foreign a 24 year old business major I could say I had a pretty privileged upbringing but that wouldn't be entirely true my parents were childhood neighbors and then High School sweethearts and married soon after graduation doing the math now I believe it was because my mother became pregnant with my eldest brother Lewis I came a year later then four years after came my baby brother Alice needless to say being sandwiched between two brothers had its own challenges while growing up my eldest brot
her Lewis was my father's clone they did everything together and spent a lot of time bonding and doing guy stuff I on the other hand was much of a loner I rather enjoyed being to myself and doing my girly stuff with my Imaginary Friends so when my youngest brother Alice came around my mother had another baby to dote on he is definitely a mama's boy my mother was always a stay-at-home mom while my father did a stint in the military initially we followed him from country to Country but once we bec
ame older and had to attend school they decided my brother and I needed more stability and we moved to the suburbs near our family in the states over the years I can't say I was necessarily close to my father but he was my father and I loved him with him being gone so often while I was younger I admit I really didn't know him well at all but Lewis never forgot him they were buddies and shared a unique Bond Lewis emulated my father in all things until you could hardly tell them apart from facial
features to mannerism then goals in life so right out of high school Lewis joined the military as well but I'm not here to tell you about how uneventful my life was growing up that would be a lie I adore my family and we were all very close though we had very unique and differing personalities but to be honest we were allowed our individuality growing up that was the one thing my parents always agreed upon let her make up her own mind or let him do his own thing my father would often say to my m
other even when my baby brother Ellis thought he wanted to be a dancer my father told my mother to leave him alone he'll either love it or hate it let him decide my father would say so my father always seemed level-headed and rational where my mother appeared to be melodramatic and emotional either way they seem to compliment one another from what I could see by observing them then it all came crashing down I don't know where it all went wrong for them but I remember I was eight years old at the
time when there was a knock at the door I grew up in a time when children were to stay in a child's place when grown-ups were talking but I was a nosy child so I eavesdropped on the conversation they were having in the living room I had never seen the woman who had come to see my mother but she had a little girl with her she was about five years old at the time and very cute and smiley but fidgety and impatient all she wanted to do was go over and play with the toys we had scattered in the livi
ng room but the woman kept holding her back from wandering off by holding her hand tightly if I had a little sister I would want it to be her I remember thinking to myself I recall my mother burst into tears then telling the woman to get out the strange woman began to cry as well making the little girl cry too she was begging my mother to take the little girl she kept pushing her towards my mother and my mother kept pushing the little girl back towards the woman the little girl looking like a ra
g doll in a reverse tug of war cried even harder but my mother won and slammed the door on the woman and child I could hear them both crying on the other side of the door the woman kept saying please take her there's no one else please my mother yelled on the inside of the door go away but they both kept crying I could even hear the little girl's cries as she and the woman walked away from our house after that incident I remember my mother Gathering me and my brothers and telling us we were movi
ng and would no longer live with my father and as I've said before I was indifferent I wasn't close to him but he was my dad but Lewis took it the hardest he fought with my mother and threatened to run away if she didn't allow him to live with our dad Alice of course was a mama's boy wherever she went he was closely behind I can't count how many times I had to feed myself and my little brother during this time yeah I learned that mac and cheese and SpaghettiOs and canned beans don't really go to
gether but we didn't starve so that was the objective at the time months later mainly because Lewis was constantly running away and unable to cope with their separation my parents announced they were going to give their marriage another try they declared they still loved each other but was going through a rough patch as they put it I admit I was happy to hear they were giving it another try my mother had been so mopey and sad since the breakup and the Depression had set in so deep I thought she
would just lay in bed and die from the Heartbreak but it was a conversation I overheard between my mother and that shed light on what was going on around me what did Eddie do with the little girl my aunt asked my mother little girl what little girl my mother said angrily I don't know and I don't care if we're going to remain married she can't stay here I'm not raising his affair baby a fair baby what's an affair baby have you heard anything more about the mother my aunt asked my mother last I he
