Pit Stop In Heaven | Charles Leclerc

Chapter 1

"Mom, can you make me coffee? I'm running late!" I called my mom downstairs but got nothing as response. I repeated the question not knowing if she had heard me, but yet again, nothing. I take a quick look in the mirror to confirm I look okay for work. I'm wearing a white jumper with cream trousers and a slightly darker cream coat. I head downstairs remembering I'm 30 minutes late to work already.

As I stepped into the kitchen I saw mom sitting at the table, crying with a stranger across her.

"Mom, what are you crying? What happened?" I ask, with a constant look on this stranger as in 'Who are you and did you make her cry' look.

"Nat, sit with us. We need to talk." Mom says and I sit beside her, scared of what I'm about to hear.

" Ms. Natalie Knox, my name is Anthony Thompson, attorney and I'm here to hit you with some shocking information you don't know. As my job, I need to tell you instead of your mother, but as a person with empathy, I asked her if that is okay and I will prepare you for the hard truth and not be an asshole. Would you like to take a glass of water?" The stranger spoke and I stayed silent for 20 seconds just staring at the guy who was sad to give me the bad news.

"Just tell me, I can take it," I said but no, in fact, I cannot take it.

"I need to inform yo-" The lawyer was cut off by mom hugging me and sobbing into my neck.

"Please Natalie, I don't want to lose you. Don't be mad at me, please. Just try to understand why I didn't tell you. I was scared you would run away from me and I didn't want that. I was selfish, I'm sorry baby. So sorry as I would ever be in my life." Mom still sobbed in my neck. What is so bad she hid from me that she can't even look at me? Fuck, this day couldn't start worse.

"Mom, calm down, please. Everything will be okay. Mr. Anthony, just tell me, I can't understand anything not knowing what is going on. I'll be okay." Nuh uh, future me is laughing at my words.

"Alright. I recently had a communication from your biological brother. I am his attorney and it seems he's been searching for you for quite some time, and he expressed a strong desire to meet you. Your parents died in an airplane crash 22 years ago and they left you and your brother for adoption before that, same day.  I'm sorry, I don't know the reason for the adoption but you two were quite young. You were 3 years old, he was 6... Take your time, ms. Natalie. I understand this is a lot to absorb." Mr. Thompson said slowly. 

I looked at my mother with tears in my eyes. As she looked in my direction, she broke with sadness and guilt written all over her face.

I just stood still. I can't believe this. I can't believe I have a brother and that for all this time I had to be separated from him. Just why? I feel stinking pain in my chest and I don't even know how to process this. Why did my parents abandon us? Were we that hard to handle? I never knew they existed and on the same day I learned about them, I heard they died. What the actual fuck? 

"You didn't tell me for 22 years I'm adopted? I stood beside you after everything you've been through and I didn't deserve the 'you were adopted' talk? My so-called dad was the drunken idiot who left us and you couldn't tell me hey Natalie that piece of shit isn't your father. And to top it all, you separated me from my brother. How could you take me and not him? It's not a fucking market you can choose which fucking apple you want." I screamed furious. I stood up and put my hands on my head trying not to explode from all this.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't manage two kids all alone. I had Kevin and he was already drunk every night and I felt he was gonna leave at some point, but I wanted a child. I was 35 and childless and I felt empty. Everything was fixed when you came into my life." Mom said shaking.

"Well thank you for using me to fix your loneliness and taking me away from one person I had as a family," I said even though I felt broken even saying those words. After all, I don't know where I would be if she didn't adopt me, but I can't act all nice after 22 years of living in a lie. "I need to go. Mr. Thompson, thank you for telling me. We'll stay in touch." I said and grabbed my purse to head out. 

At this point, I can't manage work. I don't know where I should go, but I need to go somewhere far away from that house.

"Hey, Cece. Can I please come to yours? I need to talk to you. I need you so much." I called my best friend Cecilia.

"Come idiot and don't ask that dumb question. Why are you crying?" Cece said annoyingly.

"I'll explain later." I got in my car and drove off. 

When I entered her apartment, she was sitting at the counter with 2 cups of coffee in front of her. 

"Ugh, I love you for knowing me," I said taking my sip of coffee.

After I explained her the situation I got up and started walking back and forth rambling about this mess. "Well, what the fuck should I do?" I finally asked her.

"For starters, come get a hug." She said and I ran into her. I sobbed while hugging her and she took a long sigh.

"Everything will be alright. I'm very shocked and sad that you found at this time, but I seriously think you can't waste any more time. You need to meet him. I think he waited for you long enough. Think about the poor guy knowing he has a sister and having no clue if she's alive at all. At least you didn't know you had a brother..." Smarty-pants said having a point. 

"You're right. I need to see him. Fuck, I didn't take the lawyer's number." I said annoyingly. I looked him up on Google and he came up first. 

"Weird, it looks like he's a famous lawyer," I said looking at his website.

"Ooh imagine your brother is Harry Styles. Oh, I would so fuck your brother." She said and I let out a small snort.

"Yeah right, in your dreams," I said typing the lawyer's number.

"Hello Mr. Thompson, it's Natalie Knox."

"Hello Ms. Knox, you ready?" He asked and I furrowed my brows.

"I don't know." I said in a dilemma.