With All My Heart (A Devons Series)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."

Emma POV

I jerk back suddenly, as if she slapped me. Adopted? That's impossible. "Grama, are you sure?"

"Yes, Emy. You're really adopted."

"That's impossible." I have pictures from when I'm an infant, with my mother and father! How can it be? "That's crazy, Grama! You can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious. Unfortunately, your real parents are no longer members of this world." Her face is very sad and my heart feels like it's being torn out of my chest. Gabriel puts his hand on my shoulder for support and I stumble back to lean my back on his chest. His strong chest is rock solid and I feel myself becoming grounded again.

"You know my real parents?" I still can't believe this! This is utterly ridiculous!

"Yes, honey. Your real parents had a pair of beautiful twin girls eighteen years ago. Their very close friends couldn't have any children so when Elinor and Mike asked your real parents if they could adopt a child, they offered one of their twins to them. They felt so bad for the poor couple and asked that however and wherever they would raise their child, they would return her to them at her eighteenth birthday. And so, you were separated from your twin sister at birth."

I feel the sting of tears when I realize exactly what she's saying. "I have a twin sister?"

Grama nods sadly. "Yes, honey. You do. Thea is your twin sister. And the boys are your brothers."

   I gape at her in shock. "No..." I whisper.

   Gabriel's face is colored in horror. "That means we're..."

   Grama cracks a smile. "No, you are not related to Emma. You're still only a foster child."

   Gabriel sighs out a breath of relief but I'm too shocked by my grandmother's revelation, that I can't release a breath of relief too.

   My entire life has been a lie! All my life, I was with the wrong family. How could they have kept this from me?! It wasn't their right! They deprived me of knowing my real family! All my life, I could have been with the boys and Thea! And instead, I haven't been told this until Grama is lying here in the hospital, dying and fighting for each breath. 

   Gabriel squeezes my shoulder, which wakes me up from my thoughts and I remember to breathe. Words flow from my mouth and I'm too late to stop them.

   "How dare you keep such an important fact from me? I have every right to know! You lied to me my entire life and I will never forgive you or my mother- oh, I'm sorry, she's a complete stranger to me!"

  Grama smiles softly at me, despite my hurtful words. "It was what Elinor and Mike wanted. Go now, Emy. I am very tired. I will see you soon."

   "No! I'm not leaving you!" I cry. "What if you--"

   It looks very painful for each breath to force itself into Grama's body and I feel terrible that I'm keeping her from her sleep. But Grama smiles, the lines around her eyes crinkling and her eyes twinkling sadly but contently. "I will always be with you, my lovely girl. Follow your heart because I will always be there. Show everyone who's boss."

   For a second, she sounded like her old self again but I realize that Grama's words sound too much like a goodbye. But when I lurch forward to give my beloved grandmother a hug, she had taken her last breath and closed her eyes.