Listen up people! I have glasses, so I know how it works with eye-exams and how long it takes to get your frames (two weeks max) now for this story to work I can't have them wait that long for Mattie and Alfred to get their glasses, so I am absolutely cheating in this chapter and I know it. Sorry, as much as I love logic and making things flow naturally I have to make this one thing (IN A STORY ABOUT MERPEOPLE!) Unrealistic.

"Kiku?"

Kiku and Alfred walked into the eye doctor building. It smelt of strong cleaning products and was cold, almost uncomfortably so. Although Alfred wanted to look at the frames his bladder was telling him that he needed to go. Now preferably.

"Hai?"

"I'm going to go to the restroom."

"That's fine.."

Alfred made a bee-line for the restroom while Kiku went to work on signing in. He took a seat in the waiting room and filled out what he knew about Alfred but had to leave things blank. In the middle of his writing the doctor's door opened, Kiku didn't bother looking up. He knew the doctor wouldn't be calling him next, not when others were waiting around him.

"Alright, Matthew, why don't you go and pick out your frames? Yeah?" The doctor said and Kiku assumed Matthew went off to do just that in the very next room away from those waiting. Kiku still didn't look up from the papers before him as he continued to write. Kiku only looked up when only seconds later Alfred came back and sat down next to him.

"You don't have a last name, do you?" Kiku asked as he showed the blank space to Alfred.

"Nope."

"Well, it's best if you had one…"

"It's not enough that I just have one name?" Alfred's eyebrow rose as he asked his question. Kiku shook his head and Alfred blew a raspberry in response.

"No, sadly not. It's kind of important to have a last name."

Alfred looked around for a moment, thinking of a suitable last name. "Awesome. Alfred Awesome." Kiku laughed as he gave Alfred a slight shove.

"Be serious."

One would have thought Kiku told Alfred to do something mundane by his bored expression. Alfred looked at the TV, an ad was playing for some sort of coffee brand under the name of 'Caffeine-free Jones.' "a coffee that'll give you the hype without the dangerous drug!"

"...Jones." Alfred hummed in thought and Kiku looked at him, now this time he had the raised eyebrow. "I like that. Alfred Jones… it has a nice ring to it."

Kiku thought about it and agreed. "Alfred Jones. I like that." Kiku spoke as he wrote it down. 'It's better than my suggestion of Alfred Smith.' Kiku thought to himself. "You're right. It does have a nice ring to it."

"I think I like these." Matthew hummed as he showed Máximo the pair of frames. They were square with a gold wire that went underneath them but no wire on top. They were light weight and didn't feel as bulky as the plastic frames.

Máximo looked at them before checking the tag on the side. He then nodded. "Alright, those are covered by the eye exam."

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm excited-" Matthew confessed as he kept in step with Máximo towards the receptionist. "-to see!"

"It's just crazy that you thought it was normal that you couldn't see, amigo-" Máximo paused and looked at Matthew before his brow furrowed. "-for a moment I just forgot who I was talking to." Máximo shook his head as he let out a soft chuckle. "Which is good. It means you're learning."

"Find everything, alright?" The receptionist questioned with a smile as they approached the desk.

"Si, hey, how much for getting these done today?"

While Máximo talked to the receptionist Matthew looked outside through the giant windows that this place had. It was a beautiful day out, it truly was. Yes, it was a little more on the hotter side, but it wasn't too unbearably so. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and everyone was out doing their usual mundane things.

Matthew watched the people the best he could, his eyes were still very limited.

"Mr. Alfred Jones?" A voice called out in the waiting room. Matthew raised an eyebrow and looked momentarily, it was too far for him to make out any faces or even defining features, so he waved it off rather quickly. Odds are it wasn't his Alfred anyways.

"Alright," Máximo grunted as he approached Matthew. "It's all paid for. Your glasses should be ready by five pm."

Matthew smiled. "Thank you! You've done so much for me." He almost yelled as they walked out of the building. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Don't worry about all that. Let's just focus on getting you up to speed with everything alright- oh!" Máximo brought his arm quickly just below Matthew's chest. This was a clear tell sign to stop, so Matthew did. A car slowly passed by the two of them. "Starting with resuming the basics. Look both ways before crossing, even if you're in the parking lot and you have the right away. Look so not to get hit."

"Both ways. Got it!"

"Good."

