If You Make a Deal With a Shadow...

Chapter 45

"First, I'll acknowledge our trust has been broken. A successful recovery, I pray for us at night. Bless me with a second chance. Never thought I'd see your face again. Learning life through trial and error, tryna' make it right."

- Recovery by Justin Bieber

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"Hello," the petite woman reaches her warm hand out to shake Aubrey's. "My name is Mrs. Robinson," she then looks over at the little girl beside her and smiles. "I am Anastasia's social worker. May we come in?"

Aubrey nods and takes a step back. Payton looks between Aubrey and the little girl with widened eyes. Aubrey sends a nervous look at Cyrus before heading towards the living room. Mrs. Robinson follows closely behind with a shy Anastasia in tow.

The awkwardness in the air was nearly visible. Everyone was so quiet. Mrs. Robinson continuously watched as Anastasia and Aubrey stared each other down with confused looks. They all take a seat on the couch. "Okay..." Mrs. Robinson chirps while clasping her hands together. She looked down and picks up her briefcase to grab some papers. Aubrey watches her, still in shock.

"Hello, Mrs. Robinson. Nice to see you again," Kasey bellows as he walks into the room. She stands and he shakes her hand. Payton asked Junior if he wanted to play on the game room so that they all could have a moment.

"Nice to see you also, Mr. Wilson. How's it going?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Kasey spoke before they both shared a laugh. Aubrey and Anastasia watched the two as they communicated. After awhile, when their conversation was over, Kasey sat down next to Aubrey.

"I have been communicating to your brother for almost five months now. He contacted me and we found your sister, Anastasia, in the system," she was speaking to Aubrey now. Aubrey knew who Anastasia was, but to hear someone actually voice it was unnerving. "She's been in our care since the crash eight years ago. Somehow everything got mixed up after the explosion. You were sent somewhere while your brother and sister—"

"Are there anymore surprises?" Aubrey looked at Kasey slowly. "Mom and Dad are actually alive too? What, Superman came to the rescue while I almost limped to my death to try and save you all?" she chuckled while shaking her head. "Or better yet... my dog Percy that died from cancer came back from the dead after 12 years?" she stared Kasey down and he looked at her shamefully.

"I'm sorry, Aubrey. I couldn't lie to you. No one knew who she was for a few years. I don't even think she knew," he whispers. "It's not like it hadn't been hard on her too. She was the youngest. A—"

"Don't you think I know that?" she growled. "I cried myself to sleep every night wishing you guys would all come back. Wishing I could redo that day. Wishing I wasn't so stupid. I would've done anything to trade places with any of you. I loved you guys so much and living with the guilt of all of your death's on my shoulders was a worse burden to live with rather than just dying. I wished like hell every dámned day that I could join you guys. So, don't pretend any of us had it easy. I was just as heartbroken as anyone else," Aubrey had tears falling down her cheeks by the time she finished her speech.

"Aubrey, I'm not saying you weren't hurt. But you really need to stop blaming yourself. It was an accident. You need closure and you need to let go."

"How can I let go? I'm a coward," she looked down at her intertwined hands as she cried. "I haven't even been to the graveyard to see them. I haven't even—" Aubrey was cut off when a running Anastasia jumped into her lap. She looked down at her in shock.