If I had known that I would just be sent for errands I would have never begged to be let outside. I sigh as I walk to the bar I worked at part-time to get ready for my shift of bartending . I knew my dads meant well, they could just be a little over protective. They hardly ever let me go out by myself; they never did. One of them would always go with me, ever since they took me in. The two half brothers had found me outside in the back parking lot of their travel agency and gave me food, clothes, and a roof over my head when I was about three or four. When they realized I didn't remember anything about my past, they gave me a new name: Celestia. I turn the corner and receive a text stating that the pictures my Dads wanted developed would be ready for pick up in a half hour. Shaking my head at the fact that its ten years worth of them I walk into the bar. As usual, people are already sitting and drinking their sorrows away this early in the day. I make my way to the back where we have private rooms for parties. As I walk past them one is already occupied and inside are two men, one blushing , the other drunk I assume, seeing as he has his shirt off and is holding a vodka bottle.
"Oh, God! I'm sorry!" I apologize while blushing. I look away and can't help but blush more when I think the guy is ripped. The next thing I know I am in the air and plopped in a seat by the shirtless guy.
"You will be staying with us, da?" the shirtless man says. I notice he has a bit of a Russian accent.
"Um, I just walked by at the wrong time, I'm sorry," I say blushing. I look between them confused and embarrassed as hell. The shirtless guy was huge, at least 6' 3" and had grey hair with violet eyes. I look at the other to avoid staring at his chest. The other one was around my height, 5' 8" with blonde hair and glasses.
"It is fine, would you like some vodka?" the guy asks. I shake my head and look to the blonde one.
"Is he always like this?" I ask him and he jumps when I speak to him.
"N-no. He usually can handle his vodka," he tells me. His face looks like it has seen a ghost.
"Da, I am handling it," I look back to the shirtless guy. He hands me a bottle that has appeared from nowhere. He smiles at me with a smile that tells me I don't have a choice. I take the bottle; it's still sealed so it isn't drugged. I crack it open to take a sip.
"Careful! That stuff is strong!" the blonde one says, trying to stop me, but I drink anyway.
"This is good," I say and look at the label. It isn't a brand we carry and notices it is actually Russian. This is quality stuff from the drink's motherland and is without a doubt better than the shit we serve. I look to the blonde and see he isn't drinking. "Did you want anything from the bar? I'm not on shift for another two hours, but I can grab you something," I start but he cuts me off.
"Oh, no, but thank you. I don't drink, nothing good happens when I do," he blushes. In the corner the other man puts his shirt back on and I notice it is a long, white, jacket-like one with a scarf.
"That's fine. At least you know your limits. You wouldn't believe some of the people we get here! Once these two guys were so drunk, one started flirting with the other and the guy got pissed, called him a Frog and then bouncer had to kick them out!" I laugh, glad that someone has some sense for once. The blonde one groans at the story. Then I realize I am drinking with two complete strangers, one who was just half-naked.
"I am sorry. I've been rude! My name is Celestia Jones. Pleased to meet you both!" I tell them and turn to the now dressed man who offered me an actual drink when he starts to talk to me.
"It is always nice to be making new friends!" he picks me up in a bear hug. "I am Russia." I am about state that he has placed his nationality instead of a name when the blonde one interrupts.
"Ivan! His name is Ivan!" he practically yells and cuts his eyes to the Russian. "And my name is Matthew. Pleased to meet you, as well." I hold up the bottle and look at them both.
"You do know we serve alcohol here, right?" I joke and take another sip. "Nothing this quality though. Good tastes, Ivan!" He just smiles and pulls out his own bottle again, or at least that was what I thought until I see the empty bottle on the table. "Ok. You just had your shirt off! Where are you keeping them?"
"Where do you keep them, Ivan?" Matthew looks to his friend and Ivan just shrugs. I figure it is a magic trick and let it go.
"So I work here, what do you guys do?" I ask them and I get silent stares for a moment. "What?"
"We can't tell you, sorry," Matthew tells me.
