160. FAMILY REUNION

160. FAMILY REUNION
After weeks of always coming home late, Raviel suddenly came home early. He walked into the house before five in the afternoon. It was incredible. He usually came home at ten and always skipped dinner with us.
“You’re home.”
Raviel walked into Aiden’s bedroom. He kissed the top of Aiden’s head before kissing me on the lips.
“I’m taking you and Aiden somewhere.”
“Dinner out?”
“Not exactly.”
“So, where are you taking us tonight?” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
“You’ll find out later. I’ll take Aiden downstairs, and you go get ready.”
Aiden cheered happily when he saw his father come home early. Our little boy hadn’t spent much time with Raviel because he was busy at his various offices. Raviel said he had to finish all his work before our wedding next month. He planned to take us on a two-week vacation to a resort in Florida. I was really excited about the vacation because the last time I went on vacation was when we went to the Maldives, and I barely enjoyed it at all.
“How am I supposed to know what to wear if you don’t tell me where we’re going?”
"Just wear whatever makes you comfortable," he winked before walking out of Aiden's room.
Raviel intrigued me because he hadn’t told me where we were going even though we’d been driving for about an hour. He took me to Irvine. It was very quiet and not as busy as LA. I found many interesting little shops along the streets we passed. The city was very lively in its own simple way.
“Clinic?”
I looked at him in confusion.
“There’s a house behind this clinic.”
“And?”
“And we’re going to meet the owner. Let’s get out.”
I was completely clueless.
I remained in the car even though Raviel and Aiden had already gotten out.
“What are you doing in there, Claire? Get out.”
Raviel tapped on the window.
“I wonder why we’re here? Are you sick?”
“If I were, I wouldn’t have driven an hour and a half from our house. I'll stay in bed and ask you to make me soup.”
“Really? If it means you stay home longer, I'd rather you get sick.”
Raviel shot me a sharp look.
“Let’s go. Someone wants to see you.”
Raviel took my hand and led me into the clinic.
The place was clean and sterile, with all the equipment you’d find in a typical clinic. There weren’t any patients when we arrived. A nurse greeted us warmly from behind the reception desk.
“Mr. and Mrs. Marino are waiting inside.”
I frowned deeply.
"Rave, have you been here before? That nurse seemed to know you."
"Yes, several times."
“If you’re not sick, why do you come here so often?”
“Because I want my wife to be happy.”
“I’m already happy. You don’t need to do anything else for me.”
We stopped in front of the double doors. Raviel gently stroked my cheek.
“I want you to be happier than you are now.”
Raviel didn't give me a chance to ask him any more questions as he led me straight into a house. The double doors led to a minimalist yet cozy living room. The house wasn't as big as Raviel's mansion, but I could sense from the vibe that the people who lived there cared for each other. The aura was warm. Various photos were displayed on the walls. I found a photo of a man and a woman. The man was a doctor, as he wore a lab coat on several occasions. Then I found a photo of a little man. The photo looked like it had been taken decades ago; the paper looked yellowed. Then there was a photo of the couple standing next to a man wearing graduation attire. On the table was a framed photo of two babies. Their faces were identical, so I assumed they were twins.
"Whose house is this, Rave?"
Just as I finished speaking, a middle-aged man and woman appeared, accompanied by a young man probably my age. The woman stared at me with teary eyes. Her palm tightly gripped her husband's. They shared the same gleam in their eyes, sorrowful, but with a hint of joy.
"They are your biological parents and your twin brother, Claire."
I stared wide-eyed at Raviel. Speechless, my heart pounding in my ribcage.
"Rave... I-I..."
"They are your family, Claire. Your real family."
I couldn't look at Raviel's face clearly because my eyes were starting to fill with tears. I was so shocked I couldn't move my feet to approach Mr. and Mrs. Marino.
Mrs. Marino finally walked over to me. She hugged me tightly, and we cried on each other's shoulders.
"My daughter. We are finally reunited, twenty-two years after you were kidnapped from us."
"Kidnapped?" I muttered hoarsely.
Mrs. Marino released her hug and nodded.
“Claire, they are Lisa Marino and Richard Marino,” Raviel said softly from behind me.
