Chapter Three
“Will you please just go talk to them?” Jake pleaded, he’s been asking since we got home. Two days ago.
“No” I answered him again, continuing to chop the carrot for dinner.
“Will you at least tell me why?” he groaned leaning down on the bench begging with his eyes.
“No” I repeated. It is basically the only words I’ve said these past days.
“Why?”
“No” he moved around the bench following me as I reached the fridge to receive the other ingredients.
“Please?”
“No” I moved around him back to the bench.
“Smells good” I heard Joe as he walked in the door, his long brown hair waving around his face. "What you making?”
“Roast” I answered with a weak smile.
“Yum” he grinned, “How far off?” he asked.
“A while yet” I shrugged. Joe ran up the stairs to do his normal routine of showering and getting changed from his work clothes to either his party wear or lazy day wear. Seeing as its Friday it wouldn’t surprise me to find him running down clean and pretty about to run out the door to meet a new girl to bring home.
Jake was unfazed by us and continued with the interrogation the second he left. “Please just go visit one of them, I know that you want to. You're up all night reading the file Travis gave you, you have read and re read every page enough to recite it all back to me” He pestered.
“So, you think I just shouldn’t be interested in my family?” I asked finally giving up.
“No, I think you should stop pretending you're not dying to see them, for them to answer every question in your mind, at least go see your dad. The fans aren’t all big around him, go to him, then go to your mum together, she has to believe you if you're both there” He advised.
“And what if he doesn’t accept me? What if he throws me out because he never wanted a daughter, what if I am nothing to him? What if I am rejected? Do you think I could handle that?” My voice rose with every word and I ended up screaming at him.
“I think you're stronger than you seem. Maybe you’ll be rejected maybe not, but were still your family, and you never know until you try” He shrugged his shoulders and turned away. He sounded a mix of hurt, the pain was evident on his voice, but he was sincere. He believed every word he had said.
I looked down at the chopping board begging myself to beat the inner battle rising in me. I could never face what was happening without Jake and Lora, but I knew that there was one thing I had to do on my own. I had finally lost my inner battle.
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I stopped the car slowly out the front of the house. I checked the paper again and then back at the blue house. This was it. I climbed out of the car the papers tight in my grip as I hugged them into my chest. I was on my own and walking up the path. I had no idea what to say but I was hoping the words would just come to me. I had left early this morning. Jake and Joe had gone out till late last night after our awkward dinner and are probably still sleeping off a hangover while Lora is probably lying around sleeping or writing in the diary she kept.
I walked up the three wooden steps and on to the porch. I let out a deep breath. I can do this. I didn’t let myself back down, instead I just went for it, no second guessing, there was no time.
The door swung open and there he stood, the sandy blonde haired man wrinkled from old age, his hair sticking up slightly to show he’d just gotten out of bed. He was definitely the man in the folder, maybe it was an old picture though, he looks a lot older in person.
“Hello?” he asked eyeing me over with a questioning gaze.
“Are you Troy Austin?” I asked even though I knew the answer. I couldn’t hold back a smile, he didn’t know it yet but he was staring at his daughter.
“Look I don’t know how you found me, but I don’t talk to Louis, I don’t want fans rocking up on my doorstep expecting to see One Direction roaming around because they won't be” He went to close the door but I stopped him.
“I'm not a fan” I called to him. He stopped pushing so strongly but he was reluctant to open the door again.
“Then what do you want?” he growled.
“I want to speak to you” I told him.
“About what?” He asked, he was getting frustrated quickly,
“I would rather not talk to you throw a door” I answered honestly, I wanted to see the shock on his face when he found out, I wanted to see the anger of the fact I’d made my way back in his life. I wanted to see something.
“Hurry up, I don’t have all day” he opened the door completely again. That was doubtful as it was 11 and he was still in his dressing gown more than likely he had only just gotten out of bed or off the couch.
“I just need to know, do you have a daughter that you put up for adoption the day she was born?” Better to ask to just make sure.
He stood up straight his eyes narrowing, “Who told you about that?” he bellowed, "What are you the press?” he glared pointing finger at me.
“Please, is it true or not?” I asked quietly, my eyes glancing to the floor.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“My name is Abby, I was born November 27th 1995, I was put up for adoption the day I was born. I don’t have a last name, but if I had any, it would be Austin” I finally had the courage to glance up at his eyes, the shock that was displayed was undeniable. He looked at me like I had transformed before his eye into the daughter he always knew.
“A-Abby?” He asked. “How did you?” he couldn’t even complete the sentence.
