RELEASE (Wattys2017)

Chapter 15

I burst out laughing. I wiped away imaginary tears and then glared at Susana.

"Do I look like some dumb blonde to you?" Don't mean to trigger anyone.

Mandy punched my hand.
"I'm blonde bitch!"

I smiled at her.
"I'm sorry love!"

I turned back to Susana. James is my brother? Does she think I'm stupid? That's impossible. He's the same age as me. That could only be possible if we were-

My jaw dropped. I slowly turned my head back to Susana.
As I spoke softly, I nodded after each syllable, ensuring that I had heard correctly,
"J-James and I-I are.." I gulped.

Susana nodded.
"Yes, twins!"

I stepped back shakily and dad was shaking his head in denial. Like me when Teen Wolf announced that this was their last season.

"You had twins," dad asked, sipping his coffee, trying to send down the idea.

She turned to him and held his hands.
"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I-I just.."

I stopped her. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and spoke.
"Wait! You had twins, didn't tell dad. Fine! But you took him and left me...why?"

Tears began to pour from both our eyes.
"W-well," she hiccuped, "when I learnt I was pregnant, it was the happiest day of my life and"

I cut her off.
"Skip the bullshit."

I was not in the mood.

Dad didn't even snap at me for being rude, he was clearly as hurt as I was.

"At first I didn't know it was two of you. Your dad had just gotten his work at the hospital and they weren't even paying him yet. He was just assisting and when I realised I was having twins, I knew he would panic because we weren't financially stable."

Dad looked like he was ready to pummel her. "How dare you blame not telling me about my son on me!"

Susana shook her head widely. "I wasn't. Please let me finish."

I nodded. "I was at the grocery, checking out my items and didn't have enough  money to pay for them. This guy offered to pay for me and I accepted. Unfortunately, I didn't know what I was getting myself into because next thing I knew, I woke up in some abandoned warehouse. I was drugged. He forced me to sell violet for him since the police were after him. He knew I was pregnant, but didn't know it was both of you. He said that when I made my child he would allow me to keep it but it wouldn't stop my work. I couldn't put both of you in danger, so I did the most sexist and stupidest thing ever. I kept the boy and lost my baby girl."

My heart stopped. All these years, James was running, while the only problems I had were math. It hurt. It really did! Sure, I didn't know him that well, but he is my brother. A few questions still bugged me though!

"Who is the boss that James keeps speaking about and what does it have to do with Jace?"

Susana gulped. "No one knows who the boss is and Jace owes him....big time..if he can't repay, he'll be killed."

I clasped my hand to my mouth, hoping the whimper wouldn't escape. As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Dad got up to get it but Susana stopped him. She pulled out a gun from one of our drawers and stalked towards the door.

"Where did that come from?" Dad boomed.

"You guys never cook. I knew you wouldn't open the draw to get anything!"

Good point!

"Susana it could just be anyone."

"This hour in the morning?"

Another good point!

She peered warily through the peep hole and let out a sigh of relief. She opened the door to reveal an anxious Jace.

"What're you doing here?" Mandy questioned, "Is everything okay?"

He nodded. "Can I speak to Cali?"

I nodded silently and stepped outside, closing the door behind me. The air was tense and Jace was doing something I had never seen him do before. Playing with his thumbs. 

"So..everything good?" he asked.

I sighed. "Everything's cool. Just learnt that James is my twin though. No biggie."

His mouth flew open. "Did he know?" I shook my head and he nodded.

There was a pregnant silence between us before I finally decided to break it.

"I'm sorry." He stared at me curiously. "For just taking off after you..you..did..um..that!"

He passed his hands through his hair nervously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you off guard and-"

I stopped him with a peck on the lips.

"I love you to dummy!" He looked taken back, then his face did something I had never seen it do. He smiled. A full blown, six year old, toothy, smile. At this sight I couldn't help but smile back. He scooped me up into an enormous hug and spun me around. I giggled. The moment was perfect. I wished I could capture it and carry it around in my pocket forever. But a moment doesn't last forever. Its simply that, a moment.

********

"Give it to me!"

I had just gotten back inside, while Jace left and dad was demanding something from Susana. 

"I need time to tell him. Let him cool down!"

"You took my son away from me for almost eighteen years, I refuse to wait any longer! Where is he?"

Mandy placed her hand gently on his shoulder. "I could get him to come down here!"

Dad nodded gratefully. She punched a few things into her phone and then nodded to us. 

"I sent him a message. He should be here soon."

An hour and two coffees later, James was inside the house. Dad and I stared curiously at him. Almost like we were seeing some new species for the first time ever. In this moment I finally realised just how similar we looked. We both had Susana's grey eyes and dark hair and a hint of dad flashed in his eyes. Susana related the entire story to her son. James definitely took it harder than we did. He looked like he had just taken a bullet to the heart.

I couldn't imagine what it was for him though. He lost a good life because of Susana. Something else he lost? Mandy! James rushed out the door and slammed it behind him, with Susana and dad trailing behind.

I let out a deep breath and flopped down onto the couch. Things were already pretty crazy and Spring Break had just begun!

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Hope you enjoyed. Sorry it was short. Hoping to get in some more Cali and Jace scenes. I also know this was a rushed chapter..but I promise, better ones are coming. I'm writing on a computer so things may look different, but as soon as I get my hands on my phone, i'll do some editing and what not.

Comment, vote

I'm Out!

-M (Don't have emojis..so...;-))