Family Secrets

Chapter 2

I wasn't actually aware that my parents house had a basement. 

I only ever refer to the place I live as my parents house, never my own. Because I have never felt welcome to call it so. I've already explained about my parents and my sister, but it's more than that. I caged when I'm confined in one place.

Since we've don't travel, EVER, I've felt this way my whole life.

I often wonder around the house to help myself escape the feeling, discover something new to relieve me of my sense of... 

I don't even know how to describe it. 

But I find a hole in the floor. It was covered by a rug that I removed to see if there was any hidden change under. London gets an allowance, but I don't. Not that I ever want much of anything, it's just good to have money on hand in case I need it. 

After I pulled open the trap door, using the small handle imbedded in the wood I raced back up to my room to retrieve my secret flashlight, stashed for forbidden midnight reading. I go back down the staircase, thanking God that the trapdoor was in a secluded corner of the house. When I came back down, it was completely untouched.

I turned on my flashlight and trained it into the dark hole,  in it I see a cement staircase, with a rotted out wooden banister. I think this over.

We have a free day, and my parents have no problems with my exploring the house. But this area was obviously closed off, maybe for a good reason. I don't believe my parents will come looking for me though.

The other part about being the second favorite child (out of 2) is that I'm ignored, so I can do whatever I want without being caught. The downside, when Deni gets caught, I'm always the guilty one. 

I know that my mom will take today to relax. She will probably give up with looking for the lesson plans, giving us at least 2 days off so she can make new ones. My dad is a lawyer, and he is at his office for 8:30 to 8:00 usually. But if he's working on a difficult case, he could even spend nights at his office! London was with her friends. 

I decide to walk down to the basement.

I promise myself that I will only be down their for a few minutes, 30 tops. So pulling the rug over the trap door, that I also close, just to make sure I don't get caught, I walk the staircase. 

It's not terribly big, maybe 14 or 15 steps. When I step down, I shine the flashlight around the ground in front of me, so I won't trip over anything. I see trunks, that when I open are filled with baby clothes, pictures, toys, bottles. I look at the side of the trunk, seeing words, and shed some more light on it by leaning forward. The words read London Sapphire Bluenight. Which means that this is my sisters trunk. Filled with her baby memories. I shine the flashlights all around the room, trying to find my own, a smile on my face, that they kept baby stuff for us.

But as I scan all the trunks, (all 7 of them) I find none with my name, only London's.

With tears brimming, I find one. Jessa Jupiter Bluenight. One compared to my sister's seven. Well, I think sourly, one is better than nothing, as I fling it open. 

And I find only one thing inside the box.  

I pick up the birth certificate, trying to scrape some of the dust off the paper. I read it, 

This certifies that Jessa Jupiter Bluenight was born to...

Tessa and Stephan Bluenight on May 12...

I let the paper slip from my fingers as I run upstairs, in shock. After locking everything back in place, I go into my room and sob, wondering if I just found out that my whole life was a lie.