After five, almost antagonizing hours: Matthew's new glasses were ready and… holy cow.

Máximo couldn't calm Matthew down, he was absolutely beaming and rushing around. "This is so much better!" Matthew couldn't help but announce loud enough to earn him a few chuckles from the other patrons. Matthew gasped once he looked at Máximo. "You have facial hair!"

"He seriously couldn't see, huh?" The receptionist, a different person than before, chuckled lowly at Máximo.

"No. He couldn't." Máximo shelled out some bills.

"This is crazy!" Matthew yelled in unfiltered excitement as he was now looking outside the large windows, out at the street. He could hear Máximo letting out a low laugh. Matthew grinned as he watched the people outside, he could see them perfectly!

"Alright, alright, calm down there, Mattie." Máximo came up and patted Matthew on the shoulder. "Are you happy now that you can see?"

"I just- ah! I just… I had no clue I couldn't see until- until… until- I met you I mean. Thank you. So much." Matthew caught himself just in time. How he wished he could tell the truth more and more every day. If Máximo had any questions or qualms about Matthew's legitimacy he didn't say anything about it or even bring it up. Instead, he just coughed.

"Of course, amigo. That's one less thing on the list anyways. Now to find your brothers."

"Yes!... to find my brothers…" Matthew sighed. His days were coming to an end in the human world, he knew it probably wouldn't be too much longer now until his stubborn headed brothers would be found and soon he and them would be back in the ocean. Still, he was going to make the best of this time he had.

"C'mon, 'Liza! If you're mad at me, be mad at me, but don't punish the children!" Gilbert yelled over the phone. He had to seclude himself in his room so Ludwig wouldn't hear, but Ludwig was smart and probably knew just what was happening. After all Ludwig was the one to tell Gilbert when he was picked up from school. That Eliza and Rodrich no longer wanted Feliciano coming over this home.

To say Gilbert wasn't happy was an understatement.

"I'm not punishing the children! I just can't trust you!" Elizaveta screamed back at him over the phone and then there was an audible 'click' followed by the dull ring of the dial tone.

"You did not just hang up on the awesome me!" Gilbert snarled as he looked at his phone. He had half a mind to ring her back but in the end decided against it so as not to strain their, now fragile, relationship. Gilbert let out a sigh and sat down on the end of his bed.

Of course, Gilbert knew the secret about Feliciano almost drowning last summer would come out. Hell, maybe it's the reason why he made a vow to stay out of it, it was shortly after that did he tell them all to leave him and Ludwig out of their fights. Was it selfish of him? Yes. It was and he knew this.

Of course, he should have told Elizaveta or even Rodrich, but it was the panicked look that Lovino gave him after it had all happened. The way Lovino had let all his guards down and hugged his hysterical brother so tight he almost suffocated him. And the fact that Lovino pleaded for advice on what to do next because no doubt the courts would favor Rodrich after hearing about this.

So, Gilbert thought. As stated: He never had to fight for his younger brother the way Lovino had, and he decided on a whim. "...We won't tell them."

Now that was coming back to bite him in the ass, big time. Gilbert laid down on his bed and looked up at the popcorn spackled ceiling. He sighed; for a moment he felt un-awesomely sorry for himself and sorry for Ludwig as well.

Still… This sparked something in Gilbert. Something that made him sit up so suddenly that his head had started to spin. Something that Feliciano had said just yesterday. 'The nice man saved me!'

But...what if the nice man wasn't trying to save him?

What if the nice man was a bad man who got off on drowning children? Wasn't there a kid that died last year from drowning?

Gilbert couldn't stop himself. He pulled his laptop off of his nightstand, opened it, and let his fingers type away. He typed in his town's name and added 'drowning' at the end. News articles and obituaries started to pop up. Gilbert's eyes started to widen as he found himself reading case after case.

"Holy shit…"'How the fuck can the police think this is all an accident?' Gilbert thought once he realized something. Something disturbing.

There was a pattern of drownings. The police clearly missed it because well they were all on the beach and clearly if someone were to drown at the beach it'd just be another statistic for the books, right? But this was more than a statistic.

Every year for the past five years a child, just one child, turns up dead on the shoreline from 'accidental' drowning, but here's the weirdest thing. It happened around the same time every year between the start of May and the end of July. A big gap yes, but that's the summer months plain and simple. "...The children are out of school…" Gilbert made the connection quickly.

