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“I always wondered where I got the curly, red hair from.”
It was like staring at an older version of myself in the mirror.
I hugged Charles as well, before turning to the others.
“This is Liam, and this is Harper,” Charles said, motioning toward his adult children.
Harper had the same red curls, only she kept hers cut shorter. Anyone who looked at us would immediately ask if we were sisters, the resemblance was uncanny.
Liam took more after Charles, but his hair was the same red hue as the rest of us.
“I–I don’t know what to say,” I managed to get out, feeling the tears sting at my eyes. “It’s been a long day.”
“Oh sweetie, I heard,” Brenda said. “Come inside and have a seat. I can get you both something to drink.”
We walked inside the home and into a grand living room with a large brick fireplace. As soon as my eyes fell on the fireplace, a memory flooded my brain.
“I fell and hit my chin on the corner of the grate, didn’t I?”
I reached up to touch the scar on my face, the scar that was mostly invisible now, but I’d had it when I was younger and it could be seen in some of my childhood photos.
“You did,” Charles said, his voice cracking. “You gave us both a fright and required a couple stitches. I can’t believe you remember that.”
“Just barely. It’s images in my brain, more than anything else,” I said, still staring at the fireplace. “I always thought I’d dreamt it or something, because I never saw the fireplace again.”
“Have a seat, please. I know you must be exhausted,” Brenda said. Her voice was so soft and gentle, her smile genuine and filled with concern.
“Thank you,” I replied, sitting down on the sofa. Ava sat in a chair across from me so that Brenda and Charles could join me on the couch. “I’m sorry if I’m a little off, or if I start crying. I’m just so afraid that I may never see my girls again.”
Brenda took my hand in hers. “I never thought I’d see you again, but here you are.”
She was right. I knew Gabe was going to get them back. I trusted him to follow through and bring them home. Still, anxiety coursed through my veins and it was the only thing I could think about, even with my new family crowded around me.
I tried to find some distraction, anything that would keep me from having another panic attack. I suddenly noticed the photos on the fireplace mantle and it felt like all the air left my lungs.
“You still kept a picture all these years,” I said.
“Of course, we never took the pictures down,” Charles replied. “We might have added and changed out photos of Harper and Liam over the years, but Bella forever stayed three, until now that is.”
I couldn’t even imagine their pain. All the years lost. Hell, I had lost years with them too. What would my life have been like if I had been raised with them in this home, where I had belonged?
Liam and Harper had taken the love seat beside us, not saying much. I imagine it had to be difficult to meet me, not really having known me except in stories. Well, except for Liam.
“Do you remember me?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Barely, I was four, but I do remember you. You liked to steal my Hot Wheels and run off with them.”
We both chuckled at the thought.
“Sorry,” I said, biting my lip through the laughter.
“No, don’t be. After you were gone, I stopped playing with the Hot Wheels, because I missed you stealing them,” he said.
“That’s true,” Brenda added softly. “He would cry anytime I brought them out for him, we eventually packed them away.”
Harper hadn’t been born yet; she had never met me. I wondered how her life was impacted, I hoped it wasn’t too hard for her.
She was grinning, clearly happy to meet me, albeit a little shy.
