C11 Chelsea

I shouldn’t have invited Kevin to come with me to Emily’s sixth birthday party, especially after our kiss. But, he offered, and I didn’t want to go alone. “Don’t forget you promised to keep your hands to yourself, Kevin.” I remind him as we stroll up the pathway to my father’s house.

Kevin flattens his shirt down, “I promise I won’t break it even though it’s the hardest promise I’ll ever have to keep.”

I had a moment of weakness. Importantly, I have regretted it ever since. “Thank you for coming with me, Kevin.” He nods as he rings my father’s doorbell.

“Where is Jason?” I should have known Kevin would have mentioned my boyfriend.

“He claimed he was busy today.” I fidget as I lie.

“Try again.” Kevin states. Of course, he would call me out on my bullshit.

“Busted,” I say as I smile. “I haven’t told him anything yet. Things have been different between Jason and me since we started dating.” I keep it simple instead of going into details of how much Jason has changed.

“Have you told him about our kiss?” Kevin questions softly.

I turn around quickly, “Why would I? It meant nothing.” I realize I had hurt Kevin. But, I have to hurt him to protect my heart and my relationship.

Emily opens the door grinning from ear to ear. “You came.”

“She looks exactly like you,” Kevin says.

“Who is that?” Emily asks, pointing toward Kevin.

“My stepbrother.”

“My brother isn’t here yet. He’s still at the store buying me a birthday present. And he wouldn’t tell me what it is.” She pouts.

I wasn’t aware that she had a brother since John hasn’t mentioned having another child. Then again, we’ve barely communicated.

I crouch down to Emily’s level and hand her a present. Immediately she wraps her little arms around my neck. As I return her hug, I cry.

The tears fall one drop after another, and I can’t stop them.

The jealousy I had felt over this beautiful girl is gone.

The anger I felt over this little girl for getting our father's love instead of me had immediately disappeared when she hugged me.

It finally dawns on me that I have a little sister. Regardless of how it happened, she is my sister. And, nothing is her fault.

She stares at my face, “Why are you crying, Chelsea?”

I twist her curls which resembles my own, “It doesn’t matter.” I tell her while smiling through my tears.

“It matters because you’re my sister.” She just won my heart over.

I take a deep breath, “I’m crying because I’ve always wanted a sister too. And, now I finally have one. So, they’re happy tears.”

“I was hoping you would come to my birthday party, Chelsea. I always asked Daddy to tell me stories about you.”

“It’s true,” My father says. “She never allows me to read her a bedtime story. I think I’ve told her every memory of you I have in here.” He points to his head.

“Daddy said you like chocolate ice cream, and so do I. It’s my favorite.” I swipe at my tears as I stare down at this little girl.

Before my dad had left, he had always taken me to the ice cream parlor and allowed me to eat chocolate ice cream until I couldn’t eat it anymore. I remember mom getting so mad and yelling at him for ruining dinner. She’d complain for fucking hours about how she stood over the stove, wasting her time.

Unhesitatingly, I walk over to my father and hug him. He stands stiffly for a second, then chokes on a sob, “I’m glad you came,” he says.

“Me too,” I mutter into his chest.

He and my mother might not have gotten along, but he was a great father before he had left. Thus, I refuse to allow the problems he and mom had, stop me from having my father in my life.

“I don’t know how to roller skate, Chelsea.” I snicker.

I could roller skate when I was Emily’s age, so I assumed she could. If I had known she couldn’t, I would have bought her something else for her birthday. “I’ll teach you,” I assure her.

“Jason,” Emily squeals.

I follow Emily with my eyes and watch her leap into Jason’s arms.

I sense Kevin take his place beside me as I stare at Jason holding Emily.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, shockingly. Jason looks at me with wide eyes and stares at me as if I’m a ghost.

I’m confused about how Jason knows my little sister and my father.

Lori enters the house, “The cake is ready,” She glances toward Jason, “You’ve made it back just in time.”

Emily holds onto Jason’s neck, “This is my brother, Chelsea.” She points toward me, “That’s my sister, Jason. Her name is Chelsea.” Straightway, I run to their kitchen and vomit in the trash can.

All those times, I mentioned my sister to Jason, and he knew her.

“What’s going on?” My father questions.

“How do—” I stumble over my words, “Why is he here?”

“He’s Lori’s son, my stepson.” Dads raised not one but two children when

he left me.

Jason had to know John was my father since he isn’t a stranger to my family or my past. I’ve known Jason since elementary school. Thus, he was there for me through it all.

