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then,” Amber quipped, but meaning it. Totally and completely.
The visit continued on a more positive note from there. Ellie didn’t say much, but Amber didn’t blame her. It was all so weird and really kind of scary. Her whole world was being turned topsy-turvy and it was taking all she had to keep it together and not show the pain splintering her insides to the people around her. Her mom didn’t need it for sure, but she didn’t want to share it with any of them really.
For lots of reasons. Her mind brought up an image of Miguel and she wished he was there. She envied Ellie Sandor’s blatant support. He cared a lot for her sister and that was neat to see, something that helped Amber keep it together while she got to know her dad.
At some point, Sandor ordered dinner delivered. They all ate, still talking. It was late when he stood and said, “Ellie needs rest. It has been a very traumatic few weeks for her. Perhaps this visit can continue tomorrow?”
Amber looked at Ellie and bit her lip. “You haven’t been talking much.”
“I’m soaking it all in. I’m um…not used to being part of a family,” she said.
Wow. Just…wow. Amber was the one who had been kidnapped, but Ellie was the one who had missed out on having a family. She promised to return the next day to visit some more and Amber was glad.
Their dad cleared his throat. “I would like to stay here a while longer…to talk out what I learned from my legal counsel with Helen in regard to the kidnapping and the statute of limitations and such.”
“Is everything going to be okay?” Ellie asked. “She won’t go to jail?”
“She will not. I have already put efforts into motion to assure that Helen suffers no more from the tragedy of her past.”
Relief coursed through Amber. She wasn’t sure what was going through her head about all of this, but one thing she knew…she did not want her mom hurt any more than she already was. “You did that before you even met us?” Amber asked.
“Yes.”
“Thank you.” She jumped up and hugged him and it was the strangest thing, but it was okay.
And he hugged her back and it felt good, if odd and a little scary. The idea of having more family…of her mom not really being her family. Only she was. Blood wasn’t the only thing that made family ties. Her mom loved her and she had to cling to that knowledge when things got shaky. Right?
Her mom suggested she go to bed to be well rested for her trunk show the next day and Amber agreed. It was best to let her mom and her newfound father work out some things between them. And she needed some time to herself. Some time to think. To take it all in.
As promised, Ellie came back to visit the next day. But this time, she talked almost nonstop and Amber just loved her to death. She was a really special person, working in public employment counseling and trying to help people even though she didn’t have to work at all.
And something that was really strange, but Ellie saw herself as average in looks. Amber had made a career on her beauty, which was identical to her sister’s, so she had laughed out loud at her sister’s comment to that effect.
Ellie had been bemused, Sandor amused and their dad had simply said, “I told you so.”
It was funny, and kind of wonderful. She hoped Miguel would be able to make it to California before her family flew back to the East Coast. She wanted to share this whole thing with him so much, needed him to feel more grounded. Which was maybe even weirder than the rest of it, that she would be so reliant for her emotional equilibrium on someone she hadn’t even known a month ago.
He called on her cell that night, but she missed the call because she’d left her phone in her bag in her room while she visited with her new family.
By the time she realized he’d called, it was too late to call him back. It was one thing for him to initiate a phone call in the middle of the night his time and another thing for her to do so. Her mom had raised her to be courteous and she wouldn’t wake him even if she wanted to talk to him so badly, it was an ache inside her.
She found it very difficult to get to sleep and called him first thing when she woke up. She hadn’t even gotten out of bed, when she grabbed the bedside phone and dialed his number.
He answered on the second ring. “Sí, Miguel.”
“Hi, Miguel.” She smiled just saying his name. “It’s Amber.”
“Querida.”
Her smile grew, the jumpy feelings inside her settling down at the sound of his voice. “I was really disappointed when I realized I’d missed your call last night.”
“You were working?”
“Actually, I wasn’t. I was talking with some people. I have so much to tell you.”
“I too have news.”
“You go first.” She was fairly certain his wouldn’t take as long and hers was confusing, even to herself.
