Walking to the kitchen to grab something to clean up with, I falter when she calls after me,
“And, Fin.” I turn so I can look at her. “You ever pull something like that with me or in my place again, and it’s over.”
The hole that has been there for the last ten days expands with her threat.
“I know.” I nod.
I’m just throwing the broken glass in the trash when her doorbell chimes. The door opens, and in pours my mother, followed by Gaby, and Antonia’s parents.
Fucking perfect.
“What’s going on?” Antonia asks, confusion causing her to worry her lip.
“Did you not get the text?” Gaby asks, rolling her eyes, and then she notices Gavin, who’s staring straight at her. She turns and makes her way towards where I’m standing and sees the broken pieces of bottle in the bin. She smirks.
“Heavy night?”
She’s still pissed at me, and that’s fine, but she knows what Antonia and I have lost, so her attitude won’t be tolerated with me today. “Don’t be a brat.”
“Screw you, Finlay,” she snaps, and it takes all my willpower not to bark a retort or scold her for her language. Dad hated it when she’d slip out a cuss.
“I don’t have a cell phone right now. Can someone explain what’s going on?” Antonia says, exasperated.
“Come sit down, everyone,” my mother orders, and the kid inside me battles with the man, but I cave and do as she asks.
Gaby sits as far from Gavin and me as possible, using an end table as a stool. Antonia sits between the two of us, wringing her hands together.
I place my hand on hers to try and offer her some comfort, and she smiles at me before focusing back on our parents who have formed a line in front of us. Not one of them is looking any of us in the eyes.
This can’t be good.
“Gavin, we didn’t text you, but I suppose it’s right you hear this after what Finlay had accused of your father. Although, we expect your discretion in what you’re going to hear,” my mother tells him, and we all shift, uncomfortable with the entire situation. Is she going to air our business in front of Antonia’s parents?
“Finlay, what you told your sister and your friend was completely fabricated.”
I open my mouth to defend my findings on the matter, but she holds her hand up to stop me. She used to do that to me when I was a kid and it annoyed me then, and still fucking does now. Even more so.
“Gavin’s father and I may have had a fling back before your father, but not after,” she states, narrowing her eyes on me.
“So, we can’t be brother and sister?” Gaby asks, a wisp in her tone.
“No, sweetie. Absolutely not.”
“But I’m not Dad’s either?” she questions, knowing the answer.
Our mother shakes her head and then straightens her shoulders. “When I was younger I was…” she pauses, raising her eyes to the ceiling, trying to think of a word or an excuse for being slutty.
“Loose?” Antonia’s mom offers, and I almost choke but manage to hide it, which is something Gavin doesn’t do when his snort can be heard throughout the room.
Mom glares at Antonia’s mom, and her dad quickly jumps in with his word choice.
“Spirited,” he corrects, and they both shrug their shoulders and nod. This is the last thing I want to hear about, and why they choose to do it here after Antonia just got home from hospital is beyond me.
“Things were different when we were young to how they are now, although you kids are quite…”
“Spirited,” Antonia’s mom finishes.
Mom huffs before Antonia’s dad pipes in. “Have you heard of such a thing as swingers’ parties?”
If my jaw could unhinge, it would be on the floor right now. One thing I never needed to hear from David’s lips.
“Gross, Dad.” Antonia shudders.
“I’m sorry. This isn’t something I ever wanted to discuss with you or anyone.”
“What are you all getting at? I was some random accident at a gross swingers’ party for old people?” Gaby is on her feet now. Her face is scrunched into a disgusted scowl and her arms are folded under her chest as she glares at our mother.
“We weren’t old then, Gaby,” Antonia’s mom says.
“I can’t believe this.” Gaby gasps. “That’s not the point!”
“Calm down. You weren’t some random person’s,” Mom tries to convey, like she’s talking about mixing up a dinner order.
“We were the only people who shared,” David adds, looking pale, with a red tinge making his cheeks glow.
This is the most disgusting thing I’ve had to hear and they’re still not getting to the fucking point.
“Wait,” Antonia calls out. She’s shaking her head in disbelief. “You and Mum, and you and…” She trails off.
“We were close friends, and it’s not as uncommon as you’d think. Yes, Gaby. I’m sorry, but you were an accident,” Mom spits out with a wave of her hand, like she’s bored and just put it out there.
“I feel sick.” Gaby gasps.
“Mom!” I scold.
Who tells their kids they were an accident?
“A very welcome one, Gaby,” she adds.
“Wait. Oh my God!” Antonia says. “So… you’re Gaby’s father?” She exhales, putting her hand to her stomach and covering her mouth with her other hand. “I can’t believe this. It’s too much.”
My eyes travel to David, and it’s right there in his eyes. He is Gaby’s father. All this time the evidence was right fucking there. The more I stare at him, the more I see of him in Gaby. How could they be best friends all these years and not realize? Unless they knew all along.
“We assumed not, and were all happy to never bring up the possibility,” David adds.
“So, are you or not?” Antonia shouts, looking to Gaby and back to her father.
“Yes. We believe so.”
Holy shit. I never saw this coming. My thoughts can’t rest enough for me to let it fully sink in.
Gaby and Antonia are sisters.
Tears leak from Antonia’s eyes as she tries to make sense of what she’s being told.
My eyes find Gaby, who is shaking her head.
“All this time and you never thought to tell us?” Gaby chokes.
“We didn’t have a cause, and your father loved you,” Mom tells her in a calming voice that only elevates the tension with Gaby.
Didn’t have a cause? Is this the same people that raised us? Who just lets something like that lay dormant in the hopes that the pieces went where they were supposed to, and if they didn’t, just ignore it and pretend otherwise? If he loved me and thought of me as his daughter then why did he take me from his will?” Gaby barks. The pain is evident in her features.
I want to go to her and hold her, but I know I won’t be welcome; she’s pissed at me too. She’s pissed at us all right now. I don’t understand any of this. If our dad knew that this was a high probability then why all the evidence and notes in his safe? As if reading my mind, Mom continues to pour salt into her wounds.