How would I have known? My parents never told me, and I didn't even think that this would be a possibility, but apparently I have a twin brother. "How come I didn't know before now?" I asked my mom, who exchanged a wary look with my father.
"We put him up for adoption," she replied hesitantly. "We couldn't afford two children."
"But why couldn't you just tell me?"
"It was so hard for us, Isla, and we didn't want you to go on searching for him, because that's just the way you are. And it can't happen."
"So he's still not coming home?"
"No, Isla. He's with a very wealthy family and he's happy, he doesn't need to come here. It's not a place for someone who's so used to luxury," she said.
"I don't see the reason why I can't visit him and he can't visit me, though."
My father stood up and looked down at me with a steady gaze. "With that said, I'm prohibiting you from going any farther than the market."
My mouth dropped open. "ON MAIN STREET?"
"Yes, on main street. No farther than that," he ordered.
"But... but that's not reasonable! I have chores to do past there! I go sell our fruits and vegetables at the Milinoir Fair, and then I go trade at the market!"
My mom looked at me sadly, her eyes full of regret. "Now that you know, we have to keep your two worlds apart. I'm sorry, Isla..."
"I don't understand though," I concluded. "What's the difference between me not knowing and knowing? What would change?"
Once again, my parents exchanged looks of suppression, but refused to say anything more. I knew that something else was going on, something that I shouldn't know yet craved to find out. What was keeping my brother and I apart?