you seen her?"

"Check inside the enclosed inflatable ball pit."

I shook my head. "I did. Aria's not in there."

"She's there. I watched her go inside when you were yelling at me, acting like some big shot," my father snapped.

I didn't know why he was angry with me. He's the one who screwed up, not me. All I want is for him to be the dad he's been to us and tell Aria the truth. He needs to be honest with her because Aria still believes he's coming back home to be a family again.

"After I find her, I want you to bring us home. But then, I never want to see you again."

"Maybe you'll get your wish."

"Yeah, maybe, I will. We'll see what you do," I yelled, running away from him.

I ran back to the ball pit and climbed inside. "Aria, damn it. Are you in here?" I heard Aria giggling, so I spun around, then dropped to my knees and treaded through the balls to find her while yelling for her to show her face. "Come on, Aria. I told dad I wanted him to bring us home. Come out from wherever you are so we can go home."

She giggled again, and the next thing I felt was a ball hitting the back of my head. "All right. Let's go. I want to be with mom, anyway."

I turned around, and when I saw her hand poking through the pile of balls, I headed toward her. Then when I got to her, I saw a cute little face with long dark-haired pigtails hiding underneath the balls and smiling at me. I held my hand out for her to grab. "Come on. Dad's waiting for us."

Aria held my hand while we walked back to our father.

"Are you two ready to go home, or did you decide to stay with me like you're supposed to?" My father asked, swinging his car keys around his finger.

I looked at Aria, asking, "Are we going back home to mom's or staying at dad's house tonight?"

"I want to go home. Mom needs us, remember?"

I raised my head. "Take us back to mom's."

The ride back to my mom's house was quiet. Occasionally my father looked at us through the rearview mirror, his mouth opening and closing as if there was something he had to say, but he never did. Instead, he chose to remain quiet.

"Bye, dad!" Aria hurriedly said as she opened the door. Then she ran to the house.

I got out of the car, and as I stepped by his door, I turned to him. "See ya. Next visit, you better tell Aria about Felicia."

"Yeah. See you in two weeks," my father sighed, not looking at me but at the house.

My gut tells me this will be the last time we see him. And if that happens, it'll be my fault for telling him that Aria and I never want to see him again.

***

Shit.

Am I the reason my father quit seeing us?

Hope the chapter was okay!🤞🤞🤞🤞