And it seemed he wasn't the only one to make this connection. The last kid to die, Sven Oxenstierna, his parents were quick to make the connection and claim it wasn't an accident to the police but were waved off and the death was, unfortunately, finalized and the case closed.

This made Gilbert's blood absolutely boil and before he could stop himself and had his phone to his ear.

It rang, once, twice-

"-Hola?" Máximo's voice sounded off, if Gilbert had to guess, he had called him in the middle of eating. It seemed true as he heard Máximo swallow down whatever was in his mouth. "Why are you calling me?" Máximo inquired only seconds after.

"Hey-... I…" Gilbert lost his voice for a moment as he looked back at the evidence before him. "I found something interesting…"

"...Kay?"

"Look… I can't believe I'm saying this, but I just… I need your help, Machado."

"Oh?"

"Don't be cocky about it. It's just, I found something interesting. I don't think what happened to Feliciano was exactly...Isolated.

"You're not a cop, Gilbert." Máximo huffed in annoyance.

"Look, can… can you come over?"

"Again?"

"...don't make me say 'please'."

There was a long sigh on the other end of the phone. He could hear Matthew's voice in the background. Gilbert couldn't hear exactly what was said, but he did hear the end which sounded like. "-I'd like to see Gilbert again."

Aw, his little Birdie missed him already.

There was a prolonged sigh on the other end of the line. "Fiiiiiine." Máximo caved. "Just because Matthew, for whatever reason, likes to hang out with you."

Gilbert made it a note to thank Matthew later. "Awesome, thank you. I promise I won't waste your time."

"Yeah, yeah." Was all Máximo could say before hanging up.

Gilbert kept his laptop open on his bed and decided that since he knew he had time to spare, he'd go and check on Ludwig and see if maybe Gilbird has come back to see him.

The moment Gilbert stepped out of his room he finds Ludwig sitting at the coffee table, a giant pile of polaroids and other types of photos scattered all over the table. "Luddy?" Gilbert worried for his little brother, the news of Feliciano hit him rather hard. Still, Gilbert prayed Ludwig wasn't destroying those photos.

He wasn't.

Ludwig looked up for a moment before throwing a photo into a neatly stacked pile on the floor. "Whatcha doing there, buddy?" Gilbert questioned as he crouched down. Gilbert could see the giant box where the photos came out of on the floor next to Ludwig. A that sat in closet for years and gathered dust.

"Organizing your photos by years. It's been bugging me." Ludwig huffed like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. Of course, the years of every photo was written on the back.

"Okay… do you need to talk about something?"

Ludwig paused briefly in his sorting, it only lasted a second before he put the photo down on another pile. He then picked another one up to look at the date. "No." He decided.

"...Okay, buddy." Gilbert ruffled Ludwig's hair. Gilbert gave his little brother the space he clearly wanted. If Ludwig wanted to organize decades worth of photos to distract himself, then let him.

Then there was a soft tapping noise. Gilbert grinned as he turned to the window in the kitchen. There his bright yellow little Gilbird stood perched on the window seal and tapping away at the glass.

Gilbird is a lovely little orange-faced yellow finch. It was clear that Gilbird used to be a pet. In fact, Gilbert was almost 100% sure that Gilbird was the pet of the guy who lived here before.

Whoever lived here before didn't want Gilbird and just threw him outside. Well, Gilbird came back, because of course he would, this was his home! Gilbert tried to shoo him away, but eventually, little Gilbird wormed his way into Gilbert's heart and now he was part of the family.

Gilbird loved to explore and so Gilbert would let him do so, he'd be gone days at a time, but always came back to his nest.

The moment Gilbert opened the window, Gilbird landed on Gilbert's head and tweeted impatiently. "I know, I know!" Gilbert huffed at his annoyed bird. "You're hungry." Gilbert laughed and Gilbird called and sang loudly. Such a demanding little bird.

Gilbert went into the pantry and pulled out his bag of birdseed. Instantly, Gilbird flew up and dive-bombed into the bag face first. His little bird was lost in the birdseed. Gilbert laughed and backed off. He decided to let his little bird eat his fill.

So, Gilbert went back to the living room and sat down on the couch. He watched Ludwig for several minutes, his little brother not once looking up from his project. It was maybe about five or ten minutes later when someone knocked at his door. It was only then did Ludwig look up.

"Are you expecting someone?"

