Snow and the Wishing Well (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 34

Chapter 33
Sarah
I woke in a ball, wrapped in Justin's arms. I heard his voice as he mumbled something in his sleep.
Last night, I had to lead him to bed and as soon as I did, he fell into a deep slumber. I watched him for what seem like hours. And yes, I was disappointed that I didn't get my first date but it was worth it just to lie there with him.
What was he thinking? What would I do if the person that had abandoned me was in the same building as me? Would I confront them?
I grazed his check as I thought more about it.
What would I do if my mother, magically came back to life. Would I be happy? Of course I would. But she would have missed out on my whole life.
As I looked upon, Justin's stern face, even in sleep, I realised something. Justin already had a mother.
He mumbled another thing making me want to run my thumb over his bottom lip. I kissed him, taking his bottom lip in mine. He groaned waking up from his sleep. I instantly felt guilty.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," I admitted as he looked around the room, trying to get his bearings.
"Oh," he groaned rolling onto his back, rubbing his eyes.
I shifted over to him, nuzzling my cheek against his grey jumper. I clutched a bit of it in my fist, not wanting to let go.
"What are you going to do today?" He asked.
Even though I knew he was trying to avoid the subject of Abbigail Hornbrook, I still thought about it.
"I think I'm going to try and find Billy," I told him.
"Really?"
"Yeah, there's only a few places he could be."
It wasn't just shoplifting that he showed me.
"What about you?" I asked.
I was practically leading him into a trap. Forcing him to make a decision about seeing his birth mother.
"I was thinking of going down to the library and -."
"Avoiding you birth Mother," I butted in.
He raised his hand in protest but took it down in defeat.
"I don't know, what would you do?" He asked.
I shrugged, "my mother's dead, it's different for me."
His smile was sad as he gripped my upper arm. I guess he forgot.
"I want to help you," I told him, "but I can't."
He nodded expecting that.
I ran my fingers through his floppy hair as I looked into his brown eyes. His whole world could change today, just on that one decision. Would he go see her? Or would he pretend like she never existed?


Justin
I lied on the bed, looking up at the white ceiling.
Sarah had left an hour ago to try and find Billy. She didn't leave without mentioning that, I wouldn't get a chance like this again.
I guess she was right.
But twenty years. Twenty years gap. What had she been doing since then? Did she have a family? Had she thought of me every day since then? Or did she try to forget me?
I focused my mind, to try and remember that day.
The Servant's hall was quiet, with no one about. There were no echoes of footsteps like there normally was and no sound of the beautiful birds outside. It was like the earth had stopped spinning, time had stopped, everything was frozen still.
Then there was the sound of screams.
"Justin!" yelled a voice from the stairs, "Oh God, Justin!"
The memory disappeared as I grew confused.
My mother's dead, it's different for me Sarah's voice seemed so clear in my mind.
I want to help you, but I can't.
She was right, I can only help myself now.
I got up and headed for the door. My heart pounded as I walked down the hall to the elevator. When I got to the lobby, the girl behind the counter looked up and smiled.
"How can I help –?"
"Can you tell me where Abb-Aliza Hampson is?" I asked butting in.
The girl looked stunned. As if I had just told her off about something.
"Ahh, she should be cleaning the first floor rooms," she said pointing towards the elevator.
I nodded thanking her, then walked back to the elevator.
My mind was spinning at all the possible ways this meeting would go. She pretends as if she doesn't know who I am. She cries and apologises for everything that she had done. Or she's not even sorry.
When I got to the floor, I noticed one of the doors were opened as well as a cleaning trolley outside of it. A breath caught in my throat, when I spotted her. She faced away from me, her long brown hair curled over her shoulder as she wiped over the coffee table. When she turned around and spotted me, I froze.
"Oh, hello," her voice was exactly how I remembered it, "can I help you?"
My head was spinning, my heart was pounding, I didn't know what to say.
"Yes, I'm looking for someone and I was told that you could help me," I told her.
"Oh, really, who are you looking for?" she asked.
It felt as if my heart was in my head, it was pounding so loud.
"Abbigail Hornbrook."
She froze as she turned as white as a sheet.
So I continued.
"See the thing is, twenty years ago, she left her son in the Servant's Hall of Locksley Manner and I was wondering exactly why she did it."
She took in a deep breath, as she grew to understand exactly who I was.
"You know, don't you?" she asked.
The question could have been taken a million different way.
You know that you were adopted.
You know that Abbigail Hornbrook is your birth mother.
You know that you're that boy that was left behind.
But it wasn't any of them.
It was, you know that I'm your birth mother.
"Yes," I told her.
She pressed her hand against her chest as her breaths grew uneven.
"Oh God," she breathed, "How long have you known?"
I couldn't quite think of an answer.
"I've always known that I was adopted, yes. But I didn't know that you were in London till yesterday. I also didn't know that you worked in the same hotel that I was staying at."
She chuckled as if she was laughing at an inside joke.
"Yes, Gina loved playing games like that. Like a puzzle, she would give you all the pieces of the puzzle but you had to be the one to put them together."
I smiled politely, trying to see that side of Ma. I think I could have.
It was only then that I noticed the distance between us. Each step for each year.
"Well clearly you have questions," she said filling the silence, "But, Justin, I have no excuses about leaving you behind. But I was young, barely twenty-one."
When I didn't say anything, she continued.
"Your father had died, Justin, and we were broke. There were days where I couldn't even feed you and there were only a few times that I was even allowed to have you at Locksley Manner. Well at the start at least."
I frowned trying to remember that.
Reading my mind, she continued, "I talked about you often with Lady Gina and she insisted that you stayed there while I worked. Of course I was surprised by the offer."
"Then what happened. Why give up on me?" I asked.
It was the elephant in the room.
"Well, I, I-I gave up hope. I saw no hope for you, if you stayed with me. But there was a world of possibilities if you became their son."
Then there was silence again. She gave me up because she had given up. She thought she wasn't fit to be a mother but I guess she was right. I didn't remember any of what she had told me. The hungry nights, the lonely days. I guess my parents didn't want me to think that my birth mother had been a failer.
"I would like to speak to you, talk to you," she told me, "get to know you."
A breath caught in my throat as it reminded me of what I had once asked Sarah.
I nodded in agreement, "How about tonight?"
She nodded as a smile grew across of her face.
"Of course, any time you want."