ard she's not doing too well but I can't I just can't raise another woman's child no matter the circumstances he cheated on me and now they're trying to guilt me into raising the baby because the mother is dying no I won't do it my mother said then my mother added in a whisper but I could still hear her whatever you do don't ever mention it to the kids they don't know their father has another child they would be heartbroken if they find out I was 10 years old when I learned about this one of the
conditions for my parents remaining married was he could never bring up this affair again and he could have nothing to do with the little girl that was the stipulation and as far as I know no matter if he really wanted to do it or not he kept to his end of the bargain there was no mention of the little girl or her mother ever again but during my junior year of high school my life as I knew had changed I had friends who kept coming to me about this girl who looked just like me they kept asking m
e if I had a sister well of course I didn't everyone knew I had two brothers one was an athlete and overachiever and the other was a nerdy mama's boy I was the only girl in my family yet they kept insisting you have to meet her she looks just like you they'd say then one day when we were leaving for the day I spotted her immediately the little girl who visited with the mysterious woman came to mind she was much older now but I remembered her she had the same cute smiley expression hidden behind
a nervous fidgety persona the other students told me her name Lenora Johnson the knowledge I carried deep within my subconscious suddenly burst through was Lenora the little girl who came to the house is she my dad's Affair baby my mother and Aunt were talking about does this mean I have a little sister these questions began to overwhelm my thoughts should I talk to her should I ignore her what to do one day when I felt brave enough to find answers I approached my dad my mother was upstairs and
he was in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of lemonade I placed my backpack on the counter and sat down dad can I ask you a question he looked over at me of course what's on your mind kiddo I have a little sister I asked bluntly my father was the no-nonsense type so there was really no other way to broach the subject straight to the point was the best way to deal with him he hesitated for a brief moment and his body stiffened then he slammed the door and grabbed me by the arm and dragged me o
ut into the garage where did you hear this who told you that he asked through gritted teeth I I overheard it mom and Auntie were talking about it and and I overheard them I stammered he released the tight grip he had on my arm and said never bring this up to me again do you hear me ever and they never did at least to my father I could tell by his expression there was a mix of pain fear maybe longing I wasn't sure maybe he wanted to know his daughter and couldn't for risk of losing the rest of hi
s family I couldn't tell but the Myriad of emotions that registered on his face made me confused so when I reached graduation I was confronted by Lenora she was still cute and bubbly but now I was beginning to understand that underpinning of nervous energy she always exuded can we talk she asked one day I put on my cool and different tone with her talk about what I don't know you I know but can we go somewhere private it won't take long she said I followed her out of the school and we walked alo
ng well through the campus and to a secluded area then she spoke I know you don't know me but we're sisters are false I cut her off my father she put her head down in shame I could see a tear stream down her cheek something inside me wanted to hug her but Another Part Of Me felt it would be a betrayal to my family my mother especially I resisted the urge I wanted to approach Lewis but he looks well you know he always looks so serious so I was afraid to go to him but when I watch you over the yea
rs you look easy going and approachable I just wanted you to know you have a sister I thought maybe we could have a relationship she said nervously look I don't need or want a sister you live your life and I'll live mine don't come to me again I'm not interested I said this then stormed off that was two years ago I was away at College when my father died I later learned it was from a massive heart attack while he slept my mother was distraught Lewis was inconsolable and Ellis was quiet and to hi
mself as usual so it was my responsibility to come home and prepare for all of the funeral arrangements and insurance and legal stuff that needed to be handled although my father didn't have a will it was always understood that he wanted my mother to be taken care of and the remaining assets and money would be split evenly among his children so while rummaging through the drawers of his desk I came across a paternity test for Lenora Johnson it said it was 99.98 probability he was her father and
although I always knew this since I was 10 years old it still came as a punch to the stomach on the day before I had to return to school I called a family meeting we need to go over dad's stuff before we leave but my mom and brothers looked at me I could tell they wanted to be anywhere but here it was still raw and painful and each wanted to go to their separate Corners to grieve but this was a necessary evil so I continued we need to talk about Lenora I said My Mother's Eyes went wide Lewis and
