Moonshine(40)

“Now, there is a third page here for someone else. He has asked that this amount of money which you will see is the same amount as Ryker, be left to his other child.”

“Excuse me?” I looked at him confused. Did he just say there was another child?

“What?” Mom asked.

“I understand that this comes as a shock, but he had asked that this remain a secret unless this situation was to succumb.”

What the hell do you say to that? All these years I have had a brother or sister and didn’t know it. “Mr. Galvin, does this other person know about my dad?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure how much I am really supposed to say here.” He looked at Mr. Barrett for some kind of advice and he just nodded his head. Thankfully he allowed him to continue, because I really needed to know. “I was told that the child does not know about her father. Only what she has been told since he passed. The same conditions will apply to her as far as receiving her part of his will.”

“Who is she?” My mother asked never taking her eyes off of the papers on the table.

“Her name is Valerie Morgan and she is fifteen years old. She lives in Little Rock with her grandmother Anna Scotland. When I contacted Mrs. Scotland she informed me that Valerie’s mother, Tori, died about eight months ago. She had cancer. I don’t know if David was aware of this or not. Now she lives with her grandmother and she has been taking very good care of her. With Anna as Valerie’s legal guardian, she will become benefactor until Valerie’s twenty first birthday.”

I don’t know what to think about all of this. It’s too damn much. I have a sister that I know nothing about and if momma’s heart was healing before, I’m pretty damn sure that it’s broken again. I ran my hands through my hair and leaned my head back onto the headrest of the chair. This went from good to bad real fast.

“Is there anything else that we need to do today?” Mom spoke softly.

“That is it Mrs. Morgan. I will just need to make copies of all of this paperwork and you can be on your way.” She just shook her head as he stood from his chair. “I’ll be right back.”

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Actually, I’m okay. It’s hard news to hear, but I’m not that surprised. I knew that your dad had affairs. I always have, but I always loved him regardless. I wish sometimes that I hadn’t and that I would have left, but when he was at his best I could never let go. He would always find some way to make things better. My love for him was blind and I couldn’t let go. This isn’t the worse news ever. At least you know that you have a sister. Maybe one day you will get to meet her.”

“I don’t know about that. I need a little time to adjust to the whole situation. It’s messed up.”

“Yes it is baby, but we’re strong. You heard what the man said. That poor girl has lost her mother and now her father. Besides her grandmother, it sounds like you may be her only family.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.” She was right. The girl was fifteen and had no parents. That sounds like a much harder life than I have had, and she’s so young.

When Mr. Galvin brought back our papers, we left. We agreed we wouldn’t step foot back into that hell hole ever, no matter what. We got what we came for. I know that I left there with a lot more than I came with. I had a baby sister, and I couldn’t wait to tell Shine.





22



Shine

Thursday March 9th

Dear Shine Baby,

Let me tell you about the fucking night I had. You aren’t going to believe it. We had the meeting over dad’s will and it was crazy. Turns out I have a fifteen year old little sister who lives in Little Rock. I know it’s crazy, right? I mean all of these year s I knew my dad was a cheating bastard but another kid. I guess I never thought it was possible and now it’s like a big slap in the face. It’s sunk in but it hasn’t. Does that make sense? We found out that her mother died recently too so she stays with her grandma. It’s weird when I think that all of this time I have had a sister. Last night when I was sleeping I wondered what she was like. Maybe she’s nice you know? Maybe she would like to meet me sometime. Who knows? Her name is Valerie. That sounds like a nice name. Don’t you think?

Anyways, that’s what went down yesterday. I was a little worried about Momma but she actually seems okay. She took the news better than I did. I swear, you should have seen her. She is a serious scrapper. It was awesome. Those prick lawyers tried to play a fast one on her and she threw them all out on their asses. It was funniest shit ever. The first few months after Dad died she was like a rock. I could barely get her to react to anything, but slowly she has come around. You wouldn’t believe the difference. She is so strong. Now I know that I won’t have to worry if I leave for college. Yes I said college. I’m seriously considering it and with the money that dad left I won’t have to worry about a thing.