Victor was apologetic. He jumped the gun and didn't think things through. He stared at his new-found brother in shock.

Adam picked up his phone and dialled the receptionist. "Susan? Please reschedule the rest of today...A serious personal matter just came up...Thank you, Susan." He hung up the phone. He paced the floor a few more times and looked out the window.

GPL LLP took over an entire floor in one of the taller buildings in Vancouver. Adams office had a nice view of the city.

"Looks a little foggy out there today." Adam commented.

"What?" Victor asked.

"Come here. Come look." Adam offered.

Victor hesitated. He took a half step and paused.

"Come on." Adam urged without looking at Victor.

Victor took a breath and walked over. He stood beside Adam and looked out the window. It was a beautiful sight, despite the fog. Victor was in awe.

"My father never told me anything about my mother. I didn't even know she was First Nations." Adam confessed.

"You have her feather." Victor said pointing at Adams necklace.

"Yeah." Adam shrugged. "But is it really hers? I thought it meant she was a hippy."

Victor gaped at Adam. When he realized that it could be a reasonable mistake, he changed his expression. He looked back out the window.

"Why did she leave me?" Adam asked. He still wouldn't look at Victor.

Victor looked at Adam, stunned. "From what I've heard, she didn't. But that's a story she will have to tell you. It's not a happy one. And you will need to think if you're ready to hear it. Otherwise, just take the opportunity to get to know her now. Dwell on the past later." Victor suggested.

Adam chuckled. "Now you don't sound as stupid as when you came in here." He chuckled harder. "'a 'wife who reads your books'." He laughed.

Victor looked at Adam seriously.

Adam's laugh disappeared, shyly, when he realized that Victor was serious. "Oh. You really don't know anything about accounting." Adam looked at Victor wide-eyed. He looked back out the window. "Sorry. That's ok. Accounting isn't for everyone. And I know you're not stupid with that kind of insight."

Victor frowned.

Adam looked down. He wrinkled his forehead as he tried to look up at Victor.

Victor huffed.

"I'm sorry." Adam tried. "I didn't mean to insult you."

Victor frowned at Adam. Then he smiled. "It's all good." He said. "We talk like that at home too." He slapped the back of Adams shoulder.

Adam was stunned. He faked a chuckle.

"I'm sorry for making you cancel your day." Victor said.

"No. Don't worry about it." Adam shook his head. "You said my mo.....Our mother is still alive?"

"Yes. She's coming to my house. Should be there in a couple hours if she isn't there already."

Adam looked out the window in thought. "Do you think I can meet her?"

Victor looked at him seriously. He wasn't sure what to do. Darcy might get mad if he starts bringing strangers home unannounced. His mother may get mad for not giving her time to prepare. Emily may get a little confused and ask questions she's not ready for. Sísele may.....Well.....He didn't know how Sísele would react. "Sure you can meet her." Victor said. He sucked his breath back in his lungs. That wasn't what he meant to say. He was supposed to say that he will let her know he wants to meet with her.

Adam looked at Victor right away. "Do you really think I can?"

Now was Victor chance to redeem himself and say that he will pass the message. "Sure." He said. He was kicking himself internally. He really had to work on his conversation skills with non-reserve natives.

"Oh, wow!" Adam grabbed his face. "What do I say?" He looked pleadingly at Victor. "What do I do? Can you tell me about her?"

Victor thought for a moment. The only thing he had stuck in his head was what Sísele had just told him. He froze.

Adam looked out the window and sighed. "I didn't even think about you. I'm caught up in my own confusion that I didn't think about yours." Adam looked at Victor. "I'm in a lot of shock about this. I was raised different from my siblings. Treated different. I never thought I'd have another brother somewhere. I don't know what to say."

Victor exhaled. "I didn't know what I was doing. I found out about you and I came. No thought process. Just an urge."

"Do you think I can do that? Just show up?"

"I think she'd be expecting to see you. She knows I came today."

Adam looked at Victor. He looked scared and sad. "Will this fill the void?"

"What void?"

"I have a void. Will this fill it?"

Victor frowned curiously at Adam.

"Look at the city." Adam gestured out the window.

Victor looked.

"You see the fog? How it surrounds the buildings? That's how I've felt growing up. Some things I was certain of and others were in a fog."

Victor nodded. He understood. "I was raised to believe that as long as you know your roots, you will always be sure of yourself. I can only hope that this can fill your voids. If it doesn't, then I can guess that you have unresolved issues." Victor tried.

Adam sighed and nodded. He stared out his office window. "How are you feeling about all this?"

Victor looked out the window. "I'm not sure. I was angry, first. Then I was confused. Now? I'm curious."

Adam stiffened. "Can you tell me about you?" He asked nervously. "Do you really own your own business?"

Victor laughed. "Yes, I do. I own a construction company."

