Perfect Strangers
Larry is seated at the desk in his room. Several books lay open, scattered across the top of the desk. He tapped the pencil in his hand on the desk and grabbed another book, which he flipped through quickly. He closed it and tossed it aside, the words becoming nothing but a blur.
He glanced at the form in front of him. This was the chance he'd been waiting for. Granted, the opening wasn't for a photojournalist, but rather a journalist. That was enough for him. However, an idea for an article to write as a sample was not coming easily.
One idea had piqued his interest: a brief piece about people who find out they were adopted. Something about it kept coming back to the front of his mind as he searched for another idea. Larry sat back, letting the idea flood his mind again. His thoughts stopped on his own family, causing an odd look to cross his face. He shook his head and attributed the thoughts to what he had been reading. Yet, something still didn't feel right...
He stood and left the room, headed for the phone. Balki was working his normal shift at Ritz Discount, while Larry had opted to work that morning, take the afternoon off, and make up for it on Saturday afternoon. He pulled out the phonebook and began flipping through it.
That evening, Balki entered the apartment. "Hi, Cousin," he greeted, but received no reply.
Larry remained still where he sat on the end of the couch furthest from the door, his head propped up, leaning on the arm of the couch.
Balki moved around to the front of the couch and saw the look on his face. It seemed he was in a daze. His face was neutral, but the glazed look in his eyes caught Balki's attention. "Cousin, is something wrong?"
The question snapped Larry out of his daze. He blinked and turned to Balki. "I found out we aren't eally cousins." There was little emotion in his voice.
Yet, this fact didn't phase Balki. "It's because my family is so many times removed, but we are distant cousins."
"No, that isn't--" Larry paused and finally looked Balki in the eyes. The daze completely gone now. "I know that, but that isn't what I mean." He sighed. "I decided to do my sample article on people who've found out they're adopted. Something about it kept nagging me. So I made some calls."
"What the problem is?" Balki asked.
Larry didn't answer immediately. He thought for a moment before asking, "Why do you think a family that would have eight of their own children would adopt one after they have their first three?"
Balki shrugged. It looked as though he was doing the math in his head. "I do'n know."
"Reading those articles, I didn't understand the real way those people felt," he paused, "until my research revealed that I was adopted." He turned away. "I haven't gotten up the nerve to call my parents and ask--"
"Cousin," Balki tried.
Larry aimed a look at him. "Did I ever tell you that Billy is nearly six feet tall? I'd always wondered about that. Dad's about the same height, too. And no one else has curly hair--"
"Cousin," Balki tried again.
"Balki, face it, I'm not your cousin. I'm just Larry. I don't even know what my real last name is." He returned to leaning on the arm of the couch.
"Does it really matter that much, Cousin? Does that make you love that family, whether you are related by blood or not, any less?"
Larry sighed. "It isn't that, Balki." He turned back to him. "They could've told me. I would've prefered that over finding it out myself."
"Maybe they thought you would not find out and that you would be better not knowing."
"Right, they thought I'd never wonder why I don't really look like any of them. Sure," Larry retorted.
"But, Cousin..."
"I'm not your cousin!" Larry said, exasperated. "Can't I just feel sorry for myself?"
"No, you can't," Balki replied. "You still have a family that loves you. The only different thing now is you know you aren't related."
"Well, what about the other family? Maybe they've been looking for me for all these years--"
"Or maybe they weren't ready for a family," Balki interrupted, quietly.
Larry turned away. "I can't..." His breathing hitched and he got up quickly, headed for his room. The door slammed closed after him.
Balki sat back. Maybe he just didn't understand. Maybe neither of them understood...
Later that night, Balki was setting up the couch to sleep on when Larry's door finally opened and he came out. Balki watched him get the Maalox from the fridge.
"Cousin?" Balki began, warily. "I'm sorry about earlier."
Larry walked up behind the couch. "It's okay, Balki, you don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have taken out my aggravation on you. Sorry about that."
"But, Cousin, you were right when you said that you should have know," Balki offered.
"Maybe, but what did finding out get me? Nothing, but a headache and alot of questions. I think I would've been better off not knowing." Larry paused. "I spent the whole evening going through those books again, along with my own information." He shrugged. "I guess I was hoping I'd been wrong. I wasn't wrong. But, it gave me time to think about things, too. Now, I just felt sort of numb towards it."
"Well, maybe you could--" Balki began.
But Larry interrupted him. "Call them?" He walked around to the side of the folded-out couch. "Say hi, mom and dad. I just found out I'm not really your son. Care to explain?" He sat on the edge. "No, I can't do that, atleast not yet. Besides, it might be better if I went to see them. Ask about it face to face instead of over the phone."
Balki waited a moment. "No more moping? No more yelling at me?"
A small smile crossed his lips. "No. I think I'm okay now."
"Great! So, when do we go to Madison?"