“And the man over there is your twin brother, Benny Marino.”
I turned to Raviel, and he nodded slowly. His palms rested on my shoulders, giving me the strength I needed to face the shocking surprises.
“Can I hug you, Daddy?”
The man nodded before bursting into tears as he hugged me.
Finally, I was in the arms of a real father. It felt so comfortable. I felt safe the moment Richard Marino took me into his arms.
Richard Marino was tall with broad shoulders. He looked remarkably fit for a man in his early sixties. Lisa Marino, on the other hand, was small and slender, like me.
After Richard Marino released his arms, Benny moved closer to me. It was a bit awkward at first, but I worked up the courage to hug him, and slowly everything felt completely normal.
We were like long-lost puzzle pieces reunited. We were a perfect fit. He was the man I shared my mother's womb with twenty-two years earlier.
“Nice to meet you, Benny.”
“I heard they call you Claire.”
“Yes. What is my real name?”
“We named you Carissa,” Lisa replied.
“But we’re fine with Claire. It’s a nice name.”
“Thank you.”
After we shared our longing and emotions, Lisa led Raviel and me to sit on her sofa. Lisa and Richard recounted how the kidnapping had happened twenty-two years earlier.
I couldn't believe that Karina had kidnapped me from the family I'd always dreamed of.
"You and Ben were only three days old at the time. An unknown man sneaked into the nursery while the nurse on duty was going to the bathroom. There was only one nurse on duty at the time because it was a very busy month and the hospital was short on medical personnel. The man took you from the crib and slipped out. The nurse only realized it half an hour later when she was about to take you to my treatment room. I was so heartbroken knowing you were missing," Lisa said sadly.
"It took me years to come to terms with the fact that one of my twins had been kidnapped. I always thought about you, hoping that one day we would see you again."
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened to her heartbreaking story. I imagined Aiden being taken from me and never seeing him again until years later.
I was a mother, so I know how my biological mother felt when she lost me.
"Rave, how did you find my family?"
"I tried to investigate your background a year ago."
She looked at me with a gleam of affection in his eyes. I reached for his hand and squeezed it.
He always managed to surprise me with his surprises.
Like most women, you have a dream wedding. And deep down, you want to walk down the aisle holding your father's hand. So, I did some background research on you and gathered a lot of information.
"Thank you," my voice cracked, and my eyes filled with tears again.
"I don't know how to thank you, Rave. You've given me so much."
"No, you don't need to thank me for anything. I just want you to be happy, Claire."
"I'm happy."
I took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness in my heart.
"This is perfect happiness."
I looked at the faces of my family members one by one.
I could imagine my future would be more colorful with their presence. I wouldn't feel alone during my second pregnancy because I had a mother to accompany me through the difficult labor and delivery. My father was also a surgeon. I didn't have to worry about my well-being and that of my little family. Whenever we had a health issue, my father would always be there to ensure we received the proper treatment.
"When are you guys planning your wedding?" Richard asked, his face beaming.
"Next month," Raviel replied confidently.
I knew he had prepared everything without me having to interfere too much. And I trusted him with everything.
"Then I'll walk you down the aisle."
"Of course. That's what I've always wanted."
“And how gracious of God to give us such a handsome grandson. I can’t wait to spend time with him and spoil him.”
Lisa looked at Aiden sleeping in Raviel’s arms with a beaming gaze.
“Actually, we’re expecting baby number two,” I rubbed my still-flat belly with joy.
“I think this pregnancy is only about four weeks old.”
“Wow, that’s great news.”
Richard hugged his wife’s shoulders with emotion.
“Twenty-two years ago we lost one baby, and now you’ve brought two new lives into our lives, plus a wonderful husband-to-be. Without Raviel, we wouldn’t have met you.”
I saw Raviel’s eyes redden before he looked away.
He was getting emotional, just like me.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his strong arm.
"Actually, he's my husband. Raviel and I were married at the registry office, but we haven't had a wedding reception yet," I smiled, looking at Raviel.
He was the best man I ever had. I wouldn't complain about how we met, because what we gained in the future was far more valuable than all the hardships and sacrifices we made in the beginning.
Our love was never wrong. It was just the way God brought us together that was so unique.