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" If I were you, Evelyn, I would put that gun down and stand back. "
Her sickening voice traveled to my ears. I turned around to look at her dead in the eyes. She gulped and cowered a little at the direct eye contact. Keeping my eyes locked...
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It felt as if the time had frozen. Nothing and no one was moving. Everything seemed to be stuck in one frame of time.
My fingers were still interlaced with Evan's. He was still holding onto my hand tightly. I was still staring at Michael. Michael was still crying.
I wanted to cry too. But I couldn't. I was frozen in my place. My tears were trapped inside the lids of my eyes. My sobs were stuck inside my throat. I couldn't hear anything above the sound of my own heartbeat.
" Sam named him Evan Anderson. " . . .
" She looks just like her. " . . .
" You're like the sister I never had. " . . .
" My mother had the same ring. "
. . .
" I grew up in that neighborhood. " . . .
" What's in Portland, Evie? " . . .
" Why do you have that ring? " . . .
" Evie! "
My dad used to call me Evie. He reminded me of my dad. He looked like my mother. His mom had the same ring as my mom. He grew up in the same neighborhood where my mom and dad had lived before they moved to New York. He was Michael and Irena's son.
He was my mom's son.
He was my brother.
I had a brother.
My brother.
The reality of the situation finally set in and my heart clenched painfully. The tears that had been stuck between my eyelid, flowed down my face. The sobs that had been stuck in my throat escaped my lips. My chest heaved up and down as I struggled to catch my breath.
I felt like somebody had just given me a new reason to live. I felt like I was born again, this time with someone to call family. Faded memories fluttered beneath my clenched eyes. Or were they just some vivid dreams I once had?
Christmas mornings, gifts under the tree. A brown-eyed little four-year-old boy sitting in front of a little green-eyed girl just a year old. He loved to play with her. She loved to sleep in his tiny arms. They loved their gifts. He told her all about Santa.
Bright sunny days in a playground. Green grass beneath their tiny feet. Her laugh made him laugh. He carried her on his little shoulders when she fell and scratched her knee. He didn't like it when she cried.
Normal beautiful evenings. They played catch in their backyards. Their dads watched from a distance laughing at their childish games.Their laughter made the little girl giggle in happiness.
He taught her to walk. He held her hand when she fell down taking her first ever steps.
He didn't cry when she bit him by mistake while he fed her food with his tiny fingers.
