Lost Girl

One

"Lastly, we pray that this upcoming school year is nothing short of prosperous for all of our children or grandchildren planning to attend. Allow them not to be strayed from the path of God and to render their services to help those who have strayed. With utmost praise and thanks Father, amen," prays Pastor Goodkind at the end of his Sunday sermon.

Shelby's eyelids flutter open at the end of the closing prayer revealing mesmerizing green irises that glow just a bit brighter due to the light green floral sundress adorning her body. As she raises her head, the towering figure on her right slightly leans into her shoulder and murmurs in her ear something about going outside onto the front lawns to catch up with some friends. Shelby, too preoccupied with scanning the ever-dwindling room for a certain someone, barely processes and acknowledges the statement with an imperceptible nod.

A third of the church was well on their way out into the lovely August breeze with the remaining excitedly catching up with fellow church members. Texas during August weather, especially in these last two weeks of August, was sinfully hot. However, this was nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, the summer happened to be no different from the ones Shelby has been experiencing, in this very town, for the past thirty years. Nevertheless, they were quite lucky on this specific Sunday afternoon as the sun's rays were less intense than usual and they were graced with the presence of a cool breeze. Weather like this definitely made it into Shelby's book of favourites. It wasn't suffocating but freeing in every sense. It reminded her of happy memories she had stored away— ones that she held near and dear to her heart.

As Shelby drifts down the aisle, still actively scanning the room, she notices her mother walking towards the end of the pew with an inquisitive look on her face. "Shelby, darling, where are you off to in such a hurry?" Jobeth says, chuckling slightly, as she approaches the left side of her daughter.

"I'm actually going to find—"

"Me! She's obviously coming to gossip about life with me, ma'am. It's been a while since we had a coffee date," Becca says with a bright smile, hooking her left arm with Shelby's right.

"Aren't ya bestie?"

Shelby turns her head slightly to the right with a smile playing on her lips.

Becca. Her best friend.

Despite the English language having the largest number of words, none of them were sufficient enough to explain how much Becca truly meant to her. She knew Shelby better than Shelby even knew herself and has proven that very fact on numerous occasions. It was quite true what people said, a good friend is like a four-leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have, and Shelby was never more grateful to have found hers at such a tender age.

Becca was dressed in her Sunday's best. She was wearing a royal blue summer dress that had these cute little buttons in the center. Her hair was ever so voluminous and curly but she was definitely sporting a different hairstyle than the one she came to church in.

"Actually I—oof," are the few words Shelby manages to utter before her hands move forward to grasp the tiny body that just crashed itself into the front of her legs.

"Hi baby," Shelby coos to the little one now comfortably pressed up against her, the previous conversation instantly set aside. A content smile spreads across her face as her hands immediately shift to stroke the head full of dirty blonde curls while tiny arms move to find residence around her legs.

"Hi Mama," Maia murmurs back softly into Shelby's dress.

Maia. Her daughter.

That statement alone still feels a bit surreal to Shelby. She had a kid and better yet a daughter who was a miniature version of her in both looks and personality. The only difference between them was Maia's much curlier hair that Shelby willingly chose to embrace.