Persephone's Search

Chapter Three

When Riley came back to the room Persephone was sitting in the rocking chair holding one of the teddy bears that had been a gift for Phoenix. She saw that he was carrying a small pink box with a purple ribbon on the top. He sat in front on her and placed the box in her lap. "Open it." he said. She opened it and inside she found a plastic storage bag which contained a small pink hat and a small pink dress. She removed it from the bag and immediately recognized it. These were the clothes she had dressed Phoenix in that morning and she had worn while they were waiting for Riley to pick them up.

"How did you get these?' she asked puzzled as she raised the dress to nose and inhaled the sweet scent of her precious little girl.

"Now you can have her scent with you always my love, we found it in one of the bathrooms at the hospital. I assumed they changed her clothes since they figured you would remember what she was wearing." Riley stood up and took Persephone's hand guiding her to stand as well. "I brought this to you so you can see we have a little piece of her with us. We are not giving up Seph. We just have to figure a way to find him. And we will find him." "I trust you Riley; I know you will do everything in your power to bring our princess home." "Now wipe your tears I have a surprise for you."

"A surprise?"

"Yes now come on before the food gets cold."

She followed him into the dining room and found that she had a guest in the house. Standing in front of her was the only other person that Riley cared about other than her daughter and herself; his daughter Zaya. Zaya was beautiful, she had Raven black hair like Riley and Phoenix and those same piercing blue eyes that were so mesmerizing.

"Hello I'm Zaya. It's nice to finally meet you. Daddy has told me so much about you."

"Oh darling the pleasure is all mine to meet you. Riley talks about you every day. You are so beautiful."

"Zaya turned to her dad and said, "Dad you are right she is nice and beautiful."

"Yes she is. I hope that you like her more once you get to know her."

"Dad as long as you are happy I'm happy. Now can we eat I'm starving."

Riley and Persephone laughed as they watched her rub her tummy. They sat down and enjoyed the spaghetti meal that Riley had prepared. She assumed that it was Zaya's favorite but she didn't mind; today was a special day. Riley was working on having a relationship with his oldest daughter. Mid way through the meal Riley put his beer down and cleared his throat. "Zaya there is something both Seph and I would like to share with you and since you are thirteen now I think you can understand what we are going to tell you."

"Ok Dad I'm all ears." she said.

"Do you remember about three months ago I was supposed to pick you up and I couldn't because of an emergency?" Riley asked her.

"Yes, I do. Grandma Mary was furious that day shouting that you were never going to change that you really didn't care about me. I know you love me daddy so I knew it had to be something big."

"It was. Three months ago your little sister was born."

"Hold up, wait I have a little sister and no one told me about her." she said with an angry tone.

"Sweetheart listen to you father because I might not be able to get all my words out if I tell you the story." Persephone said with tears in her eyes realizing that Riley was finally telling her.

"Three months ago," Riley continued, "Your little sister was born and her name is Phoenix Zayana, and she looks exactly like you did when you were born except that she is a little darker than you." He passed Zaya the only picture he had of Phoenix. "On the day she was supposed to come home a very bad man took her and we cannot find."