Hayden

I woke with a start.

I tried to make out the ringing nose around me but didn't clue in until it was gone that someone was ringing my phone. Picking it up I looked at the time. 9 am. Who was calling at 9 am on a Sunday.

The phone started ringing again startling me. It slipped from my hands and in a frantic attempt to catch it, I knocked it under my bed.

Fishing it out I looked at the caller ID. It read Mom.

Well shit. Just as I went to pick up the call ended.

There was only one reason my mom would call me at this hour, because I've fucked up.

I keyed in the number I'd memorized as a kid.

One ring.

Two rings.

She picked up.

"Hi mom, what's up?" I asked hesitantly.

"We need to talk." Was all she said.

"Ok what about?"

"Just bring Ocean over. this matter is not to be discussed over the phone." my mothers tone sent shivers down my spine.

"OK," was all I could say.

There was no way she found out about Ocean dinking, right? If she did we were in big trouble.

The call dropped and I felt even more confused then when I had awoken.

I hurried downstairs, only to see Ocean in t0he living room. It was surprising to see her there. She was curled up on the couch with the book. I paused for a moment, debating whether to tell her right away or eat breakfast first. But then my mom had said ASAP. Plucking up the nerve, I turned to Ocean. And opened my mouth to speak. She turned to look at me, but no words came out. I probably looked like a guppy mouthing words at her.

I paused for a moment to find my voice before finally speaking. "We have a problem." She slowly put her book down, placing her bookmark between the pages. Showing me that I had her full attention. "My mom just called." I spoke slowly. She nodded for me to go on.

"I don't know what's going on. But she said to come over. As soon as possible."

The look of alarm in Oceans eyes matched mine. I held my breath, waiting for her to do something. Instead, she just sat there, staring at me.

For what felt like eternity, we stayed there staring at each other. Finally. She got up and picked up her book. I could see that she was still in her pajamas. Just like me. She walked over to the stairs and started heading up. I realized that she, unlike me, was going to go get changed. With the alarm bells still ringing in my head, I followed her upstairs and disappeared into my closet to find something to wear.

Pulling on a pair of faded jeans and a black tee. I decided to call it a day and run downstairs to start the car. To my surprise, Ocean was already downstairs. She looked beautiful as always in a pair of black jeans and a green sweater.

Everything happened in silence as we walked from the house to the car. Closed the doors, buckled ourselves in. As I started the car, the radio didn't even start up. We just sat in silence for the 20-minute drive over to my parents' house. The route I had memorized as I had been taking it since I was 19. A left here, right there. Before I even realized it, we pulled into my parents' driveway. Putting the car in park, I pulled the key out. And there we sat, silently, waiting for the other to make the first move. The nerves were heavy. There's no way my parents had found out. Was there?

Finally, we climbed out of the car. Walking up to the front door, I raised my hand to knock, only for it to swing open.

"Come in," my father said. Gesturing us through the door. I watched Ocean as she followed. Taking off my shoes, I walked into the living room to find my mother sitting on the couch with a laptop and papers around her.

My mom looked up at me and spoke. "I didn't mean that fast."

"But you said..." I started but she cut me off.

"Fix your shirt first."

Looking down, I realized that my shirt was inside out. Pulling it off, I flipped it around before pulling it back on.

"Now have you two eaten yet?" My dad appeared in the kitchen doorway, mug of coffee in hand.

I paused for a second knowing the lecture that was coming.

"Go make yourself some toast." My mom said before I could answer. no lecture today that was a good sign or maybe a really bad one.

I walked into the familiar kitchen, pulling the bread out I stuck a slice in the toaster.

"Have a seat Ocean." I heard my mom speak, sounding quite stressed.

My toast popped starting me back into the room. Grabbing it I lay it on a plate and added some butter. Taking it back to the living room, took a seat next to Ocean.

"We need to talk." My mom started.

Toast halfway to my mouth I paused. "Look I can explain." Both my parents looked at me confused.

"It was an accident; we didn't mean for it to happen. We didn't know..."

"Whoa. Back up boy." My dad to a seat next to my mom. "What are you talking about? Did you two..." he let the accusation sit in the air.

"What?" I paused for a second before it dawned on me. "NO!"

"Then what are you going on about?"

"I thought this was about Ocean getting drunk." I spat out quickly.

My parents looked at each other and burst out laughing. Once they had calmed down my mom spoke. "Oh Sweetheart, we could care less if she got drunk or whatever, as long as you use protection." She winked.

I felt my cheeks heat up at the thought.

"Anyway," my mom returned to her serious face. "Something you're Aunt brought up left me wondering. She mentioned that you looked like one of her old high school friends, Dalilah Brooks. Does that name ring a bell?"

my mom's gaze was on ocean. I could tell this was going to be a tense conversation.

I stuck my toast into my mouth, trying not to break the tense silence with an awkward joke.

"We did some research," my father continued for her. "Dalilah Brooks was on only child. She lived and died on the other side of the country. She was married to someone named Mason Davids."

"So, we did some digging into Lucas," my mom added. "He has no listed spouse or children. There are no listed siblings either. However, when we looked at your grandparents, it listed two children."

I glanced at Ocean ready to interrupt if needed. she was very pale and looked like she had a stone stuck in her throat.

"Now we have some questions for you." My dad started.

"Who is your mother?"

"Where is this family tree not adding up?"

"What is Luccas trying to hide?"

"Right now. I need you to tell the truth. The full truth." My mom spoke to Ocean.

"Is Lucas Davids your father?"