*Ding*

Boarding announcement “Passengers for flight no.251 from New York to Shanghai can board through gate no.12”.

“Come on Jake, Lets go”

I stood up took my bag and started walking towards the gate to board flight with my friend Nate

“ Why am I here, Nate ?”

Two months Before....

*Door knock*

“Is it 9 already?”I turn around and call Nate “ Nate get the door Pete and Maya are back”

*Knock....Knock*

“Dude get up” still no sign of Nate responding.

*KNOCK......KNOCK*

My hands searching for my phone to check for the time, It was 6 AM its little early for Pete or Maya to reach here, And a text message from Nate saying “Out with guys don’t yell for me ,and I’ll buy Groceries when I come back”

*KNOCK.....KNOCK* knocking was louder than before.

Voice in my head “Sh*t , who’s it” and I ask “Who’s it ？”

A male voice answered “Hey Jake , It’s Me” I got puzzled because he didn’t sound like Nate or Pete and pissed because he said “Me”, I asked again “Who’s this Me?” .

* After few seconds which made to fall asleep again* “ It’s Mike”.

My eyes are wide-opened, In that few milliseconds my mind is asking me so many questions mostly it asked me “Why is he here now?” I crawl my way silently towards the window to make sure is that really him.

As I sneak past the door to window considering myself to be a ninja, Suddenly.......

*Click*

Door opens......

I quickly hide behind the door , Nate kicks the door because his hands are full with grocery bags

My mind in a loud distressed voice “ OH, CR*P” .

Then *Bang* Door hits my face.

As the white light fades away i can see blurry image of two people standing in front of me.

One of them pats my shoulder“Are you alright buddy?” I recognize the voice it was Nate by Childhood friend with whom I live with now.

My vision becomes clear and Nate asks me “What were you doing behind the door, Jake?”

Voice in my mind “ Cr*p I almost forgot about Mike” as I look behind Nate “I was about to answer the door before you banged my face with it” Nate moves aside “ Yeah, you got a visitor Jake”.

Unwillingly and sarcastically “Hi DAD”

Nate in his loud disbelief voice “ WHATT....THEE.....” .

Mike awkwardly “Hey”

Short flashback about my childhood-

My parents got divorced when I was 7 because of my father cheated on her and I moved out with my mom because he was never there for me too, She died when I was 8 ,I went in foster care where I met Nate we grew up together as brothers.

Now to the story.......

“What are you doing here, Mike?” I see Nate and he leaves the room. “Jake, I would like to have you back with me son”said Mike with mild fear in his tone.

Voice inside my mind “What the f*ck did he just say ??”.

“ You gave up on me and mom long back, Mike”

Mike turned down his head from looking at the“Things were different then son you were just a kid to understand what was going on between me and your mom”

Hoping that he would look me in the eye “Yeah, I was just a kid who grew up without a father even though he was alive somewhere busy didn’t bother to visit when his wife died or never had time to see his son who was sent to foster care”

He lifted up his head and with a mild smile “I’m sorry son but I promise you things will be different now”

Voice in my head “ Why is he smiling ?”

“Please don’t call me your son”as I looked away “You can leave now as far as I consider I never had a father”.

Peter and Maya, My foster parents visits me as Mike leaves, “ Hey Jake ,where’s Nate?” Peter and Maya hugs me, I see Mike as I hug them “ He went out ,He’ll be back soon”, Peter notices me looking at Mike, “Who’s that Jake ?”, I look at Mike “ No one, he was just asking me about an address”I turn to Peter “ How was your travel ?” and we head inside.

It was mid noon, Maya was in kitchen preparing lunch and I was busy with fixing pipe in shower while Peter was watching television in living room, Nate comes back “ Jake , Is Mike still here ?” Maya comes out of kitchen “ Where have you been Nate?” Nate surprisingly “ Hey Maya,Where is Pete ?” Hugs Maya “Pete’s in living room with Jake and who’s Mike ?”

Nate glances Pete and Maya back and forth and says “ It’s Jake’s father”.

“Pete lines are fixed” as I came through the hallway everyone looking at me with a blank expression which was really hard to figure out why “Do I have anything on my face?”.

To be continued..........

“Jake, Nate just told us about your dad” Maya said it without any expression of shock and saw Pete.

I saw Pete and I can say was really hesitant to talk about something he turned towards Maya then she said “He’ll know about it sooner or later Honey, It’s better if that comes from us”.

Pete really hesitated to say about it, “You were never adopted Jake” Nate from out of nowhere.

