Truth In Words ✓[Secrets Book 3]

[Chapter Thirty-Five]

    Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything.
                    Maybe it's about un-becoming everything
                               That isn't really you
                    So you can be who you were meant to be
                                   in the first place

Chapter Thirty-Five – Addie

After dinner I took Nina outside to talk to her without everyone else around. I didn’t really know where to start so we went outside and lay side by side in the grass in silence for a little bit.

It was weird; I was lying outside by my sister looking up at the stars.

“The sky isn’t as clear here.” She said

“I know, I miss home.” I told her and she nodded

“I miss how easy it is to breathe there and I’ve only been here a few hours.”

“You’ll be home soon enough.” I assured her

“So will you. I didn’t know about you, you know. Neither did mom.” She looked over at me

“Why are you guys really here?” I asked her, I get that I’m her sister but why fly all the way up here

“I haven’t seen Lucas in probably ten years, he would come and spend time with us but I didn’t know until later that he had abused mom and she didn’t know he had been hurting me for years either. When she saw him one day she told him to get out and come back or she would make it all public. She knew how much his reputation meant to him. I guess part of the reason he left is because he didn’t want anyone to know about us.” I looked over at her

“He hurt you guys too?” I asked her and she nodded

“Yeah and that’s why we’re here, we wanted to know if testifying against him would help, show that there are multiple people who he hurt and he had a fling and a secret kid, that has to look bad for him.” I looked over at her and she was looking up at the sky again.

“You would testify?” I asked her and she nodded

“I know we don’t know each other but you’re my sister and what he did was wrong. How he threw you to them was wrong.” She said and reached out for my hand and I let her take it. I didn’t know her but I knew she was a good person.

“Thank you.” I said and we laid there in silence for a little bit.

I never thought this was possibly, lying side by side with my sister, holding hands and looking up at the sky like we’ve been doing this for years.

This morning I didn’t know she existed but it’s like we instantly had that bond, it felt almost natural to be around her, almost. It was still strange but I liked her.

“I’ve always wanted a sister.” She told me and I smiled

“Me too.” I whispered. “And in the last year I’ve gotten three.” Kalila and Faith were family, more than just cousins, I loved them like sisters.

“Do you think they would like me?” she asked

“They love everyone, well the nice ones; they don’t like Lucas so much.” I felt like I owed my parents nothing, not even calling them my parents.

Lisa was never a mother to me, she hated me. She didn’t braid my hair as a child or read me bed time stories. She wasn’t there when I got my period and needed a girl to help me through it. She wasn’t there for me to confide in or to share secrets with. We didn’t laugh or joke or have a nice time with each other. When we were in the same room it was either silence and ridicule when we were alone or fake smiles to keep up appearances in public.