Chapter 14 - To Understand and Reconnect With Our Stories, the Stories of the Ancestors, Is to Build Our Identities

Danielle walked over to her Mom and took the baby from her. Joel seemed to wake right up and start getting a bit fussy when Danielle took him. I could see the similarities between Joel and us. There was no doubt that he was our son.

“Awe, looks like Joel is probably hungry.” Her mom said.

Danielle, now wearing another one of the orange hoodies that I had as an adult, agreed with her mother. The hoodie had been my bigger, thicker and longer one. It didn’t have the black trim that mine had. Something seemed different about her parents, they seemed more familiar, like I had seen them before, but I couldn’t place where I knew them from. Danielle grabbed a seat in the recliner with Joel in her arms, She did her best to one handedly lift her hoodie, and shirt and pull out her left breast, offering the nipple to Joel. He latched on, began eating and calmed down. I was a bit surprised that she wasn’t bothering to cover herself in front of her parents, or myself. Her body was more similar to my own, but her chest was now a c-cup, instead of the D-cup she had while she was older.

“Yep, it’s that, or he’s like his dad.” Her dad said giving me a wink.

“BOB!” Her mom scolded him.

“What, Cathy! We’re all adults here!” Her dad said.

“No, Danielle and I are adults, you men are 5 year olds.” Her mom said.

Even I had to laugh at that. It felt good to laugh. I’m not sure why I was so comfortable until I realized that Guri had changed our past to explain to us and others what had gone on.

In this new timeline, we knew that Danielle was my twin sister, who my mother had given up at birth. No idea on why, it just happened, and my mother would never give anyone a straight answer. Nine months ago, Danielle and I had met at a game tournament when she was visiting upstate New York. We had let things got out of hand, and had sex, only to find out hours later that we were brother and sister. Robert and Catherine figured out a month later that Danielle was pregnant, and pulled her out of school to home school her thru the pregnancy, and she had given birth at 2 a.m. on our birthday. Today was the first day she was home from the hospital, thanks in part to Robert knowing his way around the hospital, and getting them to agree to releasing her and little Joel. Robert and Catherine had also figured out that I was the father, before Danielle could even tell them, as they saw the way we looked at each other when we were introduced. They were okay with it, and just happy that we didn’t end up doing something we had regretted. Danielle no longer worked, she was still in high school, but was strictly home schooled. I had pulled myself away from my family when we ran into Danielle at the thrift store the second day, except she hadn’t been working, she had been trying to find some infant clothing. Ever since we were like 2 peas in a pod, according to Chloe.

I had to give it to Guri, he had written us the perfect little backstory to explain Danielle.

“No, he’s definitely hungry.” Danielle giggled. “The way he’s going at it, it feels like he hasn’t eaten all day.”

“But this is the tenth time.” Catherine said. “None of my natural kids were like that. That boy has some appetite.”

“Well, I was a chunky little guy myself.” I pointed out.

“I remember that. What happened?” Robert asked.

“No sugar diet, it made me want to eat less.” I said. “I’m trying to work past it, but my mother was never a great cook ... or a great anything.” I added.

“Joshua Lyle Anderson! Your mother may be a terrible cook, and ... wait, where was I going with this?” Catherine laughed.

Apparently, Catherine and Robert knew my mother first hand now, and were none too pleased with her.

“Nowhere. Look at what she did with Grand mama’s estate.” I pointed out.

“He’s got a point. If my niece had any sense, she would’ve found a financial advisor instead of blowing all that money.” Robert said.

Wait, Robert was my mother’s uncle? Oh wow. Guri had merged him into being the lost uncle of my family. My grandmother’s brother. In my original timeline he had owned a farm, and vanished after my grandmother died. We had thought he had just broken off contact, but even if we had, when he passed we never heard of it.

“Uncle Robert. Is that why you sold the farm and moved to Florida?” I asked, working with my new memories. “So you wouldn’t have to see first-hand what she was doing?” I asked.

“Yep. I’d rather not know what she was blowing thru. I just wish I knew why.” Uncle Robert said.

“I know why.” I said as I sat down on the arm of the recliner.

“Oh?” He asked.

“She’s fallen prey to a real douchebag. She thinks she’s in love, but he’s milking her for what he can while his wife is dying.” I explained.

Uncle Robert just nodded.

“Well that explains where it’s going, but why, in god’s green earth, would she let herself not see the signs?” Uncle Robert asked.

“Robert, hush!” Aunt Catherine scolded. “We shouldn’t be meddling in her affairs, or discussing it in front of the kids.”

“Aunt Catherine, if we know something will hurt someone, shouldn’t we interject though?” I asked.

She gave me a look of defeat.

“And as for discussing it in front of us, I’m sure it’s no secret that you disapprove of her actions as much as I do.” I said.

“He’s right.” Danielle said.

“All right, All right! I know when I’m beat.” Aunt Catherine said.

“Hopefully, she pulls herself out of it.” Uncle Robert said.

It was blaringly obvious to me they did not know of me being from the future anymore. Otherwise they might have asked what would end up happening.