"I am," Gilbert informed his brother as he stood and stretched. He then walked to the door and opened it. Máximo looked annoyed, but Matthew looked happy, pleasantly so, actually. The kind of happy that could easily bounce around and infect the unsuspecting, hell, Gilbert almost started grinning.

"Hey, you got glasses." It clicked for Gilbert only moments later.

"I did!" Matthew was absolutely giddy with excitement as he wiggled in place. Gilbert gave a chuckle and moved to the side to allow them in.

"Why'd you call?" Máximo inquired as he stepped inside Gilbert's apartment.

"Oh?- Ah! Yes!" For a moment Gilbert was so lost in Matthew's happiness and excitement that he almost forgot the whole reason he called Máximo in the first place. "Follow me…" With a simple command Gilbert started to lead Máximo to his bedroom but stopped when Matthew started to follow.

Máximo was the first one to act. "I think he wants to talk to me alone."

"Oh… Okay." Matthew then sat on the couch. "I'll stay here and watch, Ludwig."

Gilbert cringed as Matthew pronounced 'Ludwig' as 'Lewd-wig.' the North American pronunciation. "Right, C'mon, Máxi." Gilbert decided not to complain about it as he had something more important to attend to anyways.

Matthew looked back at the pile of pictures and picked the first one up. "So-" He inspected the picture. He knew the concept of pictures Matthew saw many humans take them on the beach.

The picture he grabbed had Gilbert, looking younger than he was now, and he was standing with two other men. One seemed to be the guy that was with Lovino at the store. Matthew never did get that guy's name, and a third guy.

This new guy was tall, taller than Gilbert. He had wavey shiny blonde hair that was long and put up into a ponytail. He was winking but this still showed that his eye color was lilac. He had a flower in his hand as he stood striking more of a pose than the other two. Matthew flipped it over and saw writing. He frowned, unable to read what was written. "What does this say?" He asked Ludwig.

"Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis. 2014." Ludwig didn't even look up as he was looking at another photo.

"Francis." That name sparked something in Matthew. It sounded familiar, he knew that name, but from where? He found himself staring uncomfortably long at Francis in the photograph.

'I don't know a Francis…' Matthew tried to think about where he heard that name before, then he just shrugged it off. It'll come to him in due time. He could hear Gilbert and Máximo talking, their voices raising only to go quiet moments later.

"So, what are you doing?"

"Organizing Gilbert's photos. I don't know why he just throws all his photos in a box; it drives me crazy." Ludwig put a picture neatly on a stacked pile off to his left not in the pile Matthew was at.

Matthew looked at the picture that was below the first one he grabbed. He looked at the next one and couldn't stop himself from laughing. What was Gilbert wearing? He seemed to be dressed in an article of clothing that made him look like a bird. The two beside him, Antonio and Francis respectfully were also dressed in ridiculous outfits. Antonio was dressed as a lobster, something Matthew knew anywhere, and Francis. Well, he seemed to be dressed as cat the ears gave that away-

But he wasn't wearing any clothes except for a single giant rose that covered his more private parts. This man was hairy! Also, from what Matthew gathered after the two days he's been here nudity was frowned upon by humans.

"Oh my." Matthew couldn't help but gasp out and he put the picture back where it was on the pile along with the first picture he grabbed.

"Yeah, that's uncle Francis for you." Ludwig said like it was no big deal as he put another picture on top of the pile Matthew was at. Matthew just couldn't stop himself from grabbing the photo to look at. He was interested in Gilbert's friends.

It was then that Matthew felt his whole world turn upside down as he stared at the picture before him. His eyes went wide, his hands started to shake, and his blood ran cold. He licked his rapidly drying lips and realized that his heart started to race.

In the picture, to be expected, was Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis-

But it wasn't just the three of them. As hanging off of Francis's arm… was Matthew's father.

Matthew tried to fight the truth at first. There's no way. His father hated and loathed humans with a burning passion, so this was just a person with an unfortunate face, right? RIGHT!?

The longer Matthew looked the more he realized this was his father. Those green eyes, and bushy eyebrows were unmistakable. He looked… honestly, happy hanging off of Francis's arm. His eyes were beaming with happiness as he was staring at the camera.

His father wore a pair of black pants, boots that looked easy to slip-on, a bandana with red, white, and blue coloring around his neck, and a zipped up black jacket. He looked so relaxed and not as high strung. At first Matthew felt happy for his father's happiness.

