Chapter 14: Like a real Family
Gulp sound.
Ethan is currently sitting at the chair beside Luna, as he expected Luna doesn't feel the heavy atmosphere inside the club room. "Get ready when she comes inside the club" Luna said as a heads up. Amber, Yuri, Seven were sitting at the back looking worried watching the 3 of us waiting for Elaine. The door open slowly and saw Elaine holding an album. She walks towards Ethan, Luna and Jae and place the album at the table in front of them.
"Elaine I am-"
Elaine open the album not looking to his brother "Please remain silent if I haven't asked question". We remain silent for whole 10 minutes. Elaine look to Luna "Luna, do you know this secret too?" Elaine asked and sit in front of them. Before Luna answer her question she place her hand at the table to show she won't tell ant lie or hide something as a gesture. "No, but I had the idea" Luna answered. Elaine nod and now glance to Jae asking the same question. Jae gulp in nervousness "How about you? Jae?" She asked. Jae sit properly and answer "I always thought that you were adopted ever since they introduce you as their family" Jae answered honest, but brutal. We glance to Elaine to look what her expression should show after Jae telling it to her face to face.
Elaine cheek and nose start to color light red as she resisting to not cry in front of us. "Okay, than you for your cooperation. Please sit at the back" Elaine said to Luna and Jae. They were both look to Ethan in concerned look as they sit at the back.
Then the moment of truth as Elaine and Etan remain at the table. She place the album and let Ethan look to the picture. "As you can see, I saw all the albums at the storage room where our Father's things stored. The Smith family sure close to their servants" Elaine said. Ethan felt uncomfortable for what elaine doing.
Elaine pointed out one of the person inside the picture. "This picture is when our father still young" she tap her finger and pointed it to the person beside Ethan's father. "I saw all the past servants in those albums and this guy is the only one who happen to have a brunet color of hair with the ocean green eye" Elaine stated then proceed to asked his brother. "tell me about this guy" Elaine said but this time she was looking to her brother. Ethan can't reject her as he saw her eyes with full of questions and she feels like the guy is somewhat maybe connected to her.
Ethan don't have a choice but to talk from the start.
"Way, way back. It was when slavery were prevalent. Smith family were strongly against for it and also they are one of the family who fight for the rights of the people. One time Smith family and also other famous wealthy family who against the slavery plan to stop the biggest auction, since they know slavery were still legal they become the bad guy and crash to the event. That's when Smith family and Brown met, Brown was freed as a slave but with the awe for the Smith family he decided to be their servant." Ethan said looking to Elaine. Elaine is so confuse why Ethan saying the very history of the smith Family.
"Brown pledge to be our loyal servant throughout the last bit of their generation" Ethan pointed his index finger to the guy beside his father. "And that is one of Brown great grandchildren, his name is Ostin brown, he is our former gardener…. And your biological father" Ethan said. Elaine gasp in the revelation then she turn the page of the album at the end looking to the last picture where Ostin carrying a pregnant woman in his arm. Elaine smile with sadness and pointed her index finger to the pregnant woman. "So this is Mother?... And me?... My real family?" She slowly pointed her finger to the woman's big tummy. Ethan suddenly feel pain in his chest as he heard the word real.
"Elaine.. I treated you as a real sister.. Mother and Father saw you as their daughter-" he got cut out again.
"Where are they? What is the name of my mother? Ethan.. I want to see them" Elaine begs with tears in her eyes.
What Ethan feel more hurt is Elaine stop calling her brother the moment she knows her biological parent. He felt so sad and fear that this will be the start that Elaine will not treat them as a family. Ethan suddenly remembers all the memories he have with his family and with her sister Elaine, he think that if Elaine leave them he can't call it family anymore. Ethan felt so selfish as he wanted to be his brother as always.
"Your parents died in an accident" Ethan intentionally said it, to make Elaine thinks that the only family she had is the Smith family. He knows it's wrong but Ethan doesn't want Elaine leave the family just for knowing the truth. "that's why you were in our family now, because they-" He was cut again.
"I still want to see them… please Ethan" Elaine hold his hand convincing him.
Then the next thing Ethan knows is Charles driving them to the cemetery at 6 pm at night. Elaine was surprisingly not feeling nauseous inside the car, Then he think that maybe it made her nauseous because of her nightmare since it happen at the car. They stop at the gate's cemetery and proceed to follow Ethan to Elaine's Parents grave. Etan glance to Elaine talking to Amber and Yuri. Ethan stops and place a bento box to Elaine's grave as an offer. Ethan pray for a while.
"Your Mother's name is Maria" Ethan said and watch Elaine look and touches her parents grave. Luna and others game Ethan and Elaine a space after greeting and paying respect to Elaine's parents grave. Ethan remains and watches Elaine silently mourn for her parents. Elaine reach for Ethan's hand and hold them tightly. "So they died in your birthday.." Elaine said looking to the year when her parents died. Ethan nod. "Ostin is like a big brother to me.. So I invited them celebrating my birthday at the mountain, that time you were 11 months old.." Ethan collapse and sit on the ground.
"I was so selfish… I never thought that accident will happen to the car where your parent's riding… If I would know that… I would not include them…" Ethan said. "That man you saw in your dream was my Father, your father and mother beg to rescue you first. Your mother died inside while your father manage to go to the hospital." Ethan pause as he feels his chest is in pain remembering that time again. "My father, he has a problem on his sight and requires operation. Ostin thinks that he wouldn't stay for long so he offer his eyes to my father and in exchange.. We will adopt you since Ostin trust us that we will treat you like a real family" Ethan cry as he felt responsible to all things happen to Elaine.
Elaine sit on the ground beside his brother and hold Ethan's arm tightly as they both cry in front of Ostin and Maria's grave. The rain starts pouring but no one dare to break the mood where Elaine and Ethan's having, They all know the both needs to let out what they feel at this moment.
Jae walk away far from the group as he answers the unregistered call. < At last, you answer it immediately.>the moment Jae heard the voice he knew it was his Big brother Red. Jae look so annoyed "Well because I intentionally block your old number, never thought you will go this far just to call me" Jae bitterly replied. Jae heard a sigh on the other line
Jae and Red were silent for over 5 minutes.
"I am not, Just like you did" Jae replied. Red laugh as he heard it to Jae on the other line
On another side, Luna feel worried as Jae still not coming back from a call. She glance to Elaine and Ethan, they stop crying and just resting while Charles share his umbrella to them. Luna decided to look for Jae and went where when she last saw Jae walking. then she heard someone talking, so she follow the sound and saw Jae talking on his phone.
Jae put his phone on his pocket after the call, but he stand all alone at the rain so Luna take the action and went for him.
"Jae?" Luna said while she walks toward him. Luna shares her umbrella to him. Jae expression is like he was in trouble and Jae was in the deep thought so Luna tap his back. Jae looks to Luna
"Luna.. Red is back" Jae said mumbling.
"Red is back, he will comeback to school tomorrow" Jae added but this time Jae said it louder.