“Jake, we’re sorry we should’ve told you earlier I’m Peter Wilfrey” Peter said it with fear and hesitation, When I heard the name Wilfery my eyes opened in shock and disbelief I asked him “You are Wilfrey like Wilfrey in Mary Wilfrey ,my mom?”.

He nodded with tears rolling down and said “Yes, Jake I’m your uncle”.

I didn’t know how to process what’s happening to me right now just stood there like dummy without any expression literally don’t know who I’m seeing right now because of the tears clouding my eyes which I’m pretty sure is gonna erupt anytime possible and asked “Why no one..... anyone never said a word about this to me before?” wiped my eyes to stay focused on whom I’m seeing right now and it was Nate who was watching with his are you alright buddy expression on his face ,I turned to Maya“ How come Nate knows about it but not me?”

Nate raised up his hand “Don’t add me in that list there dude I just knew about it like” checks his watch “five minutes and twenty two seconds ago I’m as shocked as you are right now ”as he turns to see Pete and Maya “ You guys better come up with good reason before he black lists everyone in this room, This guy literally black listed his father by saying He never considered him a father ”.

“You were eavesdropping ,Nate?” I gave him a glare, “Dude you were really loud I could hear it in the elevator” he said it with open hands “Could you focus on Pete and Maya please, I would really like to know Why？” He goes to counter and pops a soda and sits on the couch in front of us literally ignoring our deadly stare he points Pete to me.

Maya walks towards him drags him out by his ear as he yells “I have the right to know Maya let go of my ear, I walk out on my own please let go of my ear Maya IT HURTS ” Door shuts as Maya dragged him out but we can hear him still “ We are already in first floor Maya why are you still dragging me ?” and it was silent like clam place which is going to have apocalypse.

“Jake, before your mother died she made me to promise not to tell you anything until it is really necessary” He sat on couch and patted his hand on couch .

Have you had someone in your life who always gives you a feeling that you can trust them ?, Most of them would say Dad or Mom but for me It was Pete, He was there for me whenever I needed him most , He always made sure I was happy and satisfied with my choice, He taught me everything what a father would have taught his son.

I sat near him and he continued “ I was adopted by your grandparents when I was 15, I was a arrogant troubled kid back then trust me your grandpa always walks with his pole in his hand just to hit me for something I’ve done but I always had great hiding spot, I just run and hide behind your mom and she always protected me from getting beaten by your grandpa” I was confused as all of you reading this story what’s all this going to explain about me didn’t adopted so to break it to the point I asked Pete “What’s all this got to do with me didn’t get adopted ?”

He smiled “When Mary was 20 she fell in love with this guy named Micheal aka Mike your father”

My voice telling me “at least now he’s getting somewhere near your story, But why I didn’t get adopted ?”

“And....?” I asked with no interest, Pete patted my back I could say he noticed my patience is growing thin “ After few years when I was 25 they got married and Mary was pregnant with you when they got married”

My voice “Cr*p I was unplanned, an accident”.

Pete continued “Your grandfather was not happy about your mother’s marriage, Your mom and grandpa always fought about Micheal most of the days and most of the nights your mom storm out of the door after fighting with your grandpa”

My voice screaming inside “ Okay!! now I get it I wasn’t a unplanned accident, I was just a result of a comforting cuddle which accidentally happened unplanned because of my lost in temper angry grandfather !! GREAT!!”

I shook my head and asked peter “ Why grandpa didn’t like mike ?” and

“Why I never knew about my mom’s family?” and “Why I never got adopted ?”.

Pete nodded “Well, All I know is your grandpa thought Micheal was not a family material and he didn’t take it seriously as your grandpa said until they got married for which your grandpa agreed and went so your mom felt like she was abandoned by her family and.......” he stood up went to kitchen for water “I didn’t hear from her until she ‘s getting divorce and she said she was suffering from illness so I asked her to move here and she said she didn’t want to tell you about your grandparents because she believed that if they reject you you might get heart broken so she made me to promise that I would adopt you and never tell you anything about this only if it is necessary”

My voice “ Dude he’s is making you way more confused than before”

“ Why my parents got divorced ?

Why my mom asked you to adopt ?

Why mom never told me she was sick?

And most important one of all

WHY I NEVER GOT ADOPTED ?” I asked Pete more confused than before.

To be continued.........

My voice “ Dude he’s is making you way more confused than before”.

“ Why my parents got divorced ?

Why my mom asked you to adopt ?

Why mom never told me she was sick?

And most important one of all

WHY I NEVER GOT ADOPTED ?” I asked Pete more confused than before.

