baby | lrh

chapter 25

Ashton Irwin

Once the words flew out of my mouth, I knew there was no going back. How could I have been so stupid to slip up like that? I've known for months and I can't believe it came out during an argument.

I immediately took myself out of the situation and ran to my room but I could still feel all of their eyes burning into my back. I knew that Hayden was hot on my tail so I left the door open.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She quietly asked me. Should I?

"Eh..." I replied. She climbed onto our bed where I had my face in my pillow and she started rubbing consoling circles onto my shoulders.

"Whenever you're ready?" She told me but it sounded like a question.

"I only found out a couple of months ago. I found her picture in Rick's office and it was actually the night that Luke got out of jail that I confronted him about it. I knew that he didn't have her picture just because she was smart. I found other things that traced back to his disappearance. When he left me, he went and had an affair with P's mom, Elizabeth. She figured out she was pregnant and he stayed to help with the baby. They never thought about getting married but by the time he "died" they were married by common law. When Penelope was born, she took her mom's last name and not Irwin. I'll never understand how he could leave two families, but he did. Her mom apparently knows- she helped him. She understood that his business was more important than them and told Penelope that he died of cancer. It was a closed casket funeral, empty of course. He just disappeared and started opening schools and businesses and universities like this one. Her mom must've persuaded her to come here, I guess. I don't know. But we have the same deadbeat Dad. She thinks she's an only child, though. She doesn't know about any of this..." I told her, feeling good that I finally got it all off my chest.

"Wow... Ash, you have to tell her. She thinks he's dead. She has missed him and wondered about what would happen if he were still alive her whole life since he left. She's been begging for him to send her a sign or something since she was 9. She has to know, Ashton. I'm sure Rick would like to see her again but for P's sake, she needs to know he's still alive." She explained to me. Everything she was saying was true and not something I've never thought before. It's just, I'm not sure exactly how to tell P. You don't just go up to someone and be like 'Oh hey yeah we're siblings because we have the same piece of shit dad.' That's not how it works.

"I'll tell her tomorrow. I need to talk to Rick anyway so I might as well bring her..." I whispered before we went to sleep.

The whole night I tossed and turned in anticipation of telling her but I knew it had to be done.

When the sun came in through my window, I knew it was time. I rolled out of my bed, kissing Hay on the forehead and walked to P's room.

"P... wake up..." I shook her until I heard her groan. She must be hungover. I ran to get her some medicine and water which she was grateful for.

"Ashton what are you doing? It's 7 am. I want to go back to sleep..." She grumbled as she tried to grab her covers but I stopped her by catching them with my hand.

"I need to tell you something..." I told her, my voice small.

"Go on," she urged, impatiently. I couldn't do this here.

"Balcony..." I simply said, remembering that was where we had our last heart to heart about Luke.

We walked out there and took our seats, her still on edge waiting to hear what I had to say.

I took a deep breath and just looked at her. The resemblance was remarkable. Although we had different colored eyes, our hair was about the same shade and we both had curls. Her dimples were identical to mine and our skin tones were remarkably the same. If no one knew better, they would already know we were siblings.