The Truths Behind the Life of Maeve Sun Lively

3

I HOLD IN THE URGE to take out my camera and snap photos of Rosalie as she sits across from me in the family living room.

If I hadn't seen her this morning around lunch in front of Maeve Lively's mansion, I wouldn't have even known that she has cried. Now, her face is clear of tears and a light layer of makeup is applied. She sips a cup of tea my mother has poured her with such gracefulness and beauty, it suddenly makes me very aware of how I must look right now.

Messy bun with my bangs all over the place, and I'm literally wearing a shirt that has her mom's face imprinted which makes me extra embarrassed. Why out of all the days did I choose to wear this damn shirt?

My mom comes back with a mug of hot cocoa for me despite it being summer. "Just how you like it." And she hands me it then sits down on the other sofa next to Rosalie while Dad is next to me.

I sip the hot cocoa and stare into the swirling color of brown liquid while silence overtakes all of us. I don't think I can look up from my cup or else I might start gawking at Rosalie. I've seen some of her films, and she's good, despite not being as good as her mother. But still, having a literal celebrity in your parents' house? In the same room? How am I supposed to act normal?

"So..." I break the probably most awkward silence on record with my cracked up voice. "What is it you guys have to tell me?" I keep my eyes focused on Mom while my sideview keeps noticing the light red of Rosalie's hair.

My dad gathers my hands in his, and I can feel a slight tremble as he holds them. He looks me in the eyes and I look back at Mom to see the two of them sharing the same look.

"It's about your biological mother." Mom finally says.

I wasn't thinking when I suddenly flinched and pulled my hands out of my dad's. And his eyes are clearly hurt and I want to slap myself on the spot.

"M-My biological mom?"

The both of them nod.

I glance at Rosalie and she looks down at the teacup in her hand.

I can't seem to find my voice. Or maybe because it just simply hid itself, because the truth is, I really do want to know about my biological mom and dad. But I don't think it's fair to my parents, they love me so much and they have never, not ever, made me feel like I wasn't their own child. And the fact that I sometimes wish I'm with my birth parents makes me feel so guilty and selfish, and now that the answer is here for me to grab, I don't know how to do it or if I even should.

"I couldn't get pregnant." My mom starts when I don't say anything. And it forces me to look at her, see the pain on her face and hear the forcefulness in her voice. "Kenneth and I tried everything, but I just couldn't get pregnant."

"Mom, you don't have to——"

"I really wanted a child." She looks at me and I can feel the tears stinging at my eyes. "Even if I couldn't give birth to my own, I wanted a child. I wanted a family."

Dad wipes at his eyes while I let mine leak.

"When we saw you, when I saw you, I knew you were already going to be a part of our family. It took months of paperworks after paperworks, but then we brought you home. We had you. And you were our daughter, Izzy Adams."

Dad hands me a tissue and I realize my whole face is streaming with tears by now. I gently take it from him but I don't use it.

"Forgive us, Izzy." My dad now says. "Forgive us for never telling you or talking to you about your biological mother."

I look from him to Mom, not understanding any of this.

"A year after we brought you home from the adoptive care system." Mom sits straighter but she's trembling. "We got a letter."