Silence. That’s all that surrounded me. There were people murmuring all around me, and the Priest was rambling on about ‘the valley of the shadows of death,” or something along those lines. With all of this noise, nothing could penetrate my own bubble of nothingness. I could feel nothing, see nothing. I knew the rain that was pouring out of the sky should be freezing on my bare shoulders and arms, but I couldn’t feel it. I stared at the casket that held the only family I had ever known, my father. They told me that he didn’t feel anything when he passed, but I knew different. The car was mangled beyond repair, and he was impaled by a branch from the tree he hit. And now that he is dead, part of me was sad, but another part was glad he was dead. Now I didn’t have to worry about getting beaten on a daily basis. But I came to the realization, I am now totally alone.

I saw movement to my left and noticed that everyone was getting up to leave. I sat there and looked at everyone who had come. I saw his friends and our neighbors. I sighed when I realized that no one from my dad’s estranged family showed up. I had always wondered about why my dad had broken all of his ties with his family. I had asked him a couple of times, but he would change the subject. He had told me once that I had a brother, but he wouldn’t tell me his name.

I continued to look around and I noticed one guy that I knew from school. Jimmy Sullivan was just staring at me in a way that said ‘I know your pain.’ I kept staring at him, and I noticed that his mother looked to where he was looking. She saw me, and gave me a sad smile. She began to walk over to me with Jimmy on her heels.

“Hi Aurora, my name is Barbara Sullivan. I wish we could have met under different circumstances, but it is nice to see you again,” she said.

I looked at her weird, “What do you mean see me again? I don’t believe I have ever met you.”

She gave me a sad smile, “You will learn soon enough.”

She began to walk in the direction of my father’s lawyer, Robert Allen, and began to speak to him. I looked back at Jimmy and he was looking at his feet.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

I put my hand on his shoulder, “It’s ok. I’ll get over it in time.”

He nodded and walked in the direction of his mother. I looked down at my feet and began to walk away, but someone put their hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Robert standing there.

“Aurora, before you leave, I need you to come with me,” he told me.

I nodded, and followed him over to where Barbara and Jimmy stood.

“I’m going to need the three of you to come with me to my office. I need to read James’s will,” he explained.

Barbara nodded, and then looked at me, “Who drove you here sweetie?”

I looked up at her, “One of my neighbors. I can go tell her what’s going on so she can drive me.”

Barbara shook her head, “You can ride with us. And then we’ll take you back home. Sound good?”

I nodded, “Works for me. Thank you.”

She smiled, “It’s no problem at all.”

I followed Barbara and Jimmy to their car, and my neighbor Grace was by her car beside them.

“Grace, I have to go with Robert for the reading of my father’s will. Barbara said that she would give me a ride. So you can go home if you want,” I told her.

She nodded, “Ok. I’ll see you at home then.”

I watched her get into her car and drive away.

“You can have shotgun if you want,” Jimmy told me.

I looked over to him, “I’ll be fine in the back. Go ahead and sit with your mom.”

He nodded and got into the front seat of the car, and I followed his actions and got into the back seat. Barbara started the car and began to follow Robert’s car towards town where his office was.

“So Jimmy told me that you go to school with him,” Barbara said.

“Yes ma’am. We’re in the same grade, but the only class we have together is homeroom.”

“She’s in all of the smart kid’s classes,” Jimmy said jokingly.

I actually smiled, “You could be in them too if you did your homework.”

He turned around in his seat and gave me a disgusted look, “You insult me. If I did my homework, then it would ruin my bad boy rebellion reputation.”

I silently laughed, “Jimmy, you sure do know how to make someone feel better.”

He smiled at me, “Glad to be of service malady.”

Barbara laughed, “He has that effect on everybody honey. I think that’s why his friends still hang out with him.”

Jimmy looked over at his mom, “Hey! They love me for my crazy antics, and my awesome kimono!”

I gave him a weird look, “You have a kimono? I don’t even have a kimono, and I have been to Japan.”

He looked back to me, “I love my kimono. It’s orange. I can let you borrow it one day.”

I shook my head, “No thanks. Orange isn’t really my color.”

He smiled, “Good! I wasn’t going to let you borrow it anyways.”

I just shook my head, “Whatever you say Jimmy.”

“We’re here,” Barbara said as she slowed the car down to turn into the parking lot.

I looked at the building. It wasn’t much; just a small building that could be converted into a doctor’s office. It was made of bricks, and there was only one window. The door was made of glass and you could look in and see the waiting room.

The three of us got out of the car, and then I realized something.

