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We left the house and I helped her get into the truck. I enjoyed having a lift kit on my truck because I liked riding up high, but it was not so great for Annabella getting in with those heels. She managed and we were on our way.
“Your dad seems to be doing okay, but are you sure we should leave him alone? I know this morning he did a lot of reminiscing.”
“If we tried staying now, he’d have both our heads.”
“I guess you’re right. Besides, we will be with him all day tomorrow to help him go through your mom’s belongings,” she said.
Not that I didn’t appreciate her doing that for us - I just didn’t want to spend the night talking about my parents. “I never thanked you for the flowers. That was very thoughtful of you.”
“You’re welcome. I guess I should tell you that I…sent some to your sister as well.”
“What? You sent some to Rhonda?” I hoped my panic didn’t reflect in my tone. I hadn’t told her about the passing of my adoptive mother. Mostly because I didn’t want to have the conversation as to why I couldn’t have them here to attend the service.
“Yes, but I didn’t mention your mother. I just kept it…more general. Has she asked you about them?”
Obviously not.“No. This is the first I learn of it. There is something I should tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Rhonda is my biological sister. I was adopted.”
“I…know,” she said.
“You do? How?” I asked. I didn’t remember telling her.
“Your dad told me this morning,” she said. “He is under the impression that you don’t know.”
“I’ve known since I was a teenager.”
“He doesn’t know that,” she stated.
“I know. I was going to tell them, but it never seemed like the right time. A year ago I hired a company to help me find my birth mother,” I said.
“And did you?” she inquired.
“No. I learned that she passed away about ten years ago. But Rhonda is my twin sister. At least I have found her.”
“You mentioned a brother - Logan - too,” she said.
You’ve got a great memory. Maybe too good.
“I did. He’s a year older than us. I was supposed to be with them this weekend getting to know them better.”And then I lost Mom.
“I’m sure they will understand when you tell them why you canceled,” she said.
“I haven’t decided what I’m going to tell them. I’m not even sure if I’m going to go back to Boston to see them again. At least not as long as my dad is still alive. I…I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want him thinking that maybe he and Mom weren’t enough for me. Because that’s not why I sought out my biological mother. I just wanted to know why she gave me up.”
Do I need to know more than that? Is it going to change anything?
Somehow I went from not wanting to talk about my parents to an entirely different subject that I also wanted to avoid.
“I hope I’m not overstepping when I say this,” Annabella ventured, “but sometimes you have to do what feels right for you, and not what you think is right for everyone else.”
I looked over at her briefly, then grabbed her hand, brought it to my lips and kissed it. “Thank you.”
She gave me one of her warm smiles but said nothing.
We arrived at the restaurant, and I helped her out of the truck. She slid down the length of me and I didn’t want to let her go. I was enjoying the feel of her pressed against me. With her hand still resting on my shoulders, I looked in her eyes and said, “I want to kiss you, Annabella.”
