The Ex Chronicles by Penelope Christian

Author:Penelope Christian
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Girls Publishing

MADISON

I had to interrupt Grandma. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. I had to speak now. I flipped the light switch on so the extra lighting over the fireplace could shine down on me. I pressed my hands together to reduce the trembling. Then I pointed at my mother, “Mother, how old am I?”

She furrowed her brows. “Twenty-one.”

“I’ve been in this family for twenty-one years. And for twenty-one years, you all have lied to me.”

“Aiden, go upstairs.” The man I thought was my dad instructed.

Aiden leaped from his seat.

“No, let him stay. He needs to hear this,” I said.

Aiden stood frozen in place.

“Aiden, go upstairs, now.” Troy narrowed his eyes at me.

Shay chimed in, “Madison, what are you doing?”

I waited until Aiden left the room.

“Anybody else want to leave? Okay, cool,” I continued before anyone could answer. I knew they wanted to stay to hear what I had to say. There was something about the word lie that made people pause and listen.

“All of you have allowed me to live a lie. I knew I didn’t look like anybody in this family because I look like my daddy, Chester Long. My last name is not Brown, it’s Long.” I stabbed my finger in the air. My face was getting warm.

The room was silent. No one in the room gasped which means it was not a surprise, they all knew.

I continued, “How did that happen? Huh?”

Aunt Betty grunted and looked at my mother. Her grunt spoke volumes.

“When two people sleep around and get pregnant, they don’t consider the child. All they think about is getting it in, then cover it up.” My nostrils flared. “I knew I looked different, I knew I felt different.”

“That’s not true, we loved you and treated you just like we did Shay and Aiden,” my mother combated.

“No, you didn’t. You say you did, but you didn’t.” I was fighting back tears.

I looked over and saw Shay wipe her face. “Madison, don’t do this,” her voice edgy. I figured she was still mad at me from the moment I told her.

My mother lowered her eyes and fidgeted with her hands.

“Yes, we do love you, honey. We loved you and provided all of the same things we provided for Shay.” Troy pointed at Shay. “And Aiden.”

I shook my head, “No. Let me ask you, how many of my lacrosse games you came to? When I played volleyball, how many times did you come to see me play?”

No one responded.

“Just what I thought, Momma was too busy and you were too bitter. And that made me feel like I wasn’t wanted. Shay and Aiden got everything they wanted and all of the support they needed. Now, either of y’all are at every game, coaching, cheering or whatever, supporting his whole team.

Troy shook his head. “I loved you just like you were mine because until you were twelve, I thought you were. I had to work through it, too. I couldn’t abandon you.”

His words softened me a bit,

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