Staring at her reflection in the broken mirror in her mother's room, Joan stood transfixed by a gale of feelings. The Legacy Locket weighed emotionally around her neck, if not physically. Joan had been coming undone from the inside out since the dinner catastrophe and Mr Harris's astonishing statement.
Alex did not telephone. Not texted.
She hovered over her phone with fingers. Give him a call. Call him now. Even so, what would she even say? "Hey, I think we're brothers." But also I believe I love you. Cool."
She choked back tears.
The door behind her was creaking. Holding a dull brown envelope in her hand, Mrs. Harris stepped slowly. Crying was causing her eyes to be red, her lips to pull in a small dreadful line.
She said softly, "Joan, there is something you need to know about your father, about... everything."
Joan swung, heart racing. "Please tell me."
Sitting down on the mattress edge, Mrs. Harris passed her the envelope. Your father isn't what you think he is.
Joan opened it by getting started with. Inside, a birth certificate was present. It was not hers.
Alex owned it.
Born at the hospital. Same day. Same year.
"Why do you have this?" breathed Joan, raspy.
Mrs. Harris stopped. "Due to my presence.
I had a nursing job then. Joan, there was a hospital mix-up. Your father... he insisted Alex was his son. I did not ever see the mom, however. There was a rumor about a lady who vanished after having delivered.
Joan gripped the piece. "Are you saying Alex is not his offspring?"
Mrs. Harris nodded. "That's possible. And if so.... you are not related."
The space hummed with charged, kinetic air.
Clutching the locket, Joan staggered back. "I must find him. I need the facts."
Rushing out finds Mrs. Harris shouting, "Joan—be cautious. This knowledge is not wanted by all.
Alex sat by himself on the pier edge, his hoodie drenched from the constant rain. Hours he'd been here, replaying every moment with Joan and every second of Mr. Harris's tormented remarks.
"We have kindred blood."
It had destroyed him. He could not consume. Could not sleep. All he saw was Joan's face when she came to grips and her terror converted to wonderment.
He was hoping to yell.
Phone buzzed. Unknown Number.
He passed it.
It whispered; it did come.
Once more.
The answer he finally gave was "What?"
From the speaker came a raspy voice. "If you want to know who you really are, come to the old church off Granger Street. Alone." Tonight.
The line went off.
Alex was standing, heart pounding. Had this a plan?
Possibly.
But if there was a chance he wasn't Mr. Harris's son...
He had to be aware.
Overtaken by vines and time, the old church was little more than a crumbling ruin at the border of the woods. On a common program they had forgotten to unhook, Joan had been tracking Alex's location. Heart racing, she observed him from the shadows.
He went inside the temple.
Out of the shadows indoors came a lady, her body draped in black.
"Alex," she murmured, "you resemble your mother exactly."
He stopped still. "Who are you?"
She uncovered her hood.
From her hiding place, Joan gasped.
The woman appeared as a more mature Joan. Equal cheekbones. Same gaze.
"Your birth mother," she said, "is Celeste."
Alex fell back. "No. Not happening."
"Your birth was clandestinely delivered by me." Your father made me vanish by his hand. I was taken from you and brought up by a guy seeking an heir.
" Mr. Harris?" A little nod came from her.
"Alex, he is not your biological father; he never was. And he'll murder in order to preserve that secrecy."
Joan came out from behind the stage. "Then we reveal him."
With wide eyes, Alex turned. "Joan?"
She wiped tears of sadness away and nodded. Alex, we are not siblings. We never were."
Prior to his ability to
Gunshots broke the windows of stained glass.
The church was ripped by bullets.
Celeste screamed as she took Alex's arm, "Run!"
But Joan stayed immobilized as a shadowy shape came back.
It was Albert, Joan's brother.
He brought up a gun.
He had an unreadable face.
Coldly he said, pointing it directly at Alex.
One shot sounded out.
And then all was black.