Then came the anger. And it hit Matthew like a semi-truck. "How dare you…" Matthew suddenly growled out loud before he could stop himself. He then stood from his spot accidently knocking down Ludwig's pile.

"Huh?" Ludwig questioned with a raised eyebrow. He was clearly more concerned with Matthew's behavior than the knocked over pile of pictures. Matthew just couldn't believe his father would do this, he lied to them, to all of them!

"I have to go!" Matthew yelled and next thing he knew he was out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. Matthew had some serious questions for both Liam and his father alike and dammit he was going to get answers one way or another.

Gilbert led Máximo to his bedroom and shut the door. Máximo frowned once the door shut. "Okay… first the date and now this? I'm beginning to think you have a thing for me." Máximo was joking but when Gilbert didn't chuckle or even tell Máximo to go screw himself he frowned.

With a heavy sigh, Gilbert turned his laptop towards Máximo and gestured towards it. "What do you see?" He asked Máximo and stepped to the side so Máximo could step forward.

Máximo started to read and only a few minutes later he looked at Gilbert.

"Drownings? This isn't anything new."

"Look at all who drowned! Children!"

"Okay, I mean kids aren't the best at swimming, as much as I wish it were preventable-"

Gilbert rolled his eyes and pointed at the screen again. "All of these kids were between the ages of eight and ten years old and they all died in the summer months."

"Gilbert, the kids were out of school, and most of them without their parents!"

"Yeah, but they all almost always showed up a week later-"

"The body was washed out to sea! Of course there's going to be a delay when finding them. I understand your concerns but it's all just a case of drownings."

"But what if it wasn't? What if 'The nice man' Feliciano was yelling about yesterday wasn't nice. What if he tried to drown Feliciano the first time but failed?"

Máximo's mouth turned into a scowl and he sucked in a slow deep breath through his nose. "Alright, elaborate?"

"It's just a thought that came to me; every year for the past five or so years in the summer some poor kid, between the ages of eight and ten years old, goes under. Last year Feliciano was nine. Here's what I remember leading up to his accident. Lovino and I were at the beach waiting for Antonio. Feliciano was just searching for some shells along the shoreline." Gilbert paused to take a breath and it was now that he was starting to realize that his heart was racing.

"Okay." Máximo sat down on the edge of Gilbert's bed and looked over the webpage as Gilbert continued to speak.

"Okay, now this was about a year ago so obviously I don't remember everything perfectly, but I can tell you what I do remember. I was talking to Lovino and I remember it was a long conversation that had my full attention. Then I just had a… a urge to look over towards where Feliciano was. Feli was behind me, I figured Lovino had a good view of him, but he didn't. Feliciano was gone. Just up and vanished!"

"Where was Ludwig at this time?" Máximo rubbed his chin in thought. "They're always together so why wasn't he there now?"

Gilbert had to think for a moment. Where was Ludwig at that time? Why wasn't he on the beach with them? Then it hit him "He was sick. That's right, he had the stomach bug so he was taking a nap when I went out to the beach."

"You left your sick brother alone?"

"Oh, sue me." Gilbert rolled his eyes. "He was napping and I wasn't going to be gone for more than ten minutes." Gilbert huffed before he crossed his arms. "But that's why Ludwig wasn't with us. Regardless of all of that… Feliciano was gone, Máxi."

"Okay, Feli was gone. What happened after that?"

"Well, Lovino freaked out as any normal adult would. It wasn't like Feliciano to just jump head first into the sea! The kid can hardly swim as it is."

"Gil. You of all people know that kids are kind of known for throwing out all caution and just doing what they want. If they wanted to cross the street during a five o'clock rush they'll do just that."

Máximo had a point, but he was also missing the main point. "Yes, you're right. If Feliciano was three or four years old! Máximo, Feli was nine. He knew better than to go into the ocean, not just that but he didn't have a swim suit on. So there's no reason he'd just jump into the water."

Máximo hummed in thought and looked back at the laptop. "Alright, continue."

"Well… Lovino jumped straight into the water when he realized that Feliciano was gone, but Feliciano came up only seconds after. He was sobbing loudly, screaming about how a nice man had saved him. Lovino grabbed him and we got him back to the surface after that."

Máximo let out a hum. "So you're saying that this nice man might have pulled him into the water to start with?"

