Between Us and These Bones

17

Sorry for the short chapters but I'm more likely to update more frequently. Enjoy
***

The boy is your twin, Haisley.

"What?" I breathed.

I have a twin?

Oh my God.

"Great ... now we can't even get her to talk."

"How." I managed to say, pulling out of Matthews strong grip. I glared at him before looking to Carson. "How? I don't remember having a twin. You're lying, there's - there's just no way that's possible.

Skyler ran a tired hand through his hair and looked up at me, eyes shining with worry. "Remember when we told you someone tried to kidnap you when you were four? The woods you keep dreaming about was real. You weren't kidnapped but Haisley was."

"You ... you - why haven't you told me?

"Mom and dad decided-"

"How can they just decided to keep something like this from me? That's horrible and selfish of then!" I yelled, my heart pounding, I could feel it in my throat. "How could you keep it? I can't believe this. It's ridiculous. I - I - I ..."

Matthew leaned down, taking my hand. "Deep breaths, in and out-"

I jerked away from him. "I know how to breathe idiot."

He repelled backwards, leaning back in his seat.

Carson stood from his chair. "You were distraught that he was taken. You made yourself forget about the day. It's a normal reaction to trauma."

My eyes pricked with tears. "Why didn't you ever tell me?  Eyes scanning over Trey and Matthew, the two I thought I was closest too. "How could you not tell me I had a twin?"

"They were sworn to secrecy by mom ... Tarryn, there's something else," Carson said, making Skyler look down at the table. "The man that tried to kidnap you is your biological father."

What?

"W-why w-would you keep this a secret from me?" I said, breathing heavily. This was breaking my heart, all of it.

"Mom and dad-"

"Who is supposedly not my father-"

Carson shook his head. "He may not be your father, but he raised you like his own. Your biological father, Wayne, is a piece of shit."

"Tarryn, mom didn't want you to know because you had night terrors. You were so traumatized you forgot Haisley. I'm sorry. I'm sorry we had to tell you this way-"

"You mean you're sorry you had to tell me at all."

Matthew curses beside me. "You think we didn't want to tell you? Your father is a horrible, horrible man."

"What did he do? Besides kidnapping my twin."

"Does it matter? All you need to know is that he hurt mom and took Haisley."

I studied my oldest brothers, deciding to drop it. My heart hurt anyway, I doubt it could take too much more. "I have a twin."

Carson smiled. "You do. You two were attached the hip too, always making trouble."

***

I left the dinning room and found myself in the garden. I collapsed onto the grass, staring up at the clouds. I almost went to the library but just as I opened the door, a gust of cool breeze chilled my arms and ruffled my hair made me change my mind.

Some fresh air doesn't hurt anyone, Carson would say. Carson was annoying, I'm surprised he's not hovering, checking my heart beat, waiting for me to drop dead.

I have a twin.

I have a twin, Haisley. What is he like, I wondered. Where is he? When will I get to meet him? Will he like me?

"Your brothers told you, huh. About Haisley," someone said and I hoisted myself onto my elbows. Ivan leaned against the archway, arms crossed. He reminded me a lot of Skyler.

"Yeah. I - I can't believe I forgot I had a twin ... who does that?"

"Sometimes when we get hurt really bad, we block it out. It's our minds way of helping."

"My real father, did you know him?"

Ivan scoffed. "That man is not a father. He's a predator. He hurt your mom ... he's not a good man, Tarryn. Trust me."

"Wait, could he be the one after my mom?"

Ivan paled, nodding. "Yes. Yes, if anyone has your mother, it could be him."

"Do the police know?"

"Wayne is one of the prime suspects in your mothers case."

"So everyone knew but me?"

"Yes ..." he paused and gestured to the stone bench behind me. "Can we sit and talk?" I nodded, standing up and sat on the stone, watching as my grandfather sat beside me. He looked younger than I ever imagined.

"I used to imagine what you looked like all the time," I said after a moment, chuckling to myself. "I used to believe mom was a princess, which she went along with. We would make up fairytales but there's one that makes the most sense now."

Ivan raised an eyebrow, shifting his legs. "And which one would that be?"

"Mom was princess that lived with the night king and queen but someone was after her so you sent her away." I guess my mom had her own way of telling the truth. "If my - Wayne took Haisley, do you think he has him still?"

Ivan took a deep breath. "It's possible, but I doubt it. Wayne wouldn't be able to be stable enough to keep a child with him. Not unless he -" He trailed off and shook his head. "The reason Eliza and Alessio divorced was because she cheated on him. She slept with a man known to Wayne, trying to find answers, trying to find her little boy."

"She must have been so heartbroken," I murmured, to lose a child, and be stuck with me. "Wait, when did they meet, like where did she first meet Wayne?"

"Their third year of college, when they were 21. They were together for about a yeah before Eliza told me he was abusive. I showed up on his parents doorstep with my crew. It didn't take him long to disappear. After that, she met Alessio and June and Carson were born."

An idea struck, my heart quickening. "Does mom have any of her things from college here? Like in the attic or something?"

Ivan nodded. "Of course, I could never bring myself to throw it out," he said and stood, offering his hand. "Come on, I'll show you where it is ... maybe, maybe you'll find something in there we can use to find her."

***

Thank you for reading. Please vote and comment. What do you think happens next? I've got so many twists up my sleeve for this, You'll be all shook.

Lots of care - Charlie 🧡