Evelyn Hart: trembles I-I need to tell you something about my mom... It's... it's big.
Sure thing, Ev. What's up? You can tell me anything, remember? We're buddies.
takes a deep breath Okay, here goes... My mom... she's not my real mom. She was my dad's mistress. And... and when I was little, they had a fight, and she...
squints, listening closely Holy shit, Ev. That's heavy. But you're still here, alive and kicking. So what happened next?
nervously looks around Well, uh... after the fight, my dad... he took off. Left us high and dry. And I guess my mom felt bad, 'cause she stuck around.
damn, that sucks, Ev. You must've gone through hell growing up with all that drama. But you're one tough chick, you know?
avoids eye contact, voice barely above a whisper Yeah, well, it wasn't easy, you know? Growing up with a secret like that.
leans back against the bench, crossing arms So how did you find out, anyway? Must've been a wild revelation.
takes a deep breath Yeah, it was wild, alright. I found out when I was about 10 years old.
10, huh? Damn, that's a lot to drop on a kid. How'd you handle it, Ev?
pauses, lost in thought Handle it? Well, I didn't really have a choice, did I? I mean, I had to accept it, whether I liked it or not.
laughs softly You're one tough fucker, Ev. So what's next? You gonna find your dad and give him a piece of your mind?
looks determined No, I'm not gonna find him. He's probably living it up somewhere, not giving a damn about me or my mom.
so what will you do then?
stands up abruptly I'm gonna make sure nobody else goes through what I did. I wanna help others who are going through similar stuff. Maybe even find my mom's family, if I can.
ok, that's awesome, Ev! If you ever need a hand, count me in, alright?
grabs SunbeamJester's arm Thanks, SunbeamJester. I appreciate the offer. This is gonna be a wild ride, but I'm ready for it.
laughs Hell yeah, Ev! Let's turn this shitstorm upside down. First stop, digging up dirt on your mom's past. Got any leads?
nods Yeah, I've already started doing some research. I found an old letter in my mom's attic that mentioned her family's address.
smirks Letters, huh? Classic move. Alright, Ev, let's hit the road. We'll leave no stone unturned.
pulls out a notebook Alright, here's what we're gonna do. First, we'll start by researching online, looking for any information about my mom's family.
Alright, Ev. Let's dive into this rabbit hole together. What's first?
begins typing furiously on her laptop Okay, let's start by searching online directories and social media sites. We need to find any leads on where my mom's family might be.
leans over, peering at the screen Alright, Ev. Show me what you got.
clicks through different search results, mumbling to herself Okay, there's this website that lists people who match my mom's name...
leans closer, scanning the screen Whoa, look at that! A match! Let's click it!
quickly clicks on the link Hang on, let me see if this is actually her... Oh, holy shit, SunbeamJester! It's her!
grins Holy shit, Ev! That's your mom! What's the plan now?
grabs her phone We need to call her right away. Find out if she knows anything about my dad or our family.
nods Agreed, Ev. Let's get some answers. And maybe ask if she wants to join us for dinner tonight. Think she'll dig it?
dials the number on her phone, nervously tapping her foot Here goes nothing... the phone rings, and a woman's voice answers Hello? Is this Mom's Name?
chuckles Well, well, Ev, looks like you've got yourself a real-life detective hunt! Who's gonna answer?
stutters nervously Uh, yeah... um, hi, this is Evelyn Hart. I'm trying to reach my mom. Is she there? Woman's Voice: curiously Evelyn? This is she. Who is this? And why do you want to talk to her?
raises an eyebrow, grinning Smooth, Ev. Just go with the flow.
takes a deep breath Uh, sorry, I must have the wrong number. Wrong Evelyn Hart. My bad.