"Maybe. It only makes sense to me. He pulled Feliciano down in an attempt to drown him, but panicked and let him go. Feliciano probably didn't know he was grabbed and when he got a look at the 'Nice man' he thought he was being saved."

"Hm."

"He wasn't in his right mind at the time either. He claimed the guy had a fish tail like he was a some sort of… mermaid or something!" Gilbert threw his hands up in the air and sighed.

Máximo pondered on it for a moment and looked over at Gilbert. "Okay, I guess I can kind of see your point-"

"I'm not the only one calling foul play either. This jackass didn't just stop at Feliciano. He got a kid last year, after all, and this kid's parents are saying the same thing I am. That it wasn't an accident. Feliciano got lucky last year and this year! Someone, that guy Matt and I saw probably, is hunting children and only stopping if there's a risk of being caught. He did see me or Matt."

"But- but he would have heard Lovino and Elizaveta, as well as me."

"You guys were distracted."

There was a pause. The pause lasted one second, two seconds, three- "...I guess you are bringing some good points… I'd have to do some of my own research it seems and see if maybe I can reopen the cases-"

There was a loud slam that echoed through the whole apartment. No doubt it came from the front door. Both Máximo and Gilbert jumped before rushing out of his bedroom. Gilbert was the first out and looked around to see who had entered. Nobody, but they were missing a person.

"Where's Matt?" Máximo questioned as he made big steps towards the door.

"Left." Ludwig grumbled. Gilbert noted that one of Ludwig's piles of photos had been knocked over. "He freaked out after seeing this picture." Ludwig flashed the picture to Gilbert. Gilbert grabbed it and frowned. He didn't have long to think about anything as Máximo went running out after Matthew.

"Shit!" Gilbert growled and followed Máximo, he pocketed the picture for now. "Stay here!" He demanded to Ludwig.

"Okay!" Ludwig yelled back and Gilbert shut the apartment door before quickly stepping down the stairs.

"Matthew!" He heard Máximo yell out clearly none too happy. Gilbert met Máximo at the end of the stairs.

"Where'd he go?" Gilbert asked.

"... I don't know… I'm going to check the beach."

"Good call." Gilbert honestly went to follow Máximo, but stopped when he looked over at Kiku's house. It was one of the few times Kiku had his blinds to his sliding glass door open. He got closer to Kiku's fence and even leaned in to get a better look inside of Kiku's home.

There was Kiku, a basket of fruits and vegetables on his hip while he was talking to, what had to be, Matthew. Gilbert narrowed his eyes as he leaned over the fence now, ignoring the hibiscus tickling his nose.

When did Matthew have time to change his clothes? Matthew had on a t-shirt and khakis when in the apartment but now he was wearing a black button up and blue jeans?

"Hey, Máxi-" Gilbert tried to talk to Máximo but he was gone. Gilbert looked between Kiku's house and the beach.

Gilbert decided to go to the beach.

He got to the beach within seconds. There was Matthew standing by the shoreline. Máximo had him by his collar. Gilbert let out a sigh of relief that he held in and raced up to the duo. "Don't you ever run off like that again!" Máximo snarled.

"Sorry- I just… lost my temper." Matthew explained.

"At a picture?" Gilbert inquired as he showed the picture in question. Matthew crossed his arms and looked rather cross himself as he scowled, yes, scowled at the picture.

"Yes."

"Why?" Máximo let go of Matthew's, now wrinkled, collar and snatched the picture from Gilbert's hand. "It's just a picture."

Matthew sighed and looked away, he then crossed his arms over his chest. He stayed that way for several heartbeats until finally, Matthew broke down and pointed at a person in the photo.

"That's my dad."

Gilbert felt all air leave his lungs and Máximo scowled a deep unsettling scowl. "...Mattie… are you sure." Máximo slowly asked.

"I know what my dad looks like, Máximo!" Matthew snapped back.

Gilbert felt his body shift before he knew it he was on his ass in the sand. His eyes now wide and his skin looking clammy. "You have to be mistaken, the math. It just doesn't add up. He was eighteen when… and you…"

Gilbert's words went unheard and unnoticed as Máximo turned the picture around so Matthew could see it again. "If this is your father then… things just changed, big time." Máximo spoke slowly and almost scared.

"What do you mean?"

"Mattie… he killed Francis…"

And that's how twice in one day did Matthew's world just flip completely upside down on him.