Family Ties

It was one of the worst days of my life. I tried to keep my voice at a calm level but it was proving to be very difficult. I just watched as he yelled at me with the pain in his eyes. I could see it clearly but I couldn't hide the truth from him. He needed to know.

I didn't want to be the bearer of bad news but it had to be done. He didn't want to see me go.

I can't really blame him for being angry with me. I was some of the only family he had left, other than our youngest brother of course. It wasn't his fault he had to go through this

"Why are you doing this to us! We were supposed to stay together no matter what. Are you just going to back on your promise?" he said to me with all the anger he had in his heart.

"Do you think I want to do this? I have no choice but to do this. It would be practically impossible for all three of us to be adopted together. I'm only doing what's best for you two." I tried to stay as calm as I could when I told him this.

"The best thing for us is you staying with us"

"That's what you think know but only because you are still upset about being here. You two don't need me forever and this will help with that."

He looked so sad when I told him this. That look was soon replaced with one of anger.

"But we do need you. Family is all we have now and we have to stay together. You just want to make an excuse to abandon us."

"That's the last thing I would ever do to you two. You need to learn that you can trust other people that aren't family."

My voice was started shaking at my effort to control my anger at the boy. He was getting unreasonable with his arguments. I would never leave them alone if I didn't know they would be safe. I needed to go. If only he knew how difficult it was for a 15-year-old girl to be adopted than maybe he would understand. But he was only 8 and it was so hard for him to accept the fact that I was going to leave them alone in the orphanage.

"I don't need anyone else. The only people I need are my family but obviously you don't want to be with us anymore" he yelled at me with a voice full of hurt.

After this statement he stormed out of the room and slammed the door. The sound of it slam made me wince. This had gone totally out of hand but I knew I couldn't calm him down, let alone talk to the kid.

He had a fit as soon as I told him that I was going to be adopted without them. He started yelling at me and I soon escalated into a major argument.

I walked out into the hallway to see my youngest brother, who was only 3, walk toward me. As soon as he was close enough, he jumped into my arms and began to cry.

"Why do you have to go? Is big brother going to forgive you?" His words were hard to understand when he was crying into me but I figured out what he asked me.

"I don't know if he will ever forgive me, but maybe he will. He's stubborn so it may take awhile for him to get the idea across. It may even be after I'm gone that he realizes what I've done is the right thing."

I said this as gentle as I could so I wouldn't upset him even more than he was.

"What do you mean by the right thing big sister?"

"I know that getting someone to adopt three different kids is very difficult. It would be easier for the two of you to be adopted together. I want you two to stay with each other. You need each other more than you need me."

"I understand big sister. I only wish big brother would understand to."

"I wish he would to but I can't make his decisions for him"

"Big sister, will we ever see you again."

I almost cried at the question because of how sad his voice sounded.

"I know we will. I don't know when but I promise you I will find you. When you are in your perfect home, I will find you two. This is a promise I will never break."

At this he smiled and gave me one of his "great big hugs", as he liked to call them.

I didn't feel as enthusiastic as he did because I just didn't know if I would be able to keep that promise. The only thing that would keep me from that promise would have to be the brother that resented me.

"I still don't get what you mean Yugi"

"Well you see Joey, when a card is chained to another card, the card that was used last is that card that gets its effect first. Make sense now."

"Its useless Yugi, he won't get it anytime soon" said Tea as she was listening to them talk about duel monsters like usual.

The gang was headed back to the Kame shop after a long day at school. They planned to have a duel monsters 'tournament" to relieve their stress from school. Seeing as it was their last year in high school, they got more work than usual.

"Hey Yugi, could you try explaining chains to me again," said Joey with a confused look on his face.

"Uhhh, alright Joey. Just listen closely this time"

"Can't that wait until were inside. Were at the shop," said Tristan as they came to the front door of the shop.

"Alright Tristan" laughed Yugi as they entered the shop.

"Hey Yugi, how was school today," asked Grandpa Moto as they walked in.

"It was busy as usual. We were going to have a duel monsters tournament to take our minds off of school."

"That sounds like a great idea, you kids have fun, but before you do that, can you sweep that shop," said Yugi's Grandpa as he walked into the back of the shop to take an inventory check.

"Alright Grandpa," said Yugi as he walked over to the wall with the broom.

"Man, why do you have to do work when he could have easily done it," complained Joey with a board look on his face.

