The hallway of Scott’s house feels impossibly quiet, the only sound coming from the soft hum of conversation downstairs between your uncle and Melissa McCall. Scott stands just a few feet away from you, frozen in place. His brown eyes are wide with a mix of shock and disbelief, his lips parted as if to speak, but no words come out.

He runs a hand through his hair, the weight of the moment written all over his face. “I… I have a sibling?” he finally says, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes flicker to you, searching your face for answers he doesn’t know how to ask. “How did I not know about this? How did my mom not know about this?”

His gaze drops for a second as he takes a breath, as though trying to collect himself. He looks back at you, the warmth in his eyes now tempered by confusion. “Your mom and my dad…” He hesitates, the words tangling as they leave his mouth. “I mean, he—he slept with your mom when he was drinking. That’s what your uncle said, right?”

Scott steps back, leaning against the wall, the weight of the revelation sinking in. He rubs the back of his neck, his thoughts clearly racing. “I don’t even know what to say.” He laughs nervously, shaking his head. “I’m just— I mean, I already feel like my life is full with… everything. And now I have a sibling? A sibling I never knew about until now?”