This is a small story that came actually from Flutters itself. While similar in nature, they feel completely different.

This will be a few chapters of exploring two adults who are strangers learning to deal with each other and what exactly is a family.

At twenty-eight, Rilla Blythe had come to the conclusion that she was all right if she never knew who the father of her child was. At twenty-eight she had come to terms with it and had a plethora of answers for the inquisitive nine-year-old that was her daughter.

At twenty-eight she never thought she would be sitting at her laptop, working on some elementary school project that had led her to send in their DNA to see where they came from. God these family tree things had gotten complicated these days.

She never thought at twenty-eight, and almost ten years of not knowing she would be confronted with the chance knowing.

Actually knowing who she had hooked up with that one Halloween night. That freshman year of College, at what was known as the party school of Canada. He had been dressed up in an old army Bootcamp training suit, while she had been a green fairy, with glitter and body paint in the places her tiny outfit didn't cover. A few drinks and dances, a few kisses, later leaving with him to some apartment she barely remembers the address of.

She didn't think much about her late period and later tiredness over the holidays. Exams will do that to you after all?

Except January came, and then February and even she could no longer lie to herself.

She cursed to herself as she watched the test turn positive. How could she be so stupid, how could she miss so many periods and not notice? Was it the never-ending denial that she moved out for the first time and didn't even make it a semester in school before doing something stupid? She had found herself scouring message boards and classmates to figure out who he had been. God, why did she sneak out and go home before getting his name? It always came back empty-handed, no one knew her mystery boy was.

She gave up in the end. Her classmates noticed of course but said nothing. She didn't even tell her family when they called.

So she returned home, pregnant and embarrassed. Because stepping off a plane in the middle of April, six months pregnant. So Obviously pregnant at this point was the most embarrassing thing she had ever managed to do. Much more than any sort of bake sale walk of shame.

It all came out once she was home. Tears streaming down her face, the story of how and why. That she didn't know who the father was, only a grainy photo with his face covered in fake blood that was on her camera phone.

She had nothing, no money, no boyfriend. Just a baby. She didn't even have a doctor.

There wasn't much of a surprise when her father quickly got her an appointment and her mother comforted her.

She took a year off of school, had her baby, learned the ropes of motherhood. Went back to school and managed the best she could. She had babysitters and daycare because she had a wonderful baby girl who made her life whole in a way she never imagined.

But now at twenty-eight, she was faced with something she had not thought would ever happen. Who would have ever thought it could happen in such a way after?

Paternal Parent

Shares 50% of DNA

Nothing more, they can't show names unless the other person allows it, much like he wouldn't see her daughter's name.

She sees herself pop-up as the mother in her daughter's account which she allowed first off in another browser, logged-in to her own account.

Nothing more in her daughter's paternal ancestry just yet, though Jem popped up and so did Nan of all people as maternal aunts and uncles.

She made a note to ask them when they did the DNA thing the next time they spoke.

So she took a sip of her coffee and typed out a message.

Hello, I am writing on behalf of this person's profile. I am sorry if this is strange, I am wondering if you ever attended a Halloween party in 2006 in London On? If so, is it possible to connect? There is something, someone that you need to know about."

Thank you.

R Blythe

At twenty-eight, Rilla Blythe didn't know what the other person may do or say. Would he be willing to connect? Would he be willing to believe her? How accurate were these DNA ancestry sites at the end of the day? Maybe Shirley might now? He was in some sort of a crime scene, biology sort of thing? He must know about DNA?

Either way at twenty-eight Rilla didn't have time to dwell on it, she had her dinner to make and laundry to fold and homework to help with. She had a life to get on with, a job to do. A secretary in a law office, it wasn't always glamorous but it paid the bills and gave her some savings. She wouldn't admit that it stung more than she thought when a week went by without a reply. Clearly, he wasn't interested and since her daughter had no idea what came out of this project it would never hurt her.

So at Twenty-eight, Rilla looked at the photo of that night on her daughter's nightstand with a sad smile as she tucked her daughter into bed for what was the thousand and something night since she had been born.

"Come on Kenzie," She tells her daughter as she tucks the blankets around the tween who had been reading her book. "Time for bed for you have school in the morning."

"Did you print out the information?" The tween asked yawning. Letting her mother take her books from her.

"I did, it's already in your school bag for class tomorrow," Rilla told her and kissed her forehead.

"What if they ask about my other half?" Kenzie asked her mother.

"Then you just tell them the truth, that you're not quite sure what comes from where. "Either way you are English, Irish, some obvious Greek and Mediterranean in you."

"What did he look like?" The child asked her. "Can I tell them that he's a spy?

"Kenzie, you heard about him a hundred times," Rilla sighed, looking at her daughter perfect little face. "He was tall, with this dark hair that made me want to run my hands through, with striking grey eyes that were almost purple. I would lay off the spy story though, as fun of a thought that is, I don't want the children to tease you for it?" Rilla said from memory. "Now Sleep tight,"

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Kenzie answered back. "I love you, mom."

"I love you too Kennedy," Rilla said with one final kiss to her hair she left the room and shut off the light.

At twenty-eight she was alright with having her daughter to herself. She loved the bond they cherished and they grew up together at this point. She did her piece by reaching out, and they were good enough for her at this point. Still, it lingered in the back of her mind.

At twenty-eight was she ready if he ever replied?