Ophelia? (Entered In 2022 Wattys Award)

Truth Hurts

" Why didn't you tell me I am adopted?"
Amelia softly asks her parents.
Never she had thought she would have to ask this question to someone; not to the people whom she considered her real parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson looks astonished!
They share glances. Only one question is reflected in their eyes. How does she know?

They've tried a lot to hide this truth from Amelia. They didn't hide it because they wanted to hurt her but to save Amelia from feeling low or sad.

But truth never stays hidden for eternity. Somehow it comes to bite people whether they want it or not.

" How did you know?"
Mrs. Elaine Johnson sighs.
She knows now it's time for the truth to unveil. There is no need to hide it now.

" Unexpectedly from someone whom I considered very close. "
Amelia replies sadly. She is still feeling sad to think Sandra is a bad person.

Because for Amelia, thinking of her as a jealous person is very hard. She has always thought highly of her. Now what she has just come to know?
Sandra isn't like the way she has always believed. She has an opposite personality. Something Amelia isn't fond of at all.

Amelia still can't believe what she has just discovered in one day.

One, she is adopted. That's the thing she would've never thought. Ever!
Two, her biological mother is Sammy. She is so close to her yet was separated for so many years.
Third, she has even met her biological father today. What an unbelievable family reunion it was!
And last but not the least, confirmation of Sandra's betrayal.
None of these things she would've thought she will face in her ongoing crazy life.

Amelia sighs too. Hasn't she had enough for one day?

Mr. Edward Johnson approaches her daughter. He keeps his hand on her shoulder.
" We are very sorry, dear. We hid the truth from you. "
Tears are visible in his eyes.

Amelia flinches out of the thoughts because of his touch.

Elaine comes forward too. She speaks softly,
" We thought you might feel bad or insecure if you knew we aren't your real parents. We never meant to hurt you, dear. "

Amelia knows that her present parents never meant to hurt her. She isn't sad at all because she has seen how much Sammy loves her. It's not like her real parents left her alone to die.
They thought she was dead.

But still, she is feeling strange.

All these years, she isn't with her real parents. She at least was close to her mother but her father is so foreign to her. She never had a proper introduction to him.

Her adopted parents have no fault too.
They've showered her with abundant love, affection, and care. She never felt a miss of something in her life.

Both her real and adopted parents are alive and awesome. She shouldn't be sad at all.

But... something is bothering her. The sudden truth of her birth.

Now that it has come to the limelight, she doesn't know what to choose. Should she remain as if nothing had happened? She has just discovered a mere truth in her life. Nothing else.

Or, she should try to interact with her real parents as a daughter should?

" We were unable to have a baby. We both were sad. Especially, I was broken."
Elaine starts talking.
" I wasn't feeling complete at all. Without a child, my life felt incomplete. I was even sadder as I couldn't give Edward a chance to be a father."

Amelia looks at her mother. She is crying.

" I never accused her of anything. Like, not for once, I have asked why she can't give me a child. I haven't even given any pressure on this matter. I was trying to be okay with the fact of not having a child.
Edward says, looking at Elaine.
" But without a child, she looked so lifeless. She is the love of my life. I never wanted to see her cry. But I didn't know what to do. "
His voice sounds broken too.