The rhythmic beeping filled my ears. I tried to blink back the tears as I saw her. My mom. On her death bed. A bullet had puckered a major artery and she only had an estimated 15 minutes left before she... passes on. I calmly walked over to her bed, clasping her hand once I was close enough.
"Lindsay..." Mom croaked out, squeezing my hand. Gently, with her free hand, she brushes my curly brown hair away from my face. "I don't have much longer. I need you to do me one last favor."
She goes on explaining that I was the result of an old relationship in college. It's a story I've heard before. Boy falls in love with a girl. The girl eventually feels the same for the boy. The two start dating. The two eventually drift apart and broke up.
"He's still alive. He's the only other person who can take care of you." She says. I can't even think of how to respond. "Take my purse. His information should be in there. Now go. I don't want your last memory of me to be of me gone."
"But, I don't wanna leave you alone," I said, a tear rolling down my cheek. She just smiles.
"I love you, Lindsay," She said.
"I love you too, mom," I say. Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, I grabbed her purse and left the room, too afraid to even look back. As quickly as I could, I exited the building.
Digging through the purse, I found a piece of notebook paper that didn't have my mother's handwriting. On top, it said: Leigh Daniel Avidan (Danny or Dan) That must be my biological father's name. It also lists two addresses. One in New Jersey and one in California. All of my life, I've lived in Pennsylvania. From here, it should be a 30-minute drive from here to the address in New Jersey. Also, I am not going to California on a wild goose chase.
I hauled a taxi and climbed in. Telling the driver the address, and heading off towards Jersey. When the car pulled over at our destination, I handed the driver some cash and exited. It seemed like a typical American dream house. I followed the cement leading up towards the entrance, feeling my heart pounding.
I had a mini heart attack as I knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock.
From what I can hear, there is a debate on who is answering the door. After what seems like forever, a woman either in her late 50's or early 60's opens the door. Instantly, she smiles the kindest, the sweetest smile I have ever seen.
"Hello. Can I help you?" She said. Her smile was genuine, not fake.
"Uhm... I, uh, was wondering if..." I stuttered, looking at the piece of paper. "If Leigh Daniel Avidan lives here."
The woman's face dropped. "He's my son, but he lives in California now." She says, her eyes searching my face. My breath caught in my throat.
"M-my mother used to date him in college. Uhm, they... kind of had me." The words I was trying to say wouldn't come up, so I just said that mumbled mess.
After a minute, she asks, "What's your mom's name?"
"Lainey Rivera," I responded. Her eyes widened as she turned around.
"Avi! We have another grandchild!"
