Chapter 79: Chapter 79

When I woke up it was the morning of the next day. My room was bright and I couldn’t open my eyes because of that but when I tried to lift my hand to shield my eyes I discovered there was someone holding it. For a moment I panicked thinking I was back in Mainland, restrained. But when I opened my eyes it was Siobhan and she had tears in her eyes.

“Siobhan?”

She threw herself at me and hugged me tight. “You are alive! I was worried. I was so worried I was never going to see you again.”

I hugged her right back because I had missed her so much. My heart ached at the thought at I could easily have died and never seen her again. But when I released her and saw the bandage on her wrist my heart lurched.

“Oh my God Siobhan, what did you do?!” I asked sitting up.

She cried and told me what happened and as I listened I found it increasingly hard to believe what she was saying. There’s no way I can be Edna and Anton’s daughter. And Siobhan had tried to kill herself because of that?

I felt so sorry for her and I drew her into a hug. We were still hugging when Mom, Dad, and the Hayes walked in. Behind them was a tall man I didn’t recognize.

“You are awake!”

Mom and Dad came to hug me and the Hayes did the same. I stared at them wondering how it could be that I was their daughter. There was no possibility at all. But the guilty look in Edna’s eyes could not be denied.

“Siobhan, Bianca…there’s been a new development.”

Dad sat beside me on the bed and rubbed my head, covering my head with kisses.

Anton Hayes gestured to the strange man in the room and said, “I found the doctor who delivered you girls into the world and he has something to say.”

The man stepped forward. “Mr. Hayes went through the pains of looking for me to clarify any doubts you might have. I know you both are under the notion that you were switched at birth and that is true but I was the doctor who birthed you both and I was doing my rounds in the delivery room when I saw your cribs were mislabeled. I didn’t know at the time that Mrs. Hayes switched you both.”

Mrs. Hayes looked sheepishly away.

“I thought my nurse had been careless again so I switched you both back and at that moment Mrs. Davies here walked in and took her daughter, the one labeled Bianca, and insisted she wanted her by her bedside. So you see, you both belong to your real mother. If I had known Mrs. Hayes switched you both maybe I would have told her about what I did and we wouldn’t have had the confusion we have today.”

Both Siobhan and I gasped.

“Well if we weren’t confused I wouldn’t have acted quickly to find Bianca,” Anton said blushing furiously. “I admit I was slow to respond to rescuing you from Carol until I realized you might be my daughter. I apologize.”

Siobhan started crying again and Edna squatted in front of her to hug her again. “I’m so sorry, baby. I am so sorry. I acted selfishly and I am sorry," she cried. Incredulously, Siobhan hugged her back.

Dad squeezed my shoulders. “I never believed for once that you weren’t my daughter. You have too much Davies in your bloodstream,” he joked.

I laughed and hugged him tight. Mom came to join us. When we were settled and everyone was back to being friends again Siobhan reached for my hand again.

“But I wouldn’t have minded, to me I have two dads and two moms and I am fine with that.”

“Me too,” I agreed with a smile.

She smiled and then looked up at the adults in the room. “There are others waiting to see you, hoping that you made it alive.” She threw her head back and yelled. “Come in boys.”

Andre and Aaron walked in. I could see the pain in Andre’s eyes as he looked at me. Siobhan drew him close so that he was standing beside my bed.

“Andre I have something to say to you…” I started eager to disperse the fear in his eyes.

“Me too…” he said. “I am so sorry for everything. I am sorry I lied…if I could…”

I pulled him by his collar and shut him with a kiss to the cheers of everyone in the room.

“I know what happened," I whispered. "Your brother told me. He is so proud of you and he wants you to make a good life for yourself. He told me.”

His eyes filled with tears. “He did?”

“Yeah, he sacrificed himself for you, Andre. He is sorry about everything.” I cried as I touched his face. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t punish you for being a creep and not being completely honest with me.”

He laughed and cried. “Anything you want. Whatever it takes to win your trust, I’ll do it.”

“Hmm, kiss me and I’ll think about it.”

He leaned down happily but before could kiss me Dad pulled him up.

“Dad!” I protested.

“What? He wants to steal my baby girl from me.”

“Cole!” Mom warned him.

He rolled his eyes – the Davies way – and released a frightened-looking Andre who quickly said, “Sir, I promise to always make Bianca happy. I love her and I’ll never hurt her.”

“You had better.”

Laughing, I pulled Andre in for a kiss to more cheers from everyone. When we were done I reached out my hand to Aaron.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he smiled.

“Life’s too short to be indecisive, Aaron. I made my choice and I think you should make yours.”

He glanced at Siobhan and smiled. “I think I already did even before I realized it.”

My eyes filled with tears again as I looked out into the room filled with everyone I love, glad to be alive to see them all. I squeezed Andre’s hand and smiled up at him.

I sure have enough story to fill Shewa’s ears with when we resume.

Ask Diddy your most personal interrelationship questions. Tell Diddy everything. Go on! We dare you!

Remember, the reason Ask Diddy is added to the school newspaper is to help students interact with a fellow yet an anonymous student. All secrets told to Diddy remain secret.

Dear Diddy,

You will not believe what stories I have to tell you Diddy. It is going to be the story of the year!

_ Shewa.

Dear Shewa,

Shewa, I am curious about this story of yours. Let me guess, it's about me, my best friend, her boyfriend and my boyfriend. What are you going to call it? Let me guess, My Best Friend's Boyfriend?

-Diddy.