Much More Complex

In my decent sized room, I sit at my desk writing in my journal about what happened last night.

It was peculiar, it was a wolf and then Bing Pot! It was a guy!

I have absolutely no idea how that could even be possible! Could it be a trick of the light? Not in a million years, my eyes are perfect but whatever it was there are lots more. I know it. I think if I remember correctly the lead wolf's name was Ashlet? Antlet? Arton? Whatever his name was. . . He was a masterpiece! A true work of art! Not to be cliché but he was definitely crafted by the gods!--

Shocked out of my recount of last night, Aunt Jane knocked on my door calling me down for brunch with Lily's family at a local place in the heart of the city. I hadn't even gotten dressed, well, at least I had put on socks. I'd need to hurry before Aunt Jane comes back up, she is not a patient lady, Uncle Carlos learned this the hard way.

I cross my room towards my old brown dresser, which is way too old to be functioning. I take off the rest of my clothes. Rummaging through my undergarments and then settling for appropriate light blue tights and a white blouse which doesn't cover my shoulders. Rebellious, I know, I can't help but think to myself as a small smirk appears on my face.

I rush out of my room and down my carpeted stairs, tying my curly black tendrils of hair into a fishtail braid. Uncle Carlos is waiting leisurely by the front entrance, and I'm guessing Aunt Jane already in the car.

We've made it there in no time flat, our street isn't far from Lady Marmalade, the place where our brunch is being held. On the car ride over Aunt Jane hadn't spoken, nor had Uncle Carlos, I was curious why that was.

I spot Lily waving her hand wildly at me from the other side of the street, standing in front of Lady Marmalade with her family. Lily was beautiful, I've always thought that. With her light brown hair tied in the same fishtail braid as mine and a floral skirt going hand in hand with her black tank top coveted by a jean jacket. She had an amazing sense of style, I could never pull off what she was wearing. The rest of her family waved to us in a less Lily-like manner, also wearing splendid clothes and looking mighty fine doing it too. As we approached I caught sight of something dark moving in the corner but as fast as I saw it it left. Shaking whatever it was from my mind Lily comes to hug me from behind, my favourite hugs. She smelled like honeycomb today, I wondered if she could smell the lavender I put on today. I know that's her favourite scent, along with Aunt Jane's.

We walk into Lady Marmalade, The modern style and the bright colours surrounding everything compliment each other. Fruit of all kind on top of every table look so fresh along with the different colours of each booth going along with the colour scheme. On our left the entrance to the buffet area, with food all along long tables lining the kitchen behind it. Food surrounding everything, the smells could knock you out.

Sooo good! I really couldn't help but think to myself. I've never been here, it was recommended by Lily's family that we eat here. I didn't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it. This was so much better.

We sit at one of the booths on the side of a wall, even the walls are embroidered beautifully. It doesn't necessarily match the aesthetic but it looks good, I don't really like matchy-matchy. My "parents" start up a conversation about. . . I'm not really sure, but the adults are talking, meaning Borrrring! So I start playing double 'o seven with Lily, making it harder for us since she's right next to me. We have to face the table for our hands to bounce up to shoot each other. On Lily's left is Aaron who seems to be playing Rock, Paper, Scissors under the table with Lucas. Jake, who looks presumably left out is messing with Lucas on his right hand side.

The Mullips' children's ears perk up at something Aunt Jane said. I didn't catch what she said but it seemed to affect the mood of this brunch. I look at them, concern and curiosity obvious in my ice blue eyes.

Uncle Carlos looks fidgety on Aunt Jane's right, his fingers rubbing against each other in indecent circles. His brown eyes looking at everyone in a nervous manner, while creases form on his forehead. Aunt Jane on the other hand, looks unbothered by the staring and concerned looks the family is giving them. I'm not sure what she said but I'm not exactly rearing to know. "What?" Aunt Jane said, startling everyone out of they're look. "What did I say? Carlos, what did I say this time?" She asks my Uncle. Everyone shifts their heads to Uncle Carlos now.

"I'm not completely sur--" He's cut off. "I'll tell you what you said!" Susan, Lily's mom says in a stern voice. "You said he wasn't dead and contacted you! You lied to Cara's face and denied her information that she has a right to know!" Susan was on fire now, her face heating up from holding in frustrated anger. Darryl, Lily's dad, has to hold her hand for her to calm down. Susan was like a mother to me, I know she sees me as a daughter to her so I know why she's mad. But what is she mad about?

"What am I denied to know?" I say, using some of Susan's words.

"Nothing," Aunt Jane says.

"Everything," Susan says after.

I should defuse this bomb before it explodes, because something or someone might get out of hand, again. I'm talking about Susan here. I look at Uncle Carlos again, he's still a little fidgety but more calm. I've always had a sneaking suspicion they were hiding something from me but I've never pressed them for answers. Aunt Jane is good at getting out of interrogations and Uncle Carlos just switches into Spanish whenever I asked him anything he didn't want to answer. That made it quite hard for me learn anything from them, but if there's anyone that could make them talk it's Susan.

Susan's a sociologist so she knows how to handle people, Darryl is a lawyer so they make a super power couple together. My 'Parents' on the other hand are well. . . Not so threatening. Aunt Jane is a nurse and Uncle Carlos is a sous-chef, he makes mighty good food I must add. But neither of them pose a threat to anyone.

