Out of the Darkness

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Anna waited patiently for her to continue. She had said that she was okay, but I could see how worried she was. She was a little scared to know what had happened to her family after she had been forced to leave them. "You see, after you were gone, she did get sad, then she got angry. She took it out on everyone. Your parents, me, her friends, and even her teachers. They sent her to counseling to try and help her. I didn't think that it would work at first, but they eventually got through to her. When they couldn't get her to let go of the anger completely, they tried a different approach. They told her to focus her anger on something else. To turn it into determination. To put it towards a hobby, or a goal that she felt strongly about. And she did, Stacia. Your sister, little Livvy, is now FBI Special Agent Olivia Rhodes. She couldn't get over the fact that no one could figure out what happened to you, so she dug in, trying to figure it out herself. After a couple of years, she realized that she actually enjoyed the process of finding clues, researching, and, of course, interrogating people." "Wha- really?" Anna asked, wonder and surprise on her face. Christine wiped her tears again, and nodded. "Really. And she's so good at her job, Stacia. She saved so many people, adults and children alike. Why, just last year, she found 3 missing children that had been abducted, in the same place. This man had them locked up in his basement. Somehow, she figured out that their disappearances were connected, even though they were from different areas, and she just solved the case. It took her a few months, but she did it. I wish that you could see her. You'd be so proud of her. She's such a beautiful, amazing woman. She looks a lot like you, actually." "Wow," Anna sniffed, tears starting down her own cheeks. "You're also an aunt," Christine continued. "Liv is a mom?!" she exclaimed, her eyes going wide again. Christine laughed. "She is! Such a great mom, too. They're grown now, but she has a boy and a girl. Twins. Aiden and Anna. Named after you. Aiden is in law school, and Anna just had her breakthrough role in a new television show. It's always been her dream to be an actress, but she is also attending LA film school." Anna was openly crying now, with tears just pouring down her face. But she was smiling. "I can't believe I'm an aunt! And they're probably older than me," she wailed. I chuckled, feeling tears prick my own eyes. We gave her a few minutes to process all of that information, and to calm down some. When she finally did, she glanced at me, then back to Christine. Whatever she was about to ask, had her scared. "What about my parents? Are they okay?" Christine chewed her bottom lip for a second, holding Anna's gaze. "Your mom is doing good. Liv visits her as often as she can. The grandkids absolutely adore her and try to see her every other weekend. We still have Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner together. Mrs. Miller still throws down in the kitchen. She does have a live-in home nurse that stays with her. Her name is Andrea, and she's a sweetheart." Anna smiled at this information and sighed. "I could sure go for some of Mom's home cooking right now. What about Dad? How is he?" Christine looked down, and started picking her nails again, staying quiet. Oh, shit. I cleared my throat. "Maybe that's enough for today. I don't want you to get overwhelmed, Anna. We should at least take a break." She didn't even look at me. "No, Colby. I want to know about my father. I can take it, Hols. Please tell me." Christine sighed and looked back up to her. "He passed away two years ago, Stacia. I'm sorry." Anna sucked in a breath, and pressed her lips together, for a moment. I could see her trying to not break down. I sank down onto the bed beside her, and took her hand in mine for comfort. "Okay. How did it happen?" she whispered. "Was he happy? Before, I mean." Christine nodded. "Yes, he was a very happy man. He still missed you, immensely, and never gave up hope that his little girl would come home. But he was happy. He doted on his grandkids, spoiling them rotten and would still bring your mom roses, just to say he loved her. He got sick, a few years before he passed, but always tried to keep a smile on his face. He didn't let the cancer slow him down, or destroy his spirit. They still attended church every Sunday, and had those Sunday lunches where everyone would show up. The doctors told him that he only had six months to live. He proved them wrong and stuck around for 6 more years. He went peacefully, in his sleep." Anna sniffed hard, and wiped the tears from her face. "It's just like him to be stubborn enough to prove the doctor's wrong," she whispered. I squeezed her hand. "I wish that I could've known him. He sounds like my grandpa," I said. She gave a watery laugh. "He was something special. I know that I've been without them all for such a long time...but I didn't remember them. It wasn't hard to do, because I couldn't remember what I was missing. This hurts so badly. I'm not sure if it was worth remembering." "Hey, don't say that," I replied, softly. I pulled her into my chest and wrapped my arms around her. "It's worth it. I know that it hurts. I couldn't imagine losing my dad, but I know that, when that day does come, I'll still have a piece of him with me. In the memories that he left behind. Would you really rather not remember him at all?" She shook her head, drying her tears on my shirt. "No. You're r-right," she stuttered out. "It just h-hurts." "I know, baby, I know," I whispered, rubbing her back. "The w-worst part is knowing that I can't s-see any of them. I can't t-talk to them, or join in their lives. The memories are all that I have n-now. I'll never meet my niece and nephew. They're so close, but I can't d-do anything about it." She was wailing now, with hiccups cutting off her words and her breaths.