Finally Pete said it “Your parents never got divorced Jake that’s why I couldn’t adopt you and that’s why you never got adopted” He looked at me like he lost something which was never really his.

“Your mother was suffering from Bipolar disorder, She always had her good side for you but when she was with your father it was all hatred and blame, She convinced herself that your father would leave you and your mom because of her illness, So she thought if she left your father and leave the town and go somewhere and start a new life would make her fell better” I interrupted because I couldn’t believe what he was saying “No you’re lying” as tears rolled down my face.

Pete patted on my shoulder “I know it’s hard to accept that’s why me and Maya couldn’t tell you earlier” He exhaled “It was Maya who was your mother’s nurse and your mom trusted her like I trust her now ” .

My voice again talking to me“ Cr*p another mystery in my story, Looks like everyone knows about my mom except me” as I look sky through the window lost in thoughts.

Somewhere around the block Maya with Nate “That really hurts Maya”

Maya taps his head “You know you deserved it”

Nate with hand over his ear “ Yeah I did” asks Maya “Hey Maya, Why you guys never told Jake about you know the whole family thing ?”.

Maya looks sky “ I was nurse for Jake’s mom that was before I met Pete, She was suffering from final stage of Bipolar disorder”

“That sounds like really dangerous”Nate said, “Yes, It was Nate” Maya said with pointing finger don’t interrupt in between “If you want to know about Jake”

Nate folded his hands and sat silently and gave Maya a nod.

“When Mary came here first she had bipolar character one as a loving mother and other as a violent wife, She was always calm and happy whenever Jake was around and whenever we tried to ask bout her husband she’ll erupt as volcano, Once she started having delusions it became more worse, Pete once tried to stop her ended up getting scar on his head like Harry Potter”, Again out of nowhere “So that’s how he got it” said Nate with his hands covering his ears “Sorry, I really tried not to interrupt” Maya smiled and tapped his head and said “I know you couldn’t”.

“ And what happened to Mary ?” Nate asked with his hands still covering his ears.

Maya took his hands “ One day Micheal found where Mary was and came to hospital where they gave him Pete’s number to contact, I still remember Pete had big fight which later turned into sobering conversation at the end” Nate again “Why......” Maya stopped Nate “Yes Nate answer to your question is Pete and me where together at that time as in lovers, If that’s what you wished to ask” Nate nodded his head “So shall I continue, Nate ?”.

Nate nodded his head as fast as he could and Maya continued “Pete said Micheal never knew about Mary’s illness and She never said anything about divorce to Micheal and Pete said all Micheal knew was she was acting a bit down for a while and she fought about it was Micheal’s that she doesn’t have family and one day when Micheal came back from work he couldn’t find Mary and Jake ,And Micheal and Police where searching for Mary and Jake months until her picture appeared in hospital ID”.

Nate looking down confused “How come Jake never knew any of this, He was there right ?”.

“Pete and Mary did everything they can for Jake to remember Mary as a loving Mom, Because Mary already knew she could never trust herself” said Maya with more serious sad face.

“You look so serious Maya, Is it because of what happened to Mary ?” said Nate worried.

“It was around evening 7pm, Pete was taking to my night shift when we reached hospital there where police everywhere and cops locked up a man screaming YOU B*ST**DS KILLED HER, I along with Pete hurried inside hospital when we were about to reach her ward there were blood every where near the door and cops took us to enquire where they said Mary committed suicide one hour before and they informed her husband and when he came to hospital he broke down and started blaming doctors and got violent hit doctors and few cops who tried to restrain him and that doctor filed a attempt murder case on him and he accepted himself to be guilty and went to prison that was last we heard about him and Pete was the only family Jake had and His father declined to sign adoption papers , So Pete stayed as Jake’s Guardian and as he promised his mother He never told anything about him to Jake even when he wanted to , But about his father we never heard anything from so we let Jake believe what his mother said to him”

“I really feel bad for Jake now” said Nate with his clasped hands “I’m really worried about him after he hear about all of this twisted turns about his life”

“It’s getting dark Nate we should go back” Maya took Nate’s hand and they walked back to Pete and Jake.

When Maya and Nate were just about to reach the entrance they see Jake lashing out, Maya looks at Nate worried “I’ll go after him” Nate was about to go after Jake ,Maya says “Remember Nate he needs some time” Nate nods “He’ll never know I’m there” and goes after Jake.

After running around several blocks few times again and again for a while Nate finds Jake sitting on a bench and he remembered about what Maya said and He tried to hide himself behind a tree few feet away from Jake.

To be continued..........