Murky Waters, Part 1

Claire wasn’t quite sure if she was doing the right thing. Sammie
wouldn’t have approved, she knew. “Our family’s messed up, Claire,”
she’d say, “and we don’t need to bring Gossie into this.” Gossie. Claire had
heard so much about her, and never seen her. But she knew that Sammie
had loved her to death. Death. Ironic choice of words. Sammie was gone,
the only other relatively sane duck in the family. Their parents fought
constantly, Tom was out doing god-knows-what and not paying child
support (at last count, there were 3 illegitimate kids around) and Jeff,
well, no one had heard from Jeff in years.
Ever since the death of her sister and her brother-in-law,
Christopher Waddlemeyer, 6 years ago (although it felt like an eternity),
their only daughter had been raised by her paternal grandfather. It
made sense, considering their family. Another kid was more than her
folks could handle. It was only recently that Claire had discovered that
Mr. Waddlemeyer had died too, leaving Gossie in the St. Canard
Orphanage. There, thanks to an incredible twist of fate and quick
thinking that Sammie always had, she found out that Gossie had been
adopted. By some single father. “Well, at least she’s out of there,” Claire
mumbled to herself. “Now she needs to learn the truth about her family
history.”

“Gosalyn, for the last time, NO Whiffle Boy until you finish your
homework!”
“Aw, Dad...” She gave him a sad puppy-dog look.
“Go. NOW!” Gosalyn silently stalked up to her room. Drake sat down
on the couch and was about to play a round himself when the doorbell
rang. He walked over and opened it. “Yes?”
There stood a woman with short red hair and dark green eyes. “Mr.
Mallard?”
“That’s me. Drake Mallard. What can I do for you?”
“Claire Pintail. I don’t mean to intrude, sir, but do you have a
daughter named Gosalyn?”
Drake looked skeptical. “Yes, I do. Why do you want to know that?
Are you from the school?”
“Oh, no, no, nothing like that. I’m...” Come on, Claire, don’t chicken
out. You’ve come this far... “I’m Gosalyn’s aunt. Her mother...was my
sister. It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything about her, and I
thought...”
The pained look in the eyes of the woman was obvious. Bright green
eyes, just like Gos had... Drake realized what he had to do. “Come inside
and sit down. I’ll get Gosalyn.”

To be continued...