“Barbara, why did Robert need you to come? How do you know my father?” I asked her.

She looked at me sadly, “You’ll find out sweetie.”

She then started walking away, and I came to the conclusion that the conversation was over. We walked over to the door where Robert was waiting for us. He unlocked the door and led us to his office. He motioned for us to take a seat, and he sat down behind his desk. He opened one of his drawers and pulled out a piece of paper.

“I’m going to read out his will to you. This is the last will and testament of James P. Sullivan. On the event of my death this will must be read to Barbara G. Sullivan, James O. Sullivan, and Aurora L. Sullivan. On the event of my death, my ex-wife Barbara is to gain custody of Aurora, her biological daughter-“

“What?!” Jimmy and I exclaimed at the same time.

“You mean these sixteen years I’ve had a mother and didn’t know it?” I asked.

Robert nodded, and I looked over to Barbara, “You knew?”

She nodded, “When your father and I divorced, he took you with him, and I had Jimmy. For some reason he didn’t want you to know me or Jimmy.”

I put my head in my hands, eyes welling up with tears that threatened to fall, “I always wondered if my mother just didn’t want me. I always wondered what she was doing, if I had any other siblings. I wish I had known. My life would have been much better.”

Barbara looked at me sadly, “Why would your life have been better?”

I looked over at her, “Because I would have chosen to live with you. Dad beat me everyday.”

I could see that Barbara had become angry, “He did what?”

“He beat me everyday. I don’t remember anytime that he wasn’t beating me. No one had any idea, because he always hit me where it wouldn’t show,” I explained.

I saw Jimmy clench his fists, “If the bastard wasn’t already dead, I would kill him myself.”

Barbara nodded in agreement, “I would too.”

I shrugged, “He’s dead now. That’s all that matters.”

Robert cleared his throat and he looked at me sadly, “I need to finish reading this.”

The three of us nodded and he looked back at the paper, “Aurora is to get all of my possessions, and money, but not my house. I have left her two hundred thousand dollars. It shall be given to Barbara to keep safe for when Aurora needs it. I have also left Barbara and James two hundred thousand dollars each. The house is to be sold and Aurora is to move in with Barbara. This ends my will.”

I looked up to Robert, “That’s it?”

He nodded, “That’s it. I will have the money ready for you Barbara within three days.”

She nodded, “Thank you Robert,” she looked to me and Jimmy, “We should probably head home. Aurora, I’m taking you to your house so you can pack all of your things, and sift through your father’s things. Anything you don’t want, we can sell, or give to charity.”

I nodded, “When am I moving in with you?”

“You will move in tomorrow. I know you’ll need time to finish.”

I nodded, “Ok.”

She stood up, and Jimmy and I followed suit. We thanked Robert, and headed out of his office. Jimmy put his arm around me as we walked out of the building. We got to Barbara’s car, and to my surprise, Jimmy sat in the back with me.

“I kind of wondered why we had the same last name,” he said.

I nodded, “And I always found it funny that we have the same birthday.”

He looked at me, “Oh my God we’re twins! We can be terror twins wreak havoc on unsuspecting victims! And cause chaos where ever we go!”

I looked over to him, “Sounds good to me, but let me adjust to you being my brother first, and then we will cause terror and chaos.”

I heard Barbara laugh, “At least I know you two can get along. Jimmy, do you think your friends would get along with her?”

“I know they will. She’s basically like us, but smarter.”

I laughed at that, “Well this situation that Dad put us in is working out better than expected.”

Jimmy nodded, “Yes it did. I’m just glad you’re my sister. You’re freaking awesome!”

I nodded in agreement, “Yes, yes I am.”

The rest of the ride to my house was Jimmy and I finding out things about each other, and Barbara asking me questions that Jimmy failed to ask. I was sad to get out of the car when we finally pulled up to my house.

“Well, I guess this is a see you later moment,” I said.

Barbara nodded, “We will see you tomorrow. Do you need me to pick you up?”

I shook my head, “I get Dad’s car, so I can drive myself. I just need your address.”

She nodded and pulled out a pen and a scrap piece of paper. She wrote down the address and her phone number, and then handed it to me.

“Call me before you leave,” she said.

I nodded, “Will do.”

I got out of the car and walked up the path that led to the front door. As soon as I unlocked it, and stepped inside, I heard the car pull away. I closed the door and sighed.

Better get started

It took me almost all night to pack all of my things and sort through everything. I wasn’t keeping much, and the rest could go to Goodwill or something. When I was finally done, I flopped onto my bed, and quickly fell asleep.

End day one of my new life.