I think I just completely ruined my family. Last weekend, at my sister Claire’s wedding, everything was going fine until the reception, when my uncle (my mom’s brother) started making weird comments about how it was ‘nice’ that our dad was still playing the role of father after everything. I had no idea what he meant, so I pulled him aside—far away from everyone—so we could talk in private.
At first, he brushed me off, but after some pushing, he just dropped it: my mom had an affair around the time Claire was born, and there’s a real chance my dad isn’t actually her biological father. He said it like it was old news, but this was the first time I had heard it. I was completely frozen, trying to process what he just told me.
And then I turned around and saw Claire standing there. I have no idea how she heard us. I swear I pulled my uncle far enough away that no one else should’ve been around, but somehow, she was. She just kept saying, ’What are you talking about?’ over and over. My uncle immediately started backtracking, but it was too late.
Claire went straight to our mom, dragged her outside, and started demanding answers. I followed because—well, what else was I supposed to do? My mom kept saying, ’Not now,’ but Claire was not letting it go.
Then she turned to our dad and asked if he knew. The look on his face said it all. At that point, Claire just lost it. She started crying, yelling that her whole life had been a lie, and then she just left her own wedding.
Now everything is a complete mess. My mom is furious with me for ’entertaining gossip’, my dad isn’t speaking to anyone, and Claire won’t answer my calls. Some of my relatives think Claire overreacted, while others say she had a right to know, even if the timing was horrible.
I feel awful. I never meant for this to come out at her wedding—I wasn’t the one who told her—but I still can’t shake the feeling that I played a role in ruining what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
Source: brightside.me