New Beginnings {ACM}

Chapter 57

Song of the chapter: What Do You Mean? By Justin Bieber

Emily's POV

"You're not going to believe this," Jesse said as he brushed past me when I opened the front door.

"Dude, aren't you freezing?" I asked as I followed him into the dining room. He was in jeans and a green t-shirt, his jet black hair messed up.

"Not anymore, nope. I'm feeling quite hot, actually." His green eyes were bright and blazing.

"What are you-?" I shook my head. "Nevermind. What did you find?"

"Well, I know how annoyed you were that you couldn't find anything except for that picture that fell out of your dad's wallet at Quinn's Halloween party, so I did some snooping around at my own dad's house. And I found this."

He handed me a picture of a wedding party. "What does a wedding have to do with why my mom acts so strange around you?" I asked, confused.

"Look harder."

I glanced at the picture for a moment. "I still don't get it."

"Okay, well, flip it over and read the back."

I did as he asked and saw the caption Daryl and Penny Wedding, May 6, 1988.

"My mom's been married twice? But who the hell is Daryl?" I asked.

"Wow, you're slow. That's my dad."

My eyes widened. "But- but that can't be my mom! This lady is blonde in the photo."

"Tons of people that had blonde hair when they were younger have dark hair now. And there's this thing called hair dye," Jesse said.

"Then that means-"

"You're my half sister."

I sat down hard at the table. "But we look nothing alike."

He shrugged. "That doesn't matter." He sat down across from me and took the picture, looking at it again. "I was born in 1990; two years after this wedding took place."

"I was born in 1991," I said slowly.

"Exactly. After I was born, they must have divorced and then your mom met your dad. A year later, you were born."

"You don't just meet somebody, marry them, and then have a baby...all in one year!" I exclaimed.

"I don't know, Emily, but I do know that this is your mom and this is my dad, in this photo." He stopped. "Well, I guess technically my mom, too."

I ran my hands through my hair. "This is all too much to take in at once. I'm calling my mom. She has some major explaining to do."

I grabbed the phone and dialed my mom's number, asking her to come over right away, saying it was urgent. She said she would be right over, and five minutes later, she pulled into the driveway.

"Lucy, it's time for you to go in your jumper," I said, setting her in. "Sit and jump like a good girl."

"Emily!" My mom's worried voice came from the doorway. "What's the urgency? What's-" She stopped when she saw Jesse and I standing together. "What's going on?"

I held up the picture. "I could ask you the same question, mom."

Her eyes widened before she sighed and put a hand over her face. "I was afraid this day was going to happen."

"Well, duh!" I shrieked. "What the hell is going on?"

"Honey, you might want to sit down," she said, pulling out a chair. She looked at Jesse warily. "Both of you."