Chapter 38

Stella:

I am in shock to my very core I have a twin sister who I've never met. I know that I should be mad at my mother for keeping this from me but I know that she did what she thought was right for us. What counts is that she is telling me now, honestly it makes complete sense I just don't know how I didn't realize it sooner. With the news my mom has given me I now understand why I don't have any memories of my grandmother and at this point I really don't blame my mom for cutting her out of our lives, I am glad that I at least got to have my Grandpa who I call Grampy in my life up until he passed a few years ago. I know that maybe my mom shouldn't hold a grudge because holding anger and grudges like this will eat you alive and it will make you into a bitter person.

I look at my mom so she can continue telling me her story and tell me more about my sister I never would have even thought this to be possible, Momma and I have always been so open about everything. "When we were in the hospital for you being sick, which if I might add was nothing to be worried about it was just a low grade fever and me being a first time mom over reacted. The doctor had placed us in a room next to a family with a young one also. When the doctor gave me the paper work I realized that the paperwork was not ours and that it was marked for the room next door." My mom smiles fondly at the memory as though she remembers it as if it happened yesterday. "Your grandpa was there with us since I didn't have a car and he had gone with me next door to switch the paper work with the family beside us and I was shocked to see that they had a little girl exactly the same age as you. But that wasn't even the most shocking part...the had recognized your grandpa who played it off as mistaken identity. But something inside me told me not to let it go that it was important for me to get the truth from him, so I didn't let it go. I bugged him for days about it till one day he took me to the garage and finally told me the truth. He told me how your grandmother had someone lined up to adopt your sister before she was even born and completely against my will. Turns out that when I was under for surgery she had taken your sister and given her to the family she had lined up for her. She didn't have the guts to tell me what she had done so she let me believe that Lili Rose didn't make it. When I found out I was devastated and beyond angry, your grandfather at that point finally had the strength to set himself free and divorced her and took every penny from her. He took you and I and moved us into this home to give us the best life and the best chance at a good life. When he passed he left everything to us that way we could continue to live a good and safe life. I never told you but about a week after your grandfather passed your Grandmother reached out to me asking to have a relationship with you and asking if she could move in with us. I was so angry and I was still so hurt after what she did to us I told her to fuck right off that we didn't need her then and we sure as hell don't need her now." I can see my moms anger as she tells me about my grandmother all of a sudden so interested in having a relationship with me.

I feel so angry at what my mother has told me about my grandmother. I feel so damn angry right now, I am not angry with my mom because I can understand completely why she did what she did. In all honesty if I had been in her situation I probably would have done the same thing. What that bitch did took so much from us, she took part of my moms heart away as if it was her choice, not only that but she took my sister from me and I grew up thinking that I was an only child I always wanted a sibling, Scarlet is the closest thing to a sister that I have ever had.

"Mama? Where is my sister? What is her name? Please mom I really would like to know." My mom gives me another look that I have no idea what it means, I wish that I could understand what her looks meant. "Have I met her? I mean other then the time at the hospital when I was 3?" She gives me another look that almost looks guilty with a twist I just don't know what the twist is or why. I start to go through every memory that I have of anyone that I have ever met that is female and try to see if I could pinpoint who and when I met them. By the look on my moms face I can tell that she is struggling to find the words that she needs to tell me the answer to my question. Little did I know that her answer would absolutely shake me past my core to my soul.

"I should have told you sooner...I just always feared that you would resent me and that you would hate me...Honey Scarlet is your twin sister...She has the same birth mark on her shoulder as you do... That is why you can sense that something is wrong when it comes to her and vise versa. As for her having powers like you I honestly don't know, I haven't really seen her since the last time you guys were here together." My mom looks so guilty and as though she may just die in a hole. My mouth falls open and my head starts to spin, Scarlet? She is my twin?! She has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.

"So wait when I was growing up and I had thought that I was an only child I really wasn't? I had my sister with me all along even though neither one of us knew that we were actually sisters?" I feel excited and happy to know that even though at the time we didn't know we did get to grow up together and honestly I could not be happier to know that out of anyone my twin sister could have been that Scarlet is the one.

Mom gets up and goes our of the room. I look at James and see that his face matches the shock that I feel coursing through my veins. " Wow Baby that was intense and full of so much information. I didn't understand everything...but I did understand your best friend is not just your friend but your sister and not just your sister but even more then that she is your twin sister. Are you ok Baby? I know this is a lot to process. Do you know how you are going to tell Scar? Hell not just Scar but Cam?" My heart sinks I had not even thought of Cam in this whole situation and I hadn't even considered how the hell I should tell Scarlet about all of this.

My mom returns to the room holding a folder with I don't even know what. She hands me the folder and she seems to be thinking of the best way to explain whatever is here in the folder. I open the folder feeling the urge to know about what is in it and why it is important to this very situation. My mom interrupts my thought process by beginning to explain each of the sheets I find in this folder.

"Ella those papers are the only proof I have of you guys being twins. The top one is the DNA test that Ann and I had done when we suspected that she had adopted your twin sister, we didn't know what to expect and we weren't even considering what we would do if the test came back as a positive match. The second one is Scarlet's original birth certificate when she was born to me, the next one is the adoption paperwork and the sheet after that is a death certificate that Ann had received when she had birthed her daughter sleeping which my mother had used as the perfect cover for giving Scarlet to them for adoption. The final document is the birth certificate that they were issued for Scarlet after the adoption was final." Mom pauses while I read through all of the paper work in my hands.

"Why didn't she give her back to us? Once you guys knew the truth?" My mom looks thoughtful for a second as she picks her words carefully.

"Unfortunately the adoption was final and not only that but by the time that we knew the truth Scarlet was already hers, Scarlet had known her as mommy since day one. After 7 years with Ann Marcus and Camerone they were a family and we both agreed it was wrong to change it all because I birthed her also. At that moment we had made the decision to put all of those documents together and that one day when we felt the time was right we would all sit together and we would tell you guys the truth. What we didn't plan for was something happening to either one of us." She takes a breath after she has explained all of this to me and I wasn't sure how to begin to dissect all of my feelings and emotions on this. "You should take those with you when you decide to tell Cam and Scar I know that it won't be easy for you to tell them but I know that you will do what you feel is right when you feel it is the right time."

"Mommy, how will I know when the right time will be?" She smiles at me with love and adoration.

"Trust your gut sweetheart. When the time is right you will know. Just listen to your body and your heart it will lead you in the direction that you will need to go in."