Tomorrow's Blues

37. Changes

Pierre and I had texted, and he was coming over to meet the Moore's. Today. After school.

On Saturday night, Joseph and I had made the most of the empty house. That was, until we'd heard the door downstairs open and I'd grabbed my clothes and sprinted back to my room. We'd had a couple of hours to ourselves, but it still hadn't seemed like enough time. No number of kisses and touches would ever feel like enough to me. No amount of time spent lying in bed together, fingers linked, bodies pressed together, would ever be enough.

I hadn't told the Moore's about Pierre yet. Breakfast in the morning had been short and rushed as Alice and I had both woken up a little late for school. The day had passed by in a blur. I'd been distracted and full of nerves in my classes, although I wasn't completely sure what I was nervous about. I was almost worried that the Moore's would take it as a personal insult to them, that I would rather live with somebody else. But they were reasonable, and they cared so much about me. They would just want what was best for me. That was what I kept telling myself.

When Alice and I got back, we did our homework before supper, but I was barely concentrating. Before we ate, I began to prepare for a lot of resistance on Catherine and Mark's end. They saw me as a second daughter, I knew that, and they would be unwilling to let me live with a person they didn't even know. Which was understandable. And as much as I loved them, I would be more comfortable living with actual family, despite knowing Pierre for less time than I'd known the Moore's. But with Pierre and I... it didn't feel like we'd only known each other for a few years. As soon as we'd met something had clicked. I'd grown up wishing for a sibling, and now I had one who could take care of me. That was the way it should be.

When we all – minus Joseph – sat down for dinner, the atmosphere was relaxed and carefree. I glanced at the time – seven-fifteen. Pierre was coming at eight. Now was a good a time as any to tell them.

At the moment, Catherine, Mark and Alice were all talking about whatever event they'd been at last night, remembering people they'd talked to and conversations they'd had.

"Last night was good, then?" I said with a smile as I ate the stir fry Catherine had cooked for us.

"Yeah. I assume Joseph told you where we were?" Alice's eyes slid to me, and I quickly scanned them for any suspicion. There was none.

"He did. What was it, exactly?"

"A drinks evening for my dance academy. One of the teachers is leaving, so we were all saying goodbye. I don't know why it was such a big deal though, I mean, she was mean. I didn't like her." She shrugged, spearing a piece of melon on her fork. "But I guess she was a good teacher."

"She got you through four years of dance school," Catherine said sternly. "She was a very good teacher. And might I remind you, Alice, that you're not an easy person to teach. You're always away with the fairies."

Alice stuck her tongue out at her mum, and Catherine rolled her eyes, but they were both smiling. They had such a good relationship and got on so well. I felt that pang in my chest again, like I did whenever I was reminded of my own mother.

I took a deep breath and tried to push the thought away. "So, there's something I need to tell you guys."

All three of them looked up at me. Alice's smile had faded to an expression of wariness, while Catherine and Mark just looked a little confused. And it was Catherine who said, "Well, of course you can tell us anything Ana."

I cringed slightly. Not anything. I couldn't imagine how telling them about Joseph and me would go down. "Um...a few years ago, I found out I had a brother."

Alice and Catherine's mouths dropped open, and they looked so alike in that second that I had to do a double take. Mark merely put down his fork. Finally Alice said, "What? A brother?"