"No Longer Alone": Part 15

We turn around to see a girl crossing her arms and raising her eyebrows expectantly. 

“So is this the twin sister you told me about?” Jack exclaims as he makes his way over. “Wow, I really see the family resemblance. I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out sooner.”

“Yeah, thanks. To be clear, are you the ex-best friend Jaehyun says betrayed him and broke his spirits forever?”

“Okay, that’s enough guys,” I declare, moving between them. “Calm down.”

“Well,” Brynn says, drawing out the word. “On a lighter note, Jaehyun, your parents are here.”

“Parents?” Jack and I say in unison. He understandably looks confused, while I have a mix of sadness and fear going on. I don’t even try to hide it, my scrunched shoulders and turned-down face say it all.

“Yes. Your real parents,” Brynn clarifies, sealing my doom. 

“Look, Brynn. I don’t want to see them right now…”

“Are you sure? Because they seem pretty happy to see you.”

“Really?” Did they change their minds?

“Yes. They’ve been looking for you.”

I follow Brynn to the entrance, or what’s left of it. After all the destruction caused by the fire, the once sturdy doorway turned into a crumbling mess of concrete and wood. Although Jack accompanies us, he stays quiet. I look back, but I can’t read his face. I stare at him a few seconds longer, in reality just not wanting to look at the two shadowy figures ahead. 

“Hello!” I hear Brynn say. “Jaehyun Kang, as promised.”

She gives me a little shove, forcing me to look at the faces of the people standing before me. What I see nearly gives me a heart attack.

“Robert? Kareema?” I run up and give them a Jack-worthy bear hug. “I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have run away! I was so stupidly obstinate!”

“Woah, woah, buddy. It’s okay.”

I turn to Brynn. “I thought you said you brought my real parents?”

“I did,” She says, gesturing to Robert and Kareema. “My parents were never your real parents. Parents are supposed to love and support you. That’s Robert and Kareema. Just because they’re not blood, doesn’t mean they’re not family.”

I pull Brynn, Robert, and Kareema into a big family hug. And just because he looks left out, I pull Jack in too. All the people I care about. My family.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for group hugs,” Jack says suddenly. “But I better start heading home. My parents will get worried.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart. Go home. Tonight’s a school night, you know.” Kareema assures Jack.

“I’ll come with you to get your bike!” I interject. “I should probably grab Robert’s too.”

I follow him to where we were with Bryan. Once we’re alone, I try my best to apologize. Unfortunately for me, it’s a bit hard to find the words when you have hated someone for so long.

“You don’t have to apologize, Jaehyun.”

“But–”

“Hey, I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” Jack says, turning to exit with his bicycle in hand. I turn quickly to face him before he gets too far. “You go to Live Oak?”

“Yep! I’m a freshman. Apparently, the orphanage school was better than we thought! I was able to skip 8th grade.”

“Huh. Guess I never noticed.”

“That’s what I keep telling you!” Brynn yells from the destroyed entryway. “Observation skills! Work on them!”

“Anyways,” Jack says, holding back a laugh. “I’ll see around. And you’re sure you’ll be okay?”

I look back at the three people waiting for me at what used to be the front of the orphanage I spent the first fifteen years of my life. Robert, Kareema, and Brynn. My parents and sister. The people I didn’t know I’d been looking for my entire life. My family.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”