"We?" Larry questioned.
"You... weren't thinking of bringing me with you?"
"It isn't going to be a vacation, Balki. It isn't like I can go and spend a few days with them, then all of a sudden ask them about it."
"So you go visit, make everyone and yourself unhappy and you expect to come right back," Balki stated.
Larry sighed. "Balki, I don't know right now. I don't even really know if I want to find out. I don't know how to bring it up. I couldn't knock on the door and question them as soon as they open the door."
"Cousin, I could go as morale support."
"Moral support," Larry corrected. "I need to think about it more. I didn't say I've accepted it, I'm just numb about it right now."
Balki sat next to him, Dimitri under his left arm. "Okay, then. You think about it more and tell me what you decide."
Larry looked away for a moment, then looked at Balki again. "I'll do that." He paused. "Balki, uh... would you mind...?" He pointed at the stuffed sheep tucked under Balki's arm.
"You need him more," Balki commented, handing over Dimitri.
Larry looked at the stuffed sheep. "Thank you, Balki." He got up and headed for his room.
"Goodnight... Larry," Balki called after him.
Larry stopped just in front of the door and turned. "Goodnight, Balki." He went in and closed the door quietly after him.
Balki watched the door for a few moments before going over to the phone in the kitchen. He hoped that quarter after ten wasn't too late to call. He dialed the number that he'd made a true effort to memorize and waited as the other end rang.
The phone was picked up, a woman answering, "Hello?"
He knew the voice. "Mrs. Appleton, this is Balki--"
Sunday afternoon, Balki was working on a lint painting. And, despite the fact that Larry has said he'd nearly accepted what he found out, he still kept himself holed up in his room.
A knock came at the apartment door and Balki went to answer it. He opened the door and smiled at the woman standing in the hall. "Mrs. Appleton!" He did his best to keep his voice down, but he was truly surprised she was there. "You came so soon!" He motioned her in.
"Liz," she corrected as she came in. "After you called, I talked it over with Walter. Unfortunately, he couldn't get time off from work, so I offered to do this on my own and, hopefully, get Larry back to his normal self."
"Balki, who are you talking to out there? Not the TV again." Larry's voice floated from his room, moments before the door opened. He came out and stopped, surprise crossing his face. "M--" He realized he couldn't say the word mom.
"Hi, Larry." Liz offered a small smile.
Larry blinked and turned his gaze on Balki. "You--" Now, it seemed his ability to speak at all was gone.
Balki nodded. "I had to, Cousin." He paused. "I'm going out for a walk." He gave Liz a hug before leaving.
"I can't believe he did this," Larry said, surprised and stunned.
"He did it for you." She paused. "Balki told me you... know. I want to talk to you about it." She noticed his eye contact waivered, and he blinked. Liz crossed over to him and put an arm around his shoulders, leading him around the couch to sit. "Do you remember my sister, Jessica?"
"Yeah," Larry answer, uneasily. "Eight years younger than you, lives in Alaska now."
"That's her." Liz sighed. "She was a junior in high school. She wasn't doing well in her classes, so our parents suggested she find someone to study with. Instead, she found someone to study. They dated a few months... and she dropped out. Jess was pregnant."
Larry's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Liz nodded. "You're Jess's son." She paused. "Jess wasn't ready. She still wanted to graduate and settle down. Her boyfriend was scared off by daddy. Jess took it hard. She wanted to be a good mom, but at the same time knew she couldn't handle it."
"So, she went to you?" Larry managed.
"We went to her. We had faith that she'd land on her feet eventually, but she didn't have the means to take care of you, since Jess had a terrible time keeping a job."
"Alaska?" It came out close to a whine.
"All along she knew she couldn't support both herself and you. And... it hurt her, not being there for you."
"She ran away."
Liz gave him a sad look. "Yes."
Larry's gaze met hers briefly, then shifted down to some invisible spot on the couch, which he began picking at. "Do you know what happened to... him?"
She shook her head. "He made himself scarce really fast."
Silence reigned as Larry kept picking at the couch. He let everything soak in. He realized he didn't have a clue about how he felt.
Liz knew he was mulling over what she just told him. That's the way he was. But something of this magnitude... she hoped he wouldn't have a nervous breakdown.
Finally, Larry sighed and looked up again. "Atleast... I'm still with family. It could've been worse."
"We could've told you..."
He shook his head. "I don't think I really would've understood."
"Balki mentioned about some articles you were reading on the subject."
"They helped alot..."
"But are you okay now?" Liz asked.
Larry paused a moment before answering. "I guess so. It'll take some getting used to, but..."
"What?"
"I can still call you mom and dad, right?" He gave her a small grin.
"We wouldn't want it any other way."
"Thanks... mom." Larry leaned over and hugged Liz, and she returned it as the door opened.
Balki came in and, not even knowing what had been said, joined the hug.
End.