Non-Fiction Class Exercise

When I was in the fifth grade, I became best friends with Allie. We played on the same basketball team together, went to the same after-school program and loved McDonald’s--it was an ideal friendship. We stayed friends into our middle school years, too. One Saturday in seventh grade after I had stayed the night over at Allie’s, her family had an emergency. I needed to leave so her family could ride over to the hospital. My mother was out of town at my sister’s dance competition, and my dad was at work, so I called my grandmother to come pick me up from Allie’s house. I was surprised when my grandmother refused. “I’m sorry sweetie but I can’t drive over to that house with those people,” I remember her saying defiantly. Eventually I was able to get my great-aunt to come pick me up, but the phone conversation I’d had with grandmother still lingered in the back of my mind. 

 I decided not to ask any questions until my mother got home from the competition. “Mom,” I asked, walking into her bedroom later that night, “why does Grandma hate Allie’s family?” My mother turned away from the dresser she’d been placing clothing into and faced me, her brows furrowed. 

“I don’t know if your Grandmother would appreciate me telling you this or not,” she said. She ran her fingers through her brown hair, something she always did when she was nervous. Now, I had to know. 

“I won’t tell anyone,” I said, my eyes growing wider as I attempted a look of innocence. I walked further into the bedroom and said down at the end of her bed, anticipating the story. 

“Well,” my mother said, taking a seat beside me on the bed, “when I was a little girl, your grandfather cheated on your grandmother with Allie’s mom.” I was still had not gotten over the shock of this statement when she continued, “Allie’s mom had a baby not long after, and while she claimed it was her husbands, it looked remarkably like your grandfather.” 

I’d only seen Allie’s brother a few times; Allie’s parents had been a lot older when Allie was born, so her brother was already married and living in another state when Allie and I met. Still, I couldn’t believe I had never noticed the resemblance the times I had seen him.

“I swear I won’t tell,” I said, my eyes wide again, this time with shock. I never mentioned the conversation my mother and I had again to anyone, especially my grandmother. I couldn’t believe that of all people I could’ve been friends with, I chose my unknown half-uncle’s sister! Small towns always harbor a lot of secrets, but I never imagined my family shared in a part of that.