The next few days are actually pretty okay, mostly families integrating and learning from each other. Case in point, Imelda's Mother is big on the Catholic traditions and we have Randy and Peter an openly gay parenthood in the same building. That was eggshells for about a day or so till Peter and her were in the kitchen and finally got to talking. Mrs. Ortega wouldn't be done just there either as Mr. Amdahl, Matilda's Father, was starting to feel very out of place. She swooped in on that one and pointed out that there was a wood pile and fireplaces that could use a restocking if he wasn't feeling lazy. He seemed happy for something to do but it was really interesting after dinner that night to watch her rub his feet and then the two of them sit next to each other on a loveseat with his arm around her. Mathilda and Imelda had no words on that one and it was generally considered a good thing. For the most part everyone under the age of thirty is having a great time, some go skiing and the snowball fight we had in the back saw Mark Jr. and I completely outnumber as the girls decided to pick us out. After we were bombarded by the women in our personal massacre Mark and I didn't go outside till the next day we were so cold.
Sadly we're only there for four days when I really started to notice my Father's mood becoming more grim and dark. I took him on a walk and decided that I needed to get it out with him now.
"Dad I'm worried about what you're going to do," I tell him as we're walking back towards the building.
"I'm not going to go crazy, it's just this is a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm still happy and enjoying the holiday," Dad says but he's holding back.
"Dad, he's not my father, you are. Loretta is my mother but Mom has just as much claim to that title as she does," I tell him and he nods as I continue," I figure you were the hold out to come do this."
"I was your Mom and I talked about it a lot. She was ready to back me but Loretta was big on you having a supersized Christmas and when I put you against our history and you won out," Dad tells me stopping along the road.
"So what is your plan with Loretta," I ask him plainly.
"I'm going to go inside, I'm going to try to forgive her and probably give her a hug if I don't have to fist fight her husband for it and try to cheer up," Dad tells me with a light smile.
He's strained by it but sure enough once we're back home I watch him pull Loretta aside and while things are tense I can see she's a little teary eyed and my Dad is holding it in as they hug and finally I can sense some peace between them which helps me relax. I'm heading to my room when Liz pulls me aside and hands me a fedex package. Apparently it was waiting at the lodge and I don't see a return address on the FedEx label which gives me pause. I take the file and sit down in a little side room before opening the thick envelope and spilling the contents onto the table. There are some copies of documents and some pictures with a note handwritten that reads 'Thought you should know'. I don't know who this is but I'm seeing old pictures of two children, one baby and one little girl. I'm looking at the dates then I see one of the two children sitting on a couple's lap, my parent's laps with me in Loretta's arms and the little girl in my Dad's. I feel sick as I start reading through documents.
Birth Certificate for Gwen Louise Donnelly
Mother: Loretta Donnelly Father: Neal Donnelly
I'm going to throw up, I have a sister. I have an older sister and nobody told me. I start to read a copy of a police report and my stomach almost falls out of my ass.
Gwen Louise Donnelly is missing due to abduction by one Tessa Swain-Donnelly. Believed to have fled the United States for either Canada or Mexico. No follow up from local enforcement, no follow up from government agencies. Case Cold.
Oh my god she's gone, I had an older sister and she's gone. I keep reading, she was taken by who, who took my sister? I checked the dates, I must have been a year old, she was five. I hear people calling everyone for dinner as I grab the picture and the certificate copy and the police report before staggering out of the room. Everyone was pretty much served and sat down as I had to stop and gather my thoughts. I enter the room papers in my hand and it takes a second but Kori is the first to see me and to say something.
"Oh shit Guy, are you okay baby," Kori asks, starting to get up.
"It's not true, tell me it's someone being cruel to me and it's not true," I state looking at Loretta then to my Dad.
"Son what is it," Dad asks as everyone is staring at me.
"Gwen Louise Donnelly Born to Loretta and Neal Donnelly, missing in a child abduction. Prime suspect Tessa Swain-Donnelly," I state the facts out loud and everyone in the room goes silent before we hear the sob.
Loretta is the first to break down and start crying. I watch Mr. Delauter move to her and it's only when my Dad starts to tear up that I know this isn't a joke. I had a sister and she died, I can't feel anything right now. I know people are talking and it's when a firm hand is placed on my shoulder that I shove the offender hard.
"Get your hands off me," I bark, staring at my father who is shocked at my outburst," You both knew, you kept this from me my whole life. It makes sense now; you always sheltered me and made sure I was being a good safe boy. You never left me alone with our family. Loretta's drinking and neglect, the divorce, Dad moving to another state away from family, Loretta working in a girl's home. Your guilt because my sister was stolen."
"Guy you need to calm down," Loretta says trying to reach me and I back away from her.
"My whole life I thought you two just couldn't get along because there was something wrong with me but it was never about me, it was about the girl you lost. Why didn't anyone tell me," I ask looking in between the two of them," ANSWER ME!"
Nobody does though, Mom is staring at my Dad with a level of shock and Mr. Delauter has Loretta by the shoulders so she doesn't get too close to me. The next thing to happen is my girls, all of them, catching me off guard and even though I'm pleading my 'no no nose' to the world they drag me out of the room and separate me from the papers I was clutching before pulling me down for bed. I don't know who is holding me and who I'm holding as I cry but that is how I fall asleep, held onto like I might die and emotionally drained.
Do I wake up in the morning, yes? Do I want to, not in the slightest. I find that my head is resting on Kori's lap and she's humming softly while rubbing my forehead with her fingertips. I shift a little and grip her leg so I don't lose her and she takes the time to calm me down. I get up slowly and discover that the rest of my girls are still asleep around me. Kori shows me it's early morning and while I could sleep, the bathroom and food are needed first and we quietly exit the room. I meet her in the kitchen after my bathroom trip and she has a plate of leftovers set out for me that has been warmed. I don't taste the food; I'm just hungry as Kori simply watches me eat.
"Guys, we need to talk," Kori tells me as I finish.
"No 'we' don't. "We' are fine, hell,we' are better than fine," I tell her, getting a light smile.
"Okay well we're here you know that," Kori tells me and I nod in response," I don't know what happened but after we put you to bed we didn't leave to find out. You are our concern, all of us women love you and while I forget that you are all about taking care of us sometimes we need to not expect each of us to do something in place of another."
"What are you on about," I ask confused.
"We keep thinking that if one of us is there then the others don't 'have' to be there," Kori explains," Like Halloween, I couldn't go, Imelda expected someone else to go. Matty and Rachael were with their families so they thought someone else would go and Katy had school to contend with. We all thought another woman would be there for you and we weren't. We can't do that to you.``
"I was fine," I tell her, having let that incident go.
"Okay but we weren't, you step up for us every time we need you and either we start fighting each other to see who goes first or a couple less wives are in order," Kori tells me with grim determination.
"No fighting but I understand you not wanting to make me feel alone. Let's just put one foot in front of the other on this one and I'll just do what women do when and if it happens again," I tell her, starting to get up.
"And what do women do in this situation," Kori asks confused.
"Remind you relentlessly about how I was all alone again and how you 'never' make time for me anymore," I tell her, chuckling.