Our house was always dark and dreary, never any excitement. Mother insisted we keep the blinds closed. The snow added to the depression I always assumed I inherited from her. My younger sister running around cheery – angered me. I felt as if I had zero in common with this family.
Jules looked nothing like me. Her hair blonde, sun kissed skin and the most beautiful hazel eyes you could find. If you looked close enough, sunflowers appeared to outline her pupils. Everyone liked her. They wanted to be her.
I, on the other hand; brunette, brown eyed, if you seen me, you would swear I had never met the sun. Most importantly, I didn’t care to be social.
“Come look at this Loren!” The excitement in her voice told me there had to be another “Hottie” on Instagram trying to befriend her.
“What is it?”
“Just come here. Please.” Her tone softened. I moped down the hall, uninterested but trying my best to be sisterly.
“I’m in Mom’s room. Look what I found.” Her hands were trembling.
I was a little more interested now that some rule breaking had taken place. But nervous in a sense.
“A Camera, Map and some photo’s and read this letter on the backside of the map.” She flipped it over, the penmanship was superb. I was intrigued. “Mom told us to never go through her stuff, Jules.” Now that I look back, a good sister wouldn’t have shared her findings.
She pressed the map against my chest “Read it!”
“My Love,
Though the miles may separate us for a lifetime. I vow to wait here for your return. Patiently longing to be a father to our child. The film on this camera remains undeveloped until you decide to tell my precious Loren of her true beginnings.
Smile Always, Brown”
My first thought was of Dad. How would he react? Or …. did he know I wasn’t his child?
Leesa Writes 