I wasn't sure what to think about this. I swallowed. This reminds me of a show I saw on TV once. It seemed weird that the parents didn't know they had the wrong child. Isn't that something you feel in your bones?
I glanced at my mother. She was very quiet. I had never seen her this quiet in my life. I bit my lower lip and crossed the street. We entered the restaurant.
“How many?” The waiter asked.
“We're meeting someone.” My mother spoke up.
I could barely breathe. It felt like the walls were closing in on me. I started counting inside my head to calm myself down.
“What is their name?” The waiter had picked up a few menus.
“Poveste.” My mother responded.
I had heard that tone from my mother over the years. It was the tone she used when she didn't want to do something, but had to anyway. I still felt like this was a poorly planned prank.
“They just sat down.” The waiter smiled. “This way, please.” He smiled and walked towards the back of the restaurant to an enclosed party room.
I glanced at my mother. I didn't expect to have our own area. Somehow, it made it better and so much worse. I let out a silent breath.
The waiter put the menus down. “What would you like to drink?”
“Sweet tea.” Mom glanced at me.
I nodded.
“Two sweet teas, please.” My mother told him.
“Sure thing.” He smiled and left.
We still had yet to sit down. There were six people sitting at the table. Six? I swallowed again.
“Peter, stand up.” A woman backhanded the man beside her.
The man took a drink of his glass and stood up quickly. The woman was already walking towards us with a smile on her face. I found her features very striking. She had my strawberry blonde hair. The man had my green eyes and nose. I had always thought I got those from my grandmother on my Dad's side, but there was no mistaking the genealogy behind the piece of paper from the hospital.
“My name is Madeline. Everyone calls me Maddy.” Her smile was welcoming. “I'm not much for chitchat, so I am going to get right to the point.” She paused and took Peter's hand. “We were very surprised as a family to discover that Anna isn't biologically ours. We don't plan to uproot either of your lives and we hope Mrs. Justice agrees that we will keep the living arrangements as they are, especially since it is you girls' last year of high school.” Maddy's eyes went to my mother's.
Mom nodded, appearing relieved. I knew that we didn't have the money it would take for a lawyer. I didn't want to leave my school. I had friends from Junior High and the thought of moving was overwhelming. At least they seemed to be on the same page.
“Oh, good.” Maddy clapped. “I suppose I can see how the nurses messed up with one baby being named Annabeth and the other being named Anna Beatrice.” She sighed. “I'm so sorry about all of this.” Maddy's eyes flashed to my mothers. “I feel like I should have known, but I was so out of it that Anna...” She motioned behind her. “...is the only baby I remembered meeting. I was squeezing poor Peter's hand so hard, he almost needed a cast.” She flashed me another smile.
She took both hands in mine. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but she seemed nice enough. She gave them a slight squeeze. I swallowed.
“I truly hope you forgive all of us for this.” Maddy licked her lip. “None of us meant for this to happen.” Her eyes were very earnest.
I managed a nod.
“Thank you for your graciousness.” She smiled again and let go of my hands. She walked over to the table. “This is Felix.” She pointed at a strawberry blonde haired man that looked like the male version of me.
“Hi.” He flashed a smile. “This is my wife, Eva.” He pointed to the brunette.
She waved. I waved back. I noticed a child at the end of the table. I peered around the corner of the table.
“That is Ginny.” Felix pointed to the girl. “She's four going on ten.”
Eva smiled and nodded.
“Now I have two Aunt Anna's.” Ginny stood up on her chair and leaned forward.
Eva tapped her hand. Ginny frowned. Eva pointed at her seat and Ginny sat down, not happy about the whole thing.
“And I am Anna.” A beautiful, sandy-haired girl stood up and walked over to me.
Anna looked like a much younger version of my mother. She was the kind of girl that I would have had nothing in common with at school. I swallowed. I was feeling very much out of my element.
Anna's eyes took me in and flashed back to Maddy and Peter. “Annabeth, why don't we take a walk?”
I didn't have time to respond. Anna looped her arm through mine and pulled me back the way I had just came. The door banged shut behind us.