How Could You?

I'm alone

"I hope it's okay that I came here. I didn't know where else to go." Alice said, when she had finally calmed down, yet she was still wrapped in Stevie's loving embrace.

"Oh, honey of course. This is your home, Alice." Stevie said, stroking her hair. "There is no other place you should have gone to other than here."

"I just... I came home and it was so quiet. I looked everywhere and I couldn't find Mom. Then I saw that letter..." She grew quiet again. 

"I can't imagine how heartbroken you must be, sweetheart. I hadn't suspected a thing. If you're wondering, Sheryl didn't say anything to us either. I was shocked, reading what she had written to you."

"Why would she want to... to... to die alone?" Alice was desperately trying to avoid that word. "I love her. She raised me. I would have taken care of her."

"Well, baby, I think that's exactly why she did what she did. After all, you're only a thirteen year old girl. I'm sure Sheryl didn't want you to feel like you had to take care of her, because you... can't really. More than that, I think she didn't want you to see her get weaker and become just a shell of whom she was."

"But I'm hurting. What she did, hurts me. How can she be so selfish? Didn't she realize how painful it was going to be for me when I found out?"

A little at a lost of words, Stevie looked over at Lindsey, in hopes he could say something as well. "I think, it's completely the opposite thing, Alice." He spoke up, keeping his voice mellow. "If anything, it was such a selfless act. Like you said it yourself, Sheryl raised you from a tiny baby to this beautiful, smart girl you are today. She chose to walk away, because she didn't want you to hurt more than you already are hurting. I'm sure her heart is torn in pieces."

Alice took a moment to process what Lindsey just said and she knew he was probably right. "But I didn't even get to say goodbye. I won't know when... when she's not with us anymore. Everyday, I'll wake up and wonder, is my mother still alive?" Alice's lip trembled and once again, she lay her head on Stevie's chest.

"We, uh... we could try and look for her." Stevie suggested carefully, glancing between Lindsey and their daughter. Maybe it was something she should have discussed with Lindsey first, but she would have done anything to stop her baby's heartache. 

Nothing was said for a while. Stevie thought that Alice had fallen asleep, but she spoke up at last. "No. However hard it might be, I have to respect her wish. If Mom thought that spending whatever time she had left without me, well, without me seeing her... disappear, then I have to accept it."

"Are you absolutely sure, Alice? Because-"

"I'm sure." Alice nodded, finality in her voice.

The three of them grew quiet again, the obvious question on all of their minds; what's next? Neither Stevie or Lindsey wanted to just presume they had Alice back a hundred percent and they couldn't make any decisions for her. It was completely up to her.

"I don't really have any family. As you know, I don't even remember John and from Mom's side... well, she's never been close to her relatives. I'm alone."

"Alice, sweetie, you're not." Stevie shook her head, straightening up, taking both Alice's hands in hers. "If only you let us, we're your family. You have no idea how many dreams I've had over the past thirteen years of being reunited with you, of having you back in my life, of... maybe even hearing you call me your Mom." Stevie's voice cracked and Lindsey got up from his seat, sitting down next to her, his arms circling her waist. 

"So, I can... stay with you?" Alice's eyes from Stevie's shifted to Lindsey's, who smiled at her and so did Stevie.

"Without a shadow of a doubt."

"It's just because I don't have another ch-" Alice wasn't allowed to finish her sentence, when Stevie wrapped her in a hug, Lindsey's arms going around both of them as best he could. 

Alice was crying once more, as she pulled back, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm so blessed to have you. I... I thought that you must have hated me if you gave me away, that you didn't want me."

"You know that's so far from the truth, baby." Stevie said, finding it hard to control her own emotions. "You've been in my heart since the very first day I knew I was carrying you and it's never changed. If Lindsey had known, I'm sure it would have been the same for him. Even though it hasn't been long since he found out about you, I know him..." Stevie trailed off, covering Lindsey's hand with her own. "... and I know that he loves you to bits, Alice."

"I do." Lindsey nodded, hanging his head low, brushing away a tear that escaped. "We both love you more than anything."

Alice looked at the two of them, managing a small smile, as she scooted over closer and hugged her parents.