“I hired a private investigator months ago. I was told a few days ago who my parents were, I thought I’d have better luck with the parent that doesn’t have much connection with the famous celebrity” I looked down at my feet a little embarrassed by my words.
“You’d have more luck with your mother, from what I hear she was looking for you for a while” He said, when I looked back up at him he was practically glaring.
"What are you saying?” I asked, my heart was beating faster and harder, I could feel it in my throat.
“I'm saying there’s a reason I wasn’t looking for you” I took a step back my eyes making their way back to my hands.
“I'm sorry” I nodded, “I just wanted to meet my father” I turned around and I heard the door slam behind me as I kept walking to the car.
I didn’t turn back as I climbed into the car and turned on the engine finding my way back to the road. I didn’t turn back as I continued driving. I didn’t stop, not once until I realized where I was. I pulled into the driveway and turned the engine off. Looking up at the house I didn’t recognize I let out a long sigh. “You’d have more luck with your mother” I repeated the words that were going through my mind the entire ride. “She was looking for you”
I opened the car door and swung my legs out, holding tightly to the butterfly pendant that hung on the end of my necklace. I’ve had it since I was a baby. It was left with me at the hospital but I never wear it because knowing me, I’ll break it. I guess I thought it might bring me a little luck today. So far its done nothing.
I looked up at the brown door and steadied my breathing as I grabbed the files. I don’t know what I'm doing here, but I restrained myself from running back into the safety of my car and speeding away. Instead I didn’t back down as I walked up to the door, I couldn’t help but notice all the camera’s that lingered around the house. In case someone finds out this is her house I guess. I reached up my hand and paused at the doorbell.
What if she does the same as Troy? If she tells me she never wanted me and sends me away. I looked up at the door again, and stood my ground ringing the doorbell. I couldn’t back out. Not now. I wasn’t going to spend my life wondering what would happen if I didn’t try.
I heard something move inside and my breathing quickened. Time felt like it slowed down as I felt my knees grow weak. I felt the urge to turn and run but my feet were nailed in place, I couldn’t move, I was frozen. My eyes darted around the door nervously as I clung to the papers tightly.
I heard a switch and click as the door was unlocked and the door opened with a creak to show a beautiful brunette dressed like she was about to go out for lunch. What if I intruded and make her late? I shouldn’t have just shown up. Well, I had nothing else to do.
“How can I help you?” she asked with a soft smile.
I took a deep breath and let it out, “Are you Johannah Poulton?” I asked, I'm sure it was her but for all I know it could be an identical twin. Although it didn’t say in the file she had one.
Her smile faded, “I am, I'm really sorry but I really don’t accept people showing up at my doorstep, my son doesn’t come here very often so I can't help you with an autograph” she told me.
“Actually I'm not fan” I told her, “I mean, I am I guess but not like a show up at your doorstep fan, that’s not why I'm here” I rambled nervously.
“Then how can I help you?” she asked, she looked a little confused and I took a deep breath.
“I know this is going to sound crazy but do you have a daughter named Abby that you put up for adoption at the hospital?” I asked. I bit my lip as she stared at me.
“I don’t know how you know about that but that is personal business, please never bother me again” she went to slam the door but I wasn’t giving up that easily.
I pushed my hand on the door stopping it from closing, “I know because I'm her” I called through the door.
“You fans have no respect for privacy, do you really think that will work?” she yelled back still fighting to close the door. “You rude girl”
“I guess not” I said with a small sigh, I stopped pushing the door allowing it to close with a bang from the force Johannah was putting on it. I went to turn run back to my car, but I stopped mid turn. I unclasped my necklace and set it on the file. I looked at the mail shoot in the door and sighed hoping this would work.
I slipped them both through and I heard it hit the carpet. I heard some rustling around on the carpet and I spoke up, “My numbers in there if you ever want to talk, I'm sorry to have wasted your time” with that I turned around and climbed into my car. I didn’t wait to watch her walk outside and throw the papers at me or slam them into the bin. I just drove away. I didn’t stop, I couldn’t, until I was back at my home. I jumped out of the car and walked inside.
“Hey where were you?” I heard Jake’s voice as he leant over the back of the couch from his show, he and Lora both looked at me and with a long deep breath I let out the few words.
“I just met my parents”
They both jumped from the couch and over to me, “How’d it go? What were they like?”
“If it went well do you think I’d be here on my own?” I looked up at them both. If it went well I would be out sitting with them, talking, explaining everything they missed in my life, maybe even have met my brother.
