They never imagined that this situation would happen. As far as they knew he was dead. That’s how it was supposed to be. After all, that was the intention when they left him where they did. And yet here he is the spitting image of his younger brother. The brother who refuses to speak to them. Despite all they did for him. They kept him when they really didn’t have to.
“You’ve grown up so well. How did you find us.”
“Pity I’m not dead is probably what you meant. It’s not hard to go through hospital records, adoption records, and other legal information to find out what I needed to. It took several hospitals and a lot of blood work before any thing turned up though. I just want to see my brother.”
“He’s not here…”
“Where is he?”
“We’re not sure… He won’t talk to us.”
“Ungrateful brat.”
Both exchange worrisome looks. Looks that say he may know more than they’d like him to. Something that they didn’t want getting out. And whatever it is , he’s more than not going to like it himself.
“Does. He. Know. I. Exist?”
“He was the one that wasn’t supposed to be with us.”
“What?!”
“We madea mistke. We were supposed to keep you.”
“Elaborate.”
“The boy was always sick. When we abandoned you, we thought we were abandoning him. It was an honest mistake.”
“You think mixing us up to abandon one was a mistake? Did it ever occur to you that abandoning either of us was a terrible idea. That it was beyond morally wrong?”
“We wanted you! You were healthy and such a beautiful baby. We didn’t need him!”
“This is a joke.”
“Junior, you have to believe us. We had the best intentions. We tried looking when we realized we had the wrong child.”
“You can’t be serious! You can’t! What parent abandons a baby near a flaming dumpster. And as a ‘mistake’ no less! We’re twins! Literally identical! Best intentions would be giving him up for adoption! Not trying to kill him!”
“We had to shovel out so much money because he was always sick! We kept him alive! And now after all we’ve done he won’t even talk to us!”
“I wouldn’t talk to you either if I found out you meant to kill me and not my brother! I’m fucking glad you didn’t raise me! I can only imagine what you put him through!”
“Henry Leo Burrell Jr!”
“Don’t call me Jr. In fact, unless you can tell me where to find my baby brother don’t talk to me at all.”
He gets up to leave, eyes raking over the disheveled house. Shuddering at the thought of his little brother having to live in this kind of environment with these people. To have grown up in this place knowing he wasn’t wanted. The door slams shut behind him. He can still hear the pair yelling after him. It’s nearly impossible to fathom two people playing favorites by abandoning one child for dead and not the other.
“Please don’t be angry. It was a simple mistake.”
“Get off my car, Jennifer. Abandoning a child is not a simple ‘mistake’. Especially when the intent was for the child to die.”
She looks appalled that he’s called her by her name, instead of addressing her as his mother. To him it’s what she deserves. That she even thought he would consider her such creates disbelief. Not more so than what he discovered, but still. He leaves before she can gather herself to attempt to correct him. Eyes focused on the road and mind trying to process what he’s uncovered. Just as fury takes over he’s forced to slam on the brakes. A young girl darting into the street in front of his vehicle. She stops briefly. Brown eyes meeting gray ones. Confused recognition on her face. The moment doesn’t last very long. Something spooks her and she takes off running again. Deadly panic in bruised limbs. After a moment he pulls over to settle his racing heart. Replaying the scene in his head. She definitely recognized me. Or at least thought she did. Fuck! A part of him wishes he’s at least gotten a picture of her. At the best he could’ve tried talking to her. Although, given her disposition, who’s to say she would’ve spoken to him? Maybe I can still find her. Getting out, he locks the doors and starts in the direction he saw her run in. An area that’s mostly dim lights, nightclubs, and bars. Women dressed fora good time, but no sign of the girl riddled with marks of abuse. Not even an inkling as to what she may have been running from. Still, he searches. Hoping that maybe she hasn’t gone too far. And that she’ll talk to him. Every alley turns up nothing. Except one where he walks in on a scene, he wishes he hadn’t.
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“You couldn’t pick a new place to hide? Fucking seriously? How stupid are you?all you’re doing is making things harder for yourself. Now get the fuck up!”
“Every fucking time! Where the fuck are you going to go.?! No one cares about you or likes you! Why else would I be fucking stuck with you?! I don’t even fucking like you! Stupid ungrateful whore!”
He can’t tell if it’s the girl he’s looking for that they’re addressing, but he knows that this isn’t a family dispute he wants to hear or get involved in. Not at the moment. However, he can hear someone sobbing. It definitely sounds female, but is it her? When the person is yanked up by their arm, he learns it is her. Brown eyes managing to spot him. Presenting that confused recognition again. Despite being identical twins, there’s definitely a difference between us and she knows. Too bad our own parents didn’t know that. She’s still being dragged by her one arm, but manages to shake her head at him. At least, he thinks the gesture is for him. The pair yelling at her don’t notice. And when they’re gone, he drags a hand over his face. Finding his brother may just be the easiest and most difficult thing he’s done. And all he has to go on is a girl whose name he doesn’t have. All he has is a mental image and he’s not sure that’s going to be much use. His phone buzzing in his pocket startles him. Fumbling to get it out, he answers slightly out of breath.
“Hello?”
‘Henry, darling. They have the results from the test. I told the doctor we’d be in tomorrow. Did you find your family?’
“Not my brother… Although, I might have a lead on how to find him.”
‘What about your parents? Did you at least find them?’
“Let’s just say those people were never meant to have children. Ever. I’m on my way home. We’ll talk then.”
‘Be careful. I love you.’
“I love you too.”
The line goes dead and Henry’s heart settles. Everything still confusing and somehow put in place. There’s nothing he can do about finding his brother right now. Especially, without the girl. With a heavy sigh he goes back to his car. Sadie needs me at home. I can go looking another day.