An Unexpected Family Reunion: Book 2

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Sadie stared out the window of the rental car, a black Camaro, at the familiar sights she had missed. 

She knew exactly where they were, while Kelly was fiddling with the GPS. 

"If you just tell me where we're going, I can tell you how to get there."

Sadie sighed

Kelly huffed in defeat 

"Fine, the Hampton Inn on Bay Street."

"Take this next exit"

Sadie giggled 

The hotel Kelly had reserved was in the Historical District of Savannah, and not too far from where Sadie lived with her mother. 

Arriving at the hotel they checked in and dropped their bags in the room which had two queen beds and overlooked the busy street below. 

"So what do you want to do?"

Kelly asked, he wanted this trip to be all about what Sadie wanted to do. He felt responsible about everything she had been through in Chicago, and he wanted to try to take her mind off of things. 

"We can walk around a bit, then go get some dinner if you want?"

"I'm following you, this trip is for you."

Kelly smiled, wrapping his small sister in a hug. 

They walked out of the hotel and down a side street. Savannah seemed big, but most of what Sadie wanted to show Kelly was within walking distance. 

As they walked around Sadie pointed out the small park where they filmed Forrest Gump, another area where she used to hang out with her friends. And making their way down another street she came to a stop in front of a narrow two story home with a wrought iron gate surrounding the small front garden. 

As she stared up a small tear escaped her eye

"Sades? You ok?"

Kelly asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her head. 

"This is where I lived with my Mama."

She choked

Looking up at the home he could tell it was unoccupied, Sadie noticed the same. 

She pushed the front gate open and walked to the stairs where she knelt down in front of the bottom step. 

Kelly looked and saw two pairs of handprints in the gray cement. 

One pair were the size of a toddlers, another pair were adult size. 

Drawn into the now dried concrete was the inscription 'Nora & Sadie 2010' 

Kelly did the quick math and realized Sadie was 2 when her little hands pressed into the concrete slab.

He watched as her hands pressed into the void that was her mother's prints, they almost fit. 

More tears rolled down her cheeks as she kept her hand in her mother's imprint. 

Kelly didn't know what to do but hug her. 

"I'm sorry Sades, should we have not come here?"

He asked, Sadie shook her head. 

"No, it's not that. It's just for the first time in a while I feel like I have a piece of my mom back....I was taken from here so quickly....I never got to say goodbye." 

"But you got to go to her funeral right?"

He asked, as she shook her head again.

"No."

Kelly's heart broke all over again, he had no idea that she didn't even get to go to her own mother's funeral before being shipped off to Chicago. 

From next door Kelly heard a door open and close, then a gasp. 

"Sadie?!"

The woman's voice caused the pair to look up seeing an older woman with gray curly hair peering over at them from her front steps. 

Sadie stood and smiled 

"Hey Mrs. Andrews"

"Oh honey!"

The older woman quickly made her way over and grabbed Sadie up in a big hug. 

"Oh sweetie where have you been?"

Mrs. Andrews had a strong southern drawl

"Chicago"

"Chicago? A big city like that?!"

She continued to hug Sadie, almost smothering her. 

"This is my brother Kelly, I've been staying with him."

The older woman finally looked up, acknowledging Kelly's presence. 

"Well Mr. Kelly, I hope you've been taking care of our girl here."

"Trying my best."

He smiled

After some conversation he learned that Sadie's Mom was a Professor at Savannah College of Art and Design, and Mrs Andrews would often watch Sadie after school. Sadie never really spoke to him about her life in Georgia, and he didn't ask in fear of making her upset.

After some more conversation Sadie finally asked

"Where's my Mama buried?"

Mrs. Andrew's face became sullen.

"She's at the Greenwood Cemetery Sweetie."

It must have been close by  because Sadie quickly made her way out of the yard and down the street.