Martin always knew he was different from his siblings he may have been the middle child, he was only a year younger than Simon, as a child you don't notice how different you are you just see your siblings and think family, what child wakes up and wonders if they are adopted.
When he was a teenager he noticed how different he was, no one had curly ginger hair in his family and no one was as determined as he was. He never thought anything of it really. He hated being a teenager. He wasn't like anyone. No one seemed to like him so it didn't surprise him that his family was so different. He believed that he was a mutation and he believed that until adulthood. It wasn't really until Douglas and Carolyn met them he really thought about it again because they had both said he was so different to them.
He mentioned it in passing once to see her reaction "It's quite funny, isn't it mum, how even Douglas and Carolyn said how different I was from you." He said with a small laugh she looked shocked. "Oh Martin! Don't be silly we are family and we all love you!" She said a bit too quickly and shiftily. Martin's face twisted in confusion "Mum?" He asked slowly trying to drag the truth from her. "Adam, your father, always said we should have told you! I thought it would affect you too much! I'm so sorry Martin!" Wendy said tears welling in her eyes she covered her mouth. "Told me what?" He started getting annoyed. Wendy Creiff sighed. "After I had Simon the doctors said it was highly unlikely I could have another child. It was heart breaking and after a year of trying me and your dad thought of adopting and…and we saw this baby…we saw you; someone just left you on the doorstep at the care home! You were only a baby! You'd fit in with the family so well. Simon wouldn't remember anything. He was only one. We told him you were his brother and had 'come from mummy's tummy. And then Caitlyn came along like a little miracle but we loved... love you and we would never have given you up! So we never told you. Adam thought we should when you were old enough but when you were a teenager you were having such a hard time and I didn't want to add to it!" Wendy cried. "I'm thirty six! You've lied to me my whole life?! I can't believe this!" Martin shouted. "Martin I'm sorry! I should have told you but I was scared you would just run off." Wendy sobbed. Martin looked away. He opened his mouth to say something but thought better of it walking off he threw the van key on to the shelf by the door. As he did this he saw the signet ring on his finger he looked at it for a second before working it off his hand and putting it with the key.
He was fighting off tears when he looked at his van, the van his 'dad' gave him wondering if that's why he only got the van because he hated the fact he wasn't his son. He looked away and the tears started falling. He walked away not looking back. He went to the park he played in when he was a kid. Normally when his 'parents' were off playing with Simon and Caitlyn he would sit on the swings by himself pushing his feet trying to get higher like the aeroplane he wanted to be, much like he did now but he just looked at the ground thinking this time, the park overlooked Wokingham where he had grown up. Caitlyn was always spoilt. He always figured it was because she was a girl or because she was the youngest, obviously not, she was the little unexpected miracle. Simon was always treated better than him too but he was the oldest so that was expected he always thought. Now he looked back he noticed that he always had less Christmas presents and less money was spent on him and he got less attention his mother always fussing over Caitlyn and his father with Simon, martin normally sat in his room building air fix model planes alone sometimes Simon would help but ended up taking over.
He was only here today because someone needed something dropped off in Reading for his van job so he was so close to home he should visit but he never expected this when he had woken up this morning. He had a flight tomorrow how was he supposed to get to Fitton? It was a nearly two hour drive and there weren't any busses or trains. He couldn't afford that anyway. He picked his phone out of his pocket and looked at his contacts, all seven of them -his 'mum', Simon, Caitlyn, his landlord, Carolyn, Arthur and Douglas- he took a deep breath and called Douglas. It was really his only option. Carolyn wouldn't even think of coming and Arthur was too happy to put up with and couldn't exactly be trusted with his new secret. Douglas picked up. "Martin, why is it now, please don't say Carolyn has got us a flight booked!" Douglas started without as much as a hello. Martin laughed and sniffed a bit. "No, Douglas, nothing like that. I... I need some help?" Martin stuttered. "Martin are you ok? You've not got yourself in hospital again have you?!" Douglas groaned. "Oh no, uhh well this is kind of embarrassing." Martin took a deep breath blinking back tears before continuing. "I'm, uhh, stuck? In...In Wokingham. And I know this is a lot to ask but could you pick me up?" Martin asked shyly looking up into the evening sky, keeping tears back. "Why what's happened? Has the van broken?" Douglas asked almost sounding worried. "Uhh...I ...I" Martin started crying, sniffing loudly. "Martin of course I'll come, meet you at your mums house?" Douglas asked. "NO!" Martin replied a bit too quick. "Uhh I mean no because I'm not close to there at the moment" he tried to lie. "See you at the...uhh, train station?" He added hopefully. "Sure Martin it will be a couple of hours but I'll see you there, ok?" Douglas replied confused. "Thank you Douglas!" Martin practically whispered, tears still flowing from his eyes. "See you soon then Martin." Douglas responded. "Goodbye" answered Martin and cut off. He relaxed a little bit knowing Douglas was coming and taking a deep breath he willed the tears to stop. Martin looked at his watch. It was 5:30. Douglas would arrive at around 7:30 then and it was going to be over an hour and a half to walk to the train station from where he was. He got up from the swing and started walking down the hill.
