Ashley

Coincidences

Since I was little, I have always wanted to have a sister or a brother to play with. My friends would tell me how lucky I was because I did not have an annoying sibling. I’d tell them how lucky they were because they were not so lonely. And then it happened, it was as if someone in heaven had heard me. I was 10 years old when we were in our backyard and my mom confessed to me that the father I had grown up with, whom I love with all my heart, was not my biological father. I was so shocked; I nearly fainted. All I remember was yelling “WHAT?!”, then everything was spinning and I almost hit the ground. I was able to control myself enough, though, only to then be filled with curiosity. I wanted to find my “second” father because that meant that I just might have siblings out there somewhere. However, there was one problem: my mom had lost all contact with this person, Roger. Four more years would pass until this grand mystery was solved.

            It was summer vacation and my mom and I were visiting family in Mexico. When we got off our bus, my mom tripped in one of those potholes and sprained her ankle badly. As a result, she had to use crutches for a few weeks. During that time we visited a plaza (mall) and were enjoying enchiladas and mole when a stranger came up to us. He was trying to sell my mom a walker to replace the tiresome crutches when my mom recognized his accent and his similarity to Roger’s best friend, Ivan, and asked him if he was related. The man, surprised, told her that they were indeed brothers. I was anxious to contact Ivan so that we could reach Roger.

Eventually we met with Ivan and spend the day at the plaza along with his family. I remember bombarding him with questions, asking him what Roger looked like, if he had any children, etc. Unfortunately, Ivan only had his sister’s number, my aunt Martha. After calling her and sharing all the excitement, and realizing that I had just discovered countless new family members, I finally obtained Roger’s number. My mom made the first call; they talked quietly for some time. Even though they talked for only a couple of minutes, it felt like an hour to me. Eventually my mom passed the phone to me and we talked. I remember it feeling awkward; I was talking to a complete stranger and I did not call him dad yet; it just did not feel natural, but what really mattered is that I learned that day that I have a brother and a sister.

Since that day, I knew I was not alone. I had siblings to have fun with, to get annoyed at, to party with, but most importantly, to share a bond that only exists between siblings. I talked to my sister first, then to my brother. I was so overjoyed, yet our talks were paused, short, even awkward. I realized it would take time for us to be comfortable with each other, but I didn’t care; I had finally found them. When I first met them in person, it felt wonderful to just hug them and know that I was not alone; it was a feeling I will never forget. This life-changing experience made me feel like the luckiest girl ever because, through a series of coincidences, I now have two fathers whom I both love, a sister, a brother, and countless other family members, from aunts to uncles to cousins and a grandma. I can give thanks to my mom because if she had not sprained her ankle, we would not have met Ivan, my aunt Martha, my father Roger, or my brother and sister. The puzzle would still be unsolved.

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It has now been 3 years since that event. To be honest, good and not so great feelings have sprung from it. For starters, I have not spoken to Roger for well over a year, it does not matter though            because I already have a father: the one who raised me, the one who has been with me in the hospital when I have gotten sick, the one who has always supported me in all schooling, the one who actually cares and loves me. As for my brother, he lives relatively close and surprising I see him only about once, maybe twice, a month. He is also a teenager and likes playing video games and hanging out with his friends. We are not very close, but I guess that is normal since we never grew up together. My sister and grandma live far so I see them even less, only like 4 or 5 times a year. All in all, this experience did not turn out as expected. I wish I could see my siblings more often, but I don’t even know if they feel the same way. Life is life and in the end, I am glad I did find them or else I would still be dying to know the truth.