"He's my Grandpa, I have to listen to him, and this won't take to long," replied Yugi as he did the job he was told to do.

Like he said, it didn't take long for him to finish his task and they began to head up the stairs. As soon as they got to the top of the stairs, the bell at the door rang, which signaled the arrival of a customer.

"I better see who that is," said Yugi as he turned back down the stairs to tend to the customer. The others followed with a small groan of complaint coming from Joey. "Why does everything get in the way of me having some fun."

When they all got down they saw who came into the shop.

The person that stood before that was a tall brunette who looked like she was in her mid-twenties (she was 25 to be exact). Her hair was long and there was a little piece of it that rested just above the bridge of her nose. She had piercing blue eyes that looked like they were carved of ice. She had a smile on her face that looked mischievous and mysterious at the same time. She wore a light blue coat that went down to her feet and flared out. She also had on a blue shirt that complemented her light violet shorts. She stood with her arms crossed and had a very serious look on her face.

As soon as Yugi saw her, he said in a surprised voice, "Marianne, is that really you?"

"Well it looks like you still remember something about me," said the woman.

"Wow I haven't seen you in years. What have you been doing all this time," Yugi asked still in as surprised tone.

"What a minute," yelled Joey. "What is going on here. Do you two know each other or something."

"Well if he knows my name than he must know who I am," said Marianne in a sarcastic tone.

"Ya Joey, I thought that would have been obvious," said Tristan. At this comment Joey grabbed him and put him in a headlock. "I wasn't talking to you"

"I just gave you an honest comment," laughed Tristan.

"I guess these people must be your friends," said Marianne as she cut into their argument. "I'm glad you made some more since I last saw you," laughed Marianne.

Yugi blushed at the comment and replied "Ya it has been awhile since I've seen you. I've changed a lot since than."

"I can tell. You aren't the nervous little kid I met anymore. You have also gotten a little taller"

"Ok Yugi can you explain to us who this is" asked Joey in a somewhat aggravated voice. He hated not knowing something.

"Oh sorry guys. This is Marianne. And she's, well, my older sister," replied Yugi in a somewhat shy tone of voice.

"SHE'S YOUR SISTER" exclaimed Joey, Tristan, and Tea at the same time.

"What you can't see the resemblance between us?" She pulled Yugi toward her as she said this and she could tell Yugi was embarrassed.

"No not really, you guys are complete opposites" said Joey who, sounded somewhat annoyed at her sarcasm.

"Well there's a good reason for that. We aren't related by blood. I'm his adopted sister. His family adopted me 10 years ago when I was 15."

"So your 7 years older than we are," said Joey to himself. "If you really are his adopted sister, then why have we never seen you until now?"

"I left home when I was 18. I visited a few times after that, but I stopped coming after awhile. I had some personal things to take care of."

"I always wished you would visit us soon. I guess you finally decided to come," said Yugi. "So how has it been. How is Brendan doing?"

"Oh he is just fine. He's grown up since the last time you saw him," replied Marianne.

"Who is Brendan," asked Tea

"He's my son. He's only five years old and very intelligent for his age."

"Oh so that means your married," asked Tea.

At this Marianne got a sad look in her eyes as if the thought brought up bad memories.

"I was married. My husband died in an accident a few years ago," answered Marianne with a melancholy tone of voice.

"Oh I'm sorry. I apologize if that made you upset," replied Tea in a worried voice. She didn't mean to stir bad memories.

"It's alright," said Marianne, who had regained her composure, "I know that nothing can be done about it and the past is the past. I have to move on with life and take care of the things I have now."

Tea sighed in relief that she didn't hurt Marianne's feelings.

"I know it hasn't been that long but I need to be heading out know," said Marianne, "I have some things to take care of right now. If you want to come to my house I can give you the address of my new house."

"That would be great! I'll have to stop by sometime soon," replied Yugi, "I'll see you later. Bye."

"Good-bye! It was nice meeting all of you," said Marianne as she walked out of the store.

"That was an interesting discovery. How come you never told us about her Yugi," asked Joey in a very questioning voice.

"I didn't think it was really important to tell you guys then," confessed Yugi, "And anyway you know now."

"Ya Joey stop complaining Joey," teased Tristan, "Now why don't we go and have that tournament we planned on."

"Good idea Tristan, lets go," said Yugi as he raced back up the stairs with the others following behind.