It was getting cold even though it was summer. He found himself wanting his jumper but he had left it in the van because it had been so warm earlier, but British weather could be like that. He got to the station shivering with nearly 20 minutes to wait before Douglas should be arriving. He sat on a bench around the corner waiting fifteen minutes before going to wait at the front for Douglas. He was only there a few minutes before a familiar Lexus pulled into the car park. Martin started walking towards it as Douglas got out. When Martin got closer Douglas could see him shivering. Martin gave him a weak smile trying to wipe Douglas' worried look of his face but it didn't work. "Martin you must be freezing! Get in the car." Douglas almost shouted. Martin tried to protest but he was exhausted and was actually really cold so he did as he was told. Douglas got in the driver's side and whacked the air con right up. When he felt the warm air Martin relaxed into his seat.
Douglas drove in silence and Martin stared out the window watching the sun setting for a while until Douglas broke the silence. "So, are you going to tell me what happened today?" He asked. Martin sighed. "I guess I got to haven't I?" He took a deep breath but before he could start Douglas cut in "Though I'd like to know, only tell me if you feel comfortable with it." reassuring him Martin looked at him with the tiniest hint of a smile. "Well... I..." He took a shaky breath looking up at the sun visor squeezing his eyes shut. "It might sound a bit pathetic. But uhh my mum told me today I was...I was adopted." Martin started to break down into tears all over again. Douglas saw a service station coming up and he pulled on to the slip road when it came up and pulled into a space in the back of the car park. "She told you what?!" He exclaimed when they were parked up. "I'm adopted, I'm not her son." He repeated burying his face into his hands. Douglas was lost for words. "She wasn't planning on telling me, I kind of mentioned that everyone says I am different to them and she said something like 'I never thought you'd work it out.' '" Martin continued."I left my van. I didn't want to drive it after being told that. I'm sorry Douglas, I... I just was so angry and I just left, and I... I couldn't stand looking at that damn van." They sat in almost silence after that just hearing Martin sob. Douglas put his hand on Martin's shoulder. "Martin that's not pathetic! You spent your whole life believing you were part of the family, and all at once... you just weren't it's a lot to take in and you have every right to be angry!" Douglas answered trying to comfort his captain. "SHIT!" Martin shouted whacking his thigh with his fist startling Douglas. Martin couldn't hurt a fly normally. He was so unaggressive normally. Martin went to hit himself again but Douglas caught hold of his wrist. "I left my FUCKING HOUSE KEYS IN THE VAN, I'm such a fucking idiot!" Martin screamed. "Martin you can hardly be blamed for that after the day you've had! I've got a guest bedroom. I'd rather you weren't alone tonight anyway!" Douglas soothed rubbing Martins shoulder blade. Martin looked at him, his eyes puffy tears still streaming from them but he had the smallest of smiles on his face. "Thank you Douglas" he mumbled. Douglas smiled at him and started up the car again, pulling back out on to the motorway.
After a few minutes Martin frowned. "Douglas what about my uniform? We have to fly tomorrow!" He questioned getting slightly panicked. "Martin we don't have to be at the airfield until ten thirty I'm sure one of the students will be up by then and you can go in and grab some stuff you need on the way to the airfield." Douglas replied. Martin looked up at him. "What do you mean stuff?" Martin asked a little confused. "Martin do you really think I'll let you stay in a house when you don't have a key?! You're a pilot you go in and out at all hours you can't leave the door unlocked especially where you live in Fitton!" Douglas exclaimed. "But Douglas I can't!" Martin almost shouted. "You can. I live on my own now Helena left and you don't have any transport, it's the best way for this to work." Douglas stated matter of factly. "But..but I…" Martin started but was cut off. "Martin don't argue." Douglas drawled. Martin huffed a bit but accepted it.
