Bloodlines

The Archers

Theo

"WHAT THE HELL!" A man charges at me.

"OH I'LL SHOW YOU HELL!" I shove both my hands against his chest. "YOU FUCKING COWARDS!"

"Theo!" Avalon runs to me, but I just push her right into a mud puddle.

"Hey!" The lady runs over to help Avalon up.

"Y'ALL FEEL PERFECTLY FINE RIGHT?!" I shout in venom. "YOU DON'T KNOW ME AND I SURE AS HELL DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ANY OF YOU UNTIL LAST WEEK!"

"THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" The man dusts himself off.

"Daddy!" The little girl runs outside.

My eyes shift to her.

"NO!" The man blocks me. "YOU ARE INSANE! LEAVE BEFORE I CALL THE COPS!"

"SHE'S YOUR PRIDE AND JOY NOW ISN'T SHE?" I stomp.

"Who even are you?!" The woman asks, holding Avalon who is holding up her leg.

"GET THE FUCK OFF MY PROPERTY!" The man snaps.

"SO EASY FOR YOU TO JUST SAY THAT! DOES GIVING AWAY YOUR CHILD AT BIRTH SOUND FAMILIAR?!" I shout.

Everything gets silent.

The lady and man look at each other in complete shock.

"Who are you?" The lady's tone lowers.

"THEODORE MOTHER FUCKING ARCHER!" I punch the hood of my car. "OH SORRY, YOU LET ME TURN INTO THEODORE HAMILTON. THE PERFECT FAMILY YOU THOUGHT YOU LEFT ME WITH."

The man instantly lets everything down. "Can we please talk inside?"

I laugh and stomp my way towards him. "We're going to talk about this right here right now." I get all in his face.

"It's cold. Let's go inside." He says with stern.

I turn and see the lady filled with tears as she takes Avalon inside.

The little girl runs after them, leaving just me and her man.

"You're a piece of shit." I spit.

"Tell me your birthday." He crosses his arms.

"May fifteenth." I cross my arms right back.

"We never gave a baby away." He says. "On that very day, our little boy was born but immediately taken back when the doctors said there were complications." He explains and my face softens. "We were told our son was a stillborn and were never able to see or hold him."

My eyes widen.

"They fucking paid the nurses..." I angrily smile.

"Who? What? What do you know?" He asks.

"My three older brothers. They told me you gave me up for adoption before I was even born. They wanted me for their company to fight against my brothers, but I was the weak one. I was physically and verbally abused. I watched my mom and dad get murdered right in front of my face." I shake my head. "They lied." My blood boils. "When I was about ten I overheard my parents talking about a nurse."

"Being told you were a stillborn absolutely crushed us. We need to take a dna test just to be sure." He says.

I nod in agreement. "I'm three hours away. Do you know one nearby?"

"I do." He looks back at the house. "The girls will be okay. Let's go get one done now and it will come back tomorrow."

"Okay then." I lead him to my truck.