Ellis looked confused and bewildered who the hell is Lenora Lewis finally asked I averted my eyes from my mother she's our sister sister Lewis and Alice said simultaneously still not having the nerve to meet my mother's gaze I continued yes apparently dad had an affair years ago and he has another daughter I said then place the paternity test on the table Lewis snatched the paper up from the table and began reading it the blood drained from his face he looked pale you could tell his idolization
of our perfect father shattered in that moment what my mother just sobbed silently and dabbed her eyes I think she always knew this day would come she didn't say a word after taking care of the things for Mom Dad left us 1.2 million dollars to split evenly to take care of college and maybe a down payment on a house but I'm thinking we should it was unanimous and Ellis cut me off before I could continue absolutely not I will not share my inheritance with a johnnycom lately gold digger if Dad did
n't claim her then neither will I Lewis said Alice pretty much echoed his sentiment then stormed out of the room I went over to my mother and hugged her I'm sorry Mom I had to do this it's only fair I didn't mean to hurt you by bringing up a painful past she patted my back and sobbed in my arms for a long while before we parted ways and went back to our respective lives Lewis went back to his military base and I to college in Ellis back to high school the money was split three-way we each receiv
ed four hundred thousand dollars I understood where my brothers were coming from Lenora was someone they never met or even heard about in all these years it seemed cruel to ask them to acknowledge her as an equal sibling when up until just a moment ago she didn't even exist in their minds but I knew I always knew about that sad little girl with the sweet smile several months later during my summer break I went back home to visit with my mother she seemed to be in better spirits though she still
looked to be in mourning over my father's passing no matter their hardships they were still very close with each other and it was a great loss for her still my aunt kept her busy and occupied so she wouldn't fall into a depressive state she looked to be adjusting well which was a relief but today I had my own function to attend it was graduation day something inside me was proud I know I didn't have a right but still I was proud like a big sister the name was announced Lenora Johnson I stood up
and applauded the loudest Enchanted her name she looked around to see who it was but I sat down before I could be exposed but once it was over I searched for her I went to the area where everyone was taking pictures with their families and congratulating and celebrating one another but I didn't see her at first then I spotted her sitting alone watching everyone with a broad smile on her face though her eyes looked sad she was happy for everyone but there was no one here to celebrate with her she
was alone my heart sank Lenora I said as I approached her she stood up and gave me the broadest smile why are you sitting here alone where is everyone what do you mean you mean my family in that case you're seeing it I'm alone she said through a smile but her words were heavy and sad what I stopped myself what right do I have I rejected her and forgot about her and have no right to have righteous indignation on her behalf I was no better than everyone else in her life let's take some pictures I
said then pulled out my phone we made silly faces funny faces serious faces every pose you could think of it was like we were making up for all the time we missed over the years long after everyone left we were still snapping photos and laughing at how silly some of them looked thank you for making this day special for me I know it must be hard on you since I'm not wanted but again thank you it means a lot to me she said then hugged me tightly for a long time we're sisters I would never miss th
is special day no matter what here I handed her an envelope with a card I put my contact information inside feel free to call me anytime no matter what after that day my family learned I was establishing a relationship with Lenora but they didn't interfere but they also didn't want to have anything to do with knowing her at least for now I understood and never pressured them to do so my mother sold the house and she and my aunt got a small condo together and lived peacefully I'm glad for her the
y travel a lot when Alice is free during breaks from school but he's now preparing for college soon she'll have a lot more free time on her hands but Lenora and I have established a strong sister bond with each other she is quite literally the sister I always wanted but never had until now she's sweet and loving and caring and I adore her she called me crying when she opened her card and received half of my inheritance with a bank book with two hundred thousand dollars in it it was only fair I t
hought even though I couldn't make my brothers do this I felt a sense of responsibility towards her maybe it was because I was the one who saw her as a little girl crying with her mother who was being pushed out of the house by my mother only to learn years later that her mother was dying and wanted someone to care for her daughter and her father who was my father was who she thought would do it I knew I couldn't make up for all the lost time and pain caused when she was younger but I was defini
tely going to try to build the close-loving relationship she never had with anyone including the evil ant who ended up raising her when her mother passed from now on I Will Be My Sister's Keeper thanks for listening to my story come back for more stories and help our Channel grow bye
Comments