"So, what's the plan here exactly?" Kenji asks, scarfing down his third cookie.

"I don't really know," I answer truthfully, "I think we'll just kinda tell him and hope for the best…?"

Kenji snorts, but doesn't argue.

"Mom," Aaron says, "I think you should explain. Something tells me Adam may not be too… inclined to have his life retold by me."

Leila frowns from her spot on the couch. "I don't think I'm a much better choice, but I'd rather he be mad at me than any of you. From what I understand, Adam isn't very close to anyone in particular, a trait it seems you've both received from you father," She looks pointedly at Aaron.

"Well, that's not entirely true," Aaron says looking at me.

"Another thing you seem to share," Kenji says, "or at least tried to," he grins at the joke even as Aaron stares daggers at him from where he's standing in the doorway of the small living room. Kenji just takes another cookie from the coffee table in front of us, eyes glistening with delight.

Another reason I wanted Kenji here. There isn't even any real tension yet, but he's already managing to lift it. I'm watching the scene in front of me play out, Kenji's humour against Aaron's calm demeanour, as the doorbell rings. Leila stands from her seat, walking towards the door, muttering "here we go," under her breath.

I decide to move closer to Kenji, worried that my physical proximity to Aaron might be too much for Adam to handle, as he hears about a life he very well could have had.

My hands are already fidgeting as Adam walks into the room, Leila in toe.

"Please, have a seat, take a cookie." She says, gesturing to the already half eaten plate of cookies on the coffee table.

Adam nods, but doesn't make any move to grab one. He moves into the chair across the room from where Aaron is still standing, neither of them even making eye contact.

"Okay, so what is it?" Adam asks, after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"Well," Leila begins, her own hands clenching and unclenching in her lap, the only sign that she's as nervous as the rest of us. "It seems it's time for some… information to be released… to both of you." Her eyes look from Adam to Aaron. Adam's face contorts into one of confusion as his gaze follows Leila's and finally, the two brothers acknowledge each others existence.

" What do you mean?" Adam questions.

"Well, I guess I should start from the beginning. Your beginning. Adam, do you know how your parents met?" He shakes his head.

" Your parents met in high school. They dated for two years, and a few months after graduation, your mother was pregnant with you. Your father proposed and they were due to be married in a few weeks. Two weeks before the wedding, your father decided to take a trip to Paris, savouring his last moments of freedom, of a life free of parental responsibilities and without the pressure of being a husband." Leila takes in a deep breath, Adam seemingly devouring each word as if it were the only source of water in a desert.

"That's when he met me. We spent a week together, just one week, but during that time, one thing lead to another…" Leila trailed off. "When your father left me a week later, off to start a family with your mother and you, he had no idea that I- that I was pregnant."

Adam's breath catches as the realization slowly starts to form. His head is already turning towards Aaron when Leila says. "I couldn't bare to give him up, my baby."

Silver lines Leila's green eyes, as she finishes, "Adam, I'm sorry you didn't know, that We- that I never had the courage to tell you. He didn't want me to, even when you mother-"

But Adam's not listening anymore. He's staring at his brother across the room, Aaron starring right back. Then I see it. I see the same memory clicking in his mind that I heard from Aaron only days before.

"It was you," He says almost incoherently. " I- I thought you were just an imaginary friend, someone I'd made up entirely…"

And then, Adam gets up, and he runs. Out of the room, through the doors of the apartment, down the stairs, and down the side walk. He's still running, long after I see his figure disappear through the window.

Love y'all! Please please please share your thoughts emotions and everything in between!