2) The Letter
As I take a seat in the far corner of the waiting area of gate B6 I pull the letter out of my bag. The letter that I have read 20 times since I opened it 4 days ago, the letter that changed my life forever. I take it out of the envelope to read one more time while I wait.
Ashlynn,
There are so many things that I wish I told you sooner, so many things that I wish I could take back. Having you however is not one of them, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I want you to remember that as you read this letter. I haven't always been truthful with you about your past or mine for that matter, they say it's never too late to make things right and I hope that it is true. Ok, ok enough of beating around the bush, I've made you wait long enough.
Your mother died while giving birth to you, but what you didn't know is that we never really loved each other. We were both really young, barely 18 and we were both in the party stage of our lives. You know I have a lot of things in my life that I am not proud of and the biggest one is what I did the night you were born. Your mother came over to my house to tell me that she wanted me out of her life and as we were in our yelling match, her water broke. She tried to call her parents to bring her to the hospital but they weren't home so I brought her. When we got there they rushed her into the delivery room right away and within minutes you were born. What we didn't count on however was that your mom was having twins, you were always in front of your sister in the ultrasound so the doctor could never be sure. Just as we realized that another baby was on its way, everything started to go wrong. Your mother's heart beat started to decrease and her breathing almost stopped. The doctors were able to get your sister, Brooklynn, out quickly but not before your mother was gone.
No one but me, your mother, the nurse and the doctor in the room knew that there were twins, so I made a split second desicion that I regret everyday of my life. After the nurse asked me the names for you two and I gave her the two girls names your mom had picked out, she filled out the birth certificates and then left the one for a moment. It was at that moment that I grabbed you and your birth certificate and quickly left the hospital. I then moved to Flordia, the farthest place in the country away from Washington that I could think of. For awhile I was afraid that the police were going to find me but after a year of nothing I figured I was safe. I soon realized that the hospital we went to had a lot of malpractices suits against them so knowing that your mom's family didn't know there was another baby they probably just let them believe there was only one.
I am truly sorry, no amount of words could ever express the guilt that I have felt everyday since I took you away from your sister and the rest of your family. I was just so afraid, I knew Leena's parents hated me and if they had their way I would never see you girls. Then with my past being what it was no judge in the world would give me custody, so I decided having one of you was better than nothing.
The reason I am telling you all of this now is because that day in the hospital that I gave you this letter I also made a phone call. I called your Aunt Yvonne in La Push that your sister Brooklynn lives with. After an hour of her screaming at me I was able to convince her that everything I just told you was true, I even had to have a nurse send her a picture of you over the Internet so she would believe I wasn't lying. Once she accepted the fact, I told her that I was sick and that I needed her too take care of you for me. I told her that you needed to be with your sister. She of course said yes, because none of this is your fault and she doesn't need to know you to love you like she loves Brooklynn, after all you are a part of her as she is a part of you. After I hung up the phone with her I wrote this letter to you.
Please Ashlynn, baby, don't hate me! I would like to say I did what I thought was best but I didn't, I was selfish. I know when you found out I was dying you thought you were losing everything but thats not true. Everything happens for a reason and I think the fates knew it was time for you to meet your sister, to find that part of you that you always felt you were missing. When you see your sister please tell her that not one day went by that I didn't think about her. Please don't be mad or sad Ash, just think of this as the first chapter of a new journey, I know you love adventures! :)
So please take this plane ticket and after the funeral when you have had time to adjust to all this information and go join the family that you truly belong too. Your Aunt's # is 360-555-7980, she will be waiting for your call. I love you my angel, with everything I have.
Always & Forever,
Dad
I fold the letter up and put it back into my bag as I wipe the stray tear from my eye. I have read the letter enough to not cry uncontrollably anymore. I have actually come to terms with the fact that my father was telling the truth. The day after I first read the letter I called my Aunt, who was so excited to hear from me that it made me happy for the first time in months. She let me talk to Brooklynn too, it was awkward at first but after about 10 minutes we realized how exactly alike we were and before I knew it 2 hours had went by. We talked about everything, even about the thing with our father and she promised me that she didn't blame me at all. By the time I got off the phone I was in a better mood then I have been in ages and I was actually ready to start my new life, like my father knew I would be. So with a smile on my face I got up and bored the plane, anxious to meet a family I never knew I had but somehow felt a part of already.