“Oh Babs” Jake hugged me, “I'm so sorry” I hugged Jake back resting my head on his shoulder. It was hard to admit it, thinking it in my head wasn’t as bad, but saying it out loud, with the sympathy I was getting, it just made it hurt more.
“I don’t understand how you're not crying” Lora admitted, Jake gave her an angry look but I just shrugged. The truth was I hadn’t cried since I was a baby, when I used to cry about spilt milk. But I’ve matured since then. I had gone with the hole in my heart for years, its not like I didn’t expect it, or that I had covered it, why would I cry?
“We’re always here for you” Jake told me. I smiled weakly at him, I had always been closer to Jake than Lora, I love them both but Jake was a lot closer to me.
“Thanks guys, but I'm going to go have a rest, I left pretty early this morning, let me know when dinners ready” I said glancing at the clock that told me it was only 5 in the afternoon.
I made my way to Jake and Lora’s room after they both agreed, they let me sleep in here during the day if I ever needed seeing as I was stuck on the couch while we lived here. I sat down on Jake’s bed holding my phone in my hand, I couldn’t help but stare down at it. Would she ever call? I gave her my number, my necklace, but did she believe me?
As though it was fate, like a dream or a movie, my phone vibrated in my hand. Unknown Number read across the screen. I took a deep breath before answering.
“Hello?” I answered with a strong voice.
“Hello” The voice was deep, there was no way this was my mother. “Is this Abby?”
“Yes” I kept my voice firm, “Who’s this?”
“Its her” the man spoke, obviously not speaking to me. I heard some muttering from a high pitched voice on the other end before he returned to the conversation. “Where did you get the necklace?” He asked me.
My mouth dropped open, “Who is this?” I asked, I wasn’t giving up my information until I at least found out who this was.
I heard some muttering in the background before he responded, “This is Johannah’s security guard” He informed me, “We need to know where you got that necklace”
“I’d rather speak to her myself if you wouldn’t mind” I stated, the girl in the background had to be her, there was no doubt in my mind.
“I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to do that”
“Look, I'm her daughter, that necklace was left with me at the hospital, if you go through the files you would know everything there is to, if its so important I’ll even give you the number of the investigator. All I wanted to do was meet my real parents and find out why they left me, but I found out today that I'm still unwanted and you can forget it” with that I hung up the phone seething. My jaw was clamped shut as my breathing came out harshly. I knew I shouldn’t of reacted the way I did, but I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t even allowed to speak to her.
My phone began vibrating again, I didn’t even need to look at the caller ID to work out who it was, but I did anyway. "What?” I barked, holding the phone to my ear.
“Abby its me” This time I knew it was my mother.
"What do you want?” I glared at the floor the venom coming through my voice. I had a right to be upset, I had just been rejected by my parents, after I spent so much money, gave up so much, just to find them.
“I want to meet you” She surprised me completely when she said that, “I was wondering if you could come back to the house tomorrow and visit, so we could talk things through” To say I was shocked was an understatement, my eyes were wide and my mouth was opening and closing like a fish trying to think of something to reply.
“I…” I managed to get out.
“I know that you might not be happy with me at the moment because of today and I understand but I would like to meet you properly” she told me, she sounded hopeful but I also picked up the worried tone, she didn’t think that I would.
"What time?” I asked finally.
“How about lunch?” She suggested, “About 12.30”
“I’ll see you then” we said a short goodbye and I hung up the phone, I dropped it on the bed and made my way to the lounge where I found Jake and Lora watching TV, they weren’t speaking and they weren’t even watching the TV properly, that was an obvious sign they were worried about me.
“That was a short sleep” Jake said as he looked over his shoulder. “You okay?”
“Yeah, actually I just got a call” I answered, “Johannah wants me to go visit her tomorrow for lunch” they both grinned brightly showing off their shining white teeth.
“That’s amazing!” Lora grinned.
“Yeah, I just thought I’d let you know, if things go okay maybe I could even meet my brother” I told them, “I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, while I talk to her you guys could go out for lunch then after you could come meet her” I asked, I really didn’t want to go alone but I knew I had to talk to her first.
“Of course we will” Jake smiled, “We’re always here for you”
I smiled at them and they grinned, I felt too much like this was fairy tale, like this wasn’t real. But all fairy tales come to an end eventually. I just hope it ends in a happily ever after for me.
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Thanks so much for reading everyone! I got such nice feedback on the last chapter it was really good to hear. Once again please Comment, Vote, Fan, add to your Reading List if you want updates, Share, all of that. Also I got some help on the last chapter and if you have any information you think I will need please tell me.
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