Chapter 85 Finding Her Family
NIA’S POV
My heart thumped as I stared at the envelope in my hand. Kingston kept his promise to help find my father’s family if they were still alive. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it if we saw someone. But I found myself getting anxious from the moment Kingston told me he was on it.
Now Kingston helped find them; I feel scared that they might not want me. No one wanted me as a werewolf. What reason do the humans have to accept me? I know they are family, but people can be peculiar.
The sound of my phone ringing jolted me out of my reverie. I smiled weakly at the caller ID. “Hey, Kingston.”
“Hey, you too.” He replied in a laughing tone. “Why do I feel like you are still staring at the letter instead of opening it?”Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
I glanced around the room to be sure he wasn’t there. “How do you know?”
“I know you quite well, Nia. Also, I got a notification they delivered it. In that envelope, there are copies of your father’s educational certificates and pictures of him growing. The lady I was in contact with decided to do it the old-fashioned way. I guess she didn’t doubt the locket picture I sent her. You might find all that you need to reach out to them.”
“Why did they have to send it through post when we could have talked on the phone?”
There was a slight pause on the other end. “I really can’t answer that, but from what I know, your family wants you to decide without feeling pressured. It’s up to you to decide if you want to ever meet with your father’s family or keep to yourself. They know many years have passed, and you have never been in contact. That alone makes them a bit doubtful. It shows how respectful they are as people for not wanting to impose the blood relation on you. I have had a long chat with the lady, and her name is Kylia Reed, your father’s sister. She sounded very nice and polite. I hope when you are done going through the envelope’s content, you will get to talk to her.”
As always, I already have tears welled up in my eyes. “I don’t know how else to thank you, Kingston. I appreciate the help so much. I will let you know when I check through.”
“Alright, let’s talk later tonight. My day would be a bit busy. Is Perry home?”
“No, she went to attend a workshop.”
“Okay, say hi to her. Take care.” He said, and the line went dead, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I walked back to the living room, harmed with the envelope. The longer I stare at it, the more my tummy twists anxiously. What if I am disappointed by the content of the envelope? What happens then? I yearned so much for a family that would love me dearly. I had that vision with Gael. I daydreamed about when we would start our little family while assuring myself that I would love each of our children as my life depended on them.
Unfortunately, things went how they went, and I am back to square one. I wonder how burdensome I would have felt without the savings I had gathered over the months of working as the healer. There was no need to spend it, so I saved it all.
If Ezra hadn’t taken the initiative to get my ID card, phone, and everything he thought might be essential for my survival that night. My money and everything I worked for would have gone up in flames. Even if I forgive Gael, I will never forget how he didn’t take a moment to think of what would become of me if he sent me out without actual clothes on. I thought he loved me enough to stand by me. That is what I know about love. You stick to the side of your person no matter what. People have betrayed me many times, and I fear going through that again with this family of mine.
“Stop overthinking and open it.” My wolf urged.
I inhaled deeply and opened the envelope. I was shocked at the first picture that came into sight. It was a picture of my parents and me when Mum birthed me. I can’t remember seeing that picture, but it was around the house before we ran away from the pack. The picture excited me, prompting me to check for more. My father’s school certificates were there, as Kingston said. He was an archeologist who graduated from an Ivy League school in New Haven. My father’s family is from New Haven.
No wonder he was so vast in his knowledge. Now that I think about it, his course of study must be why he became an avid fan of adventure, even though it did lead to his untimely death. I hope he never had regrets until his death. But who was I kidding? His life would have flashed in front of him, and he would have wished never to have met my mother or birth me. The mere thought of what was my reality made me feel deflated.
What is the essence of looking for his route when he died because of me? At the same time, I am curious to find out all about him. I only have fragments of my mother’s memory because her family didn’t give me the chance to get close to them. They were the reason for my misery in the first place. I sifted through the rest of the papers and saw other pictures of me growing over the years. It feels so surreal.
Every year I celebrate my birthday, my father sends a picture to the family. They stopped sending when I clocked nine, which seems surprising. My mum and dad didn’t die until I was eleven. But then I remember not celebrating much of my tenth birthday because of Mum. She had fallen ill then, and nothing felt normal again. I looked behind the picture to see if there was anything on it. Just as I expected, Kylia had penned down a short note. She does have a very impressive handwriting.
It wrote, “Dear Nia, I know it is strange we are meeting like this for the first time in decades. But I hope when you get to see this, you will be interested in meeting with me. Please give me a call.”
Her contact information is below. I stared blankly at it for more than ten minutes. If not for anything, I would like to know why I never heard about this side of the family until now. I want to know why they didn’t seek me when my pictures stopped coming in. I bet there is no harm in finding out who I am. I have had awful betrayals in the past. I doubt if my next experience will be any worse. Summoning courage, I picked up my phone and dialed the number. For a second, I hoped she wouldn’t answer it. But it connected on the second ring.
“Hello, I am Nia.”
“I know who you are. I am Kylia Reed, your father’s sister.” Said the angelic voice on the other end. “Thank you so much for choosing to call.”
“Can we meet?” I asked meekly.
“Whenever you want to. I am up for it!” She replied.
I hesitated for a moment; she sounded too enthusiastic, making me unsure of the decision I was about to make. “Is it okay if I think about the supposed day and get back to you?”
“Take your time, Nia. I am going nowhere. I will be awaiting your call.” Kylia mused.
“Thank you,” I mumbled, ending the call.
It felt like something was stuck in my throat as I leaned into the couch. I need to go on a run to avoid passing out. It is a lot to take in. Picking up my phone, I got my running shoes and headed out. There aren’t many woods around here to shift, so I will make do with my legs for now. That should get me back to a balanced state of mind.