You'd Do the Same

Jaime’s POV
It all started when I got back from Warped Tour. I went to my parents’ house to visit them like I always did and was quite surprised to see what had occurred in my absence. My parents were divorcing and my dad had already moved out of the house. I was shocked and begged my mother for a reason why. My father had apparently been having affairs for quite a long time and she could deal with that. What she couldn’t deal with was him having a child with one of those women and then abandoning it. It wasn’t even the kid with the other woman that bothered her the most, the fact that he turned away one of his children disgusted her. I wasn’t quite sure what to think this was a lot to take in, one thing I was sure of is that I wasn’t siding with my dad. He always had underhanded things to say about me and the band. My mom was skeptical at first but she loved that I was doing something I loved. Not my father though, he’s been like that my entire life. Everything was more important than me and my mother.

Conner’s POV
I remember when I got the call. It was from an unknown number so I was curious as to who was calling. I answered and was greeted with a woman’s voice. It was warm and welcoming and she asked me if I was Conner Novak. I told her I was and nothing prepared me for what came next. “My name is Adelina and my husband is your father”. I dropped my phone out of pure shock and was quick to pick it back up. I talked with her for a while before we decided on a time and place to meet. After sitting there staring into space for I don’t know how long after our conversation I rose from where I was sitting and went inside. Ignoring the looks I was getting from both Danny and Devin I walked out the front door with my keys and got in my car. I had insisted on meeting with Adelina today because if I didn’t I would chicken out and never go to meet her.
I arrived at a nice house in a fairly suburban area of town. I took a deep breath before knocking on the door and waited for what felt like a couple seconds before the door was opened. I was greeted by a Hispanic woman who looked like she was in her forties. I was more than shocked when she pulled me into a tight hug and I could hear her murmuring in Spanish. I had never been hugged like this before and I felt my stomach clench at the thought of my “Mother”. Adelina ushered me into the kitchen and had me sit at the island in the middle of the kitchen. “I’ve invited my son, he’ll be here in an hour or so,” she explained taking the seat next to mine. “I have a brother,” I blurted out shocked at the notion. She nodded and proceeded to ask me questions about myself and my childhood, something I had a hard time opening up to people about. Not Adelina though, she was a wonderful woman and I could tell she was genuinely interested in what I had to say. “Oh cariño no one should have to go through what you did, you are a very strong boy,” she said giving me another tight hug after I told her.
She left me in the kitchen to greet her son so she could help prepare him for this a little more. I took a sip of the water and tried to mentally prepare myself for what was about to take place. Shocked wouldn’t cover what I felt when she came back in the room with my brother. It was Jaime, who I’d briefly met on a few separate occasions. Jaime’s face mirrored the surprise I felt and I noticed Adelina left us alone so we could acquaint ourselves. I thought I’d experienced some awkward silences, but nothing compared to one I was experiencing right now. I don’t know what possessed me to do it but I started talking, about my hometown of all things.
“I hated it so much there and by fifteen I was starting high school and still had yet to get a decent foster home or some friends. I actually considered ending my life, I mean it’s not like I had anyone who would miss me. In my mind I was being a realist,” I paused for a minute to take a sip of my water. “Two separate things changed this. One I moved foster homes yet again. Secondly I met Jared. Now the foster home I was placed in was fucking terrible; the husband was abusive and the wife was almost never there. They had another kid who wasn’t older than nine and I often took the fall for his mistakes. I couldn’t stand to see a kid that young get beat. Well one time I couldn’t take the fall for him and he was going fucking ballistic on the kid, so I did the only thing I could think of and stepped in,” I grimaced remembering that night so vividly. “He beat me within an inch of my fucking life. I remember the next day hearing a knock on the door. It ended up being the police and social services and they immediately took me a hospital and removed me and the kid both from the home. He fractured half of my ribs among other things and he’s where I got these lovely scars across my back. The state decided they would place me in a home just outside of Dallas, it was a great one I was actually there until I turned eighteen. Anyway I got to be the new kid yet again, except this time it was different. Jared Pritchett was persistent and after a week of ignoring him I decided I would talk to the crazy kid. I was able to talk to him about all the shitty foster homes and how I felt like jumping off a bridge most of the time. He got me in photography and even bought me my first camera, I joined the swim team and soccer because of that guy”. I took a look at Jaime and he was giving me his undivided attention. “We always went to parties together where I would almost always get smashed and we’d end up taking a cab home. Two weeks before senior year we went to one only a block away from his house so we walked there. On our way home we were stopped by some guys they wanted anything we had value and we complied. This is where things get a little fuzzy, they hit Jared and I fought back. That resulted in both of us being shot, Jared dying during the ambulance ride. I turned eighteen a few months later and left with no regrets.”
It was around ten when I finally made it back home, Adelina had insisted on me staying for dinner. Afterwards Jaime approached me and we swapped numbers and he thanked me for being so open with him. I don’t even know why I told him any of that, I never talk about Jared. I noticed Devin waiting on the porch, no doubt awaiting my return home. I took a seat next to him and lit a cigarette, “I have a half-brother,” I said in response to his silent question. “No fucking way!” he exclaimed and I just nodded. “The real kicker, wait for it. Is that it’s Jaime from Pierce The Veil. Apparently our dad was a real prick,” I responded finishing up my cigarette. “Well I guess you can meet your dad now,” Devin said following me inside.
“I have no interest in meeting that son of a bitch; I’ve done fine so far without him”.