𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

Hope Ashford

Adrian grabs both of my shoulders to keep me steady because I feel like I'm about to collapse. "There's no more point in lying to her James! She thinks she's grown huh? Well, then she can handle the truth." I can't move. I'm paralyzed. I'm trying to process the words that just left her mouth.

"Get me out of here, please," I manage to whisper. Adrian doesn't question anything and he leads me out. I'm glad he didn't try to change my mind.

"Hope! Hope please come! I can explain!" I hear my dad call out but I don't turn around. Can I even call him my dad? He's not my dad. Oh my God. The man I adored and called my dad isn't my dad. I have so many questions that I'm scared to even ask.

Adrian stops me once we're in front of his apartment. He doesn't say anything and just pulls me into a hug. I break into sobs as he holds me. My entire life has been a lie. The people who I believed were my parents aren't actually my parents. Where are my real parents? Did they not want me? They put me up for adoption, didn't they? Or maybe my mom was a single mom and couldn't take care of me. The possibilities are infinite. I won't know until I talk to my dad.

But I don't feel like it right now. I need to cool off and think about everything. So many things are starting to add up. My mom— Ella, has always neglected me. She has made me feel like shit my entire life, and now it all makes sense. Not my dad though. My dad has always cared about me and treated me like his daughter. He was a real parent to me. Blood-related or not. Why didn't they tell me the second I turned eighteen? I had a right to know.

In a way, I'm glad Ella isn't my mom but even though she treated me like shit, she was the person I believed was my mother. Obviously, I loved her even if it was just a little. Everything hurts right now. My dad wasn't supportive of my relationship with Adrian and I get the truth revealed in the worse way possible. Ella is heartless. I'm glad I know, but why did I have to find out this way?

"Let's go inside and you should get some rest," Adrian says. I don't feel like talking so I just nod my head. We get inside his apartment and he leads me to his room. He kisses my head before walking out. I sigh as I sit on his bed. I try to distract myself by looking at his room. It's plain. There's a picture of him and Sophia on his nightstand and a small picture sitting flat on the nightstand. It's a picture of me. I remember that picture, I thought I lost it. I took it when I was in high school. I smile and lie down.

Adrian Newman

"What happened? Is she okay?" Sophia asks. I doubt Hope is okay right now, but I don't want Sophia to bombard Hope with questions. Questions that Hope won't want to answer. I didn't want to bring Hope with me at first because the last thing I want is for her to fight with her dad, but Mrs.Pierce crossed the line. Hope shouldn't have found out that way.

"She's just tired," I reply. Sophia nods and doesn't ask anything else. She sits on the couch and turns the TV on. I sit next to her. We don't have cable or streaming services. We have a DVD player and have movies.

"What movie is it?" I ask.

"Tangled," Sophia answers. I nod and watch as the movie plays. I don't pay attention to it because Hope is stuck in my mind. I hate what Mrs.Pierce is making Hope go through. I used to try not to think horrible things about her because I thought she was Hope's mom. Ella isn't a mom in general. She treated Hope like shit and made her insecure. I've heard Ella make mean comments about Hope several times.

"Adrian," Sophia says. I nod, not taking my eyes off of the TV. The movie is at the part where Rapunzel is dancing around at the duck place with all the guys. "I have a serious question and I want you to be honest." I know where this is going.

"You can't have a boyfriend yet," I respond before she can ask. She asks me this all the time. Sophia is really pretty, and I know she can get whatever boy she wants but she's too young. Too young to get hurt. I'm not controlling, but I want her to wait until she's at least fifteen years old. She'll start to understand things better. It'd be better if she waits until she's seventeen but I know she won't.

"That wasn't gonna be my question," Sophia scrunches up her nose before letting out a laugh. "I was gonna ask you something else. I promise you, it's actually important." I finally turn my head to look at her. I nod my head gesturing for her to continue. "Okay," she dramatically inhales.

Oh no. She's gonna ask me the, 'How are babies made?' question, isn't she? Oh God no. I'm not ready for that conversation. "I'm not answering inappropriate questions," I say quickly. She rolls her eyes and sighs.

"Adrian... stop interrupting me and let me ask my question!" Sophia whines. I can't think of something else. What is she gonna ask me? I try to think of other things, but she said it was important. I can't come up with anything.

I sigh and then say, "Okay, go ahead."

"Thank you," she stays silent for a few seconds. "Just making sure you're not gonna interrupt me." I cross my arms and stare at her, waiting for her to ask me whatever she's gonna ask. "Are you going to marry Hope?"

Okay, I didn't expect that question. I stare at her for another couple of seconds. She raises her eyebrows and gives me a look. A look that's telling me to hurry up with my response. I'm not hesitant, I know the answer to her question. I'm just testing her patience. I finally break the silence by saying, "Of course I am."