Orphans Of The Storm
Date: 1/21/2017,
Categories:
Taboo
Author: Tinastits2
... years went by and we got through it, or at least I thought we had. It was so hard for my mother to accept their rejection she'd always loved them. After a while she rarely left the house and turned to drugs to relieve her pain. I hated her family for what they'd done to her, and eventually I convinced her it would be better if we moved away. I worked hard at college and got a part-time job, I wanted to make it right for her. She changed when we got a new home, she got some help and started to get clean. Then one day I came home to find she'd committed suicide." I'm completely stunned by her story and want to hold her again. Hoping we could return to the way it was, but her eyes were set firm like hard black pebbles, keeping me away. "I know what you're thinking," she adds, "You believe the grief for my mum stopped me wanting you, that somehow your age matters to me? Well, you couldn't be more wrong!" Her eyes were now wet with renewed tears. "When my mum died I hated her for leaving me, I was only seventeen and suddenly I was alone in the world. I sold my mum's clothes and anything else I thought had any value, everything else went in the trash. You'll think me hard and selfish, but I'd been living my whole life for her, and I was determined to make that change. One day I found a cardboard shoe box hidden at the very back of a kitchen cupboard, inside was her bible, a picture of the Pope and a postcard. There was just one line on the postcard, written in English: To my ...
... beautiful little sister. I'll love you always, El Fuego ." She turned towards me, her eyes watching my face, and waiting for a reaction. Slowly I started to understand. My mother was El Fuego, that was her stage name, 'The Fire'. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" I said, now in total shock. "Yes, Peter, it's true, we are cousins," I watched the glistening tears fall down her cheeks., but she continued with barely a breath. "On the front of the postcard was a picture of Elvis standing outside Graceland, and the postmark said Memphis. It took me six years to save enough money to come to America and another year to find your mum. I wasn't crying because I missed ' my' mum, I was crying because I miss ' your' mum." I nervously hurry around the room, unable to keep still. "But why hadn't she told me all this?" "We decided not to tell anyone, including you, she said it was for the best. She was so kind to me Peter, she looked after me and took away my sadness. She helped me with my English and got me a job. It was easy to keep it a secret, she was always taking in strays. As far as everybody else was concerned, I was just another one of her temporary adoptions. We soon became best friends and I loved her very much." "But you kissed me, we nearly..." "I know, I'm sorry! It just sort of happened, please believe that. I watched you from the road when you first arrived, tall and handsome just like I imagined you'd be. Your eyes just like hers warm and beautiful, and instantly I ...