It was another hour before they got back to Douglas' house. Martin had nodded off in the car even though it was only 9:45 but sat bolt upright when the engine went off. Half of his hair was sticking up from where he was lent against the window. Douglas chuckled affectionately at the sight. Martin grumbled sleepily at him. "Well here we are." announced Douglas. Martin looked out the window as Douglas got out the car followed shortly by Martin. Douglas opened the door and Martin walked in first. He had seen the outside so many times but had never gone in. Inside it was tastefully decorated but quite obviously chosen by his latest ex-wife. Martin's eyes swept the living room seeing the photos that where hanging on the walls of Douglas and Helena and a couple of Douglas and his daughter, Emma martin remembered her name, he looked at the brown leather sofa and was shocked when he saw a fat old tabby cat curled up on the end eyeing Martin. Douglas walked in and the cat looked at him and immediately bounded up to him rubbing his legs, purring. "Douglas I never took you for a cat person." Martin giggled. The cat looked at Martin not sure what to think of him. "Uh no, well I guess there's lots you wouldn't know about me." Douglas said bending down to stroke the cat. "His name is fig. He just walked in one day looking skinny so I fed him scraps and he wouldn't leave. Come on he's hungry and the quickest way to get him to trust you is to feed him." he added smiling leading Martin to the kitchen. "Why fig?" Martin asked looking at the chubby cat walking in front of Douglas. Douglas laughed at the memory. "When he first came we were eating roast fig and I dropped one and he darted out and grabbed it. We didn't even know he was around until he was eating it." Douglas explained. "Helena never liked him but I like having him around. We put him outside but slipped in the next time the door was open, so we took him to the vets and he had no microchip and no one claimed him but there was no space at the shelters so they would have 'destroyed' him and Helena though she hated him wouldn't be the reason an animal died so we took him in." he added as he pulled out a bag of Whiskas dry food handing it to Martin. "His bowl is over there." he gestured the other side of the small room under a counter by the fridge freezer. "Just put a bit in just under half full." Douglas added. Martin did as he was told soon fig was happily munching at his food. Douglas changed the water in the water bowl and put that back down by fig's food bowl.
I better go make the guest bed up." Douglas said looking at Martin. Martin smiled thankfully. "Need any help?" Martin asked. "Yes, if you want to." Douglas answered going upstairs, Martin close behind. "This will be your room." Douglas said. It was quite a big room with a bare double bed in the middle. "I'll go grab some sheets." Douglas smiled at Martin who sat on the edge of the bed looking around. The room there was a small set of drawers and a small wardrobe on the other side of the room next to the window. On the wall with the door there was a full length mirror, and next to the wooden headboard of the bed there was a matching bedside table with a light on it, nothing fancy. Fig then jumped on the martins lap after he had sneaked in to the room un-noticed. Martin smiled and scratched the cat between its shoulder blades. Douglas returned a couple of minutes later to see martin stroking fig. He leaned against the doorframe and watched for a few seconds before piping up. "Never took you for a cat person." he drawled. "He jumped on me!" He said defensively but grinning anyway, moving the cat onto the floor. Douglas chuckled placing the pile of sheets on the bed along with a T-shirt. "I thought you might want to wear this to bed?" Douglas asked showing him the t-shirt it was plain green. Martin nodded. "Thank you." he replied quietly. Soon the bed had soft grey sheets on it and a thin duvet also in a grey duvet cover. "Anything you want I'm just across the hall, the bathroom is the last door on the left." Douglas told martin before he left the room leaving the door slightly ajar. Martin sighed and got up to use the bathroom washing his face and looking in the mirror, he thought to himself. 'My god I look a state.' his eyes were still a bit red and puffy. He blushed right up to the tips of his ears realising he must have looked like this all day and when he remembered that Douglas had seen him cry he flushed harder. Taking a deep breath he went back to the room stripping down to his underwear and pulling on the T-shirt Douglas had lent him, Martin lay back in the bed exhausted pulling the covers over him he was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
A/N: I seriously don't know where the cat came from but I like him.
Please tell me what you think. I've not finished writing it yet and I desperately want to finish it, thank you for reading!