"What are you cartel or something?" I laugh but then stop and look at the Russian. I could believe he was a cartel.
"No no no, nothing like that!" Matthew begins and his face blushes.
"Oh my god!" I remember Ivan with his shirt off and put two and two together and Ivan looks at me and laughs.
"What are you thinking?" he asks me and I blush even more.
"You aren't strippers are you?" I ask and they both erupt in laughter. I take it as a no. "Sorry."
"Its fine," they both say.
"So I have time to kill before I have to go pick up some photos and this," I hold up the vodka bottle, "Is too good to ignore!"
"Photos?" asks Matthew.
"Yeah. My Dads own a travel agency and they go everywhere! They never get the all photos developed, so about ten years worth of pictures are being printed now," I say.
"Ten years is a lot of photos, I am thinking," Ivan says. Matthew just stares in disbelief. I pull out my phone and look at the text the photo company sent me.
"Oh just 3000, give or take," I tell them. I hear Matthew let out a small exclamation that sounds like "Holy Maple". "Best part is I get to sift through them and sort them by site."
"That sounds, interesting, I guess," Matthew states and I nod.
"It's always fun to see the far off places! When one of my Dads goes off they always bring me back a souvenir, like once when they went to Russia, they sent me a nesting doll set. One day, I am going to see the world too!" I wonder briefly why I am telling all this and I start to think I may be drunk. "The photos are the best to! I love looking for the personalities!" I hear a cough and a squeak from Ivan and Matthew respectively.
"Personalities?" Matthew asks. I blush and try to think of a way to explain it.
"It's just something my Dads have always said. Every country has its own personality and if you are lucky you can see them," I hear a small little sound come from Matthew. "Then again they also say some of the personalities you should avoid at all costs." The next thing I hear is a laugh from Matthew. "What?"
"Your fathers are very smart, da?" Ivan says. He and Matthew share a look between each other.
"I guess you could say that."
"Tell us a bit about them." I blink at them both and I can't stop the words from falling out of my mouth.
"Well, for starters, they are actually half brothers. They raised me after they found me in the parking lot. They are amazing Dads that can sometimes be overprotective and I practically have to beg to go out by myself because they worry about me. They kind of have to, I mean when they found me I was injured and had no memories and have a slight case of multiple personality disorder," I ramble on. I have no clue why I keep talking, but something about them makes me trust them. I unconsciously grab at my lucky coin necklace while talking. "They taught me a few languages and always tried to do their best for me even though they were always coming and going. That's about it."
"When will those pictures be ready for pick up?" Matthew asks. I check my phone and see that the time is five minutes past the estimated finishing time.
"About now, why?"
"I'd like to see them," Matthew looks to Ivan and Ivan nods.
"The shop is next door so I can grab them. I have an hour and a half before my shift starts anyhow," I say and start to leave.
"Before you go, what are your Dads names?" Matthew asks me.
"Alfred and Juan," I say and leave to pick up the pictures, confused about what just happened.
After I leave Matthew looks to Ivan. He pulls out a bottle of Canadian maple syrup and takes a sip and then looks back out the door.
"Her last name is Jones. She said one of her fathers' names was Alfred. You don't think she's..." He trails off unsure of what to think. Ivan takes his half full bottle of vodka and downs it in one shot.
"I am not sure about what I am thinking, but the personality of the countries has me worried slightly," Ivan tells him.
"Well she fits the description. If Juan is Mexico and Alfred is America, she was found by two countries, and she might not know she is one."
"Let us talk with her more and see what she says, da? I have just the thing too!" Ivan reaches into his coat and pulls out his pipe.
"Ivan! No! Put that away!" Matthew says. "Let me talk to her alone for a few when she gets back ok?" Ivan puts the pipe away and nods. Matthew blushes when Ivan then bends down and plants a kiss on his cheek. They continue to kiss until I return and I see them.
"You two are so adorable together!" I say in awe, but I know my face is red from walking in on another bad moment. They break away, Ivan beaming and Matthew just as red as me.