"Will someone just tell me what's going on?" I ask calmly, because what's the point of yelling if everyone around you is yelling too? Aunt Jane looks at me, Uncle Carlos looks down toward his knees.I sure do feel like yelling but I won't make a scene here, I'm more mature than that. Aunt Jane purses her lips tight so I turn my head Susan. Her eyes try to hide sorrow, a slow pain, the lines around her mouth, laugh lines. Susan, more of a mother-figure to me than Aunt Jane.

"Baby, there's something you need to discuss with your Aunt and Uncle. It's a big topic so I think we should all go home now," Susan says with her sweet, buttery voice, a small smile showing me kindness and all the reassurance I need. I look at everyone else, they all have the same expression, a little worried for me but being brave enough to smile for me too.

Lily. I want Lily with me, I think to myself as I look at her soft brown tendrils peeking out of her braid. Her warm smile, beautiful and full of love. Her deep blue eyes that look like the deepest part of the Marianas Trench, hiding secrets. I think she understands the look I give her so she asks her parents if she could stay with me, her parents unwillingly agree to the request.

It was a quiet drive back, no one speaking, eyes on the road, silently listening to the jazz on the radio station. Until we arrived home did all the unspoken words come out. It went a little something like this:

"Take a seat, girls," Aunt Jane said. Uncle Carlos sat worriedly next to Aunt Jane not saying anything. "I'm sure you have lots of questions, Cara,"

"No crap, sherlock," I say because I am prohibited from using the word very similar to Ship. But Aunt Jane gave me the evil eye.

"I will answer any questions you have now,"

"Okay. . ." I say slowly, looking at Lily for support. " . . .What information is being withheld from me?"

"The fact that your father is alive and contacted us not long ago saying he wants to see you," Aunt Jane said. She said it so nonchalantly too, it's unbearable to be around her sometimes!

"WHAT?" Lily gasps. What she said was how my face looked. Confused, concerned, flabbergasted and surprised. I could have never guessed this what the big news.

"What do you mean he's alive? What's his name? Am I allowed to see him? I thought he was dead? You lied to me! All these years I could have had a father but you really did deny me my right to know! I have a dad for godsakes!" I belt out all at once. Going from 'Wait, what?' to 'EXCUSE ME!' in a few seconds. I take minute to catch my breath but as I do this, Lily is filling in my space of craziness.

"How dare you do that to Cara!? You are not right for hiding very important news on her family! And you've known for a month! All this time you could have been talking to her but she had to find out by this turn of events? Not cool, peeps. Not cool." Lily finishes shaking her head at them, disappointedly. She's right, totally right but I can't change the past but I could at least fix what's happened with our conflict.

"Please explain," I say to Aunt Jane, not even bringing Uncle Carlos into this conversation, he's been out of this for too long to be included now.

"Okay," Aunt Jane says. She starts talking, starting from the beginning of everything. This is the story she told me:

"I met your father--your Uncle's stepbrother--for the first time when you were born. He brought you over with everything you had, which wasn't much, he said he had something to talk to us about, something important. That important thing he was talking about was leaving you behind because he couldn't raise you. Couldn't raise you because he was a convicted criminal on the run.

"We hadn't heard from him in 17 years, no calls, no texts, no signs at all! We didn't know what to think but we couldn't go ask the police because he was still on run. He is still on the run. But, a month and a half ago we were contacted by him. We couldn't be sure he was your father, so Carlos went to see him. . . He is indeed your dad. Cara, your dad was convicted of killing your mom. His name is Samuel DeMont. You get the first half of his name from him but the second half is your mom's, Winzlet. Her name was Terra, Terra Winzlet. She was a tough woman, cold as ice and fierce as fire. I admired that lady greatly! But it was not to be because Sam killed her with a machete."

Aunt Jane finishes with a sigh. I take a minute to process this entirely. My father is a murderer and my mother was the victim, but he still had the decency to hand me over to Jane. What a gentleman. I think exasperatedly.

Uncle Carlos finally chimes in. "Cara, your name isn't Cara. . ." This is the last thing I wanted to hear. People may think of me as cold-hearted but I never knew my parents so it doesn't hit as hard as it would have if I knew them. Knowing the name I've been called since I've been born isn't my given name is a little bit shocking.

"Your real name is Tempest DeWinzlet," Uncle Carlos finishes his paused sentence.

"Tempest?" I say with disgust, of all the things my parent could have named me, they went with "A violent windy storm" as their daughter's name. I don't think I've ever been as mad as I am now, I am fuming, I am burning up so much I don't think I could stay here another minute without bursting. So I walk out the back door, toward the stream behind my Aunt and Uncle's house. I don't even feel like calling it my own, I don't even feel like calling my family my own. I plop down on a smooth, rounded stone not far from the stream, barely touching the laces on my shiny shoes.

I don't have to turn around to know Lily was the one behind me as she put her hand on my dark hair, stroking it gently. Like she doesn't want to wake the beast inside of me, I wouldn't either if I were her, too. So I let her comb through your hair with her fingers and just watch the stream. In peace and quiet, occasionally picking up conversation now and again just talking about simple topics. I've never appreciated Lily more than in this moment right now, and I know if she was in this situation I would do the exact same thing.