Chapter 26
TWENTY-SIX
I’m paranoid the police are on the verge of tracking me down at any moment, so I contemplate where I can hide until the compound wears off. Maybe I should go find one of those cliffs I considered jumping off on a previous trip.
But in the end, I go home to my parents’ house. I’m exhausted, and I just want the familiarity of my childhood bedroom.
It’s only nine fifteen when I get home, and the lights are on. I leave my car in the driveway and quietly go inside. I’m not sure my brain is in the zone to deal with my nineties parents, but it doesn’t look like I have much choice.
As I walk down the hall, I hear two female voices in the living room, and I recognise them as my mum and Aunt Margie.
“I think we should tell the kids,” Mum says.
“Why? Everything is fine as it is. Don’t start thinking you’ll be doing everyone a favour just because you feel guilty.”
“But what if they find out some other way? I’m paranoid Vic will show up one day and figure everything out. He was unstable at the best of times, so I can’t imagine what he’d do if he found out you’d adopted our son.”
My mouth falls open.
Wait. Are they talking about Kurt?
And who’s Vic?
My brain was already overwhelmed from the car accident, but am I now learning that everything I thought about my world was wrong?
How could Mum keep this from me for over forty years? Was she ever going to tell me?
I figure this timeline is already well and truly messed up, so I stalk down the hallway and stand in front of them both.
“What’s going on?” I demand.
Mum and Margie stare at me, both white-faced.
“H-hi, darling,” Mum says. “I thought you were on your way to Brisbane?”
“Clearly not. Were you waiting for me to leave so you could talk about how my cousin is actually my brother?” I’m not even sure I’m interpreting that correctly, but I figure I’ll soon know from their reaction.
Mum hurries over, tears welling in her eyes. “I just didn’t want you to worry. And it’s not because I didn’t want Kurt. He’s very precious to me—but his father…”
She trails off into sobs.
“You mean Dad?” I clarify.
“No. His dad was around a long time ago…”
Margie comes over and pats Mum on the arm. “Since it’s all out in the open now, why don’t I make some tea, and we’ll talk about it properly?”
I know I’m supposed to be a rational adult, but my nerves are at breaking point. And right now, I want to act like the teenager I resemble.
“You were never going to tell me, were you?” I say to Mum.
“I… originally, I was going to wait until you were eighteen, but then you seemed so down after your friends and Chris and Kurt left town that I couldn’t do it to you.
And if you were listening just now, you would have overheard I was contemplating telling you now.
But Margie didn’t want to rock the boat, and I kind of understand… ”
“You should have told me from the beginning.”
“I know, I know.”
Margie boils some water for tea and gets out three teacups, not saying anything.
I sit on the couch and stare at the wall. Part of me thinks it shouldn’t be a big deal. I mean, a cousin I have a close relationship with isn’t that different to a brother. Or half-brother if he has a different father.
“Going by your conversation, Kurt clearly doesn’t know about this either.”
“We also wanted to find the right time to tell him, but with him being overseas, we didn’t want to distract him from his career.”
“It sounds like you were just trying to find excuses not to ever say anything. There’s no good time to break news like that.”
And then I wonder if Kurt knows now. If he time travelled, could he have stumbled across the fact too? Or could Mum and Margie have finally told him and asked him to keep it a secret?
Margie brings over the tea. “I was always conscious of making sure you had access to a relationship with Kurt. He may have lived in a different house, but I know you two are close.”
“What about Chris?”
Mum’s face reddens. “No. He doesn’t know.”
“I need some time to process this.” I stand and ignore the cup of tea on the coffee table. “Please don’t follow me.”
I have nowhere else to go other than my room, so I hurry off and lock myself in. I throw myself onto my waterbed and bury my face in the pillows.
And then I start to cry.
I think it’s more the betrayal of trust than anything else. I’m actually quite happy to find out Kurt is my half-brother. That means I’ll be a legitimate aunt if Anna has a baby.
