Something he wanted her to see? The moon was bright in the sky, and it was a nice evening to walk if you bundled up well.
He was driving toward the home ahead, this road leading back to an imposing gate set into what looked like a massive wall of stones. “Connor, I don’t like surprises,” she whispered, worried now as he pulled up and lowered his window. The fact he knew the security code to punch in put her even more on edge.
“Relax, honey. An hour from now you’ll be hugging the breath out of me, I suspect,” he teased, but his hand was gentle as he reached over to take hers again.
The gates opened.
He followed the drive, and a massive home appeared, three stories, huge windows. Lights were on and she could see smoke lazily rising in the still night air from two chimneys; the home was occupied. Connor circled the home and parked before a four-door garage.
He came around to open her door, and she let him take her hand. He locked the car behind them and nodded toward the breezeway patio doors. “Let’s go inside.”
The breezeway had marble floors. Already clued in to the wealth in this home, it was still a startling realization. Another set of glass doors automatically opened for them, and they stepped from the wide breezeway into a great room with soaring ceiling, comfortable couches, and a grand piano tucked into the corner. The room overlooked part of the backyard, and it was as landscaped as she had suspected, soft lights illuminating walkways.
“Go on through to the more formal living room,” Connor suggested, nodding to the wide arched doorway into the adjoining room. She could hear music.
She didn’t ask the questions begging to be asked. She walked through the arched doorway and into the loveliest room she’d seen in years, fires casting off warmth, the expanse of windows suggesting more of the spacious yard waited outside, the smell of cinnamon and the rich smell of honey hinting of something in the kitchen off to her right. And her attention finally focused on the people-startled surprise at the sight of the police chief here and then the lady with him.
“Hello, Marie.”
The whispered words in the voice she had never forgotten… Marie froze; the pounding of her heart sounded so loud in her own ears, an awareness of such incredible shock running through her, that her mind wasn’t sure how to move her limbs. She was aware, too, of Connor being the one gripping her arm so tightly she couldn’t stumble even if her legs gave way. He had her safe and he had her here-here where Amanda stood, where Amanda was alive.
“Mandy-” She took one tentative step toward Amanda as she put all of it together-the stress in her sister’s face, the hair colored to deal with early gray, and the steady gaze perfectly matching the gaze she’d loved for so many years she could still see it in her dreams. Her sister, alive and well.
Marie began to smile as she rushed across the room. “Welcome home.” She felt Amanda’s arms close around her as she wrapped her own around the too-tall and too-thin frame and felt like heaven opened to smile at her, so great was the joy that welled up inside and turned her heart toward hope and joy.
All those years of prayers and the answer was so joyously better than anything she had ever hoped. “God brought you back. He brought you back.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything,” Mandy whispered.
“I wouldn’t have stopped looking; I never should have stopped looking. They told me you were dead; they convinced me you were dead.” The horror of having given up the search made the grief squeeze like a vise around Marie’s heart, the pain of so many lost years incredibly intense.
“Sam had to help me convince you of that, honey; there was no other choice. You had to stop searching, for both you and Tracey’s sake,” Mandy whispered.
Marie eased back enough to touch her sister’s face, knowing there was no way to understand that.
“I’ll be able to explain some of it. I’m just so sorry you had to grieve for me as gone. Don’t blame Sam. I didn’t give him any options.”
She wanted answers, wanted to cry why, but instead smiled through her tears. She wouldn’t take the pain out toward Mandy, who had been her older sister and protector and confidante all her life. The reasons would be there and have left Mandy no choice; a lifetime together made Marie sure of that. “You’re found now. You can’t know how good this moment is or how much I’ve hoped.”
“Better than a birthday surprise?”
Marie laughed, released from the tension by their shared memories. “Better.”
“I owe you a few years’ worth of birthday parties and Christmas presents and sloppily made breakfasts in bed and giggling girl talk.”
“Yeah.” Marie hugged her sister hard, afraid this moment would vanish on her, the tears breaking past her ability to control them. She tried to stop the sobs, and Mandy held on.
“I know, Marie. I know,” Mandy whispered.
“Sorry.” Marie fought back the tears and forced a smile. Mandy had the Kleenex pack already in her hand and shared. Marie could see her sister struggling to control her own emotions. She’d been afraid of this moment, Marie realized, surprised, Mandy afraid of the reception she would get when she appeared. “Explain it all later, Sis. For now I plan to celebrate and maybe tease you about coloring your hair. You never could stand the thought of that.”
“Early gray runs in the family.”
“Tell me about it,” Marie agreed, softly laughing. She looked beyond Mandy’s shoulder to where the chief of police stood near the fireplace, watching them, watching Amanda. “Thank you. However you managed this.”
He smiled back. “You’re welcome, Marie.”
“Tracey’s coming?”
“She’ll be here with Marsh anytime.”
Marie looked back at her sister. “When she shows, you’ll be flooded with happy tears again and probably a joyfully screamed greeting.”
“Oh, I hope so. She hasn’t changed.”
“No. Just grown up.” She reached up to touch Mandy’s face, trying to understand the changes in her sister, the years of stress showing where there should have just been years of joy had life turned out differently, and her emotions faltered. How much history had gone wrong for her sister to age her before her time, to make those beautiful blue eyes so clouded with stress. “I’m glad you’re home. I missed you, Mandy.” She wiped her sister’s tears. “Come on; sit down. Talk to me.” She settled beside her sister on the long couch.
“It’s going to take a while, I’m afraid.”
“I’m not planning to go anywhere,” Marie replied, smiling. She looked across at Connor. “You knew.”
“A few days now,” he softly replied.
A few days-before the turtle, before the call to ask for a date, before Sunday night and the help with the paintings and the casual talk about family and history. Her heart swelled over what he had done in the last few days for her and her family, and there wasn’t going to be words to say thanks. She smiled. “I’ll have to remember how well you can keep a secret.”
“I’m getting drinks. What are you interested in having? Coffee? Hot chocolate? Something cold?” he offered, smiling back.
“Tea would be fine.”
“What about you, Amy? Need a refill?”
“Coffee, thanks.”
Lights passed across the windows, and Marie felt Mandy tense. She gripped her sister’s hand.
“Marsh and Tracey,” Connor confirmed, looking out the window.
“Do you think she’s going to be mad?” Mandy whispered.
“A little. But a lot more overjoyed,” Marie promised.
They heard Tracey laughing with Marsh about something, and she came through the archway into the living room, slipping off her coat. Marie saw the first moment it hit, the way Tracey froze, and then she was running, jacket not off yet.
