Chapter 11: Product of Adultery or Not?
I felt my pulse spike when we pulled onto the street. Rae drove extremely slowly so we wouldn’t miss the house. The guys were helping us look for the address. That’s when my entire world just stopped. I saw it. My dad’s house.
“Rae, stop.” I told her frantically. I suddenly became scared of the unknown. I’ve never been afraid of the unknown until now. She put on the breaks and the van came to a halt on the side of the street, only a few houses down from my dad’s house. I could tell Rae was looking at me weirdly. As were everyone else.
“What’s wrong?” Frank asked into my ear with a gentle voice. I gulped down and stared at the house in complete awe. I couldn’t believe I’m actually here.
“Nothing’s wrong; can we just stay here for a few minutes?” I asked, justifying the fact that I was scared beyond words.
“Yeah, we can stay here as long as you like.” Rae uttered, shutting off my van so we wouldn’t waste gas. My heart was hammering inside my chest so hard I swear it was going to break through my ribs and jump out the window. I still couldn’t comprehend the fact that I’m at my dad’s doorstep for the first time in eighteen years. I’ve wanted this for so long. Okay, four years isn’t that long but even before that I knew Tom wasn’t my dad. I’ve always wanted to meet my real dad. I watched in awe as my half brother, Jimmy trotted down the street with a couple of his friends. I felt a large smirk fall onto my face.
“You see him?” I asked everyone, pointing at Jimmy. They nodded. “–That’s my half brother, Jimmy.” I was in awe and completely stunned at the same time.
“Holy fuck, he’s real! Like really real. He’s not some made up person; he’s live in flesh and blood. So is my dad. I’m actually in California about to meet my dad for the first time.” Everyone laughed lively at me and my sudden realization that this is really real. This isn’t some day dreamed thing that I fantasised in class. I’m really about to meet my dad.
“Holy shit! My dad’s in there!” I exclaimed as excitement overwhelmed me to the point, I practically ripped my seatbelt off and jumped out of the van, leaving everyone completely dazed and confused. I ran the short distance from the van to the driveway. His house was everything I expected; it was big but not huge. It was an all American house that you’d see in a cliché TV Soap Opera like 7th Heaven. Before everyone could catch up to me, I frantically ran up the path and up the front porch. Moments ago I was terrified of the unknown but now I’m diving head first into it.
“Hello!” I yelled into the house as I banged on the frame of the mesh front door. I could hear the TV playing and people talking before footsteps came towards the front door. By the time I could see a human shape at the back of the house, my friends caught up to me. The mesh door swung open into my direction to reveal a tall, dirty blonde haired blue eyed man. He smiled down at me with an aging face.
“Siddalee Viviane Eliese Sullivan, we finally meet at last.”
I smiled thoughtlessly, my smile became ten miles wide as I looked up at the tall, blonde haired, blue eyed man; my dad. I had joyful tears blurring my eyes, burning them painfully but I kept a smile on my face.
“Dad.” I breathed weakly before falling into his chest, letting my arms tangle around his middle tightly. I felt his arms wrap around me rather tightly too. It only made my smile grow bigger and brighter. I was finally here; I was finally hugging my dad. After years of lies and not knowing the truth, I was finally seeing the truth, hell, I was hugging the truth. I was hugging my dad.
He pulled away from me with a large smile and gloss beaming in his eyes, tears of joy. He stepped backward into the house, holding the door open for us.
“Please, come in.” My heart started to hammer inside my chest as I took one brave step into the nice air conditioned house to see there was a banner hanging up in the living room with balloons and streamers, there were even stacks of presents wrapped up in various colours of wrapping paper. That’s when a bunch of people jumped out from behind furniture and from another room yelling Surprise! I stumbled back in amazement while everyone laughed happily. Dad draped an arm over my shoulders, tucking me into his side.
“Barbra and I thought we’d throw you a surprise party, to make up for all the birthdays we’ve missed.” He told me with a goofy smirk. Barbra walked up to me with arms held wide open; she took me in a solid embrace.
“Siddalee, my goodness you’re even more beautiful in person.” She complimented sweetly, looking me over once. I felt blush invade my cheeks as I shook my head.
“I’m not that beautiful. Jessica and Katie are though.” I said pointing to my two half sisters whom stood across the room, staring at me as if I was going to randomly put on a monkey costume and ride a unicycle while juggling bowling pins. Jessica, the oldest, blush brightly and shied away while Katie, the middle child, pranced over to me after I escaped her mother’s solid clutches. She wrapped me tightly in her arms and hugged me close.
“What are you talking about? You’re drop dead gorgeous.” Katie complimented with a wide smile.
“That only makes my job as your big brother that much harder.” Jimmy chimed in as he stepped out of one of the back rooms with a flattering smirk. I pulled myself from Katie’s arms and got a very good look at my older-by-a-month-half-brother. He was tall, extremely tall. I know where I got my height from and it wasn’t my dad. I stood at five foot, five inches while Jimmy must be standing at six foot, maybe more. He had almost mad scientist blonde hair and the same faded blue eyes I had even though he wore glasses and I didn’t.
Jimmy, Jessica, Katie and dad all looked like the same person just copied multiple times. I felt like an imposter because they were all tall and beautiful blonde haired, blue eyed people while I was a short, dark haired, blue eyed product of adultery.