But it’s still a shock to find out that something you believed for your entire life was a lie.
I wonder what Kurt’s biological father was like. Was he violent? Is that what unstable meant?
I kind of want to go back out and ask questions now, but at the same time, I want to wallow in my own pity.
I close my eyes and try to switch off my brain. I’m completely and utterly exhausted.
I’ll deal with all of this back when I’m in the real world.
***
When I wake up, it’s Saturday morning. I lie still for a moment, waiting for everything to resurface.
I don’t know what I’m more shocked by: the events of the car accident or the news that Kurt is my half-brother.
I need a course of action.
I don’t want to talk to Jarvis until I know a bit more about what actually happened with Nia. But I can’t ask him for Cam’s details without him asking too many questions.
I’ve only just put together the connection that Cam is the Cameron he mentioned on my second visit to the community centre.
I’d already figured that the version of Jarvis I met that time must have been the present one, but this reconfirms it—because the accident wouldn’t have happened yet, and he wouldn’t have had any reason to react badly to Cam.
I jump up and get dressed. Maybe the community centre will provide me with some information.
After a quick breakfast, I head out. The centre doesn’t look very different to how it did in the nineties, although the exterior walls could use a coat of paint.
I go inside and make my way to the office at the back.
A guy with red hair is sitting at the computer, much like the way I saw Jarvis in 1999.
He looks up and smiles, and it takes a moment for me to realise he looks like the high school student who smiled at me during the drama workshop.
His name tag says Travis, confirming it’s the same person.
“Ah, hi. I… uh… I’m Rachel, a friend of one of your past volunteers. Do you remember Jarvis Winter?”
Travis nods. “I do. He’s actually the reason I took on a position here as an adult. He was such an awesome role model and great emotional support.”
“He doesn’t come here anymore?”
“No. He left a long time ago. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but it was quite sudden.”
“Was it around 1999?”
He squints as if trying to remember. “Yeah, I think it was. Why?”
“I was just curious. And I’m wondering if you remembered one of his friends. I think his name was Cam, and he had a sister called Nia?”
“Oh, Nia was the one who got in that car accident, wasn’t she? Yeah. I knew them. Nia and Partick Hurley. Why do you ask?”
“Do you know where they both are now?”
“Last I heard, they were living in Brisbane. I have no idea where, though.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“I haven’t seen you around before. Are you a local?”
“Yeah, I’ve lived in Shell Beach my whole life. I went to Shell Beach High and graduated in 1997.”
“Really? I went there and graduated in 2000! I guess it was a big school, but I’m sure I would have remembered you.”
I blush. “It was a long time ago.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“Ah, no. But thanks.”
“I didn’t really do anything, but you’re welcome.”
“No, you helped plenty. Thank you.”
I leave before I find out if Travis is just being friendly or actually flirting with me. I don’t have the time to consider another man right now.
Besides…
Nope. I’m not going to get ahead of myself.
I return to my car and look up Cameron Hurley on Instagram. I’m hoping the algorithm shows me the most relevant results first, and I click on a few profiles before stopping on the third one.
There he is. Pictured with a woman in a wheelchair.
The caption on the first post says My sis is so brave. This week is the anniversary of the accident that took her mobility, but she remains strong and positive. An inspiration for me and everyone around her.
Yeah, but you didn’t acknowledge you’ve been blackmailing someone to fund her life that whole time. And after witnessing the accident, I’m wondering what kind of person Nia really is.
I look through the rest of the photos and strike it lucky when I see another picture of them sitting at a table surrounded by bookshelves.
Here @ Chermside Library every Saturday from 9am – 1pm. Join us for our memoir-writing sessions. Everyone has a story to tell.
Ugh. Is he capitalising on his sister’s injury to gain an audience?
But at least I know where they’ll both be.
I check my watch. It’s already ten-thirty, but if I leave now, I should get to the library before the session finishes.
I turn on the car and head for the highway. It’s going to be another big day.