"I must make a phone call, I will be back," Ivan says and walks outside. I go in with a box filled with photographs and place it on the table. I reach in and grab a stack to go through.
"So are both of your Dads Jones?" Matthew asks me and I shake my head.
"Just Al. Juan's last name is Carriedo," I tell him as I look through the pictures I stop on one and hand it to him. "Hey here they are!" It is a picture of myself, Juan, and Alfred standing at the Statue of Liberty.
"Oh my maple it is them," Matthew says breathlessly and I look to him confused. I stand up and knock the photos over.
"Aw, shit!" I start to pick them up with Matthew helping and Ivan walks back in. He sees one and looks to it.
"It is England, nyet?" he says. Matthew looks at the photo and gasps.
"It is."
"Oh, which part?" I ask and Ivan laughs.
"All of him," Ivan says and his face pales. Matthew goes white and I take the picture.
"This is the guy that got drunk and Kyle had to kick out for fighting with the frog guy!" I laugh but notice something in the picture. The Pyramids are his background. "This isn't England though, it's Egypt." I notice the date on the picture too; it's from nine years ago. "This thing is nine years old! How does he look the same?" I start to piece parts together. The called him England, the Russian called himself Russia, not Russian. I back up from them. "You really are cartel! What? International code names for deals on the side?" I grab my phone and start to call the travel agency and get a hold of either of my Dads.
"No! Just hear us out!" Matthew begins but I call anyway and the phone is ringing. "You asked about our jobs right, I'll tell you just first, these are your fathers right?" he asks holding up our family picture. I nod and their secretary answers.
"Alfred or Juan please?" I ask and Matthew panics. Ivan walks behind me slowly.
"We are countries! I am the embodiment of Canada, he is Russia! Your dads are America and Mexico and I think you might be a country too!" I stare at him and Alfred picks up the phone.
"Alfred Jones speaking, how may I help you?" Matthew walks closer.
"The guy form the bar is England, one of my dads. The guy he was fighting with is France, my other dad. They tend to fight a lot." Ivan finally reaches me and takes my phone.
"Celestia? I know your number so answer me? Are you ok?" Alfred says. Ivan takes the call.
"Privet, Amerika. How are you?" he tells him. I look at Matthew and something clicks in my brain.
"You are the personality." Matthew nods at that and I start to laugh.
"Russia? What the fuck are you doing with my daughter's phone, you damn Commie bastard! You better not lay a finger on her!" Alfred screams and I can hear it all the way over here.
"Hi, Al!" Matthew yells.
"Who was that?" Alfred asks and Ivan gets an evil grin.
"Francis. We have your daughter in a gay strip club." Matthew runs to Ivan and leans to the phone and gives a strange "Hon hon hon sound" and they both crack up. I shake my head and take my phone back while hearing Al making threats to them stating the Hero would come.
"Dad? It's me."
"Are you ok, Cel? Did they hurt you? Cover your eyes and if Francis…"
"Dad, I am at work. I just meet Ivan and Matthew…"
"That was Matthew! I am going to kick his maple scented ass for that!"
"Who are these guys and are you really America, dad?" I ask, knowing it is the truth. Ivan and Matthew shut up and listen now.
"Yeah. I am."
"What about Juan?"
"Mexico."
"These guys?"
"Canada and Russia. Matthew is actually my brother, too. Don't know why I keep forgetting."
"What about me?" I ask. "Am I one, too?"
"We don't know."
"You don't know!" I yell. "How the hell can you not know!"
"Well we think you were the Nation of Celestial Space."
"What do you mean by "were"?" I ask. The name rings a bell and I fall to my knees knowing the answer isn't pretty.
"The country dissolved 44 years ago. I am sorry." I hang up not caring anymore. Bits and pieces of old memories appear. Attempting to stop the US and Soviets from launching into space, no one recognizing me as a nation, the boss dying and me being left alone. An old nightmare of a memory I relive every night appears and I place my arms around me trying to forget the pain of that day. Ivan and Matthew had heard the entire conversation and were standing behind me trying to help. All I could do was fall to the floor and cry.