A DNA test was all it took to turn my world upside down. I remember staring at my computer screen, trying to make sense of the results. My mind said they were erroneous, but my heart… my heart instantly knew life wouldn’t be the same anymore. I’m Billy, and up until a few days ago, I thought I was living the dream. I’m an only child, and my parents have always showered me with love and attention. They’ve given me everything I could ever want or need. It all started the day I turned 18. I had decided to treat myself to one of those ancestry DNA tests. You know, the ones that tell you if you’re 2% Viking or whatever. I was just curious, nothing more. I never expected it to change my life.

I was literally jumping up and down the day the results came in. I kept refreshing my email every few minutes, waiting for that notification. “Billy, honey, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor if you keep jumping like that,” Mom called from the kitchen. “Sorry, Mom! I’m just really excited about my DNA results!” Finally, the email arrived. I could feel my heart pounding as I clicked on it. I was so excited, unaware that what I’d see next would change my life forever.

There, in black and white, was a notification of a close match. A brother. Daniel. That was the point I knew something was not right. The look on Dad’s face changed in an instant. His eyes widened, and all the color drained from his cheeks.

“Where did you hear that name?” he asked, looking around to ensure Mom wasn’t around. I told him about the test results. As I spoke, I watched his expressions change. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then said something I wasn’t expecting. “Listen,” he said in a low voice, “don’t tell your mom about this, alright? She doesn’t know. I had an affair years ago. If she finds out, she’ll leave.” I nodded, promising not to say anything. But as I returned to my room, something didn’t sit right.

Dad’s reaction seemed off. It was like there was more to the story than he was letting on. I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept staring at the test results, wondering what to do next. The next morning, I told Mom I was going out with my best friend and walked to the café. I didn’t have to do much to recognize Daniel. I immediately spotted him, and it felt like I was looking in a mirror. “No, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I shook my head. “We never lived together.” Daniel’s smile faded.

“What do you mean? We lived together until we were five or six. Don’t you remember? And Scruffy, the dog, he’d follow us everywhere. “He nodded. “Yeah, our house burned down when we were little. Our parents didn’t make it.” “What?” I was shocked. “Yeah, and I remember how you saved me. Afterward, you were adopted, and I was sent to some other family. The adoption process required me never reaching out.”