One Night ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Last weekend I was wandering around the house missing my dad and my mom. I ended up walking to their bedroom looking for anything of theirs I could hold on to. But when I checked the closet everything was gone."

She stopped to take a breath. I set my mug on the table and gently took her hand in mine, silently letting her know that it was okay.

"Honestly, that wasn't even the most heartbreaking thing I discovered."

I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Sienna... I'm pretty sure I'm adopted, or-or at least one of my parents isn't my birth parent."

My eyes widened in complete and utter disbelief. "What?! What do you- how did you come to that conclusion after checking your parents closet??"

"There was a box filled with all sorts of legal documents, along with my birth certificate. Aaron is my birth father, but Molly isn't my mother. I... I found a photo of a woman named Jolene, who I'm sure is my birth mother." She shook her head in frustration.

"At first, I thought my dad was having an affair, but there was another photo of Jolene holding a baby. On the back of it was my name and the day I was born. I just don't understand... why isn't she here? What happened to her? What if- what if she didn't want me, Sienna?"

"Alex, no. Don't you dare go there." I said, tugging her toward me into a hug. "I wish I had the answer to your questions, I sincerely do. But I don't... this is something you have to discuss further with your father."

She pulled back, giving me a wrinkled look.

"Alex. I can't even attempt to put myself in your shoes, but I know that being in the dark, not knowing about your mom.... I know it hurts. Please, call your father. You need closure."

Suddenly the doorbell rang, disrupting our conversation. Alex seemed more than delighted to weasel her way out of this conversation to see who'd been behind it. I threw my hands up in exasperation.

"Hey, you're late," I heard Alex speak as she opened the door to whomever was standing behind it.

"Sorry, Gio's was packed today. I sacrificed my buffalo wings just to pick up your disgusting pineapple and mushroom pizza."

"I'll say it time and time again. You think it's disgusting, but I've literally been eating this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the past week and a half. Bite me!"

My ears perked up at the familiar voice that sent my heart into a fluttering frenzy.

"No wonder you smell so bad. Anyway, scoot out of my way so I can say hello to my lady and get this monstrosity off my hands."

The smell of pizza grew closer to where I was sitting on the couch until Joseph was standing right in front of me. He grinned widely at me and set the pizza box down before running his hands through his tousled hair. I stood from the couch and hugged him. Joseph was the first to break away, leaving a kiss on my forehead.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey- wait." I stood on the tips of my toes and stuck my nose in his hair. Coconut. "I'm sorry," I said, chuckling as I dropped back into the heels of my feet. "Your hair smells really good."

"Thanks. I uh- used my mom's shampoo today. I ran out of my own, but I just might start buying Garnier Whole Blends as my regular, especially since you seem to like it," he said, scrunching up his face as a smile started to grow. I shook my head, laughing.

"I didn't know you'd be coming here."

"Yeah, Alex got hungry. I was already at Giovanni's placing an order, so I picked up her pizza on the way."