Don't Stop Now [Finding My Path Sequel]

Chapter 14

"You were born to two lost people." Adisa closed her eyes as she told me. It sounded like a fairy tail, not my life. "Bot of which held secrets. This made your life, along with your sister's, naturally complicated."

"Secrets?" Andi asked, cutting her off. "More of them?"

Mom nodded. "I'm not at liberty to tell Jay's secrets, but I can tell you my own at another time. All you need to know is that Jay's secrets led me to leave him. Although I wanted more than anything else to take both my babies with me, your father was stubborn. He refused to let me leave quietly. We finally came to the agreement that he could keep his son and I would keep my daughter."

"So splitting us up was the only agreeable option," I said, mostly to myself. I knew well enough that I was only trying to justify everything.

"Bull shit," Andi replied. Mom ignored us both.

"I left for the Earth Kingdom, where my parents were living at the time, and Jay remained in the city. Just so you know, he got most of the stuff in the break up." Adisa peeked an eye open and smiled. I returned it half halfheartedly while Andi rolled her eyes.

"After that, you had a pretty regular childhood. Your father did his share of lying to make that happen, though. To protect his secrets, he pretended to protect you."

"He was protecting me," I argued, naturally defending Dad. 

"Is this the waterbender thing?" Andi guessed. She caught on fast. Even if she was missing half of it. "Explain the protecting piece in that."

"Waterbending can be dangerous," I said quietly, knowing it was no argument. It didn't mean I agreed with Adisa, though. It's just that the truth has more danger than anything.

"While you were growing up as a nonbender, I raised Andi in the Lower Ring with her grandparents. Her grandma started to teach her to how earthbend at a very young age and continued teaching her until she passed away." There was something solemn in Mom's voice, not quite sad about it, more accepting. Andi, on the other hand, wouldn't catch my eye. She stared at the ground instead, her jaw clamped.

"At the time, I was running a fortune telling business to make ends meet. When I had to leave my mother's house, things were hard. Picking up another job hardly helped. Everyone was going through a recession, it seemed. All we could do was wait for things to get better."

"Waiting's still going on," Andi said quietly. I remembered yesterday, when she defended Mom, thinking I was a tax collector. The way she stood up for her, I would've thought they were closer than they seem. Maybe I just read it wrong.

"So, Andi and I lived here, in Ba Sing Se. You and your father made a move to the Southern Water Tribe. I believe your grandfather was there to meet him."

I only nod, afraid my voice will crack and reveal my entire past. I didn't know what Mom knew about it, or what she was willing to reveal, and I couldn't be too careful. I knew now that this telling was a bad idea. Too little too late, though.

"And now you're a waterbender. I must say, I couldn't be more proud. I'm sure your father feels the same way. About both of you," she added, smiling from me to Andi. Andi didn't seem to be buying it.

"If it makes you feel like a better parent, Tomi didn't know a thing about me either. So you're both equally bad," she explained smugly.

Adisa glared at her daughter. "It was for the better of both of you. Can't you see that?"

"Nope," she said, popping the p.

"I can't really either," I agreed sheepishly. "I mean, I was coming here anyway. You were bound to tell me about Andi. Why wouldn't Dad mention it before I left?"

"I can't say for sure," my mom seemed to be mulling it over, "but maybe a part of him thought you wouldn't find me at all and that you didn't need anymore motivation to keep searching."

I thought about this for a while longer. Did Dad really not want me to find Mom? Even if Mom placed the idea in my mind, it was believable. If I found Mom, that was all the more chance  wouldn't return to him at all. No one said anything for a little bit. Finally, Andi stood up. "We'd better get going. Thanks for having us, Mom."

"What do you mean going?" she wondered. "I just met up with my son, and you're leaving?"

"If you really wanted to see him, you would've done it years ago. Anyway, he's got a girlfriend waiting for him."

With the mention of Lina, I stood up, too. "She's right. Mostly." Which part was I agreeing to at all, though? "It was great to meet you. Hopefully I'll see you later in the week."

To my surprise, Mom hugged me. "You sure will. I'll talk to Andi and we'll work something out. I'm so glad you're here. You might not believe that, but I am. Thank you."

"You're, uh, welcome. Thanks for the telling and everything," I sputtered as Andi practically dragged me out the door.

"Bye, Mom!" she called without looking back. She slammed the door hard, and we were back on the street.