"And those 'books' you refer too? They're your receipts."

"Well why don't you call them that?"

"We do." Adam chuckled.

"Hmm." Victor thought. "My wife handles all of that. I'm more of a get-your-hands-dirty kind of guy. Darcy is all paperwork." He nodded.

"Darcy? That's your wife's name?"

Victor nodded.

"Do you have any children?"

Victor nodded. "One. Emily."

"Wow!" Adam exclaimed. "I have a niece too?!"

"You now." Victor said.

"Yes to both. My wife's name is Alice. And I have two children. Michael and Jessica."

Victor nodded. "You have more siblings?"

"Yeah." Adam nodded. "I have two sisters."

Victor nodded.

"They don't have any children."

Victor nodded.

"Do you have siblings?"

"Yes. I have one, now." Victor answered.

Adam chuckled. "So no one else then?"

Victor shook his head.

They stood in silence for a short time. To them, it felt like hours.

"Can you tell me about Catherine?" Adam asked cautiously.

"She is a good mother. She's very kind and patient. She's good to my daughter. Holds her above all else." Victor smiled proudly. "She like to make giveaways."

"Giveaways?" Adam asked.

"Yes. You know. Little things to give away."

Adam blinked at Victor.

"Oh, right. You're a city native." Victor laughed. "When we have gatherings. We have items to give away to people to thank them for coming. To honour them for giving their time."

Adam nodded. "Ohhh. Ok. And these gatherings....What are they for?"

Victor laughed. "You have too much to learn. More than I can tell you. You have to experience it. And we don't have enough time in this day for you to get all your answers."

Adam nodded again. "You're right. I have so many questions." Adam sighed. "And I'm sure you do too. And Catherine...." He exhaled heavily. "How did you learn of me? How did you know to find me here?"

Victor stiffened. He didn't think about Adam asking that question. "Um...." He hesitated. "My mother-in-law told me. She's mom's best friend. She knew of you. And mom......" He trailed off. "That's a conversation for you and her." Victor was not willing to touch that one. Why couldn't he think like that when Adam was asking to meet Catherine?

"Sooooo......" Adam started. "What do we do now?"

Victor shrugged.

"Do you want to meet my family? Maybe I can give them a call.....You said you live two hours away....Maybe we should head out that way? Do you need to call someone? Maybe I should call my wife. I don't even know if I should be creeped out about your wife's mother knowing about me or if I should be glad. How do you think I should feel about it? I gotta call my wife." Adam pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

Victor was overwhelmed with Adams confusion. He didn't say anything. He remained at the window staring out at the foggy city. It was a beautiful sight. He wanted to take a mental picture of it.

Adam hadn't moved either. Her stayed at the window looking out as he called his wife. "Hi, Alice. How are you doing?"

Victor thought Adam spoke to his wife strange. He calls Darcy and he says 'hey, babe' and Adam says 'hi, Alice'.

"That's good. I'm glad you were able to get her to change......Lunch? No. I'm good. Thank you. Listen......I have a situation here.....No, no. I do not need to go to another conference......Listen....I have a gentleman in my office, he says he knows my mother...."

Victor stiffened. He didn't know how he should feel about what he just heard.

"I know......Yes, it is great....But, listen......He knows where she will be and.......Yes, I'd like to." Adam straightened his back. "Yes, I will tell you everything when I get back......No I don't know how long I will be. She's two hours away......I know.......Are you sure?"

Victor took a deep breath.

"No I don't know......Ok......I don't know how it will go, this is a surprise to me, too........Thank you.......Yes I will be sure to let her know she has grandchildren." Adam chuckled. "I hope so too......Thank you, my love.....I will call you when I get there....Bye." Adam hung up. He sighed and stared down at his phone.

Victor turned to Adam stiffly.

"She was always good to me. Even when I wasn't good to her." Adam commented. He slipped his phone back into his pocket. He looked out the window and sighed again.

Victor turned back to the window, still stiff.

"Do you think she will accept me?" Adam sounded worried.

"Yes." Victor answered. "That's the way she is."

Adam let out a slow and heavy breath. "Alright. So is there a customary thing I need to do?" He looked at victor, lost and unsure.

Victor raised his eyebrows at Adam. "'customary thing'?"

"Yeah, like, do I need to learn some kind of prayer? Do I need to make a giveaway?"

Victor started laughing. He shook his head. "MUCH to learn."

Adam didn't see the humor in his question. But he wasn't offended either.

"No. Just show up hungry and respectful. You don't need to make a giveaway. Although, you could bring her flowers. You know, just to be polite. And it's a nice gesture."

Adam looked out the window again. Neither of them knew what to say. Victor knew he'd better call his wife to tell her what he'd done, but he wanted to wait until he left Adam's office. He thought he didn't know what to say to Adam, now he really doesn't know what to tell his wife.