Gray Wolf Ranch

Chapter 27 - Finding Out

ROWTAG

The moment I hear the click of Kitchi's door I jump up from the couch. Olivia comes out of his bedroom with a neutral expression as she closes her medical bag.

"Is he okay?" I ask.

"Yes, his vitals are strong, he's just fatigued."

My grandmother enters the apartment with a laundry basket in her arms.

"What happened after I left?" I ask her.

As it's my custom since Kitchi came home, I went to check on him during a break. He grabbed me in a hug the moment I came closer to his bed and seemed short of breath. His heart raced as I asked him a million times what was wrong, but he wouldn't answer me. He felt dizzy, so I made him lay on his bed while I called Olivia. Grandma wasn't in the apartment when I came in and returned just now.

"Is Kitchi okay?" She asks when she sees Olivia then tries to walk past me, but I stand in her way.

"He is, but I found him upset. Do you know what got him like that?"

"More like a who. Promise me you will keep calm after what I have to say."

Olivia stands next to me and places her hand in mine. Her presence grounds me and makes me feel stronger.

"Karen was here."

"Okay," I concentrate on Olivia's hand in mine. "Did she get Kitchi worked up?"

"No, it wasn't like that. Kitchi heard us arguing about the way she treats you all. He found out the truth about the family ties."

My hand abandons Olivia's and I pace the room, not knowing what to think or do. It never crossed my mind that my brothers could find out in other ways.

"He knows that we are not related?" I ask and Grandma nods. "How did he react?"

"He was tense and wanted to tell your brothers. I thought he fell asleep afterwards, and went to do the laundry."

"This is so fucked up," I sit on the couch and rub my face.

"Rowtag, I don't care..." I turn around and see Kit, eyes swollen and bloodshot, standing by the door frame of his bedroom. "She can never break our bond. We will always be brothers. I feel so fucking pissed that she lied to everyone. I only wish you had told me earlier."

"She came into my room at the hospital before Grandma and Grandpa arrived, I think I had just woken up. No 'hello', or 'how are you feeling'. She went straight on to forbid me to tell anyone that she wasn't my mother. She repeated that I should be dead and left. Her words messed me up badly. Eventually my shrink got me to talk about it, but I didn't dare to tell any of you."

"Is that why you never came to live with us again?" Kitchi asks. "Because of her?"

"Dad decided that as a precaution, he didn't want us to have another accident, but I can't say I felt unhappy being away from her."

"This is unbelievable. When all of this is her-"

"-Kitchi, you need to rest." Grandma shakes her head. "I will bring you dinner when it's ready. This is all too much in your condition."

Kitchi nods and walks back into his room, Grandma following him.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asks me as she sits on the couch.

"I will be. If anything, I feel partial relief now that Kitchi knows."

"I'm so proud of you. You managed this situation well," she caresses my cheek.