THALIA

44. Relatives

• THALIA •

"Why does it look like somebody just died...?"

Gio and his Dad are stood in my bedroom doorway looking stiff as hell.

I don't get a reply so I ask them again, "guys... what's wrong?"

Gio shakes his head as if he's waking himslef up. "Uh, hey T."

"Hello..."

"We were thinking... uh that it's a possibility... that you are... um.. i don't know..." Gio tries to form a sentence and fails miserably.

Rich pats him on the back and whispers something in his ear.

They both walk further into the room and sit on the end of the bed. I hug my knees to my chest. "Your scaring me, who died?" I ask the both of them, looking between them.

Rich opens his mouth, about to start speaking but then he stops himself. He scratches his beard and looks to the ceiling as if the answer to all his problems is going to be written in bold writing up there.

I am literally sweating, are they going to kick me out when we get back from Greece? Oh god, do they not want me anymore?

"You told me I wouldn't fall," I whisper, casting a glance to a plain wall.

"I won't. I'm still going to be your foster Dad, regardless."

I feel a bit calmer now that I know they're not completely sacking me off. "What do you mean?"

Rich takes a deep breath and then looks me in the eyes and tells me, "I think that there's a possibility we're related."

I'm lost for words. They're gone. Where are they? I don't know. Do I want them back? I'm not sure.

Rich then rushes to say, "I'm not sure how closely related. But... you just look like us so much."

"I - I don't know what to say."

Rich tilts his head slightly, Gio just sits there observing. I don't blame him. "Would you be open to taking a DNA test?"

I scratch my arm nervously, "...yes."

_____________________________

"Don't tense your arm, it will hurt a thousand times more, baby T." Matteo tells me with a needle in his hand.

As soon as I said yes, Rich and Gio took me to Matteo and then we went into a plain, spacious bedroom. I think this is where anyone goes if they hurt themselves. All the equipment for a DNA test was already in a drawer.

You know, out of all the brothers I would've least expected Matteo to be a doctor.

..actually, that's a lie. I'd expect Dom the least, and then Matteo.

Gio's holding onto my hand and I'm squeezing his hand as hard as I can. I squeeze my eyes shut and throw my head back.

The needle goes into my upper arm and goes straight back out quickly.

"Fucccckkkkkk, I tensed my arm."

Matteo shakes his head and smiles, "idiot." He goes and puts the blood somewhere and tells me to stand up. Rich then takes my spot and Matt takes his blood.

Rich takes the needle calmly unlike somebody.

"We'll have the results in two days probably." Matteo tells us.

I think everyone in the room takes a deep breath at the same time.

I'm not sure how I'm going to relax for the next couple of days.

When we leave the room Rich pulls me to the side. "Hey, so I just wanted to say that this won't change anything." He tells me reassuringly.

As much as I trust Rich... I'm not sure if I believe him. I think everything's going to change.

——————————————————————

"How was it?" Stella asks as soon as I step into the lounge. Nadine and May are right behind her.

"It was alright, but I accidentally tensed my arm so it kind of hurts like a bitch." I tell them.

Me and May take a seat on one sofa and Nadine and Stella rake a seat on the other.

"How you feeling?" Nadine asks casting me a sympathetic glance.

I shrug, "I don't know."

"Well, wanna play a game or something?" Nay asks, attempting to lighten up the mood.

"I'm down." I tell them, desperate to find a distraction.

"Cool, I'll go look for some."

"I'll come with," Stella tells May, getting up off of the sofa and following May down the hall.

Nadine stands up and comes and takes a seat beside me. She puts a loving arm around me. "Sure your okay?"

I nod trying to fool myself into believing I'm okay.

"I don't think so," I tell her, barely whispering.

"Aww, T."

I shake my head trying to shake the tears away. "Fucking stupid emotions."

"It's alright, babe, let it out."

I fiddle with my hands in my lap and keep my gaze fixated on the floor. "It's just shit, isn't it? If we end up being related then I'll know the life I could have had. Kind of annoying."

"You have every right to be pissed, T. It's unfair. Regardless if your related to them or not. It's so shit and you are so undeserving of what you've been through. I wish I could take an ounce of it away."

When I hear footsteps nearing us I quickly wipe my tears away.

May and Stella appear with a bunch of games piled up in their arms. "We found a lot of options," May announces.

They place the games on the floor and May takes a seat on the other sofa and Stell kneels on the floor. "Okay, we could play; uno, charades, articulate, game of life, monopoly, cluedo-"

"Cluedo!" Me and Nadine say at the same time. We laugh about how weird it was to say that at the same time.

"Cluedo it is," Stell states and puts all the other games to one side.

"Who do you guys want to be?" Stella asks all of us as she places the little, coloured figures on the board.

"I'll be colonel Mustard!" May says.

"I'll be Miss Scarlett." Nadine says.

"Okay then.. I'll be Dr Orchid." Stella says.

"I'll be Mrs peacock." I tell them.

We start playing the game but the anxious feeling never goes away.

I'll be completely honest, I'm fucking shitting myself.