Silent Love

Mandy walked the way from her house till her childhood home wearing her warm jacket. It was October and the nights were getting colder. The front door was locked, but she easily let herself in using the key hidden under a nearby flowerpot. She found her father and Hayleigh in the kitchen eating leftovers.

Her father sprung to his feet and wrapped his strong arms around her.
“I’m so happy you came back Amanda, I knew you would. How is your mother?”
“You have a lot of making up for her to do. She’s a mess and it’s your entire fault. You’ve been horrible,” She pointed one accusing finger at him.
“I know it is, and you have no idea how sorry I am.”
“You gotta prove it to her.”

“Do you want to hear the whole story?” Michael asked his middle daughter.
“I do, but I want to hear it from her,” Mandy nodded towards Hayleigh. “Do you mind leaving us alone dad?”
Michael left the room with a hanging head.

Mandy sat down at the table opposite of Hayleigh. She worked really hard with herself not to have a go at the woman – her half sister.
“I’m Amanda,” stretched her hand across the table and shook Hayleigh’s hand.
“I know, dad – Sorry, I mean Michael talks about you and Amelia a lot. It feels like I already know you.”
“But I don’t know you, Hayleigh.”
“Please call me Leigh. And I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
Mandy shrugged. She was working hard pretending she didn’t care.

Hayleigh thought for a second before she started. “I was born to Beatrice Andrews. She died when I was three, so I didn’t really know her. My grandmother raised me and I had everything I needed – a happy, but lonely, childhood. I was always curious about my father, because I looked nothing like mom in the pictures of her. The only thing we had in common was our blond hair.”

Mandy was curious as well. “Didn’t your grandmother know about dad?”
“Of course she did; they had been dating for six months when mom broke up with him; she didn’t want to ruin his education with a love child. But I was never told. No matter how much I asked and begged, she would not tell me his name.”

“Then how did you find him?” Mandy asked and rested her chin in her hands.
Hayleigh smiled. “My grandmother died last year, and on her deathbed she told me how scared she was of leaving me all alone. So she told me his name. Michael Myers, Forks, married, two daughters,” She let out a chuckle. “I wanted to slap that old woman for hiding him from me, but that wouldn’t help much. I started searching for him after the funeral and after I’d sold the house.”

She paused and took a sip of the cup of tea in front of her. “Luckily, there aren’t many Myers living in Forks. I found the number for his work, called and said I had some legal problems and got him to meet me in Hoquiam. And that’s it. We have met regularly and talked, gotten to know each other. There was no need of a DNA test, because when I saw him for the first time it felt like everything found its place. And I hope that with time that you and Amelia will be my sisters. And I really hope your parents will work this out. I really didn’t mean to cause any problems for you. Michael has been beating himself up about this for a long time now.”

“You can call him dad, you know, it’s okay,” Mandy wiped away a tear that escaped her eye.
Hayleigh smiled at her and took a hold of her hand. “I’ve always felt like I’m on the outside, but now I know where I can fit in.”

~~~

Mandy was lost in thought as she was making her way back home. She had never been on the outside. She and Hayleigh’s up growing had been completely opposites. She felt tears pressing and she pulled her cell-phone out and dialed the familiar number. She didn’t remember until the second ring that it was past 2 am. She was about to hang up after the fifth, but then she heard Jacob’s groggy voice.

“Jake, it’s me,” she said weakly. “Do you mind picking me up in Forks? I need you.”
“On my way Curly,” She heard the smile in his suddenly bright voice.