A Story for Sunday-Part 6

I'm hosting the Soap Opera Sunday today for founders Brillig and Kate. For more information on Soap Opera Sunday look here. If you'd like to join in, sign up and link in your story. Then, don't forget to leave a comment below. If you'd like to read the others, just click on the links and read on!

And now, for my saga. To see last week click here. It will lead you to the earlier episodes.

Uncle Alex.

What the H. brought this on? He had wondered if Joey would ever find out, but he figured by this point he either never would know or wouldn’t care. He dreaded ever having to hear those words. Why did these kids nowadays have to know everything anyways? Some things are better just left as they are. Man, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling more. Was it anger, fear, relief, or confusion? This was the day he had always hoped to avoid. Now it had happened. Now what did he do?

He had always tried to help his nephew. He had really taken to him when he joined the family and had given so much joy to his sister. Since his brother in law didn’t step up and do all he should, he tried to fill in and be a second dad to Joey. He knew just how much this child meant to Martha, her one joy. He doubted Joey did. How ungrateful! Why would he want to go finding out about his birthparents anyway? Didn’t he respect his mom enough to just leave it as that? She was his mother. She might not be perfect. Sure, she had made some big mistakes along the way, but anyone who would give up a child didn’t deserve a second thought. She could never hold a candle to Martha.

Why had he put him in this position? Why would he come to him? Joey had to know he was putting him between a rock and a hard place. He owed a lot to his big sister. She had practically raised him and helped out so he could finish school. Sure, she was pretty rough around the edges and he didn’t enjoy her tactics all the time. She had to do things her own way, but she had sacrificed a lot for him. That had made all the difference in his life. He knew it. He had offered to help Joey to repay his sister and hopefully make things better for her and Joey and their little family. He knew Joey would not disappoint him. Well, there were things he hadn’t been able to change about him. He wouldn’t quit his crazy religion, but he was a hard worker. He was stubborn and wouldn’t do things the way Alex wanted all the time. He had left his house over something silly but he had come back and thanked him. They had stayed on good terms. He didn’t want to lose his nephew.

If he lied, it probably wouldn’t work. Joey seemed pretty sure. He would lose his nephew’s trust. Then maybe he would go ask Martha. That would be worse. That would kill her. Would Joey still consider himself to be a part of the family if he told? Or would he lose him either way?

On the other hand, he didn’t want to lose his sister’s trust. How could he help her son find his birthmother? How could he betray her like that? He didn’t want to lose her trust, either.

Well, he couldn’t just hide here in the bathroom all night. He was going to have to do something. But what? Why did the kid want to know anyhow? Maybe he could avoid the answer and ask Joey some questions…

So he went back out and sat down.

-“What makes you think you’re adopted?”

-“Well, it’s a pretty good clue when your mom can’t even keep her story straight about where you were born. I’m not dumb, I always figured as much being the only child after 10 years and no more babies. Plus, we’ve found out some medical information about her that doesn’t leave much room for doubt. Please, uncle, it’s not like I’m going to disown her or anything. She’s still my mom.”

His wife interjected: “We don’t think there’s anything wrong with adoption; on the contrary, it’s a good thing. We plan to adopt ourselves someday.”

Joey continued, “I think I have a right to know how I got here. Can you imagine not knowing where you came from? “

Ugh. He was having a hard time coming up with a counter argument here.

-“But if it doesn’t change anything, why do you need to know?”

-“What about my daughter and I? We don’t even know what to tell the doctors about our family history. I think I should know, if for nothing else, for her sake.” “Please, Uncle, you’re the only one who I could ask. I know no one else will tell me.”

This was getting even more difficult. He figured it would be pretty stupid to try to lie. Better he heard here and now.

-“O.K. Joey, I’m going to tell you what I know, which isn’t much, but you have to promise me, it won’t change anything. You are still our family. And you will NEVER EVER tell your mom that you know. It would KILL her! (And she’d kill me, he silently thought) Do you understand me? Do you promise? Never!”

-“Yes, I do promise. I don’t want to hurt my mom either. I just want to know.”

-“Well, as you know, your mom couldn’t have children. Neither could Rachel and Gina. Only Vanna and I had children. Your mom wanted a child so bad. She had thought it would help your dad stop drinking. He just celebrated your arrival with alcohol. But you know he couldn’t help himself. He was beside himself, he was so happy. You know, I thought it was wonderful that she took you on as if you were her own, and she worked hard for you, you know that. When she took in your brother Andy, well, now that was amazing. You know she only did that for you? She knew you wanted him to be your brother. That was a big thing she did. I know it was hard for her, but she did it for you.”

-“Yes, but why was I up for adoption? Who were my parents? How did they adopt me?”

-“Like I said, I don’t know a lot, but your Godparents were the ones who arranged everything. You’d have to ask them. I really don’t know the answers to those questions.”

-“Will you find out for me? Will you call them? If I call, you know they’ll just deny it. I want to find them. I want to talk to them. I need your help.”

-“What on earth do you need to do that for? Do you realize the position you’re putting me in? Just let it go, Joey.”

-“I don’t want to let it go. I want to know.”

The discussion went on for a few hours. Finally that kid bushwhacked him into finding out how to reach his birthmother. He told him to please just give him time. He made him promise again not to breathe a word to anyone. He would call and let him know what he found out. He felt sick. What were the odds that this would all end well?