Oh, God, he fucking knew and said nothing. “Kevin, I want to leave.”

Jason rushes toward me, “Let me explain.”

“Oh no. It’s too late for that now. The time to explain is long gone.” I shriek.

As Lori stands next to her son, I observe her closely, and recognition hits, “You were mom's best friend.” I mutter more to myself. “How could you?” I question.

“Take Emily, and wait for us out back.” My father says to Lori instead of allowing her to answer me. Of course, he’d tell her to leave. Evidently, running is his answer to everything.

Jason attempts to seize my hand, “Please, Chelsea, let me explain.”

Kevin smacks Jason’s hand away, “She said she doesn’t want to talk. Keep your hands off her.”

“Somebody, please tell me what the fuck is going on.” My dad hollers.

“Fine, Dad,” I say sarcastically, “I’ve been fucking your stepson.” My dad’s eyes widen.

“We’re more than a fuck, and you know that, Chelsea,” Jason claims desperately.

“Everything with you has been nothing but a lie.” I sneer.

Our entire friendship was based on a lie, and so is our relationship. “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you that your father cheated on your mother with mine.”

“Secrets are fucking lies,” I scream. “You’ve kept this from me and claimed to fucking love me.”

And then it dawns on me. “Was this your way of avenging your father’s death?” Perhaps, Jason had this planned since his father’s death. Maybe he sought out the daughter of the man who had broken his happy home in revenge for his father’s suicide. But, what would he gain from it since he knew my father and I aren’t close?

Jason rushed forward, and Kevin steps in the middle. “Move,” Jason seethes.

“You hurt her.” Kevin brings his arm back and slams it forward, hitting Jason in his jaw. Immediately, I move out of the way and watch as they fight.

They continuously swing their hands, throwing punch after punch, until my father breaks it up.

“Cut the shit out,” Dad yells. “Today is my daughter’s sixth birthday, and you guys are ruining it. While you guys are in here throwing hands at each other, she’s outside waiting for her birthday cake.”

“Your daughter,” I say mockingly. “While your daughter is perfectly happy and unaware of the troubles surrounding her. Your other daughter has just found out that the boy she assumed was her best friend for years now, her lover is her fucking stepbrother. And, all you are worried about is a birthday party? What about me?” Oh, God. I realize I’m crying and hadn’t even realized it.

“I didn’t mean it like that, Chelsea,” Dad replies apologetically.

In a flash, Kevin pulls me into his arms, and I go willingly. I soak his shirt with tears while he comforts me.

Jason lures closer, speaking as he walks, “I knew he had a daughter because he had constantly spoken of her. However, I didn’t know he was your father until I saw a photo of you in his wallet. And, then I put two and two together. But, it was too late by then, Chelsea. At that time, I was scared if I told you, you would stop being my friend.”

I smack Jason across his face so hard it stings my hand, “What about now, Jason? You had plenty of times to inform me, yet you didn’t. Did you get off on knowing you were fucking your stepsister?” Now, I understand why he refused to let me meet his family. It wasn’t because they had family problems. It's because he knew.

I realize now that was a crock of shit. It’s because my father is his stepfather, and he didn’t want me to know.

Jason clutches my wrist in his hand, “I fucking love you, Chelsea, and was petrified of losing you.”

He kisses the inside of my wrist, and I immediately snatch it away. “I was madly in love with you then, and I still am Chelsea,” He admits.

Kevin stands beside me, “Are you ready?” I nod and clutch Kevin’s hand.

Jason tugs on my other hand, attempting to lure me back, “Please don’t walk away from me. I promise to tell you everything.”

“It’s too late for that, Jason.” I keep my head bowed and allow Kevin to lead the way out of the house.

Jason should have thought about everything before keeping such a huge secret from me. And, to think I am feeling bad for not telling him about kissing Kevin. My secret is a walk in the park compared to his.

The entire time Jason accused me of fucking my stepbrother, I was.

Only it wasn’t Kevin.

It was Jason.

Kevin pulls the car over to the side and puts it into park. Immediately, he hauls me onto his lap and holds me while my body racks with tears.

I can’t believe Jason would hide such a huge secret from me. Obviously, Jason knew he was my stepbrother and hadn’t told me anything.

All those times I’ve mentioned to him about wanting to see my little sister or wanting to know what she looked like, he knew because Emily is Jason’s sister too.

I cried on his shoulder many times after my father had left. Jason had comforted me countless times, knowing it was his mother who was pregnant by my father.

And, the whole time, Jason left me in the dark.