Olive Branch

Valeria

It took four rings before Andrea answered.

"He babe, how's California going?"

I snorted, "I wouldn't know how to express it, Let's just say unexplainably surreal."

There was a loud thud before Andrea talked. "What do you mean?"

"So, I have two sisters—"

"What!"

"And an half brother."

"Meh, your life just got more complicated."

"Yah think so? I mean can you believe they acted like them finding out a family even existed wasn't a big deal."

"Let me guess, you went along with it."

"Yeah, what was I supposed to do, they all.."

"What did your father do?" She cut me off.

"He couldn't do anything, I knew how badly he wanted to hold them, but they acted like dicks. Tara even called him a sperm donor, can you believe that bitch?"

"I don't know who Tara is, but I'm assuming she's one of your sisters," I heard another loud thud.

"Andrea, where are you?"

"Oh, I'm in my mum's office, you know how she bangs the desk when she she's angry and talking."

"Yeah."

"So, one of your sisters called your father a sperm donor, can you explain the situation for me?".

"Yeah ok, so they lived like orphans but—"

"There you have it." She cut me off again. "How would you feel if you were the one who lived like an orphan your whole life, then suddenly find out you had a family somewhere, a sister who had everything growing up, especially the love of a father."

"But..."

"And they'll think he didn't bother looking for them, he was content with having only you."

"But...."

"How would you feel Ria?."

I sighed. "I wouldn't want anything to do with me, because I wouldn't get past the feeling that I wasn't needed in the first place so why should I bother, I'd be very angry someone else had a perfect life when I could have also had the same life."

"There you have it."

"But she called my father a sperm donor!."

"So you also don't accept them, Tell me Ria, there's still something you're not telling me, you're harbouring information, I know you, you should be the happiest person on earth right now, you always wanted siblings, you suddenly do, you even have a big brother and you're angry... Tell me, do they have something in common you don't?"

I sighed, exasperated. "You could say that."

"So they have something in common, and it's eating you up that you're different, that when you finally got your wish, you feel out of place among them, you feel like you don't belong?"

"How do you know me so well?."

"Your sarcasm is not lost on me Valeria Hortensius!, of course I know you, I'm your best friend if not your only friend for Christ sake!"

"I have other friends!"

"Yeah right." A moment of silence.

"So what you should do now, you got to extend the leaf, or whatever they call it, who knows, they might not be as bad as they first seem. You might think they're behaving nonchalant now but it's all a facade to hide the hurt."

"Why do you sound so smart now?"

"I'm smart when I need to be, oh!, Tell me, has it been confirmed that Mr New York is Gay?"

"Really? Andrea?"

"What, I mean, I could see the way the guy was staring at you, a gay man wouldn't stare at a lady like that, I had no idea why he was lying."

I was suddenly struck with the memory of how he looked at me.

"Naa," I shook my head even though she couldn't see me, "I don't think Octavian likes women, I mean you were there when he told us he was Gay, what reason did he have to lie."

"Anyways, mom mentioned something about your father coming back to las Vegas."

"Yeah," I sighed out loud. "He had to do something, but I think he'll come back though, cause his behavior here was just so weird, I've known my father to be a man who goes after what he wants, but he didn't say anything to my siblings."

"Oh, now they're your siblings?"

"Don't tease me, you know what I meant."

"You said one of your sisters called him the sperm donor?—"

I winced. It still annoyed me.

"I think he doesn't know what to say, and even if he did, he'll have doubts you know, what if he says something that makes the situation worse, what if he makes a mistake and instead of bringing you guys closer he ends up drifting you guys apart the more? Things like that might be the reason.

"You know maybe you should seat him down and talk to him about what you think about the situation, extend an Olive Branch.....oh, I remember, Olive Branch not leaf.... Anyways, extend an Olive Branch to your siblings and if they still act like dicks, don't give up on them, you just have to have this in mind.

'they had different upbringing '"

"Since when did you become good in people talking or even advising?"

"Don't know babe, I guess you bring it out in me.

Gotta go, mum's noticed I'm not in my sit anymore, I'll call later to see how things are going."

"Okay, bye." I hanged up.

Guess I needed to extend an Olive Branch.

I went downstairs and noticed everyone talking, I rolled my eyes, There's always a gathering.

"Mother." Danica and koala whisper shouted.

"It can't be!" Said Danica, "It just can't be."

"But it could be though, what do you remember about the day she died, did you see her body?" Koala said.

"No...but...but Thanos did something, after she got hit she turned to a sort of silvery dust that got sucked into a wrist watch—wrist band Thanos wore."

"So she's still alive, just not in a conscious entity?"

I understood none of what they said.

"Just because a silvery dust flew into her nose doesn't mean mother did it." Danica shook her head.

Mother? I caught my breath as understanding dawned. My mother was still Alive?