“Don’t worry; I’m not that type of girl.” I reassured Jimmy with a light tone. He chuckled and crossed his thick arms over his puffy chest.
“They all say that until they start getting some.” Jimmy retorted as he stepped over to me, towering over my small body stature. He was trying to intimidate me but it wasn’t working. I crossed my arms over my chest with a devilish smirk.
“Is this a challenge arising?” I asked cheekily. Jimmy scoffed at me before chuckling. He patted the top of my head.
“Oh Sidda, you’re so innocent and yet so dirty minded, I’m gonna like you.” Jimmy commented laughing. He ruffled my hair before stepping past me and dad and dashed upstairs. Dad and Barbra decided that it was time for lunch since we’ve been driving since four o’clock this morning. We had lots of coffee with some fruit and yogurt. Dad gave us direction of where to put our stuff, Gerard, Mikey, Frank and Ray are going to be sleeping in the camper van while Rae and I take the guest bedroom. Jimmy’s friends will be sleeping on the pull out couches in the basement. I felt bad because it was like I just turned my dad’s house into a hotel for me and my friends.
After lunch I met Jimmy’s friends that will be staying in the basement, there’s Zack, Brian, Matt, Jason and Matt Berry. All of them seemed very nice, a tad bit odd but otherwise nice.
After that Dad and Barbra told me that they wanted me to open my presents. I told them not to get me anything but they went out and bought me seventeen birthday presents and seventeen birthday cards since that’s how many birthdays they missed. I got the camera for my eighteenth birthday and that came with a card. I mainly got clothes and some money in the cards, I didn’t mind because it wasn’t anything expensive like that camera was. The camera they got me is only available at Future Shop and it costs $329.99. I wanted to buy it but I didn’t have that kind of cash. I guess he found out what kind of camera I wanted and bought it for me.
Everyone thought it’d be a good idea to have an afternoon nap, just to catch up on some sleep. But I was far too awake to sleep. So instead, I sat outside on the back porch on the swing with an ice cold Pepsi in my hand. The weather got fairly warm so I changed from jeans to shorts and shredded off my hoodie.
I swayed back and forth on the swing, quietly. I just enjoyed the quiet view of the backyard where they had a pool and green grass. Living in Brooklyn then the Bronx then Buffalo then finally, New Jersey; we never had this kind of backyard. Mom and Tom did a lot of soul searching before we ended up in New Jersey when I was four. I may not remember those times but I see pictures of barbeques we used to have and our backyards never looked like this.
“Y’know Siddalee Eliese is my mother’s name.” I jumped when I heard my dad’s voice say after moments of silence. I looked at him wide eyed; he stood in the backdoor with a thoughtful look on his face. I shot him a small smile as my eye brows arched upwards.
“Was it?” I asked the dumbest question possible. He laughed lightly and nodded as he stepped onto the porch and sat down on the swing beside me.
“Your mom and I talked about having kids one day, I asked her what she’d name it if it were a girl; she replied with: Siddalee Viviane Eliese Sullivan.” My eye brows fell together confusedly.
“I thought I was the product of a one night stand?” I muttered.
“Siddalee, you’re old enough to know the truth now.” He babbled weakly. I was completely lost. I’ve been told that I was the product of a one night stand for the past two years but now I’m being told that they planned on having me.
“Your mother and I dated in our teens when she lived in California. Then she moved to Buffalo and met Tom. We were still friends after we broke up. But then Tom was told that he wasn’t able to have kids so your mom called me and asked if I could ‘contribute to the cause’. Her, being my friend, and me, being a good hearted person, said yes after I discussed this with Barbra. Tom didn’t exactly like the idea but he wanted kids. So I gave them what they needed and left. Your mom sent me pictures every year and she’d tell me how you were doing. It didn’t surprise me when Tom blurted out that you were the product of a one night stand, and then you went on a man hunt for your real dad. I actually had Jessica and Katie friend you on MySpace to make it easier for you to get in contact with me. In a way, you’ve been apart of my life, your whole life.” He told me the entire story. It left me speechless. Things started to make sense now. That day when I heard mom and Tom arguing in the living room over money and Tom used the one night stand trick and mom said something I couldn’t hear. I could hear it, I couldn’t comprehend it though.
My stomach dropped when I heard the muffled venomous voices shouting from inside. It almost made me want to turn around and go back to my van and never come out again. But I needed to go inside and get my camera which was sitting on my desk by my computer. I swallowed my fear and stepped into the house, letting the mesh back door swing shut behind me. The venomous muffled yells were loud and clear now.
“We can’t afford all of her medical bills, Lisa! Maybe if you worked more than sixteen hours a week then you’d get paid more and we’d be able to afford to live.” Tom yelled back at her with an even colder voice. I side-stepped my way through the kitchen into the hallway, hoping I wouldn’t get noticed.
“How is this my fault?” Mom shrieked coldly.
“You’re the one to go out and have a one night stand, Lisa!” Tom hollered back at her, making the entire atmosphere go flat, there were no emotions. It was just still. I stood still in the hallway, remaining in the shadows with tears blurring my eyes. I heard my mom’s voice muttering something to him lowly.
“You know, damn well, that’s not what happened. How dare you tell her those things because you had a temper tantrum.”