Family

Suspicious

Noticing my shift in mood, Ian asked, "You good? You're not lactose intolerant too now are you?"

I tried to laugh it off and drastically change the subject, Josh was definitely the last thing I wanted to talk about.

"Yeah, just glad that we'll have the answers soon."

"Yeah" Anthony draped his arm over me. "But, I mean we all already know what it's gonna say."

"Really?" I was so happy and relieved that he believed me.

"I mean, duh, we have the same eye color, similar facial structure, and relatively similar personalities too. Besides, I feel like no one could be THAT psychotic and lie so believably."

I had never felt so ecstatic and accepted.

But the rush of happiness quickly fleeted as Ian scoffed shaking his head and now walked in front of us, quickly walking to the car, seeming more annoyed than usual.

Anthony winced, "Shit, that was my bad."

I was confused at first and then realized how Anthony's statement could've easily be translated as a jab at Ian's past relationship.

Anthony began to quicken his pace as well to catch up with Ian, more than likely to talk while being out of hearing distance from me. So I just got out my phone as I trailed behind, desperately trying to overhear what they were talking about.

But to no avail, I eventually ended up just scrolling on TikTok until I met up with them at the car.

Ian was sitting in the back seat, while Anthony was in the drivers. I wasn't sure where to sit.

Seeing how distraught Ian looked, I wanted to sit in the back to maybe try and console him? I wasn't sure. I also knew it wasn't really my place. So, I ended up just sitting in the front with Anthony, who also looked rather distraught.

The car ride was painfully quiet, tensions were so high that Anthony never even put on any music to listen to. In attempts to bring the group back together, I tried asking them a few unrelated questions.

"So, Ian, what's one of your favorite child hood memories?"

He never even looked over at me and just shook his head and looked out the window.

Trying not to fret on the rejection, I quickly shifted my attention.

"Okay, Anthony?"

I could see he thought about it for a bit. Then he began to smile.

"Definitely my first birthday with my family."

"Why?"

"Well, there's nothing quite like the realization of how much love your family has for you, they were looking to adopt for so long, and when they'd finally found me, they wanted to give me anything and everything."

He slightly laughed at his recollection.

"They pretty much rented a whole zoo to come to the house for my first birthday party with them because the only thing I had owned besides clothes was this little collection of figurine zoo animals. It meant so much to me that I still have them after all these years. Or most of them, I do think I lost one or two along the way."

I got a little teary eyed at Anthony's story.

"That memory sounds so magical, I don't really remember any first memories with my mom because I was so young, but I remember the feeling of when I first met my mom if that makes any sense."

"Yeah, but since I was 7 when I met them I do still have a relatively clear memory. What about you? When were you adopted?"

"When I was four, back in 2005."

"So that makes you... What? 21 now right?"

"Yeah, and you are?"

"23, and I was adopted in 2006"

"Okay so we're two years apart then. That means we definitely could have the same mom, what place were you adopted from?

"Well the place I was at closed in 2005, and then I was moved to the foster care system in the US, still not quite sure how that happened actually."

"Yeah that's weird, my mom always told me the reason why we'd never visit is because the adoption home closed down. I always had assumed that she was lying, but I guess she was really telling the truth."

I smiled, I knew she wouldn't lie, even from the beginning. Maybe she truly did intend for us to go visit as well.

Then, out of the blue, Ian had made a remark in an unidentifiable tone.

"Hey Emily, could I see your phone? I want to make sure you have my number from now on since you're definitely apart of the family now."

I couldn't tell if it was a partly rude joke, or meant to be all rude. So I just nodded my head and handed him my phone.

After a while we finally arrived back at their place when Ian had finally given my phone back. It was weird since he definitely had my phone longer than he needed to just put his phone number in. I was really suspicious as to what he was really doing so I decided to ask him about it later on when him and Anthony were on better terms, just to try and avoid more conflict.

Once we got back into the house Ian went straight to his room and closed the door. I wish I knew what was going through his brain, or more-so, what he was looking at on my phone. But, another part of me felt like this conversation would end with him snapping at me again. So, part of me wanted to push off this confrontation for about as long as possible.

In order to delay the seemingly unavoidable, I decided to try and strike up a conversation with Anthony before he went to bed, but before I had the chance, he's phone started to ring.

He looked at the number wide eyed and glanced at me.

"I'm pretty sure this is the number for the clinic."

My heart had either completely stopped beating or had doubled its pace. Either way, I quickly responded.

"Well, answer it!"